Coffee!

It's sometimes funny to watch him drink his coffee. This time, I snuck in a few shots.

Mi Compañero

Domi didn't realize he'd end up being my "assistant" during the recent wedding I photographed in the beautiful Riviera Maya. I'm in the beginning stages of importing photos and editing, but this was one photo that surprised me, as I didn't even realize I took it, but something about it makes me happy. He didn't complain once about having to stand by my side the entire time to hand me equipment back and forth, and he held the umbrella over me whenever the drizzling would start. Thank you, Domi for being an incredible assistant on this special day of rain dodging.

Spirit of Place - The Southwest

Over the winter break, after the holidays were over, the boys and I packed our bags and hit the road. We had bad cabin fever, and the desert southwest was calling.  I was planning on bringing Sophia, but her daddy asked that she stay home with him as the long hours on the road could be hard on her.

We decided on our way to Big Bend, that we would visit our hometown. In the past 4 years, this was the first time I'd been to El Paso without having to deal with some depressing aspect of my mother's passing (funeral, helping clear out her house, or stressful courtdate dealing with the estate). When we arrived with the sunset--without any knots in my stomach or a broken heart--I was able to really *see* the beauty of this border town, and feel at peace.

After a good amount of homemade tamales, authentic sopapillas, Chico's tacos, La Terraza, great company, watching the sun set and the full [blue] moon rise on scenic drive, and a walk down memory lane, we headed toward the beautiful Big Bend National Park. 

I feel its important to expose my children to these places of wonder, so they build an appreciation for nature.
The road trip was long, but it wasn't painful. We listened to music, watched several sunsets, and at times, enjoyed the silence. It actually felt like a bit of an escape. From the frenzy of every day life. And there was something so liberating about doing this with just my boys, at our own pace. We all took turns driving (ok, so Jay drove way more than Domi), and all the while, I was overwhelmed with so many incredible feelings.

Of self-awareness, sense of place, connection, and gratitude.




Sunset, El Paso






Terlingua Ghost Town

Is There Life After Marching Band?

I have no idea how they do it. Music is only half of what Marching Band is about. The Drill (the actual marching and formations displayed on the field) takes up the rest of the practice. Practice that occurs after school for 2+ hours, and in the early fall in Central Texas, that means practicing in scorching heat. Then comes performing. Coming home at midnight after a Friday night football game, and to rise and be at school early on Saturday morning to travel during competition season, is the icing on the cake.

But he loves it. And he's never once complained. And when I'm beyond exhausted (and sometimes a grumpy mama), because I have to get up at midnight on a Friday night after a long work week, or 4 am on a Sunday morning to pick up my teen, I have comfort knowing that I'm not going to retrieve him from running the streets, but instead, knowing he was making music with his peers and an award winning band.

Sharing some photos cumulated from this season's performance, from the field and the stands (which I cannot take credit for). But I hope to be able to capture some of my own next year, by spending some time chaperoning, or if I'm brave enough, in the pit.

My Gift

La Paz, Mexico :: Summer 2009

I went to see The Horse Boy this weekend. And boy, the first 20 minutes hit home. Hard. Rewind 12 years. I was there. I had almost forgotten. I had almost forgotten because of who and where my son is now.

He went with me. At 17, he watched this film, as the Isaacson family gave us a painful look into the daily routine of their lives. He says he doesn't remember the challenging parts of his childhood. When my now 3 year old daughter, has her [normal developing] meltdowns, Domi more often than not, is horrified at her behavior, especially if its in public. I chuckle when I witness his response, and I gently remind him this is normal development for a 3 year old, and that he did it too. Tenfold.

And then he smiles. And he tries again with her.

The inconsolable tantrums have been replaced with sophisticated conversations.
The self-stimming hands have grown into refined hands that create beautiful art.
Hands that create music with his vintage Bach trumpet and baby grand piano.
The unsociable child is now a humanitarian, surrounded by a strong circle of friends whom he loves.

Time moves so quickly.

Years ago, going to the grocery store was a daunting task, and often ended in both of us crying. Now, I'm relishing what time we have left with him under our roof. I ask for his company when I go to the store. I look forward to, and cherish, our short morning commute, with a stop for a cafe au lait and a mocha while listening to NPR. It's a routine that I've grown to love because I'm enjoying the young man he has become, and at 17, that time left with him at home, is slipping away.

