CALL ME TOUMOERO

Rain. It's not often we have the pleasure of being blessed with water falling from the sky. The kids ran outside on the front porch and were enchanted. Although it did not last long, it was a welcome event. I'm sure people in other parts of the world - like Ireland, Germany, and England - would see rain as anything but special. It's quite ordinary in those parts of the world.

An hour and a half earlier, the sun shone bright and hot. I drove to the old place and took the pedal-less bike and Kettcar for the kids to enjoy. One minute was the time frame of excitement for Sage, as he preferred to be indoors building his 300-piece puzzle. Entertaining him is easy. Give him a puzzle or a Lego kit to build and he is happy for hours. Cinnamon did not care to be outside alone and came in after ten minutes. With her sister away in Germany, Cinnamon relies more on her brother for company albeit no reenacting scenes from "Frozen" with him as she does with Saffron.

It's interesting to see how Saffron has embraced technology at the young age of 8. She writes me emails and logs onto her computer to call me on Skype before her 20:30 bedtime. She must have had her iPhone (an older one of mine) in bed with her tonight as I received an email from her at 03:27 her time in Berlin:

I love you can you call me toumoero
Love saffron send back

I understand that she meant "tomorrow". And tomorrow she will be able to see her siblings via Skype. She is immersed in German classes and afternoon programs - getting all the attention for herself from Oma. I hope her speaking solely German does not affect her returning to class in the US in February and forgetting English.

A semester abroad with Oma is an experience of a lifetime for most children - even most adults - but is an important lesson to be able to adapt to your surroundings. Every place is a new experience as you are transported from your comfort zone to a world that makes you wonder. A world with endless possibilities.