Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Writing with Grace

Serve up your own slice of life story. Link up at Two Writing Teachers.

Shim Hyeonsoo (Grace) is visiting from South Korea. She will will be with us for eight weeks as a part of a program that partner's with my son's school.This weekend, I set up my laptop keyboard so that it toggles between English and Korean. We are learning how to convert from English to Hanja with a click of the mouse. Grace is going to blog on her Korean blog so that she can share experiences with her family.



She is learning English and she is learning English relentlessly. We play word games. We talk about our days. She reads in English. We does homework in English-- she is here during her school's vacation. She attends fifth grade and does the almost the same homework, as best she can, that the other children do. She says she does not have to write the essays. And I think she's gotten a pass at memorizing songs in Spanish. Still. She .Is. Amazing.

She's better at English than we are with Spanish (and two of us at home have studied Spanish a number of years).  I knew she knew more English the first time we went to church. I was holding the hymnal open and pointing to the words and Grace was singing at my side. She can read menus and fearlessly orders at restaurants.She uses an electronic dictionary and is quite the Ruzzle opponent.

We love having Grace visit. Two years ago, her brother John spent two months with us, so it feels like another member of our family has come home.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about one little word for 2014.  Grace arrived two weeks ago and I love how she has re-focused us on what matters. I'm leaning toward grace.

20 comments:

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    1. Thanks, Beth. I toyed with well too, but finally realized it's been grace all along.

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  2. Just got chills at the end of your post. What an amazing girl Grace is.

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    1. Awww, Katherine. Thanks. The writing seemed too quick to me, but I did like that last line...leaning in. Glad you did too.

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  3. Grace and grace. She sounds like a wonderful girl who helped lead you to a fantastic word.

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    1. It has seemed like the word walked right into my life--but I kept searching and thinking--sometimes I miss the obvious. Thanks, Stacey.

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  4. To have your OLW connect with someone special is, well, special! How wonderful that you hosted her brother too. I hope her visit continues to be wonderful, Lee Ann!

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    1. Thanks, Linda. It is a little bit of wonder right here and I love that we've hosted siblings over two years.

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  5. Beautiful, beautiful post, Lee Ann. You know what they say about life being a circle...things, even words, come around and are connected. Grace is in your life, as an OLW to the lovely guest in your home. Enjoy!

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    1. Thank you, Tara-- circular cyclical nature of the world too can amaze me.

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  6. HOW INCREDIBLE! Your connection between Grace and your focus of your year is just incredible!

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  7. As someone who has lived abroad with a host family, I am so thankful that you've opened your hearts and your home to this wonderful young girl. Kindness makes a huge difference, and it will change all of your lives! So glad Grace has come into your life!

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    1. Thank you, Jennifer! Hosting Grace and her brother John has indeed changed our lives. You're right about the kindness--her kindness, like her brother's-- was amazing to witness. It made ours grow and double.

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  8. I think Grace entered your life in more ways than one! Perhaps the impact that she will leave will also be doubled!

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  9. Love that your word could be Grace. Also, I will tell you that we had exchange students when I was in high school and my 17 year old daughter spent a high school semester with one of the daughters who visited us who now has daughters. You are creating an amazing and enriching tradition of connections and appreciations.

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    1. How cool is that Melanie!? What a relationship and connection--to think we can carry it into my son's adult life. That's amazing to me.

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  10. Yep, your word found you! I love that your OLW is tied to a lasting, memory-making relationship with Grace. She is your physical reminder of grace. How sweet for you both! Enjoy the (short!) time together! I'm amazed that she is traveling at such a young age! (Is she fifth grade age appropriate?) Wow -- determined, graceful, and brave too!

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  11. How lucky for John and Grace and for us to find you and your family!!

    Thanks Lee Ann for beautiful posting. I'm so grateful to read beautiful words.

    Whenever I see the photos of Grace, I feel that she's really been cared and loved by your family.

    She looks very happy and seems like she enjoys every single moment with your family.

    John keeps talking how he loved to be there. Like John, Grace will have life-long memory with you and your family!



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