She Reads

I've heard other parents say how amazing it is when your child begins learning to read.  I just didn't realize how fast it happens, how a child can begin kindergarten with no other skills than writing her name and just a few months later is reading all kinds of words!  Bereket now begs to read a story at bedtime and she is the one who reads the book to Jason and me (and Cooper and Frosty who lately are always by her side at bedtime).

I haven't been exposed to early childhood learning since I was in kindergarten 35 years ago so the whole process has been amazing to watch. The five sight words that Bereket's teacher requests she learn each week, the special books Mrs. Clauson sends home that supplement her sight words with photos of the words she hasn't learned yet. Brilliant!

Last week, Mrs. Clauson invited all the parents to class for a little concert featuring the fun songs they sing in class everyday. We shared a snack with Bereket and she surprised us with a special Christmas gift, coasters with her photo on them.  Mrs. Clauson explained that the gift for parents was a thank-you for all the time we spend at home working on sight words and reading books.

 

I have to admit, I felt a little emotional as Mrs. Clauson thanked the parents. There are many days when reading time can be a struggle. After a long day of learning and trying to be on her best behavior, sometimes I think Bereket's overflowing brain just wants a break and a really big snack.

But the rewards are worth the struggle! Bereket was so very proud to move up to a "1 Green" reader level after starting as a "Yellow" reader. After the winter break, she should be reading "2 Green" level books. For her, this will be a big deal.  And then there are those moments when Bereket recognizes a word that I had no idea she knew. Last night, she looked up at the television and read the word "married" off the screen. Wow! My parent friends were right, this is pretty incredible stuff to experience.

When Our World Has Gone Crazy

It is not yet 6 a.m.  Bereket is still snuggled in bed, no doubt dreaming of the big day ahead of us.  At her request, we are driving to the Minneapolis airport to pick up Jason from his business trip to the Netherlands.  She is like her momma in so many ways and loves to be at the airport with so many people coming and going...even if it is not our turn to experience something new.

Last night, like most of the world, I was shocked, saddened and angered by the news of a major terrorist attack in Paris. It took more than a hundred lives and was carefully orchestrated at multiple, busy locations.  People were out to enjoy a soccer game or concert. They did not know these few hours of living would be their last.

I can't speak a word of French and I get terribly confused whenever I study a map of the Paris Metro, but I love that city.  I have experienced it in the bright lights of Christmastime, the cool dampness of April and the blissful sunshine of June.  This summer, on my third trip to Paris, I really fell in love with it. I wanted to spend hours smelling the beautiful flowers that spilled out of the shops into the street.

I didn't want to get up from my cup of cup of coffee at an outdoor café taking in the beautiful people and buildings around me.

I love this city.

Just a couple of weeks ago, a Russian plane suddenly crashed near the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. 224 people were killed. Investigations point to a possible bomb that could have been planted by an employee of the Sharm el-Sheikh airport.  About a decade ago, Jason and I flew through that airport during our travels around Egypt. While experiencing the thrill of camping in the Sinai Desert and snorkeling at the Blue Hole in the Red Sea, we also felt the scare of a bomb going off in a nightclub there, just hours after we had walked by it on the street.  These attacks made the Egyptians we met so angry. They want tourists will come visit their treasures to strengthen their economy. Plus, they are simply proud of their country, and want others to experience its beauty. They would say to us, "Please, tell your friends to come visit. They are welcome here."

Bereket, one day you will read these stories. I want you to know your momma is part nomad...always looking for the next great place to visit and experience...a place even more unique and interesting than the last.  I think you already have a similar spirit of exploration growing in you.  Don't be afraid of the bad guys. Don't let them win.  This is an amazing, beautiful world. Go see all of it you can.  My spirit will be with you.

Halloween "Cheer"

Wednesday night, Bereket had her first of 3 costume parties this week. I always imagined getting dressed up for these special events would as magical as Halloween itself, but we were in a struggle. I bought Bereket an adorable and warm, long sleeved cheerleader outfit late last fall on clearance on Zulilly.  It was cute and practical for trick or treating in Minnesota. Bereket knew for almost an entire year she was going to be a cheerleader for Halloween.  She told everyone about her costume. Suddenly, 5 minutes before we needed to leave for her party, she refused to put it on. She now wanted to be a princess just like she had been for the past few years. The struggle was on!

