Our new house is near a fire station, which is VERY COOL if you are three and six. VERY VERY COOL. Two weeks in, they still rush to the window every time time a truck goes by to check if it is the ladder truck, the pumper engine, the EMS, or what combination there of. On big days, the area chief's suburban also joins the parade. This morning, a minor head on collision occurred right on the street in front of us -- so of course we were all out on the street watching the truck help sort it out until the police arrived. Did I mention how COOL watching fire trucks is?
We have to pass the fire station to walk to the grocery store, so usually Wm agrees to walk to the grocery store if we make a side stop to check out the trucks. Yesterday, one of the firemen came out to chat a bit, and we talked about moving here from Manila. After we left the fire station, Wm started talking about his best friends from his school in Manila, wondering if they understood that he was never coming back and if they "got it" now why they couldn't come to his birthday party - after all, it wasn't that he didn't want to invite them, but he now lives in a different city.
And then he declared he wasn't going to the grocery store and turned back home. When we got to the front step, I gently asked if he went home because he was sad missing his friends - which he readily admitted. Then he stood on the front step a minute or two and said, "well, even if I'm sad, I guess I can still go to the store." So we walked back to the store, skipping the fire station this time, did our shopping (all I needed was a green pepper -- but this took about 45 minutes, though I couldn't complain), and I wasn't sure exactly what would be next. However, the rest of the evening was non-eventful.
This morning, Wm came down dressed in the "I *heart* Manila" t-shirt his teacher gave him as a parting gift. I commented, "nice shirt, kiddo," and he replied, "I was sad yesterday missing Manila, so this shirt makes me happy." Thankful for a teacher's gift - and thankful for a kid who is starting to develop his own coping mechanisms for our constantly changing life. Really lucky on both fronts, honestly.
We have to pass the fire station to walk to the grocery store, so usually Wm agrees to walk to the grocery store if we make a side stop to check out the trucks. Yesterday, one of the firemen came out to chat a bit, and we talked about moving here from Manila. After we left the fire station, Wm started talking about his best friends from his school in Manila, wondering if they understood that he was never coming back and if they "got it" now why they couldn't come to his birthday party - after all, it wasn't that he didn't want to invite them, but he now lives in a different city.
And then he declared he wasn't going to the grocery store and turned back home. When we got to the front step, I gently asked if he went home because he was sad missing his friends - which he readily admitted. Then he stood on the front step a minute or two and said, "well, even if I'm sad, I guess I can still go to the store." So we walked back to the store, skipping the fire station this time, did our shopping (all I needed was a green pepper -- but this took about 45 minutes, though I couldn't complain), and I wasn't sure exactly what would be next. However, the rest of the evening was non-eventful.
This morning, Wm came down dressed in the "I *heart* Manila" t-shirt his teacher gave him as a parting gift. I commented, "nice shirt, kiddo," and he replied, "I was sad yesterday missing Manila, so this shirt makes me happy." Thankful for a teacher's gift - and thankful for a kid who is starting to develop his own coping mechanisms for our constantly changing life. Really lucky on both fronts, honestly.
1 comment:
Very mature. Coping skills are necessary and a t shirt really helps.
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