Laowai

Bea turned seven today. She had a really good day at school and was all smiles when she got home. Her classmates made a book – each of them writing and making a drawing of what they would like to give her for her birthday. 99% of the pages were filled with pictures of penguins. A real penguin, a penguin world, a penguin cake… all written in cute first grader spelled words. So she is still in her penguin stage and we wonder if a day will come when she isn’t obsessed by all things penguin. This has been a big year for Bea – I think she has tackled lots of scary things. One thing that I will remember about this year has just come about recently – reading. Nothing compares to the swell of pride I’ve felt listening to her tentative quiet voice saying words I thought she didn’t know. It’s one of those things that catches you by surprise – just how proud you can feel. Brian and I filled her bed with balloons last night and I made her a penguin cake. It’s nice that it still feels easy to please her with simple things and it’s fun to watch her excitement. She’s having some friends over this weekend for a party.

I don’t want to rush things, but I am so curious about who this girl of ours is going to become. We love her dearly.