Backblogged, part 2

Around two months ago, we had a great time at the Houston Livestock Show. In fact, we went twice. Both times on days when kids are "free" which we all know is ridiculous, because everything else once you turn into the parking lot is the OPPOSITE of free. We did go on armed services appreciation day, which means lots of tanks and artillery and also brave soldiers and airmen and sailors and Marines to appreciate.We had some friends from our homeschool group who were in the midst of moving to Colorado, and we got to bring one of their 5 kids with us. Harper and Hudson both love J and were thrilled to have her along, even though they grieved to see the moving truck when we pulled up to get her. On the way there, Miss J was listing all of the things and people she is going to miss in Houston. Hudson listens intently. I can see him in the mirror. She seems to have exhausted the list, and he has not yet heard his name. He says, in a quiet voice, "Who else?" and I look in the mirror and his cheeks are bright red, and Miss J says, from the back seat, "Well, YOU, Hudson!" and I want to give her the biggest hug and maybe one thousand dollars. And I can't describe the look Hudson had on his face at that moment. He looked thrilled and also mortified, and I said, "Josie, Hudson is a good friend to have!" and he growled that NO, NOT REALLY. But I could tell he was so pleased with this knowledge that he was going to be missed by this sweet little lady. He is his father's son in his admiration of the Slightly Older Ladies.

Hudson is a little hard for me to read. Is this a common trait of The Middle Child? Of boys? I think sometimes he just sort of goes along doing his thing in an unobtrusive way and I forget to really LOOK at him and wonder what is going on in his brain. Why, for example, must he always be wearing socks unless he is in the shower or swimming? This intrigues me.  Why is he never hungry at dinner time? This vexes me. How is he so good at drumming? This makes me proud/gives me a headache.

The kids always love the petting zoo the best. This brand new black llama was extra adorable. We came back later and he had given up trying to balance that enormous head of hair on that spindly neck. Helena is saying, "I KNOW just how you feel, little llama.It IS exhausting."

Anyway, I had that little anecdote sitting in my archives and didn't want to forget it. The husband has a break before he starts teaching summer school, and we are staying up late enjoying this glorious, unexpected cool spring weather, then sleeping until 8:30 am and not accomplishing much. We tried to go see some birds today, but they did not want to be seen. We were armed with some new binoculars (an early Mother's Day present pour moi) and managed to see a lone coot and lots of lily pads. Birding takes patience, like most good things.

I am also trying to get the book blog up and running sometime this week, while also attempting to plan Our First Ever Family Vacation that needs to take place in the next few weeks before the rest of creation gets out of school.