Language Barriers

Parker is playing in a basketball tournament this weekend.  He played two games tonight with an hour break in between.  Cali and I went to watch both of them and Christi was coming up to watch the second.  During the break, I asked Cali if she wanted to go get something to eat at McDonald's.  Her face lit up.  As we were going out to the van she asked if we could have Chinese food instead.  I said we could and her face lit up even more.  This short Daddy Date was wonderful.  Cali was talkative and animated.  She loved speaking Chinese with our waiter.  She was bright and happy.

She is often bright and happy, but she also goes through spells where she seems pretty discouraged.  I think much of this can be attributed to her inability to communicate effectively with those around her.  She has Graci to speak to, but Graci isn't always around and even when she is, she doesn't always want to talk.  Earlier today, Christi was talking to someone and mentioned that she wished she could just fast forward through the next year for Cali and get to the point where her English is pretty good.  How her world will expand when she can have meaningful conversations with those around her.

Tonight was a good reminder that a little one on one time can go a long way.  Even though our communication is limited, if I spend time focused just on her, Cali is willing to try, and enjoys it.  She is a precious, precious girl.

Jeremy