Getting to know Tracy, California

There has been a lot of noticeable differences to me during our short stay, so far, in California.  I know the United States of America is large but it still amazes me that one can move just a few states over, and see so many cultural differences.

A few days into their new school, Brigham brought up that he didn't say the Pledge of Allegiance.  I knew this school had the kids say it every morning before entering the classroom, so I was a little confused.  He told me that when the Pledge of Allegiance is said, that they only say it in Spanish.  What the heck?!  I mean, I know that when I walk the kids to school, my boys are pretty much the only ones with lighter hair out of the sea of black hair on the play area (not kidding) but come on.  Surly that isn't right...so then I got to thinking.  He probably only HEARS it in Spanish because that is most of the children's first language here at this school.   I told him that he could still say it but he felt funny about it because he didn't know what they were saying and so he doesn't know when to say certain parts of the allegiance.  Then today, Levi tells me, "School is starting to get easier.  But most of the time the kids are speaking in Spanish and I don't know what in the heck they are talking about!"  I just laughed!  What a great experience my boys are going to have while we are here.  Absolutely LOVE it!

Levi came home with this on Valentine's day.  Man I love that kid! 

Minecraft is computer game you play online and the older boys are a little addicted to it right now since they saw their cousin Stephen playing it :)

All the family stuff is so sweet, typical Levi, but the "Grove O.K." was a reminder that living in Oklahoma was his favorite place out of all the places we have lived...well, and a reminder to teach that boy how to abbreviate Oklahoma the right way...

Hyrum has cried twice after grandparents have called since being here.  The first time was with Grandma (Helen).  That boy LOVES her!  Always has.  When he was a baby and we were living in Orem, Helen lived in the basement below the house we were renting.  It had these stairs that went down into her place but was separated by a door.  There was a vent like opening at the bottom of the door, so when she would leave our part of the house, he would crawl over to the door, stick his fingers through the vent, and baby talk to her through his binkie.  

While she lived with us this last time, she stayed in Hyrum's room at night.  Every night I would hear him talking her ear off.  It took forever to get him to go to sleep and, of course, Helen never stopped him.  So it broke my heart when she called a few days after we left to move here and he started crying about missing her when he got off the phone with her.

A few days later, MeMaw and Poppy sent the boys a Valentine's package.  When the older boys called to thank them and I got my turn to talk, I hung up the phone, not realizing that I didn't give Hyrum the chance to talk to his MeMaw and Poppy.  Cue the tears...

But the world was able to move forward after we called them back :)

There are a lot of homeless people here.  They are pretty much on every corner next to a big shopping area.  I know many would argue that they are going to use the money, me and the boys give to them, on alcohol or whatever but I really don't care.  If that is what makes their lives easier, so be it.  Obviously, life experiences for them has dealt them things that they are not able to cope with right now.  How dare we judge them for what we have no clue what is like to walk in their shoes?  Can you tell I'm a little passionate about this?  :)  

So, the other day Brigham said something that made me so very proud.  We were leaving Wal-Mart and there was a homeless man on the corner.  Brigham got all excited and said, "OO, OO, Mom!  There's a homeless man!"  So I hurriedly get out a dollar bill before it is our turn to get on the main road.  Brigham then says, "I wish there was something else we could do for him."  

Those moments can NEVER be replaced.  I am so grateful for those moments that slap me in the face and seem to yell, "See!  Stop beating your self up.  You are doing just fine as a parent."