Accents
The timing for our return couldn't have been better, we arrived in good time to celebrate Rory's birthday. This was especially important to the little boys as they were both excited and a little bit nervous to give him the presents they had selected and made for him.
The look on his face was enough to put their fears to rest, he loved each and every one, not so much I think for what they were but more the spirit and love behind the giving.
It was a wonderful occasion to return for, a family occasion reminding us just where home was now. The thought of another little member on his or her way to join our ever growing brood being the magic icing on the birthday cake really.
It had been great for the kids to spend some with and get to know their kiwi cousins but it was so lovely to see them back with their adopted ones too. They were all so funny and sweet together, it brought tears to my eyes.
I was surprised the next morning by how early they got up, it seemed as though they had all made a breakfast plan, when I went down to the dining room, Bryony and the girls had Benedict and Rhiannon sitting with them while the other two sets of twins sat together having an extremely serious discussion.
"Did you like it in New Zealand?" Patrick the ever thoughtful one asked, "Were you happy there?"
"We did like it." Josiah said.
"But we're glad to be home." Rory added.
"We were a bit worried you might stay there." Frances said.
"We'll like to take you and show you but we'd always come back." Rory said smiling.
"They talk a bit funny though." Josiah said, "AND they think we do, which is pretty silly."
"That IS silly", Frances said, "You don't talk funny at all, you talk just the same as we do."
"Why did they think you talked funny?" Patrick said looking a bit worried.
"Did they say you had accents?" Frances said, "Some of the kids in my class at school speak a bit differently because they have accents."
"I hope they weren't mean to you." Patrick said looking a bit worried.
"No", Josiah said, "They just kept asking us to say things and then laughing."
"That does sound a little bit mean." Patrick said.
"Then they'd say how cute we are." Josiah said.
"And they'd tickle us or fluff our hair." Rory said, unsure of whether he'd liked that or not.
"Well, how do they talk over there?" Frances said.
"Um, not sure how to say it." Rory said.
"You know my Dad?" Josiah said.
"Of course we do, silly." Frances and Patrick said together making everyone laugh.
"Well, they all talk like him."
"What?" Frances said, "Even the women?"
"Yup." Josiah said with the conviction of one who has a vast expanse of knowledge.
"Do they have to make their voices sound all growly like a man or do they just talk like that?"
"I don't know how they do it." Rory said, "But I'm glad we're here and everyone talks normally."
"I'm glad you are too." Frances said shivering.
"Did they understand you?" Patrick said.
"I'm not sure." Rory said.
Josiah looked around the room a cheeky look on his face, then leaning close to his little group he whispered, "Sometimes they didn't and when they asked us what we wanted it took them a few tries to get it right."
"Was that annoying?" Frances said.
"Sometimes, but sometimes it was fun."
"Josiah Timoti Spencer!" Rory said clearly shocked.
"I only did it once." Josiah said.
"What happened?" Frances said.
"I was asking for ice-cream but they couldn't understand which flavour I wanted."
"Oh my gosh", Patrick said, "How many did you eat?"
Josiah rubbed his stomach as the memory brought back the queasy feeling. "Oh just enough to be sick." He said. "But it was pretty colours!"
"Eewww", Frances said, "that is such a boy thing to do and say."
Josiah shrugged as Patrick and Rory looked at each other, I could see by their expressions they were thinking the same thing.
"It does serve you right." Rory said as Patrick nodded in agreement.
"But I hope you didn't feel too bad." Patrick said kindly.
"I hope you did!" Frances said, "Well just a little bit bad. But I might have to think hard about going to New Zealand even though it does look pretty."
"Why's that?" Rory said.
"I'm not sure I'll like to be in a place where everyone talks like boys." She said and then blinked in surprise when everyone laughed.
"You might need to hide under the table." Rory whispered.
"Why?" Frances whispered back.
"For safety", Josiah said looking around, "this is the part where they tickle you and fluff your hair."
