[claire]7/30 7:30 pm

[Mark Holmes]

Hi everyone,

Today was pretty peaceful again, with a little agitation on Tara's 
part.  We moved her a lot today, changing her position to find 
something she was comfortable with.  She's drifting in and out of the 
present a bit.  She asked me what year it was, and where we were; again 
not out of big concern, but more curiosity.  She's becoming harder to 
understand as she speaks, and simultaneously less concerned about being 
understood.  It's definitely a challenge to try to figure out what she 
wants, or if she even wants anything.  She's making soft sounds at this 
moment with every out breath, and often sounds as though she's carrying 
on a conversation with someone, though unintelligibly.  Not unlike 
someone dreaming.

I asked Clare what she'd like to say to everyone back home: "Hi."  Yes, 
she has a way with words.  She then poked her head back in a said "You 
can tell them Trivandrum stinks."  And I think she meant literally, 
because it's not that bad of a town.

Corey is still too shy to say anything, but we're working on her.  
Actually we're forcing her to stay up so she can adjust to the time, so 
she looks a little sleepy.

So yes, there is some lightness and joy here mixed with the difficulty 
of the reason for us being together in this place.  Of course the joy 
and sorrow are inextricably linked, and the inseparability of those two 
is very clear right now.

Love,

Mark