Children's Day 2010

This is the first year that both CJ & Miriam have attended Chinese school on a regular basis (that is 5 days a week from 8:30 till 11:30). CJ transitioned pretty easily but for Miriam it was a little more difficult (she is SO shy). They began in October and had been doing pretty well. They were gradually participating in class activities and after about a month Miriam wasn't crying when we dropped her off. Around March CJ was struggling with a new stage of Culture Shock (quite normal reaction) when he started asking, on a regular basis, to go back to America. Well, we were ecstatic when mid April came around and he successfully passed through that stage and now seemed pretty happy with our current home. He had a new friend (Wang Zi Long) and was beginning to "lead" the exercises at school. (All children usually participate in school exercises at the beginning of the day. This is one of CJ's favorite things about school.) Both children were beginning to talk more in class and their comprehension levels were growing.

I was so excited to go to the Children's Day Program at their school this year. CJ was counting down the days till Mom & Dad could go see him lead his class in a march around school. He had the honor of carrying the class sign. Even Miriam participated (and I loosely say "participated") in the program. Miriam is so shy about attention that she mostly just likes to watch what is going on around her, at least in a public setting. (Attention at home- that's a whole nother story). I guess it is because she already draws so much attention being a foreigner that she doesn't want to add anymore unneeded pressure. She doesn't want her teacher to see her putting away her book bag, or her teacher seeing her do exercises... she once said that "it's just too embarrassing".

Anyhow, I love these pictures. They capture the joy that I've seen in them the last few months. I'm so thankful that Father has blessed them. We had been praying very regularly for friends, language acquistion and our new place to become a "home". He has been so faithful to answer. Please continue to pray for them... friends & language will forever be a request in our home.

The children wore green shorts and shirts to school. We thought it would be fun if Eliza could match. Here she is posing in her green.


Here is CJ and his best pal, Wang Zi Long. He is also a neighbor, which is very exciting for us.


Miriam was also able to stand at the front of her class line (though she wasn't as excited about it as CJ was about leading his class). Her class is called the Xiao Ban- which is equivalent to the 3 year old Kindergarten Class. Notice how tall she is? One day upon returning from school she said, "Mom, I'm the tallests girl in all the world." She is the second tallest in her class- the boy next to her is the tallest- I think that is why they were chosen to lead the class.


I love Miriam's smile here- no one watching her and she could just be herself and smile.


Here CJ, with pride, explains to Eliza that he is in the Da Ban- 5 year old class. (He is the tallest in his class but that is because he is a full 2 years older than his classmates. We chose to put him in Chinese kindergarten to help him learn spoken Chinese in a "low pressure environment" and also so he could spend time learning to read English (at home with Mom) and not get confused learning another written language at the same time in the Chinese 1st grade classes).


CJ participating in Morning Exercises.



Here Miriam is "participating" in morning exercises but would rather be watching. She walks along but won't squat, jump, march... with the rest of the class.


This picture makes me giggle. She is about to crack a smile but doesn't want anyone to know that she is enjoying herself so tries to "wipe it" off.


What can I say? I think I have the 3 cutest kiddos ever.