Update on the kids

Weston

He is amazing. He completely loves life here. He is so hard working. As you know, he has never relished playing with toys extensively. He loves having a project of his making and working on it to accomplish it until it’s finished. Usually this includes something mildly alarming, like breaking bricks with a hammer and collecting the powder in a jar so that he can find the crystals in the brick dust. That is why he was delighted to receive both bricks and a sledge hammer for his birthday in May! J

While in Mongolia, he has decided that he is going to dig.

“Do you want to know my goal?” He asks.

“Yes, I do,” I reply while trying to keep my face smile free and serious like his.

“Today I’m going to dig a hole as deep as me.”

He sets out digging and digging and digging. He digs ALL day. He accomplishes his hole. Again I am mildly alarmed. By the end of the day it’s about 8 inches deeper than him and I begin to become worried that he might be buried alive if it caves in… Peter is not alarmed. But I insist that that hole is deep enough and that I’m afraid someone is going to be buried or fall into it and break something. Peter thinks I’m crazy, but enforces my rule. Weston is very sad for a few minutes, but then begins to dig a new hole. Currently he is working on his 4^th hole as deep as him and he is sure he is the best seven year old digger in the world.

He has also learned many Mongolian words and learned how to say, “what is this.” So he’s learning more every day.

Sierra

She is the most social child in the world. Her lack of conversational skills has been a non-issue here because the other children don’t speak English. They think she is speaking clear English, and just answer her in Mongolian. She loves playing with little girls and she calls them all Elsie. She loves to climb and has sustained the most injury since our arrival; falling off of the moving truck, the swing set, the green house, the porch and several times while running in the street. She is adorable and has learned to say “broke, play and I love you” since we left.

She is so good at entertaining herself and swinging on the swingset. She LOVES puppies and baby cows. If she sees one while we are out walking, she will not continue until she’s had time to admire it and talk about it for at least 2 minutes. It may even be enough to make these non-pet parents reconsider getting a dog. It may not however. Maybe we’ll just make friends with a neighborhood dog. That way I don’t have to feed it or pick up its poo. J

They also loves playing with neighborhood kids. It reminds me of the good ole days when you could play all day outside until your mother called you and then you were sad to go in. They play ALL day. They are filthy. They dig, make mud balls and throw them at targets they made. They climb on the swingset and make up new and dangerous ways of using it. They play hide and seek, tag and play with toys on the porch in the shade when it gets too hot to be in the direct sun. I give them water and snacks every so often and they are happy as clams.

It is so much nicer than having to be so modern and have to arrange playdates or extracurricular activities that entail driving and being on a schedule. It is so much nicer to say,“go outside.” Then suddenly the yard is filled with laughing, screaming, happy children.