Ni hou....

Ni hou is one of the few Chinese words I know....it means hello...and a very special little girl taught it to me. Jenna and I both have had the privilege of having Amy in our lives this school year. Amy came to our school knowing virtually no english - she could not speak, read, or write english. She moved here from China shortly before school started. Amy is in Jenna's class and Jenna was assigned as her buddy on the first day of school. They have sat next to each other every day and quickly became friends. Even before Amy could understand Jenna, they formed a bond. They would walk around the playground holding hands, while Jenna tried to explain things to Amy. I also met Amy on the first day of school. I had recess duty that day and Jenna brought her to me. Amy didn't know what to do, so we taught her to use the swings and to say the word "push" when she wanted me to push her. Shortly after the first day, I started working with her daily to help with her english skills, particularly in reading and writing. I obviously do not know Chinese, so it was a little difficult at first...but Amy is a very quick learner. We were able to communicate with lots of gestures and pictures at first - we started with the absolute basics. She still has a long way to go, but she is learning so much! She and Jenna have become great friends....and I have become really attached to her as well. We go to the Chinese restaurant near her house once in a while to eat, and she comes to sit with us while we eat. She has invited us to her home to show us photos of China. Last week Amy came to our house to play with Jenna and Savannah. I was a little nervous about how it would go, but she jumped right in with the girls. They played dolls and hide and seek. They put on lipgloss and danced to Hannah Montana songs in Jenna's room. They giggled a lot! Later we all went to Pizza Hut for dinner (pizza is her favorite food). I really feel blessed that Amy has come into our lives. We have formed a special relationship with her, and I hope it is one that continues for a long time to come.

Amy, Jenna, and Savannah.....