How children learn

Today I was reminded of a powerful lesson. My children's world is shaped by what they see in us as parents and the window that we provide to the world.

I had a very bad headache this morning which grew into a fullblown migraine by lunchtime. I got the kids down for their nap (Dad was at school all day) and dragged myself into bed with a few tylenol. I was sensitive to light and noise and nauseous. I layed there in the dark willing the pain to go away when after 45 minutes I heard Bennett crying out to me. Inside I was begging him to go back to sleep since that was way too short for a nap, but I got up and went in to him, tucked him in, and got another 10 minutes of lying down in before he was crying again. So I got him out of bed, explained Mommy was really sick, and asked if he wanted to lay down with me. He came into our room, pulled himself onto the bed next to me, and proceeded to bring me to tears with his love. He stroked my face with his hand and kept asking if mommy was ok, if I was sick, if i was going to throw up on my pillow (His little sister has taught him about vomit). he stayed there for a long while, giving me sweet kisses, touching my face and asking if I was ok. I cried in pain for a while and he was so concerned and full of love that my heart was swelling with love for my little man. I set him up with the Nemo movie in the living room and drifted in and out of rest while i layed there and watched him sit and play the quietest I have ever seen from him. He knew I was sick. He covered me up with his precious white crocheted blanket that he loves so much. When I finally did have to run to the bathroom to throw up, he was so concerned and sat next to me on the floor and kept asking if I was ok. Thankfully his little sister kept sleeping through all of this with her regular long naps. The whole afternoon his little face shone with love and concern for me as he was the man of the house. I was amazed that he knew how to love and care for a person so much at only 2 and a half, but that is where i saw the lesson. He learned from us. He sees us pick them up and hug them, caress their faces when they are sad, and ask if they are ok. He loved and cared for me exactly the way he sees us love him and his sister.

Sons and daughters are shaped and molded, their perspectives on life engrained by how they see their parents treat each other and them, by their practice of their faith, their attitude toward others, and their generosity, patience and love. They also can learn to emmulate anger, hurt, yelling or other behaviours just as easily.

I am moved again by something else Bennett has learned by mimicing us. Each night at the meal we hold hands, and Bennett bows his head quickly and says in the softest voice "Thank you Jesus for this food" Then he looks up with a big grin and says "OK Your turn!" to someone else who finishes thanking the Lord for our meal and days. He has learned to say You are Welcome after someone says Thank you to him even though we never once vocally taught him this. He loves to follow Dad around and help him with chores like dishes, building things, carrying suitcases or whatever he can. My little boy loves to act so grown up with the things he has learned by watching us.

Its in the Ten commandments that children are to honor their mother and father. Paul adds specific instructions for dads. He writes, “And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” I take this to heart as a mother too. It is an awesome gift to have a child, but comes with the awesome responsability of raising them, teaching them, and helping them grow into loving, responsible adults.

Paul has a favorite song. It brought him to tears when driving and he heard it one day, and it still holds a special meaning to him.
The song is called “Watching You” and it was written and sung by Rodney Atkins. He based it on his real-life experience as a father to his young son, Elijah. The song shares the story that perhaps more than a few us can connect with from one angle or another- that of a father and his young son. The refrain of the song pierces the father’s heart, “I’ve been watching you, dad, ain’t that cool. I’m your buckaroo, I wanna be like you…And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are…I wanna do everything you do, So I’ve been watching you.”

Today I was reminded again of this lesson. I was reminded of what I have taught my son, what my daughter is still learning and watching, and both the joy and responsability in that.

Thank You Bennett for loving me so well.

Part 2 of the Gaspe Peninsula

We spent 2 days in Perce, a tiny little place which seems to thrive on Tourism. Even though we pulled in late, all the stores were open and the streets were packed. In the early morning we took a boat on a tour around the famous pierced rock, and then around Bonaventure Island. It's home to a rare colony of birds called "Fous de Bassan" and every summer 100,000 of them come there to mate and hatch one egg. Its one of the only places in the world they come to. I was impressed with the birds, but Paul didnt really care much. The kids loved the 5 km hike through the trees to get across the island once we got off the boat at the Island and went to the cliff to watch the birds.



Multiply this picture times several kilometres of cliffside packed with this many birds.


The famous Pierced Rock


There were many other sights along the ocean roads. We passed and stopped at several active lighthouses, houses were painted bright colors and stood out vividly against the blue sky, inlets full of boats and of course, we geocached some more. We hit 21 of them over this trip. Bennett and Arielle loved the frequent stops that this gave us and they got to get out and run around.








The quote for this picture, and i swear this is what he was actually saying, is "Come on Arielle! Let's go find a geocache!"

First few days in La Gaspesie!!

So we had 6 days between when Pauls parents left and he starts a new wave of classes. We miss his parents already and cherish the time we had with them. For our little time before classes we decided to go and visit the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. We had heard a little bit about it, especially the famous Rock Perce, but were astounded none the less by all we have seen.

Here is a map of the first few days and where we went to situate you with our area.

Quebec - Matane - Perce.

Out first day we went 400km up the coastline to Matane. The scenery along the way was gorgeous!!





Sometimes people ask me why I love to travel, why I love languages and cultures that are so very different than the one that I was born in. My answers seem to change the more and more I experience these differences and the more and more I talk to people and learn to speak a different language. I love watching people who are unaware when they relax and sit back and spend time with their friends and family, how they laugh, how the talk with their hands in huge winding motions like a giant game of charades. I love hand talkers becuase it helps language and culture learners like me know more of what is going on. I love to see how things I take for granted can be so foreign to other people, seeing how my idea of personal space is usually about 5 times more than people from other countries give me. I find this an intricate dance that I watch, fascinated, while I try to learn the steps to integrate seamlessly. Well, i dont usually hope for seamlessly at first, but at least i would like to join their dance without stepping on feet, being hopelessly lost or some other embarassing mistake. I could go on and on, but I have once again, in the little fishing towns and stops along the beautiful coast, remembered why I love language, why I love culture, why I do what I do. Im grateful God has gifted me the way He has.

So the scenery here is amazing. Most of the road runs right along the coast. Then it runs inland into the high hills and thick greenery, only to turn the next corner and start downhill at a 19% downgrade road and leave you gasping not only at the steep ascent with a logging truck riding your butt, but also the ocean sweeps back into view with a tiny perfect little fishing village perched on the corner, complete with a church with a hugh thin spire rising into the sky.



We also went through a windmill farm. It that whats its called? Im not sure. But there were likely 30-40 huge windmills rising on the mountain tops spinning and creating power through harnassing the wind. Bennett was really impressed.



In one little village we stopped by an old covered bridge and had a french meal of baguettes and toppings. An old man from a neighboring house saw us and came over with a baggie full of fresh blueberries that he had just picked. We talked for a while and he gave us a great big toothless grin and went on his way.




Oh, if you are missing a garden gnome...this guy might know where it is. I hear its a tight knit community.



Finally we arrived in Perce after many stops along the ways at parks, playgrounds, geocaches, and boats. Stay tuned for the next installment!