Stahlke Adoption

Holidays

Sometimes it's hard for Jonathan and me to tell which holidays in the US have resonance for the children from their time in Ukraine. They get very excited about any holiday with costumes, gifts, or candy. Halloween, as it is celebrated in the US, is one of the best, and they are positive that we've forgotten the gifts that day!

Jonathan and I have German and Swedish roots, so St. Patrick's Day has never been an important holiday in our families. But it is a big deal in Chicago, with its large population of Irish Americans. The school teachers tell the kids to watch for the mess created by leprechans. Sure enough, items in their classrooms get moved around that day! Our children liked St. Patrick's Day so much that they created their own customs since they didn't have ones from Ukraine to draw upon. We still find small pieces of paper signed by "leprikon" that were part of a treasure hunt. And first-grader Misha wrote the following note, hoping to see a leprechaun:

Dear Leprechaun
can you be by my tre at
my hos the frent
won by 6=00.
I will be thir aftor school.
ples. do you wir a hat.
live
David

[Translation:
Dear Leprechaun,
Can you be by my tree at
the front lawn of my house
at 6:00?
I will be there after school.
Please, do you wear a hat?
Love,
David]

Yesterday was another holiday--Midsummer's Day. The children begged us to let them stay up until nightfall, which in Chicago is past their bedtimes. They talked of staying up late while camping on June 21 in Ukraine. But since the children are in summer school, we couldn't let them stay up that late on a school night. So we celebrated instead by having popsicles before bed. It was also a very special day because my parents were married on the first day of summer in 1957, fifty years ago. Mom and Dad, congratulations! We love you!

posted by Stahlkes @ 5:47 PM