Here's a little look at some friends we've made here. Interestingly, many of our favorite people I haven't caught on camera yet. I'd better hurry!
Little Nicholas is the son of Richard's fellow Fellow (get it?). Anyway, Ivy won't pay him the time of day because "he's a boy, and I don't like boys except Cooper 'cause he's my brother!) But Nicholas has spent lots of time at our house being babysat, and he's content playing with the cars while Ivy ignores him.
Nicholas's dad - Patrick Hogan. He and Richard became very good friends during the Fellowship this year.
Coop and one of his very good buddies - Emerson Baker. Emerson was in his kindergarten and Primary class (he moved a few weeks ago). He's going to come visit us in Utah right after we arrive there! We could always count on Emerson to say something funny - even though he didn't realize it. Example: His mother is VERY musically talented and TRAINED. I was fixing the boys lunch one day and singing some silly, made-up song (in my VERY untalented and untrained voice) and I asked Emerson if I sounded like his mom. He quietly replied no. Then I asked if his mom could sing better than I. Emerson paused, and then said, "well, I like your voice too because it's interesting." 
At Walden Pond with good friends. This is the REAL Walden Pond - and it's a lot of fun. It was a bit chilly that day (We've learned that New England doesn't have Spring. Just Winter and then Summer) so we had the beach to ourselves and the kids had a blast.
Cooper and Aiden - his buddy from school.
Not only is this the one boy Ivy will tolerate, but she ADORES him and talks of him all the time. This is Andrew! Ivy likes to call him "goofy boy," and he surely gives their Sunbeam teacher a run for her money - oh that's right, she doesn't get paid. Luckily she is full of charity toward God's children. I've been substituting in Cooper's class and so get to watch the Sunbeams from the back row during Sharing Time. Ivy gets a little warm, but it's no problem because she just lifts her dress up to her chest to cool off. She doesn't see the sense in having to stay seated either. 
Tessa's group of girls. We finally got around to celebrating her birthday with a "late night" party. Richard was out of town and I, frankly, was glad when the party was over. Girls can be loud!! They had lots of fun though, and I did get to eavesdrop on their when-my-dad-gets-mad-this-is-what-he-does conversation. Very enlightening.
Funny moment because Ivy had just given Emily (Maia's friend) a "chipmunk kiss." Ivy believes (INSISTS) she is a chipmunk, and a proper chipmunk kiss is a lick across the face.
Maia's (late also) birthday party. She's had a struggle with friends this year (little girls can be so mean!!) so she chose only two girls from school and the rest from Activity Days to come to her party. ChaeBin (the dark Korean girl two girls to the left of Maia) has been her special school friend. She spoke no English when she came and Maia was assigned to help her. She has been by her side since day one, helping her with work, at recess, getting lunch, whatever. ChaeBin speaks the language quite well, now, but the girls are inseparable. Her parents are SO grateful to Maia - profusely praising her in their broken language. "Maia's mother, I thank you much. Oh, Maia's mother, Maia help ChaeBin every day, every day she help. Thank you Thank you. I thank you forever, Maia's mother." Brought me to tears! Maia swells with pride to know she has done something so good. (But it's no surprise to her parents.)
Lady Liberty. Of course we had only a dumb camera with us, and then that lost power on Libery Island. So, Richard was laying on the ground (to get the rest of us AND the statue in the picture) holding the cell phone to snap a picture. He still hasn't downloaded the pix, and I don't know how. 
