Mike took the day off from work today, so he was home to enjoy time with Michel. A last-minute interpreting need came up with one of the other visiting children, so I was off to the doctor while Mike took Michel, our boys, and the neighbor kids to the bowling alley. I didn't get a full report on the scores, but it sounds like everyone had fun.
Michel asked Mike to make her hot chocolate this morning. She only drank about half of the mug but insisted on keeping the rest for later.
She often does this, making more food than she needs or only eating half of what she orders when we eat out, then saving the rest. Sometimes, we can't keep the leftovers (e.g. if we are out and about somewhere and the food has to sit in a hot car for hours), and this seems to upset her. I try to be very careful about not wasting food in front of her. If something has to be thrown out, I do not do so in front of her. I'm sure there have been seasons in her life where food was not as abundant as our supplies here.
Michel asked today what each of our boys' middle names are. As soon as she knew, she started practicing, in her most stern voice, "Andrew Michael!" and "Matthew James!" They responded in kind, with "Michel Dayana!" It became a running joke, where the kids would face off and exchange full-name reprimands. Another concept valid in the U.S. and Colombia: use of both names when a kiddo is in trouble!
Michel loves to read and continues to work through Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It seems this love of reading is reflected in her impressive vocabulary. I don't think I've known many eleven-year-olds who use terms like "curmudgeon" and "stingy" in describing people.
Michel asked me today when children in the United States start talking. I assume the range of "normal" development is similar in Colombia. She said that children who do not have enough language exposure (e.g. parents who talk to them and read to them) talk much later than those who have language-rich environments. I was impressed with how much she knew about the best ways to encourage language development in babies and toddlers, especially considering that she may have grown up starved for some of that contact.
Michel continues to seem more comfortable around us, opening up and sharing stories about life in Colombia. She has many stories about the other children who have stayed in the foster home where she currently lives. In her words, her foster mother has "suffered a lot," seeing children struggle with various situations, or knowing they may return to an unsafe environment. She speaks extremely highly of her foster parents and seems to be very well-cared for. I am so grateful that she is currently in a loving home. I was surprised to learn from Michel's chaperone that Colombia does not appear to have a foster-adopt system like we do in the United States. Even though Michel seems to be thriving in the current placement, the foster parents would never be eligible to adopt Michel or the other children in their care.
Michel talks about her hopes for adoption. She does not report strong tendencies about what kind of family (e.g. older siblings, younger siblings, only child). More than anything, she just wants a family to call her own. I had to smile at one point - she said that every night in Colombia, after the younger children go to bed, she talks with her foster parents and tells them that certain children in their home will probably not get adopted, but that she will likely get adopted. I love her confidence and self-awareness. She seems to recognize that she is a responsible, helpful, caring young woman who will make a lovely addition to a family someday. On the other hand, it breaks my heart to know that just because of her age, she has about a ten percent chance of being adopted in her home country. I pray that her dreams of a forever family may be realized as soon as possible.
As Michel grows more comfortable, she is asking more questions about how to say things in English. She seems to make a mental note of words she uses frequently in Spanish with us or the boys, then asks how to say them in English. Her memory is remarkable; she very rarely asks about the same word twice.
Michel asked me today what "For Sale" and "For Lease" mean. She has apparently been noticing the various for sale signs (several houses on our street are currently on the market) and commercial for lease signs around town. She is constantly observing her surroundings and trying to learn new things. I explained the two meanings. She grinned and pointed at Matthew - who was in an ornery mood at the time - and said, "For Lease."
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| Hey, at least she doesn't want to sell him! |
A few days ago, Michel found the sidewalk chalk and scrawled her name on the driveway. I'm not sure whether it was intentional, but it's in just the right place for her to see it from her bedroom window. Yesterday morning, when I let the dog out, I found she had recently added two additional words to the "Michel":
Michel esta feliz.* Michel is happy. I hope that we have given her a wonderful summer vacation, and I hope there are many more joyous days in her future, with a family to call her own. May she always be very, very "feliz."
(*Disclaimer to Spanish-speakers: I know the final "a" in "esta" should have an accent mark. I know the keyboard shortcuts for accent marks. But for some reason, they don't seem to work in Blogger. If anyone knows how to make them appear, please let me know!)
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