Like the Isaacson family I, too, have had my own little miracle, and seeing this film, helps me remember, that my amazing son, my son with Autism, is my gift.

Melancholy

They say after a vacation, one often suffers from post-vacation funk. I’m not sure if it’s a funk that has come over me the last couple days, but I don’t feel quite like myself — suppose I have a hint of melancholy. I’ve been furiously processing photos from the wedding I shot in La Paz, Mexico, so I’ve been reliving the trip for the last couple days. We watched this beautiful slice of heaven the night after the wedding with guests who came from all over the world to attend the nuptials of our loved ones.

::

I desperately wanted to bring my mother’s remains and spread them on this trip. Her initial request was to be spread in the mountains by her birthplace in Mexico City, but then, a few years ago, she requested the ocean (how she loved being by the sea), and she made it clear she didn’t want the Atlantic, but rather, the Pacific side. So, when I realized I would be traveling to Baja California Sur, I thought this would be the perfect place — the sea is there, and is in her native country of Mexico. It just made sense to me. Unfortunately, circumstances didn’t allow for us to do this on this trip, however, after traveling there, I realized, ...she has already made her way there.

Vamos a La Playa

This is the beach of the hotel we stayed at during our visit to La Paz. Water is very clear, we could see all sorts of fishies swimming around our feet.

His First Date

Not really sure if it can be called an official “date” if I drove them to his formal high school band banquet (since neither are driving yet), but I’d say it’s pretty close to being a first date.

After a quick introduction of parents, came the inevitable mamarazzi moment of photo-taking by both mothers. Immediately, the two teens stiffen up like soldiers about to go marching, but wearing forced smiles. My guy was exceptionally stiff. He almost looked like he was in pain. I think it may have been a form a torture for them. I’m sorry, but I HAD to help—just a bit. I let them know it was ok to get a little closer, and to relax. (I'm SURE that was NOT easy with their parents looming over them, cameras in hand). Here, Domi is reaching for her arm, and the stiffness went a way for a moment, so I quickly snapped the shutter.



I do have to say, I’m quite taken by Domi’s new friend. She’s charming, extremely well-mannered, and exceptionally bright—she’s a writer, a poet (I think her vocabulary may be larger than mine), and likes to sing. I enjoy listening to their deep conversations in the car whenever I give her a lift home from school.

But the most important part--she enjoys being around my son. Even if this simply blossoms into a beautiful friendship, any girl who can see his inner beauty, is a keeper in my book.

BSM ~ Gratitude

When I describe my husband as an industrious little ant, I mean it. He can work, work, and work, and do these amazing things that would probably take most husbands 3 times as long to get done. He works non-stop, especially when it comes to a project. He wants it done. Weekend before last, he spent all weekend demo-ing the fence and pulling up the posts so we could get our back fence replaced. We hired a guy to replace the fence because, well, Mike has to work during the week.

I then told him I wanted the garden expanded. He had the double gate moved to the other end of the side fence to open up the area by our current garden, and he expanded the garden area this weekend. About 6 times its current size, from a meager 130 sq feet to 850 sq feet. He got himself a heavy duty tiller, put the tiller together and tilled the yard for approximately 10 hours straight yesterday. TEN hours. All while pulling out hundreds of pounds of the annoying limestone and caliche rock that is abundant in our area, along with the old posts from the first fence that we discovered. Domi helped. Then, the hubby came inside and made dinner for us.

Today, starting at 8 am, he brought in compost, from our own compost we’ve been “harvesting” for the last year, and an extra truckload of Turkey compost from the garden center, shoveled that in, then tilled it into the garden. He later tilled up that dirt and moved it from the flowerbed to the new garden area, (about 25 wheelbarrows full) then went back to the garden center for 2 more truckloads of really good Rose and flowerbed soil, shoveled it in, then tilled it. Domi was still helping. I don't think my boy has ever worked so hard in his life. Last year, he helped, but it doesn't compare to what he did today. They finished off by replanting the rose bushes. They're still in the yard cleaning up. I’m in here waiting for him with a cold cerveza and their favorite buffalo wings.

This is what makes my husband (and son) amazing.
AND the hubby still makes the time to read to his tot.



This is only the newly tilled area. The existing garden is to the left.


Replanting rose bushes.



