Tag: Grace Page 6 of 20

Perler Bead Mania

This was Grandma’s birthday present to Grace.

 

If you could be a fly on our wall, on many hot afternoons when Daddy comes home, you will find us all holed up in our bedroom, the only room with an air conditioner.  Mom reads from the Narnia books, and the rest of the family engages in what has become somewhat of a Family Obsession.

Daddy is the Master Designer.  And Grace has always been one who would do crafts all day, every day, if we let her. 

But this little guy has given us the biggest surprise.  This is the five-year-old who just developed the small motor skills to write his name a couple of months ago.  The one who hates coloring and drawing, and school work only comes along with a great deal of bribery encouragement.  The one with energy coming out of every pore of his body.  Focus and concentration have never been his strengths.   

 

But somehow these silly little beads have captured his imagination.  And so he sits, every day, for hours at a time, creating. 

And as every parent knows, you’re happy with whatever you can get.  Right? 

 

 

This is really only a small fraction of what has been created in the past month.  The rest have been given to poor, unsuspecting friends who have to pretend that they are just so excited to receive one of these plastic creations.  Good thing we have nice friends.

Sensational Seven

 She wanted to invite all the kids in her class.  So since nineteen exceeds the number of children that Mommy is comfortable having in her house at one time, we held the party at HOPAC (there are no parks in Dar es Salaam).

 

It was easy as pie.  The kids brought their bikes and scooters; then we gave them a hose and they turned the playground slide into a water slide. 

 

Bikes, mud, and chocolate cake.  Pretty much all you need when you are Seven. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grade 1, Term 1

She has: 

A teacher she adores, someone dedicated enough to leave country and family to move halfway around the world and teach her.

 

Friends from literally all over the world, a multitude of cultures, backgrounds, and religions. 

 

So many opportunities to practice loving and leading.

 

Lots of wiggly teeth.

 

 

 

First grade assembly, Term 1, doing their Ultra Super Cool Creation Rap.

 

Awww…You Guys Made Me Ink!

(name that movie)

When I taught in California, there would be this big moving-van type truck that would arrive in the parking lot once a year with a mobile aquarium in it.  The kids would be shuffled through and allowed about five minutes each to “touch and feel” the ocean animals.

First grade visited the tide pools last week to finish up their seashore unit.  The kids at HOPAC don’t know how good they got it, with their own non-mobile aquarium five minutes away from their school, and they got a good two hours to “touch and feel” the real thing. 

The octopus provided the most entertainment of the morning, when it proceeded to spray black ink all over the screeching children standing over it. 

 Mikayla, Nurdin, and their jellyfish friend.

Sometimes I laugh when people think our kids are deprived, growing up way over here in Africa.

 

BFFs

 

Caleb was her very first friend.  They are the same age and were adopted within months of each other. 

 

 Grace and Caleb, about 1 year old

 

 

Josiah and Imani are also the same age, and adopted within months of each other.  So their family are very special friends with ours, and getting together is always filled with great anticipation.  I can’t wait for Saturday, Grace said all week.  Caleb and Imani live out in a village and we don’t get to see them very often. 

 

Just way too cute…… (and don’t worry, we don’t bring up the marriage thing any more!)

 

Page 6 of 20

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