May School Events

The girls' school had some fun spring activities. Wendy's class participated in the Earth Day Fair, and Wendy and her friend Brielle made a dolls' sofa out of bottle bricks! I had learned about bottle bricks from one of my housemates in Orlando and we had started making them at home after I came back. Basically bottle bricks are plastic bottles stuffed with dry trash which then can be used for construction. Schools are being built from bottle bricks in India and Latin America, and there is an organization in the United States which is working to help kids build "peace benches" from bottle bricks at their schools. I had originally had the grand scheme of constructing patio furniture from our bottle bricks, which was kindly vetoed by Chris, so it seemed a sofa for the American Girl dolls was a good compromise!

Then there was the Renaissance Day Fair, when the playground and field behind the school was transformed into a medieval fairground complete with climbing wall, face painting, arts and crafts, games and even a sponge toss which Papi was game enough to volunteer for! Fer happily took part in trying to hit him with the sponge, but alas, no luck this year. Maybe next time!

Mother's Day 2012

It was a really lovely Mother's Day, though it totally sneaked up on us. I hadn't been focusing on dates the way I should have, so we had an action-packed day with lots of fun stuff, I just didn't originally intend for it all to happen on the day I belatedly realized was Mother's Day! We went to church and then Aunty Barbara and Uncle Larry, visiting from Colorado, came out to South Orange for a Mother's Day/Tia B.'s birthday brunch. They joined us for part of Fer's soccer game, and after the game, we hosted a barbecue for some friends. It was wonderful to see everyone and the kids had a great time between foursquare and croquet while Chris manned the grill and the adults all had a chance to hang out and relax.

The girls both made me cards, and what they had to write was so beautiful. Fer especially has grown so much as a writer in the last year. Last year, in Tivoli, she gave me a card she had made in the shape of a high heel and inside she had written, "Dear Mom, no one can feel your shoe." Wendy: "What does that mean?!?" Fer: "I don't know, Ms. Guerra told us to write it." (I think Ms. Guerra had intended the students to convey that no one could fill their mothers' shoes!) This year her handmade card read, "Dear Mom, Thank you for taking care of me and spending time with me when I need you. You are a great mom and I love you so much. Once again you are the best. And Papi too just to let you know. Love Fernanda!" I have to say I couldn't get through reading it without choking up -- truly words to try to live up to. And Wendy's card this year, "Dear Mom, You are the best Mom I have ever had. love, Your dauther Wendy," followed by an acrostic poem she had written with my name, "Caring Amazing True mother Helpfull Youth."

AND, last night the girls slept in separate rooms! They have been talking on and off about it and I guess they now feel ready. Bedtime went beautifully -- Wendy fell asleep first in her room after I read her a story and sat with her for a few minutes while the audiobook played, and then I went to Fer's room and sat with her and sang for a little while until she fell asleep. Both girls slept through the night, and got up this morning a little later than usual. So, fingers crossed it continues to go well, but it certainly was a good start.