 

That struggle continued into picture time. First Bereket refused to smile because she was mad I made her stick with the cheerleader costume. Then I gave her an old Vikings purple pom pom as an accessory.  Suddenly she was too silly and crazy to sit still. Why was it so hard to get one simple, nice photo of my beautiful girl in her costume?

 

I gave up and Jason took Bereket to her party.

 

On Friday, Bereket had a costume parade at school.  Jason had a light day at work and could leave early.  He wanted to see his girl in her costume. Walking into the building, I thought maybe I could finally get a good Halloween picture.

 

Bereket had no idea we would be there.  We saw her just outside of her classroom as she got into line for the parade. She ran over to hug me, overjoyed.  She then got back into line and Jason and I went to find a place to watch the parade in the school hallway.

 

I  looked for a spot with a good view point and took out my camera. Then the music started. Bereket's class lead the way. I lifted my camera when I first saw her, but there was no time to take a focused photo. She was already in a full sprint yelling, "Momma!" I snapped a quick blurry pic and then she was in my arms. Bereket wrapped her legs around my waist and held on tight. She had no intention of letting go.

 

It was the best hug ever. I was so proud, so happy.  I wondered what I had ever done to deserve this amazing love.

 

Bereket's class moved on. Her friends and teacher yelled back to her to catch up.   She reluctantly let go.

 

I was sad the hug was over. I was grateful I had experienced it.  And I had the perfect,  blurry photo to remember her running towards me. So much better than any perfectly posed picture.

Happy Halloween my sweet cheerleader. I promise you can be a princess again next year if you like.

Sweet Dreams

This weekend was a big first: Bereket's first sleepover at a friend's house.  She got to experience it with her very first friend, Kokeb.

 

Kokeb's mom, Jill, mentioned during a water park weekend last winter that they would like Bereket to come stay overnight sometime. Jason's class reunion in La Crosse this weekend turned out to be the perfect opportunity for the girls to have their special night.

 

Bereket had a lot of questions about spending the night at their new house. She was curious about what they would eat and if someone would snuggle her at night. But when Jason and I dropped her off on Saturday, there were no tears! Just excitement.

 

Jason and I smiled at all the pictures Jill texted us of the fun things the girls were doing. First up: apple picking at a local orchard. I love this photo!

Other adventures included hair braiding (Jill is so talented!) and a movie.

And I am guessing these two had a lot to talk about even after the lights went out!

We met the Andersons at their church Sunday morning. Bereket was all dressed up in one of Kokeb's fancy dresses.  After Bereket changed back into her own clothes, we all hugged goodbye.

We'd only made it a block out of the church parking lot before Bereket was fast asleep. I imagine she was dreaming about the next time the girls will be able to get together and do it all over again.

 

And Off She Goes!

This morning we put our baby girl on the school bus for her first official day of kindergarten. I guess she's really not a baby anymore but a bigger girl headed off into a world of learning, making new friends and becoming less dependent on Mommy and Daddy as she navigates this whole new routine on her own.

Bereket goes to Longfellow Elementary, Rochester's year-round "choice" school. We love Longfellow's small size and think the longer breaks in the fall and spring will be wonderful for family travel (to Disney and Ethiopia and other wonderful places!) but this big change for our little family came fast! We had applied for a spot at Longfellow last December but Bereket's name was not drawn in the January lottery. About 4 weeks ago, her name was picked in a late drawing for some leftover spots. I was mentally prepared for Bereket to start school on September 10th not July 29th! This was a great opportunity though, so out with the September plan and in with a new backpack! And finding that perfect pack took a few tries. Go figure, Elsa and Anna was the keeper!

 

We picked up the required glue and pencils and Bereket's new schoolmate Anthony outfitted her in some great Longfellow spirit wear.

Just in time, Bereket had all she needed to "Meet the Teacher" a.k.a. Mrs. Clauson.

Bereket reported to a day-long mini session with Mrs. Clauson on Monday to prepare for the real deal today.  Jason dropped her off Monday morning and a tearful momma waited in the parking lot to pick her up in the afternoon. I begged Bereket the entire drive home to tell me every detail. She told me a few things.

 

 

Mrs. Clauson wrote a note after the mini session saying that Bereket was respectful and would be a good role model in the classroom. Today I am thankful for the many people who have helped to get her ready for this big step. People like Bereket's beloved daycare provider and preschool teacher, Jenna.

I pray that Bereket will make good choices and special friends. Like Cinderella, I pray that she will have courage and be kind. Here's to a new, great adventure.

