This week, London learned how to repeat the words we ask her to say. So far, we have mom, dad, cat, and nana. Her little voice is so angelic. I could listen to her for the rest of eternity and it would still make me smile!
London and I are buddies. We spend our days reading stories, watching Sesame Street, building with blocks, cooking delicious meals for dad, and reading more stories. When Kyle gets home from school, we go on walks to the bakery for fresh, hot bread, or to the market, for the most amazing fruit I've ever tasted. Let me tell you- food that isn't genetically modified, grown out of season, and picked before it's ripe, tastes fabulous! The baggers at the grocery store, the bakers, and the owner of the fruit stand always welcome us with bright, toothless smiles. I'm starting to feel surprisingly comfortable in this strange country. I've almost mastered looking down at all times, and I hardly open my mouth in public anymore.
My favorite day YET was Sunday when the wives went back to the orphanage. This time, I spent the majority of the visit with a very bright teenage girl who needed help with her English homework. I don't know how to describe it really, other than to say that we really connected. She was learning words like "scowl" and "wince" and "enthusiastically", so naturally, I had to act out each of the words. The girl laughed and laughed, saying, "I really like you! You are so fun! Today, I was so sad, and I thought, 'I will never laugh', but you make everything better." I nearly cried right in front of her. We spent the rest of the afternoon giggling and telling stories about our very different lives. When it was time to leave, she hugged me tight and kissed both my cheeks. I don't know if I will get to help her again, but at least for that day, I knew I had made a difference for someone- and nothing feels better than that!
London and I are buddies. We spend our days reading stories, watching Sesame Street, building with blocks, cooking delicious meals for dad, and reading more stories. When Kyle gets home from school, we go on walks to the bakery for fresh, hot bread, or to the market, for the most amazing fruit I've ever tasted. Let me tell you- food that isn't genetically modified, grown out of season, and picked before it's ripe, tastes fabulous! The baggers at the grocery store, the bakers, and the owner of the fruit stand always welcome us with bright, toothless smiles. I'm starting to feel surprisingly comfortable in this strange country. I've almost mastered looking down at all times, and I hardly open my mouth in public anymore. 
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| What happens to London everywhere we go. |
On Saturday, Kyle and I took London to the Bird Park. It is what it sounds like- the outer border is a pathway lined with cages of exotic birds like chickens, pigeons, and ducks. Oh, and they did have a few peacocks and one monkey! The center is a playground: sandbox, swings, slides, etc. Whoever thought of the Bird Park obviously had too much hooka that day. Still, the Bird Park was wonderful, not just because London had the time of her life, but because it was full of women and children. It was like I was back home in Orem, Utah, where every human is a woman in her late teens with small children. Granted, I was in a combination zoo/playground, but even small glimpses of my version of normal make me happy!
My favorite day YET was Sunday when the wives went back to the orphanage. This time, I spent the majority of the visit with a very bright teenage girl who needed help with her English homework. I don't know how to describe it really, other than to say that we really connected. She was learning words like "scowl" and "wince" and "enthusiastically", so naturally, I had to act out each of the words. The girl laughed and laughed, saying, "I really like you! You are so fun! Today, I was so sad, and I thought, 'I will never laugh', but you make everything better." I nearly cried right in front of her. We spent the rest of the afternoon giggling and telling stories about our very different lives. When it was time to leave, she hugged me tight and kissed both my cheeks. I don't know if I will get to help her again, but at least for that day, I knew I had made a difference for someone- and nothing feels better than that!
This morning, I opened the sliding-glass door in London's room to let in some fresh air. I came back into London's room about 4 minutes later to find a....c....co....c.... cockroach, and not a little cockroach, a cockroach that was about 5 inches long, making its way between the metal gate and sliding-glass door. I slammed the sliding-glass door and let out the scream of a 7 year-old girl. London laughed at me as I continued screaming, ran into the kitchen, and grabbed the Raid, which Kyle instructed me to "use when I'm not home." That's all great in theory--spray the bug. The bug dies. You can sleep at night--but then there's the minor problem of being brave enough to open the door that is protecting you from the killer bug. So instead, I decided to call Kyle and have him come home from school to spray the bug for me. I realized that was actually slightly crazy, and knocked on my trusty neighbor's door instead. Long story short, the bug got away and is currently somewhere in our backyard, and I am never opening a door or window again.
1 comment:
I love your blog! I just read all your posts at once because I couldn't stop! I love reading about your adventures, and you write so well it makes it even easier to read :). We love you guys and wish you the best. Keep writing and taking pictures! p.s. London has gotten so big! She's BEAUTIFUL!
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