The Adopted Daughter

The winter vacation was underway and the preparations for the festive holidays including Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Year and my birthday were underway. Dad and I went to the mall to buy the Christmas tree while mum went Christmas shopping. It was quite an adventure especially in our Chicago city, you know how crazy it gets this time of year, you either get to the mall early to get the best stuff or you might lose out on the finest of the finest. Luckily, for us we were early risers, by 10 AM we were already in the mall, shopping and getting everything needed that would last pretty much until New Years. One thing about my parents was they were bulk shoppers, never the type to buy just one item, they either bought three or in bulks and I mean it was A LOT!!! Sometimes, I used to think we were going to feed the entire neighborhood, but I later on learned that they liked buying things in bulk just to make sure they had extra items and had them in stock this was to save them from having to go to the mall every other week.

So once the shopping was completed including the gifts, decorations, Christmas trees, food and drinks, we put everything in the back of the car, and drove home singing and chatting about how we were going to celebrate the holidays. I was listening to the conversation between my parents, but somehow I ended up looking outside the window at the snow, people walking down the streets carrying lots and lots of shopping bags, cars passing and driving up and down……not sure why such would get my attention, it was the Christmas spirit that I was seeing in everyone that put a smile on my face, as this was the time when friends, families and relatives got together to enjoy eating great food and celebrating one of the best festive ever.

We got home and started unloading all the shopping from the car. Dad was in charge of the Christmas tree so left that job for him; while mum and I took the shopping bags to the kitchen. Although I could only carry the light stuff, I enjoyed the excitement of helping my parents. In the kitchen I helped mum put away the groceries and some other stuff where they belonged which was quite easy as I was already quite familiar with where everything would be placed, was a quick and easy simple kitchen chore. I left the kitchen to go see how dad was doing with the Christmas tree and decorations while mum started making late lunch.

Diana: Dad you need any help?

Dad: No Diana, you can seat and watch how I decorate the tree. Oh can you hand me those two decorations on your right.

(Stretching my hand for the two decorations and passing them on to dad). By the time mum had finished making lunch, the first part of setting up the Christmas tree was done, and a few of the decorations were already in place. I was just blown away at how beautiful and wonderful the Christmas tree was looking and I just kept starting at it (even when my mum was motioning for me to go have lunch). OK its’ not like I had never seen my dad decorate a Christmas tree before, from way back in New York when we celebrated Christmas dad had always bought and decorated the Christmas tree but for some reason I felt that this year’s Christmas tree, the decorations, and the celebrations were going to be different and very special.

Dad: Diana, what do you think of the Christmas tree so far?

Diana: It’s huge and cool, can’t wait to see when it’s all done.

(Mum and dad laughing)

Dad: Wait till it is all done, you will love it and your mum and I have a great surprise for you…..guess who will be celebrating their birthday soon?

Diana: Shyly, with a BIG SMILE looking at both my parents…..me me me me!!!

(Mum and dad laughing)

After lunch, I helped take the dishes to the kitchen and went to the living room to watch some television while watching dad finish decorating the Christmas tree. As I was watching a cartoon series on the television, I started thinking about my winter holiday homework (weird right?) but it was time to start working on it sooner rather than later, so I spoke to Jaime and Chris and asked them if they would like to start working on the homework together, and surely enough they had also thought the same. Chris’s parents were going to be at home so we made arrangements to meet up tomorrow at 11:00 AM at Chris’s place. Jaime and my parents’ agreed we could go to Chris’s house to do our homework under their supervision.

By the time dinner came around, dad was done with the Christmas tree; the lights were lit up, the decorations were all placed nicely on the tree and at the bottom of the tree. What was now left was the wrapping of the presents which was left to my mum. My mum had always been very good at wrapping presents; I always enjoyed watching her seeing how she wrapped them using the wrapping paper and tape, almost like it was a full time job she did at a gift wrapping store. She was going to start wrapping the presents after dinner, so would get to watch her wrap all the presents which were quite a lot mainly because we also bought gifts for Jaime, Chris and their parents. I also bought gifts for mum and dad, but what I was going to do was try and wrap them myself in my bedroom as I didn’t want them to see their gifts and then place them under the Christmas tree. Luckily I had taken some extra wrapping paper to my bedroom before they noticed it (phew) and just to make sure I knew what I was doing in terms of wrapping the gifts, I sat next to my mum when she started wrapping the gifts and watched her wrap all the gifts….she saw me watching her and asked…

Mum: Do you want to try wrapping a gift?

