{eye} must report...

Some firsts for us around here this week, one being Macauley's first "research paper." Of all the U.S. Presidents to study he selected our current Chief, and I am pleased with his choice. I'm not a particularly political person myself, but I find Obama to be so distinguished, charismatic and educated, a real family man doing the best he can to pull us all back up. When he was elected, I remember one of my friends saying she didn't really want to tell her little boy that he was the "first African-American President." She thought she'd rather him not think anything of it to have a black man elected, to preserve her son's sense of being in a world where we all treat each other the same, you know? Last night we had to do some editing and write up the "final copy" (to be typed in computer class today--I can only imagine how long that would take for little second grade fingers to hunt and peck that all out!). Poor boy with the English teacher mom--I suggested some major revisions of the first draft and we eventually worked through it. The end result:

The other big one is my transition to contacts today. I've had a cute pair of black Dolce & Gabbana frames that I am reluctant to wear anywhere but at home for a while now, and I decided I was finally ready to face the reality that at 34 my vision could be a lot better. I just find my glasses so uncomfortable. It drives me crazy to have something touching my face and ears all day and I will admit I was a bit self-conscious in them (even though Ryan loves my "sexy teacher" look :) ). Turns out I have an astigmatism and I was right in saying that I could see just fine--but only objects, not details. The little discs felt foreign to me only at first. Just an hour or so later I think I've already acclimated to them. And, wow, the world was much crisper when I walked out of the store! So I'll have to get used to fishing around in my eyeball putting them in and out, but I think this will be a good solution for me.

I'll probably tune in my new eyes to this book this weekend--looks really good...

And I can't wait to see these seeds I bought today tucked under the rocky Missouri soil in my backyard, ready to stretch and spread all along the new trellises under the stairs and deck. I know we're still a few weeks out, but I'm already anticipating how lovely spring will look this time around.