I took this photo below, of our blossoming plum tree while the guys were tilling yesterday, and I intitially chose for my BSM, but now that I've typed all this up, I think the others deserve to be my BSM. Whatcha think?

Domi-isms

So, last night I'm at an Evening of Indulgence at The Good Earth Day School, and I see an email come through my cell phone from my husband.
Here it is:

Ring, Ring
Mike: Hello
Dominique: Hey dad, we're done so you can come pick me up
Mike: OK, give me a few minutes to get Sophia ready, wait 3-4 minutes then meet me on el salido
Dominique: ok
Mike : Sophia, wanna go for ride?
Sophia: yes, runs to get shoes, trips over metal gate, she's ok, puts shoes on
Mike: let get in mom’s car
Sophia : ok
:start driving:

Get to cypress whatever… no Dominique

Mike calls Dominique :Hey, domi, have you started walking yet?
Domi: NO, I’M ALREADY HOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mike: did you walk, you can’t be there already?????
Domi: No, Stephanie brought me home
Mike: Domi, do you think it would have been a good idea to call and let me know ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Domi: :silence: :silence: :silence: :silence: :silence: :silence: :silence: :silence: :silence:uh….. :silence: :silence: :silence: :silence: :silence: :silence: :silence:uh
Mike: I’ll be home in a minute
Mike :drive home:
Domi: guess I should not have surprised you….

Mike: ………

Spider House Cafe

Domi and I rediscovered the awesome Spider House Cafe on the drag by campus. So we went twice in one week. The 2nd time, we were joined by some good friends.

Domi LOVES Anjalika. He adores her. He was so worried about her when we heard about the Indian bombings since she was back home visting family during that time, and he kept asking if we had heard from her. He was relieved to hear she and her family were safe. And then wondered if she would be back in time to accept his invitation to his Winter Concert. I told him she would not be back in time, but maybe next year. ;)

Within minutes, Domi found a way to sit next to her on this bench. And poor girl. I think he gave her his cold (I thought he had allergies!). I just love how my son loves my friends too. And Tanya, just so you know, Jay was asking why you weren't there. In his words, "Tanya. Yeah, she's cool".

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Thanksgiving 2008

This year was probably the smallest Thanksgiving dinner in our hosting lifetime. Our guestlist was in the single digits, whereas in the past, it averages between 15-25 heads. Even though I missed having the hustle and bustle of a pack filled home, the quaintness of our intimate dinner with our lovely family members was a relaxing change.

What really helps this [frazzled] hostess now is her teens can do a lot of the prep work. In the past, I've been known to spend the ENTIRE day before Thanksgiving (or any other formal dinner) just dressing up my table. Ironing linens, polishing the silver to shiny perfection, setting the table per Emily Post etiquette, creative napkin folding, finding the perfect centerpiece, and even the final touch of personalized place cards. Yes, I get much satisfaction from these arduous tasks. And, I admit, this is the time, when I have been known to almost turn Martha Stewart crazy (short-tempered, nit picky, and maybe a bit of yelling here and there). ;)

However, since we had a smaller fete this year, these tasks were delegated to Domi and Jay. As Domi polished the silver candlesticks and Jay set the table with the Lenox Solitaire China and vintage circa 1921 Grosvenor flatware, I tell them, "one day, these heirlooms will be yours!". They both looked at me with this blank stare, and then went back to work, without saying a word. Ah well.

I share the same passion with certain antique items as both my maternal and paternal grandmothers. My paternal grandmother was an antique reseller herself. Maybe Sophia will be share in her mom's enthusiasm when she's older. She did after all, get giddy herself about having her very own place setting at the table and even managed to drink out of a small wine glass (filled with Cranberry juice) without a single spill or breaking it. Those practical life skills we work on are coming in handy!

Our (everything homemade) Menu consisted of:

Appetizers~ Baked Black Cherry Brie with Toast Points (Eric)
Main Dinner~Honey-baked Ham, Deep-fried Turkey (David), Rice Dressing, Green Bean Casserole, Green Chili Macaroni and Cheese (Eric), Shallot Whipped Mashed Potatoes (Eric), Sweet Potatoes (Holly), Fresh Cranberry Sauce, and Dinner Rolls and Cornbread.
Dessert~Bread Pudding (Eric) and Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Pralines.









