The Boys Perform

Last week the boys had an end of the semester performance at school. I want to tell you about Josiah's performance but first I need to make a confession. On Wednesday Caleb came home from school in tears saying that Ted and I missed his performance. At first I tried to talk to him about whether it may have been a dress rehearsal. We received a note from the school saying the performance was on Thursday. He assured me that it was not a dress rehearsal because the school theater was full of parents with their cameras. My heart dropped! After re-reading a note that Caleb brought home the day before I realized that I had not completely understood the message - it was in another language! Ted and I felt terrible and we apologized again and again. I was upset that we had missed it and that Caleb was so heartbroken. From now on I will read and reread his notes to assure that nothing important gets lost in translation. The next day we went to the school for Josiah's performance. I think the teacher also felt bad that we had missed Caleb's performance because they were going to let Caleb perform with Josiah's class. Caleb said he would rather stay with his friends. I think that he has forgiven us. All the kids were dressed in costumes and the boys did a lot of marching and clapping. I have attached a few pictures, but you will not see the best part of the show. As the class was performing I noticed that Josiah was the only one with a red piece of material hanging from his belt. I jokingly said to Ted that they probably had the only foreign kid carry the country flag. Sure enough, at the end of the performance Josiah walked to center stage, the other boys encircled him, then he was lifted up on a teachers shoulders and unrolled the country flag to the applause of everyone in the audience. Too funny! The boys will have another performance this year and I will be sure to be there for both of them.

Six Months Later

Caleb enjoys a spoonful of JIF -
a precious treat from the states!

We have officially been in the country for six months! Time really has flown by. It seems like we just arrived - and not just when we try to speak the national language! We are all picking up the language little by little. I have caught the boys exchanging the typical national "greetings" on several occasions. In the last week or so I have noticed that the boys are not only understanding more but also trying to use what they know. At a friends house recently I overheard Caleb answering a question in the national language and I was convinced that he made up a few of the words just to sound like a national. Well, not only did the boy understand what he said but so did the boys parents. I, on the other hand, recognized just a few of the words. Oh, to be able to learn a new language as fast as a child! Our language tutor asked me what I missed most about living in America - I very honestly answered that I missed being able to talk and function as a normal adult. As I think back over the last six months I know that there are other times when we have missed being "home". More and more I have tried not to refer to America as our home - not because we don't miss it and the family- but as a reminder that this is where our home is now and these are the people we have been allowed to live among. The boys are still doing well, although Caleb still misses his grandparents and wants to see them "right now". Josiah is happy as long as he has gum and Lucas is content as long as he can sit in Daddy's lap and listen to music. More and more we want to be content with what we have access to here - though we are grateful for the few care packages that have allowed the boys to color superheroes and a very pregnant lady to have JIF!!!! I'll end by relating a humorous, though untrue, dialogue between Caleb and Josiah.
J:Caleb do you like chocolate bars?
C: Yes
J: Do you want to go to the store and get a chocolate bar?
C: Yes
J: I'm sorry Caleb, but in this country they don't have candy bars at the store, only food for dinner.