Today was Maxim's second day at gymnastics. Marcela said she enjoyed it and followed directions well. They have her jumping on the big trampoline now and moving in and out of exercises with poses. Noah really wants to join her in the gym, but he is still too young. After the class, the three of them went to the shoe store and got Noah some fall sneakers ("They look too tight," he said when I held them up in the evening) and new black patent leather shoes for Maxim. When they all picked me up at the train everyone was in a good mood and relaxed. They even sat quietly with me in the car while Marcela ran into a store. It was warm enough to walk when we got home, so Marcela took the kids downtown while I finished most of the rest of the body of the house. The kids got back at the same time that Catherine came over and the three of them played in the front yard while I painted. Catherine likes to bring out the kids' guitar and make up songs while Maxim makes up dances. Noah likes to run around and see who will wrestle with him. Catherine is around so much these months that it is amost as if the kids have an older sibling. They have found their rhythm together and enjoy each other's company. Unfortunately, almost immediately after the sun went down, about a half an hour after this picture was taken, a downpour floated through. Heavy steady rain for twenty minutes. This morning, I peeked my head out the door and saw the results. The house has long yellowish streaks along both sides of the bay window where water runoff tore through the not-yet-dry paint. Fortunately the sun is up today and the sky is blue, so everything will dry and we can try again. This is one of those lessons we've learned as parents; sometimes you work hard to complete something and other forces have other ideas and you have to just smile, sigh, and wait for another opportunity. Everything gets completed in its time.