language

My nieces love to count how many people are around the dinner table, particularly on Sunday nights when we have family dinner night and a dozen of us are gathered around. This usually happens in English and Spanish (thank you Dora the Explorer!), but occasionally the adults will chime in with Japanese, French, and German too.

I love when this happens because languages are so beautiful. 

Preparing for my trip to Texas...

It's also amazing to listen as the kids' vocabulary grows. 

Kasen asked last week what "adopted" meant. 

Tessa has learned the phrases "I can't believe my eyes" and "Isn't it amazing" and she includes them in all of the stories she weaves.  

Kaylee's definition of work means "leaving home." (She told me Grandpa's job was to make pancakes and chocolate milk, presumably because she once went to a Lion's Club breakfast where he was cooking. She has visited him on the farm too and seen tractors and combines, but because he does that at home she doesn't consider it his job.)  

Tysen went through a phase a few months ago of speaking only gibberish, but she has emerged from it with clear and precise, grammatically correct sentences.   

Kenzi has an accent that often makes her sound British. 

Riley is learning sign language. At a year old she doesn't verbalize much yet, so being able to sign "eat" and "sleep" is a huge help to her parents. 

We take for granted that we know the words we do. But watching a child learn words for the first time, or discovering a new language alongside them, is to re-experience the wonder.

EMBRACE LANGUAGE.

Breathe life with every word you speak today. Communicate love without words. Be amazed at your own understanding. Listen to a child. Give thanks.

Listening to Words by Hawk Nelson: "Words can build us up, words can break us down. Start a fire in our hearts or put it out..."