Many have asked for an update on our eleven year-old daughter, Sasha, whom we adopted last spring.  Her progress has been remarkable, to say the least.  Sasha’s understanding of English, her new surroundings, and her assimilation into our family have outpaced what most said we should expect.  Honestly, it is hard for Lauri and I to imagine that she has ever been anything but our girl.  Sasha is a sweet girl who is animated by a genuine love of life.

It has been Lauri, however, who has done the heavy lifting of educating Sasha.  When I say “educating Sasha”, I mean much more than you may assume.

Education in this sense means a great deal more than reading, writing, and arithmetic.  Think Eliza Doolittle.  Lauri must begin with the most basic of basics and move forward, and Sasha, to her credit, is an exemplary student.

Not that reading, writing, and arithmetic are not at the heart of her homeschooling.  In a previous life, Sasha was told that she could not learn.  What nonsense!  She not only loves to learn, she is a little sponge.  Less than a year ago, she could not speak a word of English.  Now, she speaks it, reads it, and writes it.  Not bad.  But there is a great deal more to her education than the academic element.  She must learn elementary rules of society.

Allow me to illustrate.  In one recent episode, Lauri took Sasha to the Social Security office to obtain a social security number for her.  When an exceptionally obese woman walked in, Sasha stared.  There was nothing malevolent or even thoughtlessly rude in the stare.  She simply didn’t know any better and, having never seen anyone that hefty, she was understandably fascinated.

“Why she so big, mommy?”

“Sasha, shhhh.  Don’t say that.  And don’t stare.” Lauri corrected, trying to avoid giving offense or causing a scene.

“But why she so fat?  Did God make her like that?”  Lauri had to think about that one for a moment.  “Uh, no.  He didn’t.  Shhhh!”

“I glad He no make me that fat.”  Taking her out of the office, Lauri explained that questions and comments of that sort were not appropriate.

On another occasion, Sasha had to write a short paragraph in school describing what her mother and father did for a living.  “Mommy cook, wash clothes, and take care of family,” she wrote.
And her father?  “Daddy loves me”, she declared.  A father’s love seems like the basis of a fine essay, if not a sufficient means of support for a family!

Children are a keen reminder to us of our own behavior insofar as they tend to mimic it.  To date, it seems that Sasha is learning the right things, and that is largely attributable to a dedicated mother and a merciful Heavenly Father.

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