The White House

Last week, we said goodbye to a group of volunteers who were responsible for getting the entire interior of the new foster home painted. Let me tell you, it was hot and humid and hard work and they were sure some real troopers! Just as soon as we bid them farewell, a large team from southern California arrived. In just a matter of days, they completed the finishing touches and turned it from a construction site into a home! On their last morning with us, they looked like a trail of ants, carrying furniture from the former foster home to the new one, just a few houses down the street. It looked much like the set of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, minus Ty and his mega-phone. The kids lined the street and just watched in amazement as their beds went by!



We've been calling the new home The White House - I think the name's going to stick. The floor in the old home has already been dug up and work has begun on the new therapy pool. The kids get a kick out of seeing a giant hole in the middle of their old living room! For now we have an inflatable pool in their front yard - great for cooling off on these hot days. Once the new pool is finished, it will be heated and equipped for their physical therapy sessions. We're also keeping their classroom and volunteer housing in the former home, and eventually are hoping we can add a room for a small dental clinic for kids in the area. Lots of exciting changes!

I went to change the month of my wall calendar today, and was shocked to see it was still on May! How did I completely miss June!?

After I dismiss class at three each afternoon, I do a quick clean-up of our living quarters, and then spend some quiet time in the classroom. Grading papers, writing study guides, planning lessons - I love these times! I remember as a kid often playing 'school', making pretend papers to grade, and taking roll call of a class of imaginary students. Then as college approached, I just didn't feel it was the career path I was supposed to take. Who would have thought I'd live out the make-believe in such a way that I am? I never would have!

The other day, during one of those glorious classroom afternoons, Sarah brought me a plate of her amazing cookie creation! Hey, it doesn't hurt that my classroom is above a bakery!



Here's a recent sweet moment with Lydia. She doesn't dish out the love very often. She'd rather be bossing everyone around and putting the nearest objector in timeout. In the rare occasion that she's lovey (or just wants some of my dessert), she can be quite the cutie-pants.



Until next time, goodnight from my little room in China.

A Star-Spangled Celebration

Today we held a giant party during class in celebration of our nation's independence! Earlier in the week, when I asked the girls if they knew what holiday was this coming weekend, they had no idea. When I continued to ask them questions about our National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance, their answers told me we really needed to dedicate a day to learning about these things. The following day, they arrived to class to find a party invitation for each of them waiting on their desks!





You know that ridiculous game you're always forced to play at baby showers, where you're not allowed to say certain words? And if someone catches you saying one of the magic words, you have to take one of their clothes pins? Well, as they entered class this morning, I attached four clothes pins to each of our shirts. Our magic words all pertained to the USA, stars and stripes, red, white, and blue, etc. The person with the least amount of clothes pins at the end of the day was the winner. We spent the day reviewing some of our nation's history, listening to patriotic songs, and of course, the ever popular, United States Bingo! The real fun came when we learned about the meaning behind our flag and the Star Spangled Banner, while the girls listened intently as I struggled through the lesson, trying my best not to say a forbidden word. We even cut out fifty stars and made our own flag for our classroom!





Let's just say that Rachelle wasn't the winner of the clothes pin game. :)

We have a couple large volunteer teams with us this week - one from southern California and the other from New Jersey. We're looking forward to a fun BBQ with all of them tomorrow, on the fourth of July. It will be good to be surrounded by some American blood (and Chinese blood with American hearts!) as we celebrate such a significant day and give thanks together. May each of you have a fun-filled and safe holiday weekend. Kiss that American soil for me!