Some Firsts

Today we finally woke up to SNOW!  We’ve been waiting and RJ even told me a few weeks ago that he wanted to make a snowman but today was the first time we’ve even had a dusting of snow.  It’s almost unheard of for us in Indiana!  Jack has been really busy at work so he’s been going in early every day but today when he woke up he said he just had to stay home until RJ got up to see his reaction to the snow :)  So cute :)  So I caught it on video for all of you to see.  Not the greatest quality but that’s OK :)

Then today was our big first day of school.  Well, sort of.  We went in and met his class and his teacher and he got to participate in circle time and go out for recess.  He was SOOO excited.  When we walked up he said “this my school!”  I had him bring his backpack and indoor shoes and things like that so I could help him learn the routines of the school and the class was still in gym when we got there so I was able to help him with a few of those things and he was able to meet his teacher before the other children came in the room.  His teacher is so nice (which I already knew :) ) and she gave him a book of all the students pictures with their names to borrow over Christmas break so maybe he could start learning some of their names.  There was also a welcome banner on the board that all of the other children signed :)  During circle time she opened it up for kids to tell RJ something or ask him a question.  Kids were so kind telling him about their calendar and toys and memory verses.  About every third comment was someone asking why he has glasses and what happen to his eye.  The teacher handled it gracefully and had already discussed that with the children before we got there.  I do have to say I’m pretty glad that there is still a language barrier for moments like that.  I honestly think he doesn’t know there’s anything different about his eyes than anyone else’s.  Every time a child asks he looks at them puzzled like “what do you mean, they’re the same as yours.”  It’s nice that he’s going to get all this questioning over with now and by the time he really understands things everyone will be used to him and not ask as much.  After circle time he wanted to go on the play ground for recess with the other kids so I let him.  He lasted about 5 minutes in the cold and then ran to me yelling “MOM, TOO COLD!!”  Definitely gonna have to make sure I bundle him up good!

Jackson’s class is right across the hall from RJ’s so we saw him out there and I asked if he’d show RJ around the boy’s bathroom.  These are little things that you just don’t realize you have to teach when you have a child that never leaves your side.  I’m betting if we hadn’t done that today he would’ve gone straight for the girls’ restroom because that’s where he always goes with me!  Bet that would’ve made for a good story ;)  We’re also working on the toilet paper at home.  It just wasn’t something I was letting him do yet.  It seems not long ago we were in India telling him to stop standing on the toilet seat squatting over it to go! (oh yes friends, that happened!).  Anyhow, I think we’ll have a nice string of adventures ahead of us when he actually goes to school every day.  I’m thankful they’re not only willing to take on the challenge but are so excited about having him there.  PS – I told you he has an Asian girl in his class but he also has an African American girl.  Could possibly be the most culturally diverse class in this county!

I hadn’t thought too much about Christmas being so fun for him this year because he has celebrated Christmas before.  He had a lot of pictures of him with Santa from the orphanage and knew what everything was (except for the true meaning, JESUS).  I’ve been doing fun nativity activities with him from my friend Dawn to teach him about the true meaning of Christmas.  I’m really thankful he’s here for Christmas because it gives me a good opportunity to introduce this to him.  We also have the beautiful Diwali candles that Mrs. Shalini made for us by our nativity that we will light on Christmas Eve to celebrate the true light coming to the world to conquer darkness.  We want to keep some of his culture and make it into ours as well.

We have seen Santa several times which is almost unheard of for us.  Maybe he’s stalking us ;)  Every time RJ sees him he tells him he wants a doggie.  YEAH RIGHT!  I finally sat him down and asked if he really wanted a dog and he said yes so I barked like a dog (bet you wish I had a hidden camera in my house!) and he screamed and ran.  He and I both decided that if he can’t even brave a human barking like a dog then maybe he wasn’t ready for one to live in his house ;)  So we went on with asking what he’d like for Christmas and that’s when it hit me.  He asked for things like chocolate and candy canes but couldn’t think of anything else.  He’s never really received more than that.  Not that gifts are what Christmas is about and I guess it’s a good thing not to be in want but at the same time it makes my heart ache for him that he doesn’t know there’s more and that we would give him the whole world if he asked and we could.  He’s never heard until now the amazing gift that God gave us in sending His son here for us.  Not any more my friends.  There will never be another Christmas that this precious boy won’t be told the story of the birth of Jesus before any gifts or stockings.  He’ll forever be a Hamstra and get to sing happy birthday and eat cake for breakfast and while we don’t have much, he does have gifts of his own under our Christmas tree and he’s proudly been showing off that the ones in the green wrapping are his.

I do hope and pray that you are as blessed as us this Christmas and that maybe if you’ve never really celebrated the true meaning, that this would be one of your firsts.

Merry Christmas from the Hamstra Family of six :)