Will That Hurt?

Ellie and Kerri during snack time at co-op today

Today was Ellie's first day of school.  Yeah, I know that many of our friends in America have been in school for over a month, yet most kids don't return to school in Albania until next week!  Today marked the first official Friday of homeschool co-op.  After a stressful ride in a taxi to attempt to find the Bible college facility which is hosting co-op this year (our driver was not happy with us at all over how 'far' he had to take us), we were warmly greeted by the families in attendance.  God bless Facebook (and Cathy Watanabe) for helping us make this connection! This group meets every Friday for devotions, music, PE, Albanian, and crafts.  The older students embark on more difficult subjects. ;-)

Ellie really seemed to enjoy her time -- it was so good for her to be out and see other folks!  

At one moment, riding in the taxi she noted that she didn't understand the words of the folk singer playing over the stereo system.  And why were they playing a broken violin, she asked?  I told her it was Albanian music because we were in Albania and this is a traditional type of music that they listen and dance to here.  She asked why they couldn't sing English songs and I asked her why we didn't listen to Spanish songs.  She paused.  

I reminded her that our taxi driver is Albanian and this is his kind of music.  She thought some more and then said, "But I'm Albanian.  Am I going to change and like this kind of music?"  I told her that yes, she is Albanian, but she is also American and that living in Albania will make her feel a little more Albanian, but that she might always be a little bit American and a little bit Albanian.

"Will that hurt?" she asked.  Tough question, Ellie.  It won't be easy.

I wish I would have remembered to remind her of the play dough analogy they taught the kids at MTI.  They were given a clump of blue playdough and a clump of yellow playdough and told to twist it together.  Then they were asked if they could separate the two colors, now intertwined in lovely marbled veins.  Of course, the answer is no, it's impossible.  And the more the playdough is worked, the less distinctive the two colors become, eventually turning a third, completely different color.  That will likely be our Ellie and Reni.  A little red-and-black and little red-white-and-blue, but neither completely one or the other...

Kerri and Ellie separate out Reni's legos which were poured in like packing peanuts into the crevices of this duffle bag!

   Unpacking is progressing, albeit slowly.  Two suitcases were put away today and the kitchen counter mostly cleared.  It's consuming a lot of my energy to figure out where everything needs to 'go', but Kerri has been a phenomenal help.  I can't imagine where we'd be without her, not to mention her conversation, wisdom, and encouragement is a gift.

Ellie's culture shock is slightly diminished by the discovery that yes, in Tirana we can buy the French version of cocoa puffs.  And yes, she was so happy she decorated the box in stickers.

To cap off her big day, she was pleased to bring home a snail discovered on the Bible school property.  She promptly named him Herman.  She was so sweet to ask, "Mom, since we're not moving anymore, can I bring him home?"  (That has been our excuse as to why she could not have a pet).

Thank you for continuing to pray for Mom and the rest of the family.  From what I gather from Nathan, I think the further out we go from Monday, it's not gotten any easier, just a different kind of difficult, compounded by physical and emotional exhaustion. Clinging to the Rock.