Keeping Austin beautiful

Life here has been hectic. I still don't feel settled and familiar with the city yet. With trying to get Atticus into school (and then wishing Atticus wasn't in school... but that's a whole different post), trying to find a job, and Tim's school schedule, we are being kept plenty busy but I'm also really bored and lonely. 

Last Monday, Atticus had to get three vaccines. He really only needed one (Hep B) to be in compliant but he had two he needed to get before kindergarten so they did them all at once. I asked them not to, but apparently when you go to a free vaccine clinic no one listens to you about your child's body. The clinic was held in a high school gym, and there were several kids before us. Since there was no curtain or anything, Atticus watched kid after kid sit down, briefly cry, and go about their business. He was all set to get shots when we arrived, but by his turn he was *freaking* out. It took three of us to hold him down, and since he moved when the nurse poked him he bled and bled. All over me and his shirt. The nurse was also freaking out a bit, and started just sticking band-aids on rather than applying pressure. Then I had to drag two screaming (Lu started screaming when she saw brother being held down) children back to the car which was around the entire building. I walked past a police officer carrying two kids under each arm and I'm surprised she didn't stop and question me.

Last week, we also discovered The Thinkery, or the Austin children's museum. It was huge and amazing, and we didn't even make it to the second floor!

Last Friday, Tim was one of the officiants at the Blessing of the Animals at the seminary. He looked ridiculous (but in a sexy kind of way...) in his alb.

Tallulah loved the animal part of the ceremony. And brought her cat on her dress.

 Last Saturday, we joined up with fellow seminarians for the Keep Austin Beautiful campaign to clean up the creek that runs between the housing and the school buildings. Tallulah made it all of three minutes before she fell in and needed to go home for a warm bath, but Atticus helped the entire time and even won the award for coolest thing found (an electric razor). He won a gift certificate to a local REI-type store and bought build-your-own robot magnets.

Since the weather on Saturday was glorious, we went for a hike too.

This is *supposed* to be a full creek.

In other news, I got a job! Tim got a job too, as the "Assistant to the Faculty" at the seminary which means he sits at a desk and does homework, and occasionally makes copies or scans book chapters. I got a position as "digital advocate" at the National Domestic Violence Hotline (thehotline.org). I'll be answering the incoming chats, counseling, providing referrals, etc. I'm excited to begin, though I have another week before we even start training, and then two weeks of training after that. I am going to be working evenings/nights so we won't have to pay for childcare which is great for now. We are still hoping Tallulah gets into the co-op preschool down the street but no luck yet. We've been going to a lot of unschoolers activities and have made some neat friends. Life is good.