Diana: Shaking my head with enthusiasm, yes…..

We both picked up a gift and wrapping paper.

Mum: I am going to show you first how I do it, and then we will wrap a gift together, OK?

Diana: OK.

So I carefully watched how she took the gift, placed it on the floor, took the wrapping paper and begun to wrap it step by step. I was like WOW WOW, amazing!! Once she was done, she showed me the wrapped gift and asked…

Mum: How does it look?

Diana: Great!

Mum: Ok, so now let’s wrap one together.

So we both picked up the gift and placed it on the floor, took the gift and I started wrapping while watching mum wrap her gift, followed each step and yeah!! I did it!

Diana: Mum, Mum, look I did it….I did it. I was more confident than ever that I would have no problems wrapping my parents’ gifts.

Mum: Yes, you did it sweetie, you did it (gave me a hug and a kiss).

We both placed the gifts by the Christmas tree, and as mum went to the kitchen, I sat on the sofa continued watching television until I fell asleep. My dad carried and took me to bed tucked me in saying “good night” with a kiss on my forehead. I rolled over to the sides and slept till the next morning.

The next morning was awake at 09:00 AM, cleaned up, made my hair, had breakfast and started preparing the books I was going to take to Chris’s house for my homework. We decided we were going to do math, social studies and science. Tomorrow, we would go to Jaime’s house and do language, literacy and writing which was quite a lot and in the afternoon work on our Spanish homework.

At 11: 00 AM, I arrived at Chris’s house, Jaime had already arrived. Chris’s mum Mrs. Peterson was very pleasant and friendly greeted me with a hug and a kiss and offered us hot chocolate with chocolate chip cookies which were my favorite. After taking a break, started working on our homework, first up was math, took out my textbook, worksheets and math notebook. We decided to work on the worksheets, which took almost two hours, we checked our answers and discussed about the ones we didn’t know and how to do them. When we were done with the worksheets, we then completed the exercises from the textbooks on to our notebooks. Most of the math homework included multiplications, divisions, addition, and subtractions, oh and some word problems. This took another two hours, but we had a break in between and had lunch that Mrs. Peterson made which as always was really good and delicious, we then had an hour’s rest after lunch to also relax our hands and bodies as our brains were pretty fried after doing all that math work.

At 3 PM, started working on social studies and science homework, we had some worksheets to complete and a short writing project. Luckily while at school, we had done the research needed to complete this writing project, so all that was needed was to put everything together neatly and organize it in our notebooks. We were all writing different things but the procedure and process needed to write the project was to be written in the same way by everyone; it was the conclusion that would be written differently using your own words as everyone’s conclusion would be different. This was the first time working on such a project and I was having a very hard time writing my own conclusion. I was watching Chris and Jaime and they were writing like scientists and researchers. I was just watching them until they noticed and asked “If I was OK?”

Jaime: Are you OK?

Diana: I am just watching how you guys are busy writing your science projects like scientists while I am stuck not sure what is going on or how I am supposed to write it (showing frustration).

Jaime and Chris: Laughing at Diana’s frustration.

Chris: (Taking Diana’s science notebook and reading what she has written) Well you have written the procedure and process as we were told to do….I guess where you are stuck is the conclusion, right?

Before Diana could speak, Jaime takes her science notebook and reads what she has written.

Diana: Yes, that is the part I don’t know what to write.

Jaime: Ok, so your conclusion has to be based on what you think will happen or would happen at the end of this experiment or if anything were to disappear based on your research and findings what would happen to the earth, how will it affect people like you and me, the animals, oceans, and the environment?

Chris: Yes, so it is you taking all the information you researched and prepared and giving your own conclusions keeping in mind that conclusions don’t have to be 100% true but have to make sense and valid not only based on the research and findings but also on the evidence you provided.

Jaime: Does that make sense?

Diana: Ah, now I get it, so all I need to do is take all the information I have written and form a conclusion based on what I know, think, believe or guess might happen, almost like a prediction but should make sense, valid with evidence, right?

Jaime and Chris: Exactly, you got it.

After hearing all that and finally understanding what I needed to do, I went back and read all that I had written, took a minute and started writing my own conclusion. I was done in ten minutes, read it again and felt pretty satisfied with my conclusion.

