Shrieks and Giggles Galore

Well, it's been a week since the Ethiopian boys arrived and they have finally relaxed and started being themselves. It doesn't seem to bother them that they don't always know what is going on, although they do have an awful lot of English. I have noticed how much English they have when they start trying to teach me words in Amharic. I've been learning a LOT of nouns in Amharic! They are otherwise very quiet and respectful around me, although are quick to return those brilliant smiles whenever I grin at them. Allen and Emily have truly blown me away. They are willing to be the interpreters, acting out whatever they think the boys need to know. But they haven't been shy towards the lack of English coming back at them and truly chatter at them as though it is a regular day playing with best friends. As a result, I frequently cheer silently to hear the sound of four sets of feet running pell-mell upstairs, voices raised in laughter, English and Amharic. Tickling, pirate swords, pretend monsters- you name it.... kids are indeed kids the world over and I am blessed to be getting to know these two(and discovering sides to my own two that I otherwise wouldn't see).
The boys cooked a lovely Ethiopian sauce for dinner tonight. We were at the Ethiopian grocery and Eyayu picked a bag of powder off the shelf and named it "Sharro!" I told him we could get it, as he was obviously delighted to find it, but I confessed to the store owner that I had no idea what to do with it. "Oh, he can cook it for you! He knows how to make it! All you need is tomatoes and onions and a little oil." Well, honey. Let me tell you. Those boys can both COOK. I chopped up an onion and they had to reject my efforts because my pieces were too big. So I just handed over the knife and cutting board, and boy did they ever show me how it was done. That onion was the consistency of rice when they were finished. And the tomato looked like puree. It actually made me a little sad that at age 10, they both have had to be self-sufficient enough that they can fix a meal beautifully without the slightest bit of help.
We gorged ourselves on injera and Sharro along with baked chicken and fresh potato salad for dinner. It was lovely to see the look on Eyayu's face as I gobbled up my food and praised his cooking. Allen plans to make spaghetti with meat sauce tomorrow. I really need to use up the huge onion pieces from today.....
Tomorrow should be fun. More bike riding, swimming, exploring Charlotte. It's neat to experience where you live through the eyes of a child old enough to really participate in what your family likes to do.

If you ever get the chance to host an orphan, Jump at it. Your heart stretches until you feel like it might burst.