I watched the four older girls descend and then couldn't help but laugh as they all did exactly that... to all four of them.
The look on his face was enough to put their fears to rest, he loved each and every one, not so much I think for what they were but more the spirit and love behind the giving.
It was a wonderful occasion to return for, a family occasion reminding us just where home was now. The thought of another little member on his or her way to join our ever growing brood being the magic icing on the birthday cake really.
It had been great for the kids to spend some with and get to know their kiwi cousins but it was so lovely to see them back with their adopted ones too. They were all so funny and sweet together, it brought tears to my eyes.
I was surprised the next morning by how early they got up, it seemed as though they had all made a breakfast plan, when I went down to the dining room, Bryony and the girls had Benedict and Rhiannon sitting with them while the other two sets of twins sat together having an extremely serious discussion.
"Did you like it in New Zealand?" Patrick the ever thoughtful one asked, "Were you happy there?"
"We did like it." Josiah said.
"But we're glad to be home." Rory added.
"We were a bit worried you might stay there." Frances said.
"We'll like to take you and show you but we'd always come back." Rory said smiling.
"They talk a bit funny though." Josiah said, "AND they think we do, which is pretty silly."
"That IS silly", Frances said, "You don't talk funny at all, you talk just the same as we do."
"Why did they think you talked funny?" Patrick said looking a bit worried.
"Did they say you had accents?" Frances said, "Some of the kids in my class at school speak a bit differently because they have accents."
"I hope they weren't mean to you." Patrick said looking a bit worried.
"No", Josiah said, "They just kept asking us to say things and then laughing."
"That does sound a little bit mean." Patrick said.
"Then they'd say how cute we are." Josiah said.
"And they'd tickle us or fluff our hair." Rory said, unsure of whether he'd liked that or not.
"Well, how do they talk over there?" Frances said.
"Um, not sure how to say it." Rory said.
"You know my Dad?" Josiah said.
"Of course we do, silly." Frances and Patrick said together making everyone laugh.
"Well, they all talk like him."
"What?" Frances said, "Even the women?"
"Yup." Josiah said with the conviction of one who has a vast expanse of knowledge.
"Do they have to make their voices sound all growly like a man or do they just talk like that?"
"I don't know how they do it." Rory said, "But I'm glad we're here and everyone talks normally."
"I'm glad you are too." Frances said shivering.
"Did they understand you?" Patrick said.
"I'm not sure." Rory said.
Josiah looked around the room a cheeky look on his face, then leaning close to his little group he whispered, "Sometimes they didn't and when they asked us what we wanted it took them a few tries to get it right."
"Was that annoying?" Frances said.
"Sometimes, but sometimes it was fun."
"Josiah Timoti Spencer!" Rory said clearly shocked.
"I only did it once." Josiah said.
"What happened?" Frances said.
"I was asking for ice-cream but they couldn't understand which flavour I wanted."
"Oh my gosh", Patrick said, "How many did you eat?"
Josiah rubbed his stomach as the memory brought back the queasy feeling. "Oh just enough to be sick." He said. "But it was pretty colours!"
"Eewww", Frances said, "that is such a boy thing to do and say."
Josiah shrugged as Patrick and Rory looked at each other, I could see by their expressions they were thinking the same thing.
"It does serve you right." Rory said as Patrick nodded in agreement.
"But I hope you didn't feel too bad." Patrick said kindly.
"I hope you did!" Frances said, "Well just a little bit bad. But I might have to think hard about going to New Zealand even though it does look pretty."
"Why's that?" Rory said.
"I'm not sure I'll like to be in a place where everyone talks like boys." She said and then blinked in surprise when everyone laughed.
"You might need to hide under the table." Rory whispered.
"Why?" Frances whispered back.
"For safety", Josiah said looking around, "this is the part where they tickle you and fluff your hair."
I watched the four older girls descend and then couldn't help but laugh as they all did exactly that... to all four of them.