Another great day! I can't believe how much it helps to be bringing toys and activities for the kids at Mensajeros. We took Teresita and Maria and a ball to the park today, where we met two incredible young women visiting from Santo Domingo. Nicól, 12, and her sister Angi, 5. They were so friendly, and Nicól was unusually patient and curious with Teresita and Maria. She asked me lots of question about how old they were, what they could do, why they did certain things... but none of it as if she were better or they were strange or unusual. Just because she was curious, and I could tell she wished to be able to communicate and play with them. I was so impressed by her maturity and genuine desire to understand and learn about other people. The hour passed in an instant as we swung, teeter-tottered, and watched their dog Rayo chase the ball around the park. Maria was finally back to her old self, counting out loud and laughing at everything. She even played catch for a while!
The big event of the day: Teresita brought nail polish to the park and wowed us with her ability to paint nails! She painted mine as soon as we got there, then Lindsey's, and even Nicól's! She was thrilled to have playmates; she sat up straighter, held her head higher, and painted with a precious smile on her face. She just melts my heart. And it was almost more than I could bear to see how well they interacted with Nicól and her little sister. When treated as peers I think they behave a lot better and can do a whole lot more. A little encouragement and validation goes a long way.
I am so proud of them.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment