Hello Everybody!
After much ado and tons of help
from others - and Providence - we've moved into our new home (we moved
in with family for a few months after we left Texas, but now we have our
own place) at last. Our new address is 430 N. 470 W. #19, Lehi, UT
84043. We love our new place! I hope to post pictures soon.
David
and I prayerfully considered what this new phase of our family's
journey should look like. Among other things, we ultimately decided -
David very excitedly and me very nervously - that we would go to Church
in Spanish here. I was nervous that we would be seen as invaders or
impostors, so I asked David to call ahead and make sure we would be
welcome. The Bishop ("Obisbo" Martinez) was happy to hear from us and
reassured us that we would not be the only Spanish-as-a-second-language
family there, and that he looked forward to meeting us.
We
prepared ourselves and our children as best we could for the big day,
but there was definitely tension in the air as we drove to Church.
Malachi started to cry, and said he didn't want to go to the Spanish
ward. I felt scared too. We sand "Scripture Power," and that helped. I
assured him that I would go with him to Primary and that helped him
feel better too. He didn't know that the thought of going to Primary
with him in stead of Sunday School alone was comforting to me too, as
David would at least bring Charlotte to Nursery to explain her gluten
free needs if not stay with her there.
We sat down in
Primary on the "4 anos" row with a beautiful Hispanic Mom who introduced
herself to me as "Carmen." Malachi asked me, "What do I do with all
these strangers?" as he looked at his classmates, who were competing
with each other at how high they could count in English. Ultimately, he
held up four fingers and enthusiastically declared, "Cuatro anos,"
("four years (old)") several times. It reminded me of the Kid History
video Mark and Jessica love so much when the guy keeps popping out of
nowhere and saying "BUT if you buy four completos..." The
children looked at him, a little confused, but not judgmental. Carmen
welcomed him, and between him and I, discerned that his name is
"Malaquias" in Spanish, and introduced him to the rest of the class.
Before
bed Saturday night, we asked Malachi to think of some things he liked
that he could talk about if someone asked him. He asked us how to say
"rifle" ("rifle") and shotgun ("escopeta"). Apparently he hadn't
stopped thinking of possibilities, because about the same time Primary
officially began, he looked his teacher in the eyes and said, "Me gusta
armas de fuego" ("I like guns"). This wonderful woman, with the same
smile I would have expected to see if he had told her he likes birds or
puppies, said, "Bien!" instantly becoming my hero! Shortly after that,
someone came to pull us out of Primary to come meet the Bishop, and I
was delighted to hear Malachi protest that he wanted to stay. (I was
less delighted, however, to learn that my new hero gives out chocolate,
and Charlotte's Nursery leaders do lollypops. I guess you can't have it
all - at least not on the first Sunday!)
We all had a
great time. One of the Brothers told David that he was always happy to
meet a "Gringo" who could could speak Spanish because to him that meant
God loved him.
They're great people - so real! - and we were indeed welcomed.
After
Church, I let Malachi draw while Charlotte and David napped, and
encouraged him to draw things that Jesus created. I suggested a tree,
which he said was hard, but I encouraged him to practice and he did a
great job. He asked if God created turtles and was happy to be able to
draw them. He drew several, and then informed me that he didn't have to
practice because he's already good at drawing turtles. And so he is. :)
He wants to tell you this: "I love drawing turtles and my orange one got lost."
We hope you all had a wonderful Sunday too. Love and hugs from us to you!
