The internet has connected our world so much that it's easy to say goodbye to adults, because it's not really goodbye; I'll see them on Facebook tomorrow. With kids, it's truly goodbye. Sure, I can see photos and videos of them as they grow up, and maybe even talk to them again someday. But there's no relationship in that. There's no play, no sand castles, no rolling each other around the yard. It's all distant.
Now I've befriended many a child in my time here on planet Earth, but there's something different about this little boy. I mean of course there are differences between every child, but the obvious thing here is that he speaks about the same amount of English as I speak of Danish. Which is practically none. And he is quite the talker! He talks and talks, sometimes about the most random things! (We were on a walk today and he informed us randomly that he doesn't like onions.) So here I am playing with him and he keeps talking and talking and I have absolutely no idea what he is saying to me. But somehow, we make it work. We read body language until we both know exactly what we are doing. And it's amazing.
We have played hide the Lego person (AKA throw it in the garden and make Katie walk barefoot all over the wood chips and pine needles until it is found, then repeat the process), drums, catch, roll the person, and so much more.
And what's funny is that he keeps talking to me, in Danish, even though he knows that I only speak English. He taught me a word today (kept repeating it until he was satisfied with my pronunciation, then informed his mom that he was teaching me), yet he still talks to me in Danish and assumes I'll understand.
I've grown to absolutely love hearing that little voice saying "Nej, Katie!" (Pronounced NYE, Cat-ee) even though it means I'm doing something wrong. I've tried countless times to get said phrase on video, but it never seems to happen when I expect.
To really emphasize my point, I've begun making exaggerated sound effects to go with my actions. Whenever I lift something heavy, I accompany it with a pained "oof," etc. When Bertil decided to roll me around in the grass, he accompanied each push with an oof. Not a pained oof, just saying the word, as if that's what is to be said whenever any type of heavy work is done. Cracks me up!!
Anyway, I just find it completely amazing that I became such good friends with this little boy with an entirely different culture and language. God is amazing at connecting the most unlikely of friends.
...please pray for me if you get the chance, as I predict more tears in the future of tomorrow.
Thanks for reading!
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