Diana: Can you help me read if what I wrote is OK and makes sense?

Jaime and Chris: Sure (they take my science notebook and read it together)

I was watching them read it aloud; they were looking at me as they were reading it….

Diana: Anything wrong?

Jaime: This is good.

Chris: This is good, should have no problems at all.

When it came to learning sciences, Jaime and Chris were really good at science; they could remember most of everything that was taught and were good at explaining things very patiently especially with me when I didn’t understand most of the time. So I trusted them when I had problems with my science homework because I knew they would be there to help me understand and show me how to do it without any hesitation.

By the time we had complete both math and science homework it was already almost 6:30 PM and it was time for me to head home as it was already getting quite dark. We arranged to meet at Jaime’s place tomorrow to do the language, literacy and writing homework at 11AM same time as today. I thanked Chris’s mum for the hot chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, lunch, snacks and for allowing us to do our homework at their place. They escorted me to my house and watched me go inside, I waved goodbye and walked into my home.

Diana: Hi mum, hi dad.

Mum: Oh hello, I didn’t even see you come in…..how was it?

Diana: It was great, Chris’s mum took really good care of us, she gave us hot chocolate with chocolate chip cookies, cooked us lunch and even gave us snacks. We also had a good rest which we needed after completing a lot of math homework. We also did our science homework which I struggled with a bit, but Jaime and Chris did a great job helping and explaining it to me, we checked each other’s homework just to make sure all questions, and exercises were completed.

Dad: Wow that was a lot of work you guys was working on, but I am glad you were able to work with Chris and Jaime and had a good time.

Diana: Yeah, you will have to check and sign it to make sure my homework is completed and well done.

Mum and Dad: Sure.

Diana: Tomorrow, we are meeting at Jaime’s place to do our language, literacy and writing homework, and then take a break and work on the Spanish homework the last week before school starts.

Mum: No problem.

It was already December 20th, just two more days to my birthday and five more days before Christmas and eleven more days before the end of the year.

The next day, we met up at Jaime’s place at 11:00 AM; Jaime’s parents were at home and were just as friendly and pleasant as Chris’s parents. For me it was actually the first time meeting Jaime’s father as I had always met his mum. He seemed like a very nice polite man. We sat by the dinner table, we were offered drinks and some snacks and started working on our homework.

Mr. Anders: Diana, how are your parents doing?

Diana: They are doing great thank you Mr. Anders. They told me to say hello to you.

Mr. Anders: That’s good to hear, send them my greetings when you go home.

Diana: I will Mr. Anders.

We took out our notebooks, worksheets and started working on our homework while having our snacks. We were having quite a lot of discussions, explaining what the homework was so that we all were on the same page with what was to be expected and what was to be written. Once that was done, we quietly started working on our worksheets, then did the writing in our notebooks. We completed all the homework by 2 PM. We exchanged our homework, checked to ensure all questions and exercises were completed, and all looked good.

We could now relax and enjoy a few days off before finishing up our last homework which was Spanish.

Diana: So, you guys are coming over for Christmas?

Jaime: Yes, my mum told me about the invitation from your parents for Christmas and my parents asked if I wanted to go, I replied OF COURSE!!! They were both laughing so hard….it was so funny.

Chris: Yes, my mum also told me about the invitation and even before she asked me, I was like “I want to go, mum” Diana is good friend and I like hanging out with her and Jaime.

Jaime: Oh yeah and tomorrow is your birthday right?

Diana: You actually remembered? WOW! Yes it is my birthday!! And of course you are both invited to come celebrate my birthday with me, alright?

Jaime and Chris: Cool!! We weren’t going to miss it for the world.

Diana: Alright, I think I am going to go home and see what my parents are up to (start packing my bags)

Mrs. Anders: Oh you are leaving already Diana? I thought you were going to stay and have lunch with us.

Diana: Oh, is that OK?

Mr. Anders: Of course it is OK, we would love for you to stay and have lunch with us, no problem, come join us at the table.

I walked to the dining table, and had noticed that Mrs. Anders had already prepared a plate for me. I thought wow, very nice!!

Diana: OK, thank you Mr. and Mrs. Anders.

Mrs. Anders: No problem, you are always welcome to our place any time, you are not a stranger here this is also your home too.

Mr. Anders: Exactly, make yourself at home.

