Kenan's first day of school

Monday was Kenan's first day of school at the French speaking Christian school in town, L'ecole Samuel. To say he was excited was an understatement. He was jumping into the car, "I'm so happy, happy, happy!!!"

Dawson came up with this pose, that they should touch each other. :)

Here Kenan is greeting one of the teachers, actually the assistant in Dawson's class. Kenan's assistant teacher is the guy sitting behind them, named Noel.

So a recap of the week:

Day 1: Great! Boys loved it. They came out chatting away. They loved getting juice and had fun. They even matched their clothes that day- all the way down to their shoes so, as Dawson said, no one would know who was who. :)

Day 2: Dawson was at the American school. Kenan went alone. He began crying before we left the house. Cried all the way to school and screamed as I tried to leave him. I mean, the about to throw up I'm crying so hard screams. He cried for probably 30 minutes or so and then finally calmed down. I stayed until he was calm, just away from his class so he thought I had already left. He was happy by the end of the day.

Day 3: Didn't want to go again. Cried some but was ok since Dawson was with him.

Day 4: Cried again starting with the car ride there. Cried for several minutes once I left. However-- PTL-- when he was done with school, he was happy and excited. He said, "Mommy you were right. I was wrong. School IS good!" yeah! So glad to hear it. The teachers say that he is already playing with others and speaking a lot. He is definitely more extroverted than Dawson so I think he will have a great time there. I'm glad he gets to go some with Dawson and some on his own so he gets to be his own person.

Day 5: Didn't even cry about going. They both went and did fine. Even though it rained.

I asked Kenan tonight if he liked school and he said yes. I asked if he would go on Monday and he said ok. :) So hopefully we are done with the crying and he will just go happily. Only time will tell. But overall, I am pleased. I always struggle when they have a hard time because I feel bad and wonder if I shouldn't push them to go to school. We feel like it is the best thing for them, though, so that they can integrate into the culture and know the language. It's so great when they start to have fun and enjoy it.

Teriya Bugu

Brett's been working like crazy lately at the hospital so we decided to get away for a night. We went to our favorite place in Mali (aside from our home) to Teriya Bugu.

Boys eating their dinner on the playground (one of three in Mali that I know of- one of those just opened I'm told, haven't seen it yet). So we enjoy the playground there.

Silas enjoyed his dinner as well, at least playing with it.

One of the reasons we love this place. Beautiful sunsets on the water.

To get the kids to smile, Brett said, everyone say "I love Mommy!" So they all started shouting that over and over again, but Kenan on his own started saying "I love Mommy!, I love Daddy! I love Dawson! I love Silas! Then he spread his arms big and said... "I LOVE EVERYONE!" :)

So this was there retake of that moment.

Feeding their favorite animal (I don't even know what it is really). They named it Fast Eater.

Playing in the closet.

Swimming with a frog. Of course the good big brother puts it on his brother's head.

Brett enjoyed the frog as well.

We only stayed about 24 hrs but it was great. A nice break from the hospital! Looking forward to going back at New Years.

Kids' thoughts

Some more kids' thoughts.

Someone gave us butter microwave popcorn. The boys have LOVED it. We usually just pop it on the stove. No butter.

Dawson said, "this is the best popcorn in the world."

Kenan said. "I love to eat the bag." so he can lick off all the butter on the side.

I really like that we gave our boys names that relate to family and a place. I kind of thought it would be silly since they are boys and they wouldn't care but they really seem to love knowing about a place with their name. They loved going around to visit their namesakes while in the US. One day we got talking about their names and where they come from. Dawson asked if he was born in France and I told him no that it was Kenan who was born there. Then he looked at a picture on the wall with him and Brett sitting on a blue tarp. It's from France. He can still say that that is the place where we put food in a basket and dropped it down from our apartment (on the third floor) and then would eat a picnic outside. It amazes me that he remembers that. He turned two while we were there and left when he was only 2 years and three months. I asked him how he could remember all that.

He said " My brain turned and so I can remember it. My brain sucked it up...not the place, but the memories...my brain is as big as my whole body!....(then pointing to his thigh) this is where all the remembers are, right there all the way down to my foot are my remembers."

I have boys

There are some days when I am more aware that I live in a house full of boys. Here are some recent reminders for me...

They swam with a frog for an hour and loved it. They love all bugs and reptiles.

They love the dirt and love being dirty.

The bathroom always smells like pee. Having only a sister growing up we never experienced this. I think they must just hit the room and as long as it lands somewhere in that room it's fine.

It's like pulling teeth to get them to sit at the table and eat lunch with me and tell me about their day. I've been asking Dawson what he does at school and from the first day his response was, "I don't remember." I asked Kenan if he would tell me about his school when he goes and he said, "I won't "ba-member." Choosing in advance to not remember things to tell your mom. Thanks.

I thought little boys learned how to be silly and crude from their friends. I'm learning this is not the case. It's from their fathers. Since having boys there is a side to Brett that now shows which I never saw before. Like laughing when one of the boys runs off having just pulled his underwear down instead of telling him to pull his pants up. Or telling the Dawson to put the frog in Kenan's bathing suit- or worse- mine. There is some synergy of craziness that comes from boys being with their fathers. I must say it is somewhat cute to watch- as long as it doesn't get much worse. :)