Paris in June

22 years ago, my sister and her future husband spent a day touring Monet's garden and his charming village of Giverny. She always dreamed of returning to this fairytale place and made a promise to bring her daughter Isabelle there for a 10th birthday trip. Somehow I scored an invitation to join them and we left on our fabulous 6 day adventure on June 8th.

Our Paris trip took us to places like the Palace of Versailles (where we splurged on lunch at the Tea Room where Marie Antoinette herself once played cards) and the great chateaus of Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte. We even took a 3 hour bicycle tour in the countryside.  But it was at the beautiful water lily garden where Monet found the inspiration for his paintings, that I found some inspiration for my own life.

The afternoon before our trip to Giverny, we stopped by the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris. Its a small museum where you can sit and gaze at 8 large murals of Monet's beloved lilies. I snapped a photo of my favorite. It shows his water garden in a blaze of color at sunset.

Once we navigated the confusing Gare du Nord train station and found seats on what we hoped was the right train (it was!) we exhaled, watching the city fade away.    

The village of Giverny is simply charming. My sister called it, "The Lanesboro of France!" We were intrigued by the quaint shops and cafes, but first the garden! Our goal was to enjoy the water lilies before the crowds. And we did, for about two minutes.

While in France, I was reading a book written by a woman who left a stressful life as a copywriter in Los Angeles and sold everything she owned to begin a new life traveling around Europe and working as an artist. She wrote, "Travelers live by this rule: collect as many experiences as you can."  I connected with those words and I was reading them in a place perfect for collecting experiences. I tried to be present in every moment...savoring every sip of strong dark coffee and rosé wine. I tried to stop at every flower shop I passed and smell the beautiful blooms that spilled out into the streets. When we were in a taxi or in our hotel room, I opened the window to hear the beautiful sounds of the city around us.

I entered Monet's precious lily garden in the same frame of mind. I wanted to absorb the sweet smells, the sounds of the birds, the gentle floating lilies, the explosion of colors, even the bit of humidity in the air. It was the loveliest of places.

And then came the masses...with their cameras and selfie sticks.  I watched as tourists rushed from one end of the pond to another. They were in "the photo zone" looking for the perfect spot to capture themselves in this famous garden. They took one picture of themselves, then four more because the first three weren't quite right.  Then they rushed on to the next spot to repeat the process. Others impatiently waited for their turn. Did they feel the peace of this place? The beauty? The magic that inspired some of the world's most famous paintings?  In the gift shop, I found a postcard with a photo of Claude Monet among his lovely flowers. I could almost hear him saying, "No selfie sticks in my garden!!"

I found myself looking for tucked away places away from tourists where I could soak in the moment. Isabelle followed me to a bench on the edge of the garden.  There we met a lovely woman from Northern England. She was painting a small watercolor. She was on a garden tour of France and she was sketching or painting her memories of each lovely place she went. Her small notebook would be her memories of her trip. What a beautiful way to truly experience the beauty around her.

With the busyness of life and children, I knew going into this trip that this time with my sister and my niece was to be treasured. And I did.  Then we came home to this little girl at the airport shuttle stop. "Bonjour! Welcome Home!" 

A sweet homecoming...as I reflect on all the things I love about Paris..and all that I love about the ladies I got to experience it with this summer.

Splash! Bereket is 5!



There's no doubt about it, our girl LOVES the water.  The beach and the pool are Bereket's very favorite places and she is thrilled to be starting three weeks of swimming lessons soon.
 

Back in November, Jason and I were at a charity auction and discovered a "swimming party for 10" at the Rochester Area Family Y on the silent auction. We knew that was the perfect gift for Bereket's 5th birthday. Her first "friends" birthday party would be a swimming party!

We were able to have the party the actual night of her birthday, Friday, May 29th. Bereket addressed invitations for her three cousins Isabelle, Daniel, and Nils; her cul-de-sac friends Sierra, Carson, Eli and Isaac; her church friend Layla; and her friend Xavier who lives a few blocks from us. Everyone who was invited could make it.

Once all the guests arrived, we enjoyed cake and snacks with a pool view.

Our fancy spread

Bereket floating in a pool (not exactly as we envisioned it, but we went with it)

The invitation said "no gifts" but Bereket did get a few wonderful packages to open.

Bereket and Layla then had a quick Frozen themed fashion show before getting in the water.

Finally, swim time and Nils couldn't have been more excited!

When we got home from the party, we let Bereket stay up late to have one last piece of cake and play with her presents. She started off the next morning the very same way. What a great start to Bereket's big 5th year of life.