So. Where to begin?
Vladik has 1 week left in America. 1 week left in our home.
We have 1 left week to love on him and include him in our family goings-on.
1 week left to stuff him full of fruit and ice cream.
1 week left to play games and work on English.
1 week left to touch him with the gospel through our words and actions.
7 days.
I imagine in many ways, he's ready to go home.
I'm sure he misses his friends and what is familiar and I think he'd be ready to not be surrounded by English-only speakers.
I can't really ask if he's enjoyed his time here. I'm assuming he has, but I don't want to put him on the spot.
Yesterday we were "talking" about some of the things I wanted to get done before he leaves.
I mentioned I wanted him to help me pick out some of the photos I've taken to put in an album so he can take it home with him.
I was surprised... and confused... and little hurt... when he responded verbally "no... photos... home."
So I typed... "You don't want to take any photos home?"
"no."
"ok."..... "you're sure?"
"no" (I was starting to get a complex here.WHY would he not want to take pictures home? Has he not enjoyed his time here?? Did we do something wrong??"
"No, you're not sure, or no you do not want any pictures?"
frustration...."no... photos... home."
"Ok. Thats fine. You don't have to take pictures home with you if you don't want to. I only asked because I'm told most kids want to."
After several back and forths... I *think* I figured out that he wants to take pictures home with him, he just doesn't want to help pick them out.... I think?
Sunday is usually our day to go out to eat, so for supper, we went to Friendly's. For my readers who don't know, Friendly's is like Denny's (kind of), only with AMAZING ice cream.
(It's not Blue Bell, but it's the closest we can get here in our little corner of the midwest.)
As Vladik would choose ice cream over breathing, we knew he'd love it!
Of course, whats *not* to love about ice cream?! We think the USDA should include it in the food pyramid as its own category.
Vladik had a bit of a revelation, yesterday.
School starts in about a month, so it's time to start thinking about school clothes, etc. I had gone down to the basement to get the tub full of Joe's old clothes that Kyle will be able to soon wear. We were all in the kitchen and Kyle and I were sorting through the clothes. Evidently, when I packed up the clothes a couple of years ago, I wasn't as organized as I should have been as there were 3 different sizes in the tub. But anyway, with each item of clothing we pulled out, (it was a big tub) Vladik's eyes got bigger and bigger. He wanted to see everything-- feel it if it was textured, look at the designs etc....
And then it dawned on me... he thought these were all NEW clothes.
AS IF!
So after we sorted through them all, I explained to Vladik our term of "hand-me-downs;" and I said it was nice that I had 2 boys so that I could pass clothes on from one kid to the next.
He, of course, understands the concept of hand-me-downs. Most everything he owns is a hand-me-down.
He just didn't know American kids did it too. I think he was a little surprised.
During our English lessons, we've been working with articles. When to use "a" when to use "an", plus the proper use of "this", "that", "these", "those" and plurals. He's an eager student, which I appreciate; and I LOVE grammar, vocabulary... and the opportunity to "teach" what I know.
Of all the things we've done while Vladik has been here, I think our one-on-one time at night, working on English, ranks right at the top of my list of favorites.
Vladik has 1 week left in America. 1 week left in our home.
We have 1 left week to love on him and include him in our family goings-on.
1 week left to stuff him full of fruit and ice cream.
1 week left to play games and work on English.
1 week left to touch him with the gospel through our words and actions.
7 days.
I imagine in many ways, he's ready to go home.
I'm sure he misses his friends and what is familiar and I think he'd be ready to not be surrounded by English-only speakers.
I can't really ask if he's enjoyed his time here. I'm assuming he has, but I don't want to put him on the spot.
Yesterday we were "talking" about some of the things I wanted to get done before he leaves.
I mentioned I wanted him to help me pick out some of the photos I've taken to put in an album so he can take it home with him.
I was surprised... and confused... and little hurt... when he responded verbally "no... photos... home."
So I typed... "You don't want to take any photos home?"
"no."
"ok."..... "you're sure?"
"no" (I was starting to get a complex here.WHY would he not want to take pictures home? Has he not enjoyed his time here?? Did we do something wrong??"
"No, you're not sure, or no you do not want any pictures?"
frustration...."no... photos... home."
"Ok. Thats fine. You don't have to take pictures home with you if you don't want to. I only asked because I'm told most kids want to."
After several back and forths... I *think* I figured out that he wants to take pictures home with him, he just doesn't want to help pick them out.... I think?
Sunday is usually our day to go out to eat, so for supper, we went to Friendly's. For my readers who don't know, Friendly's is like Denny's (kind of), only with AMAZING ice cream.
(It's not Blue Bell, but it's the closest we can get here in our little corner of the midwest.)
As Vladik would choose ice cream over breathing, we knew he'd love it!
Of course, whats *not* to love about ice cream?! We think the USDA should include it in the food pyramid as its own category.
Vladik had a bit of a revelation, yesterday.
School starts in about a month, so it's time to start thinking about school clothes, etc. I had gone down to the basement to get the tub full of Joe's old clothes that Kyle will be able to soon wear. We were all in the kitchen and Kyle and I were sorting through the clothes. Evidently, when I packed up the clothes a couple of years ago, I wasn't as organized as I should have been as there were 3 different sizes in the tub. But anyway, with each item of clothing we pulled out, (it was a big tub) Vladik's eyes got bigger and bigger. He wanted to see everything-- feel it if it was textured, look at the designs etc....
And then it dawned on me... he thought these were all NEW clothes.
AS IF!
So after we sorted through them all, I explained to Vladik our term of "hand-me-downs;" and I said it was nice that I had 2 boys so that I could pass clothes on from one kid to the next.
He, of course, understands the concept of hand-me-downs. Most everything he owns is a hand-me-down.
He just didn't know American kids did it too. I think he was a little surprised.
During our English lessons, we've been working with articles. When to use "a" when to use "an", plus the proper use of "this", "that", "these", "those" and plurals. He's an eager student, which I appreciate; and I LOVE grammar, vocabulary... and the opportunity to "teach" what I know.
Of all the things we've done while Vladik has been here, I think our one-on-one time at night, working on English, ranks right at the top of my list of favorites.
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