First Day of School

Joshy's school gave him a little backpack and he loves it more than anything

I just don't know which pictures I love the most so I posted a few

So sweet and innocent

Walking to school. Its just down the street by our grocery store 

Here we go. He goes to Honey Baby.

Well just like any parent, Spencer and I were so excited for Josh to start his first day of school. Although he is only 21 months old he already loves to learn, and is very smart he puts together sentences, and can full express himself in English not to mention he knows a little Chinese. He loves having us help him say his prayers, we usually end up saying like 5 at a time, he loves, to learn new things and new words, and is such a tease. Unlike most parents, we try to teach Josh to push and hit. In a good way. Often, old ladies still get in his face and even though he yells they just think its funny and laugh and do it again. So because he is just a baby still I thought maybe its o.k. for him to hit them and then see if they are still laughing. Plus, now that he is in school, I want him to stick up for himself. He is the only white person, and come to find out his school doesn't speak any English. Some of you might be confused about the whole school thing. Well last month, I felt strongly that Josh should start learning some Chinese for a few hours each week. This would be so beneficial for many reasons, so after much thought and prayer, our best option was a baby school, I enrolled him in a half day school. He has 2 teachers and in his class there are 6 babies. They have circle time, sporting time, free time, snack time, clean up time, exploring time, and lunch time. Not in that order. The first day he did really good, he only cried a little during lunch, probably because someone was trying to help him eat, which I need to talk to his teacher about. When we went to pick him up he was on the verge of tears, but we talked with him and he said he had fun and wanted to go back tomorrow. So we took him the next day, and as soon as we walked in he started to cry and get nervous, so I handed him off to his teacher and she took him upstairs to class. I still felt good about it, I think Spencer was impressed at how brave I was because I have been so protective of Josh his whole life and we are always together. That day his teacher said he sat in the corner with his sippy cup for a while and then was fine until lunch when he started to cry again. You may be asking your self "Is Tawny going to stick with this?" or "Is this really best for Josh?" So I will say this, Spencer gave both Josh and I a blessing before he went to school, in which it was confirmed to me that I was doing exactly what my Heavenly Father wanted me to do. So I can stick with it. Even though it is hard to see Josh crying and having to walk away.  It might take weeks of Josh crying before he just goes with a good attitude, but I love his school, I love his teachers, and I know he is being taken care of. In Josh's blessing Spencer said that the Holy Ghost would be there to comfort him while he was at school. And I thought that was so sweet and so interesting, as I have pondered the meaning of that. I'm pretty sure Josh is just a normal baby that doesn't want to be away from his mom, sometimes I think if he were to have gone to nursery at 18 months instead of 20 like most kids maybe it would be an easier adjustment by now but who knows. I just feel so blessed and so grateful for a Heavenly Father that loves me. I feel so close to him here in China and maybe for that reason alone we will stay here!