Dancing moments

I came home last night from a PTA meeting and found Lily, 15, and Helen, 11, and Yosef, 10, dancing in the kitchen.  Lily & Helen were showing Yosef the trotting hand-clapping knee-slapping country dance for Cotton-Eyed Joe, singing aloud, and Yosef was dancing a traditional dance from his Guragge ethnic group, arms extended, hands clasped, legs galloping.

I left the kitchen to greet others. When I returned, Lily and Helen were doing the Guragge dance and Yosef was dancing Cotton-Eyed Joe.  


Helen & Lily


Later I confided in 13-year-old Daniel:  “I'm feeling homesick for the big kids.”

“Mom!” he barked.  “You sick?!”

“No, not ‘sick.’ ‘Homesick’ – it’s a feeling inside, of missing people. You know, like Lee just left to go to college?”

“I know this!” he said.  “Me this.  Family gone.  Trip gone.  Oh my God I say, this family.”

He was talking about his feelings after our spring break trip to Addis during which he met Donny, Lily, Fisseha, Jesse, and Helen for the first time.  He felt homesick for our family after we left.

Later we overheard Daniel phoning Lee at school.  “Lee!” he barked.  “You sick?”