I turned to look at Jaime and Chris; we were all smiling while I almost had tears in my eyes, not sure why but I was quite moved by what Jaime’s parents said and I also thought about how Chris’s parents treated me when I went to his place, I felt the same as I am feeling right now moved, happy, relaxed and excited.

Mrs. Anders served me food with a drink, and we all ate while sharing our stories and jokes on the table, it was truly a wonderful day.

After have a wonderful late lunch, I hung out with Jaime and Chris while watching television until 6:30 PM when I started getting ready to head back home. I thanked Mr. and Mrs. Anders for a great day well spent at their house. They escorted me to my gate, I turned around, waved goodbye and walked in to my home.

When I walked into the living room, I didn’t see mum or dad, so I thought maybe they went out, but again I thought with that heavy snow and dad’s car is still packed outside, their was no way they were going out today, so they must be home. I took off my shoes, put my backpack in my room, came back downstairs and went to the kitchen, they were both in the kitchen cooking or baking….couldn‘t see clearly.

Diana: Mum, dad I am home.

Mum: Hi sweetie, how was your day at Jaime’s (giving dad and mum a hug), it was awesome. I met Jaime’s father, Mr. Anders for the first time and he is a cool and friendly man, he asked me to say hello to you.

Dad: The Anders Family is a great family, very welcoming, friendly, low key folks who don’t like drama and gossip. They have a small circle of friends which I don’t blame them at all, at all! That’s good you had a wonderful time.

As we were having this conversation, I noticed a lot of baking paper and baking pans on the kitchen table with lots of flour and sugar and out of curiosity…

Diana: What’s going on here? What is all this stuff?

Mum: Oh this, we are just making sure we have what we need for the Christmas dinner we are going to have, and also making sure all the baking items needed were clean.

Dad: Yes, your mum asked me to help her out as it was a lot of work.

Diana: Ah OK….well I am heading to my bedroom to take a nap. As I was leaving the kitchen was thinking had they forgotten tomorrow is my birthday? Are they thinking of celebrating my birthday on the same day as Christmas? Well could be as it is only three days apart…..I was thinking OK, but on the other hand was sad because I wanted to celebrate my birthday on my date, the date I was born, not on Christmas.

I walked upstairs feeling sad, heartbroken, went to my bedroom closed the door and sat by the window side. Somehow I fell asleep only to be woken up to come downstairs for dinner.

Diana: What time is it?

Dad: Almost 8 PM

Diana: You mean I slept for that long….two hours?

Mum: You were probably tired after spending two days studying and doing your homework. I am glad you have taken some days off to relax.

Diana: Yeah, it was quite a lot of homework, I like to always make sure it is done right, completed and every single question well answered even if I may not know how to do it, but I make sure to try my very best.

Dad: That’s a very high expectation you have on yourself Diana.

Diana: I kind of feel it is important to be organized, be responsible for your own studies, have good time management and try to meet all deadlines. These are skills that I learned from Jaime and Chris. The earlier you start learning these skills at an early age, the easier it will be for me to complete and work on any given task without any pressure or having deadline issues.

Dad: That’s very true and well said. I am glad you have started learning these skills and its good that Jaime and Chris are also helping you learn these skills because they are not only important for you now, but will be even more important when you go to college, university and when you start working.

Mum: That’s right. So we are happy for you and very proud of you Diana. We have always known that you will do great things in the future. Alright let’s eat.

As we sat at the dinning table Mum served me while dad served himself with a drink. We sat, talked, shared stories and enjoyed as always a wonderful family dinner together. After dinner as always helped mum take back the dishes to the kitchen then went to the living room to watch some television.

As I was watching television, I start having flashbacks on how the last three days have been or rather how my winter vacation had been since we closed school. I had thought it was going to be a very dull winter vacation, but having spent the weekend and today with Jaime, Chris and their parents and then coming home to my wonderful family, I feel so blessed with a heart full of excitement knowing that every day I spend with my family, Jaime, Chris and their parents is a day not only to be cherished and blessed, but as a gift that can never be traded or given away.

I got up from the sofa went and said goodnight to my parents with hugs and kisses (while yawning) and climbed up the stairs heading to bed. I brushed my teeth, changed into my pajamas and tucked myself into bed. I rolled over and fell fast asleep with a BIG SMILE all over my face eagerly waiting for the coming of tomorrow.