Christmas programs

It seems like it's been so long since I got to sit and watch a children's Christmas program. Well, yesterday, I got to enjoy two!

In the morning, Sam and I took a taxi to the school of our sweet little friends Grace and Lois. They and their schoolmates did an amazing job of singing many Christmas classics, including a couple of Cameroonian songs. We loved listening to their heartfelt performance.

And all the grownups (including me) seemed to really enjoy the little quirks that happened along the way. Like, when half the group would be swaying to the music one direction and half the group would be swaying the opposite direction, and a few kids would be standing there looking completely clueless.

Grace is singing a solo, and there's Lois on the far left.

After the nearly two hours of singing, the students had a break from performing and were given a delicious meal of chicken, rice and grapefruit soda. Sam was invited to eat with them too, which he did with gusto.

The three buddies--Lois, Sam and Grace:

Right after the first program, Sam and I took a taxi straight over to John's school where he has been participating in a second "Joint Learning Session" of the school year. Over the past two weeks of the JLS, he has rejoined the kindergarten class and gotten to take swimming lessons each afternoon. Here is John with all the participants in the JLS, and then with his very sweet teacher, Mrs. Ervin:

The rest of the family enjoyed getting to hear John and his fellow kindergartners sing and recite a poem at the JLS closing ceremony:

And, still at home much of the time (except when she's riding on my hip or back to somewhere else), is Lois. She is not really the star of any show yet, nor patiently sitting in the audience of any Christmas programs (she was at John's, but barely lasted past the first performance--which, thankfully, was the kindergartners!) But she does continue to get plenty of attention at home. As of late, I've enjoyed watching how neatly she eats. She is very precise as she picks up each piece of food with her forefinger and thumb, carefully putting it in her mouth and chewing it before she picks up the next piece:

Ah, the small delights!