Birthday celebration part 2

it was a wonderful day for Bug's friend party.

We had J and N, the MKs, T and Y, M from across the street, J, D and E from church and Hermano.
the plan: playtime in the water- sprinkler outside, play on the swing set, cupcakes in ice cream cones with ice cream on top and then present.

The plan worked!!! A successful B- day party. Mariposa was gracious and took all the pictures for me. We did run out of battery life, but everyone promised me their pictures
This is toward the end, Bug is tired. So he was refusing to say "thank you" for his gifts.

Y- wearing Bug's sunglasses. I am not so sure what she is thinking, but she loves to wear Bug's things.

A comparison picture to last year- yep- chocolate still ends up all over her face.

And all over Bug's face too.

Mariposa with Bug and N. everyone enjoying ice cream cones with cupcakes in the cone. This was the best idea ever- no mess (OK, minus the face issues).

Bug, Momma and Y just hanging out at the back door.

Hermano and his hair cut. He is too cute. We had dinner with hermano and the boys were playing with tractors. We will be heading to hermano's house over Labor day weekend and we might see them for out zoo trip this month and then of course we have a trip to Hermano's for his birthday

Bug and Y swinging. Y is not happy with Bug as he was roaring at her all day.

My Bug - can you see how tired he looks? I think that Lulu will get a long nap from him tomorrow

Playing in the water- N, M and MK

MK2 was loving the water. She was a happy little girl today.

N- not so happy- but he was having a good time.

hermano- loving the swings.

Y and Bug- they are always close together and always 'pushing each others's buttons'

Mariposa took over 100 pictures for me today. YEAH. Bug too almost as many with her camera.

More on Mariposa's arrival:

We were early picking her up (go figure), as I was calling the number of the house she was at, someone knocked on the window of the car- it about scared me to death. it was the homeowner who hosted all the students on their first night in America. I was so shocked and so excited, that I left my car keys in the ignition of the car when I got out. Bug was very shy, but it was OK.

On the way to pick up Mariposa, he admitted that he was scared. So we talked on the drive over to get her and I told him a again and again, that we are a family forever and ever. I also used words that the therapist gave me a few months ago and explained to him that this year it is our job to take of Mariposa and then she will go back to her mother and father in Germany. This is not exactly true- she is my daughter for the next year, but it will help Bug understand a little better how she fits into our family and why she will leave at the end of year.

I think was clearer for him today when Mariposa decorated her room with pictures of her family. This is something that I have to continue to help him understand.

We took Mariposa around the area to see her school, the Y, the mall, the park, and then home.

Today she saw church- it was very different for her. But before church, she had McDonald's for breakfast- this was the first time for her to have McDonald's breakfast food. Church, I explained to her that we can wear what we want, so we all had capris on today. She was amazed to see people with drinks in church, to have a rock band playing music. She could not follow the sermon, but that is OK. I showed her where the youth group meets- this is an opportunity for her, but she is free to choose not to hang out with the youth group.

I think it was a good start. Tomorrow, I will take her to enroll in school and school starts in 2 more weeks. We are going to the Y tomorrow night to swim after we pick up Bug. It should be a good day.

I am tired now and I will say good night

Love and hugs,

Deb

PS- Angie- Mariposa speaks excellent English- not all the slang, but her English is fantastic. I lived in Germany almost 7 years and took Germany all through high school and college, but my German is horrible compared to Mariposa's English. I am not supposed to speak German with her, so that she learns more English, but I am making her tell me words in German for things that we see- like Turtle.

And for the dog- I am not ready for us to have a dog- the agreement with Bug is that I will begin discussions on a dog when he is 6 years old- then he will be old enough to do the chores associated with a dog- cleaning up poop, feeding and watering the dog, and walking the dog. So until Bug is 6, we will not even look at dogs. But thank you for the offer.