Skeptical

(Skeptic Phoebe- 3 and Noah- 6)

We're all so thrilled for Troy to be able to spend a week "home" that we're not feeling sad or missing him (yet). Hearing his voice on the phone was wonderful because I could actually hear contentment. :) Also, not one tear left my eye saying goodbye. My friends will read this with skepticism, I am telling you, I did not cry. Believe me. If we're here for a long time, we might need to get good at this saying goodbye to Troy thing and I figured we may as well start strong.

Isaac, Hope and Paige continue to get tutoring four times a week and are all about 2/3 done with the Math catch-up they needed to do. They are doing great and working hard. Paige is thinking she'll take a writing class (Mrs. Hersey will be happy to read this.) next. The three of them will hopefully be back at the English speaking school in PAP this fall and Noah will join them to start Kindergarten with the famous Mrs. Ackerman. (Only if we can convince him staying home with Mom and Dad forever is not a real option).

While here it has been a very good decision to do tutoring rather than dumping them in traditional school. After all that has changed for them in 2010 another huge adjustment felt too daunting. We came very close to putting only Isaac in - and then changed our minds. We're glad we did. He would have done okay, but it is just nice to have them all on the same schedule. Of our kids he has the most confidence- obnoxious confidence some might say. Case in point, today he walked into the YMCA childcare center after many, many weeks away and loudly asked the entire room, "Remember me? I've been here before." As if everyone should know him - the famous one that he is. Paige and I cringe and laugh. Yes Isaac, everyone who meets you remembers you. Forever.

So, our days are filled with playing outside, reading, fighting with siblings, attempting to damage* the beautiful home we are so generously being loaned, visiting local parks, fighting with siblings some more, and then at 3:30 the biggest three go to tutoring until 6:30 and the little three go for a long walk with Mom. It is a little bit weird to figure out a rhythm to this but we're working at creating routine without creating a lot of expectations.

(These kids were trained to know how to play all day without TV and parks and recreation. Kind of like "the olden days" as Isaac would say. Today, he asked, "Did they have 3d back in the olden days, you know, back in the 90's?)

Troy will be able to travel "home" again in May. I don't feel all that resentful sitting here in April, but I cannot yet say how I'll feel in May. ;) Jeronne would love for him to bring a kid or two home to see her but the airfares are stinkin high. Lydia talked to her on the phone last night, it was very cute. Jeronne cooked the full Haitian meal for Troy to welcome him back. The boys were indignant asking when they would get to eat picklese and *her* fried chicken again?

Check out this post on AC's blog from a World Vision Staffer. Good read.

Or check out Gwenn's thoughts about adoption. I love adoption. I would love for it not to be necessary, it would be great if the world were full of in-tact families. but until that happens, I liked what Gwenn wrote.

*To the generous Baptist Church - please don't read this.

Happy weekend from Tejas,
Tara