Just What I Needed

This is William. William is one of the children who live here on our compound. He is 8 years old and can be a sweetheart (he can also be ornery if given the chance - like all 8 year old boys). This past Monday we were evaluating some flower seeds we had recently planted.

[This is a side note, but it's good to know that if seeds are expired (as of January 2008) - they probably will produce few, if any, flowers. We have 5 sprouts from about 100 seeds. We'll give them some more time.]

Well, anyway, back to William...we were visiting and I asked him how school was. He said it was okay (his daily response to the question) and then I asked if he reads at school. He doesn't but he can write a bit. He is in Primary 2. I compare this to 2nd grade back home. I asked if he would like me to help him learn to read since I was teaching Dade as well. He quickly said "yes" and when asked when he would like to start he said, "mmm...maybe tomorrow".

So yesterday he showed up and waited around while I said "goodbye" to a visitor. He was waiting eagerly for me to work with him! Kathy (the lady in whose house we're living) has the "How to teach your kid to read in 100 easy lessons" book. I had tried to use it with Dade last year, but found that he was not ready. I told William that if we did it 5 days/week we'd be done in 20 weeks, but maybe we could go faster. We did the first 8 lessons yesterday and another 10 lessons today! (He knows how to write his letters so we can go pretty fast). Today, he stopped playing Candy Land so we could start and when I offered him the chance to go play with the kids who were begging him to play; he said we could keep going...I so badly needed someone to learn from me.

Don't get me wrong, Dara and Dade are doing well in their schooling, but it can be pulling teeth to get them to focus at times. I really needed someone to need me. I miss that part of working...I felt as if I actually helped people and made a difference in their lives and that of their families. It's not always easy to see the difference you make in your kids' lives (unless it's negative and those are usually glaringly obvious). I hope I'm making sense. One of my goals here is to pour into the lives of my kids in ways I never have been able to before. I love that and wouldn't trade it for the world. It was just so gracious of God to send me an extra delight in William. He didn't have to do that, but He loves me so much!!!

On a side note, we have 2 more mice...Dara saw one in the kitchen last night and screamed at such an octave that we all jumped. :) Then I was reading a book last night and saw something out of the corner of my eye. I got up bravely because I was convinced it wasn't really a mouse in my bedroom, and it was! The little stinker ran out of my doorway, around the corner, and into the kids room! I went to get a prepackaged "rat glue trap" and placed it along the wall by their door.I had to be careful because I didn't want one of them to step on it during the night or early morning. (This glue is very difficult to get off of your feet and hands - you can ask Dade who stepped on one.) We didn't catch any last night, but I saw the kitchen mouse again this morning (it's terrible that they are getting labeled by what room they're in) . Thankfully, Dara's no longer upset about the idea of killing mice, so that freed me up to spend some time making my own glue traps this evening. I have two set up, as well as two prepackaged ones. It's weird, because part of me wants to catch at least 2 tonight, but the other part of me doesn't want to be the one who has to dispose of them. And, what if I catch 2 and see another? How many are there?! Sadly, I lost sleep over the ideas of mice in my house. I kept my slippers in bed with me so if I had to get up in the middle of the night, I wouldn't find a mouse making a home in my shoe. It really was so much easier to except them before I saw one in my room. I mean really, isn't the outside much better than the inside of a house? We were told about a man who will come to your house and get rid of your rats/bats/mice and guarantee his work for a year. I have a friend who is looking for his number. He may become my new best friend.

I'll let you know how it goes....On a happier note...this is one of the pretty birds we have flying around here. I think it's a red-chested sunbird.

Now that I'm done with the post, I realized I should probably change the title. But, alas, titles are not very easy for me to think of so it will stay. Hopefully you will understand that I needed William but not the mice! :)