Adding this photo to balance some of the refinement with evidence of a good ol' cajun deep-fried turkey.



Hope you all had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving with your loved ones.

Growing Pains

Last night, we drove to my brother 's house for dinner, which is down by the lake. For those of you who live locally, we take Volente Rd (a windy road) to get there. Sophia even squeals, "Wheeee!!" as we drive down it. On many parts of this road, it feels secluded and even a bit like we're in the mountains surrounded by trees and darkness, and at times, like a rollercoaster, with its tight curves and hills.

As I put my brights on Domi says, "Oh, yeah, Donovan did that when we drove down this road last week". So, that reminds me, we haven't had a chance to really talk about what he did with his uncle while Mike and I went camping. (The HS made football playoffs, so the band had to go with them to Houston last weekend, so that's why Domi stayed behind under the supervision of my brother).

Me: "So what did you do with Donovan last weekend?"

Domi: "Oh, yeah Donovan taught me how to drive!"

Me: [a bit startled at first, then reminded myself that Mike has been working on teaching Domi to drive for a while in the empty church parking lot and down our neighborhood street. And Domi is after all, at that age].
"Ok, sounds good. Where did he teach you?"

Domi: "What do you mean?"

Me: "Did he teach you in the parking lot of the high school?"

Domi: [in the most casual voice] "No. Actually, I drove down THIS road after he picked me up from the high school Saturday night."

Me: [my head does a subtle jerk] "Uh, you drove down THIS road at NIGHT?!?"

Domi: "Yeah! I drove all the way to his house! And I didn't panic once!"

Me: [sigh]

--
*Note to Donovan: In a few years, Auntie Andrea is going to show your girls how to apply makeup, and how to walk in "Tacones" (heels) before you're ready. Orale?
Heck, I may even buy them some princess dress up heels for Christmas. I KNOW you'll LOVE that.
;)

--
I enjoy hanging out in Domi's room. I know, it sounds crazy. Most moms don't want to open their teenager's doors with a 10 ft. pole, for fear of what they might find. For me, I especially enjoy sitting in there and looking at what project/creation he's currently working on.

AREA Champs

Last night, Domi's marching band took FIRST place for AREA in the UIL Marching Contest.

They are going to State!! He's excited, but getting some much needed rest this Sunday morning.

*One mama's kiddo has been asking to see Domi, so they'll be joining us for big last last home game of the season, to watch the band march. If anybody else is brave enough to head out on a Friday (we leave after the halftime show), let me know and I'll save you a seat!

Maker Faire - The DIY folks

On Sunday, Domi, Sophia and I, headed out to the 2nd annual Maker Faire here in Austin, and let me tell you, this event is awesome. It's definitely a place where you can stay all day because there is SO much to do, and it's not all robots! There's crafts and other artsy things, and more. Although, when Domi wanted to go watch the robot matches, I thought to myself that it would be boring, but it was actually entertaining to watch. I think it's the element that they were all DIY robots. There is so much to see there and I don't have the photos to do it justice, just one of those things you have to experience.











I was pushing naptime, by over two hours with Sophia (why oh, why doesn't she just pass out in the stroller like every other toddler in the world?!?), so we had to leave before we got to make all the rounds, but we enjoyed what we saw. Domi was intrigued by all the science and engineering stuff, but he ended up spending the most time at the Austin EcoSchool Booth. I'm not kidding. As soon as he saw their Medieval sign, he was in there before I even realized what the booth was. *I've been admiring The Austin EcoSchool's website in recent months because of how they bridge homeschooling and traditional/public schooling. And of course, it's in S. Austin, where all the other cool and progressive places are. *sigh*

Anyhow, within seconds, Domi's is engaged in heavy conversation with the gal behind the table and is making a 'PEEP'. I browse around and love love LOVE what I see on their tables. Items made by their students from The Game of Village which is a large part of their curriculum. I'm definitely intrigued.

I then overhear her ask him, "Are you homeschooled?"

He continues working on his peep and says, "Nope. Public school"

She looks surprised. By then, I've joined them both, she looks at me and says

"Wow, his knowledge on Templars and history is exceptional. You don't see this often."

I said, "Really? Did he also tell you about the novel he's writing on the topic?"

:grin:











Yep, here's my guy, holding his peep (whom he named The Scarlet Templar), facial stubb and all, who still gets into the spirit of imaginative play.