USA- June 1996-June 1997- Part 1

Goodbyes all said, now hellos were in order.

New beginnings...new experiences...new friends....new places....all the ingredients of great hellos. My children had never lived in the US of A, so this was a great new experience for them. They arrived in Southern California and immediately made it their own. Whether it was being home, going to play with friends or attending school, they made their mark on it.

School became their favorite place to go- which amused their friends and the other neighbors. When Katrina would do something naughty I would say, "Nana (in those days we called her "nana"), if you continue doing that I won't let you go to school tomorrow!!"

"Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please, I promise to stop!! Please don't keep me home from school."

She was in third grade and absolutely loved her teacher and her fellow classmates. Sean was in fifth grade and Cassandra in first grade. They walked each day to the Glenmeade Elementary school. They walked home with stories to tell of their days at school. We sat down with milk and cookies listening to each tale told. Why have milk and cookies? Every book we read seemed to indicate when an 'american' comes home from school they are greeted with milk and cookies! :) We were 'trying' to be 'Americans'.....we soon found out very few kids came home to milk and cookies- more often than not they came home to empty houses where they had to let themselves in. As a result, many kids found their way to our house after school and on the weekends.

I asked my children, "Why don't you go over to their houses??" My kids turned to ask their friends, "Why don't we go to your house to play?"

"Oh my mom would never let me mess up her house like your mom does!"

Hmmmm...so no milk and cookies and no getting to mess up houses. All in all,it was a great time!! Lots of wonderful memories, friends made for a life time, and energy stored up for the future we would have in Africa.