Forgotten Post...about Leaving Jordan

Miles and Eliza had their good-byes in Jordan. E had a tea party with the little girls in her playgroup, and she went over to her friend Rosa’s several times. She seemed to actually be sad about leaving her friend. She understands more than I was giving her credit for at this age. We even called Rosa on the phone the night before we left. It was very sweet and sad.

Miles also spent more time with his old friend Telmo. They had been at the same school in the first term when we arrived, and it was a shame that we didn’t send them to the same school after that. Miles didn’t have as good a boy friend after that, and I think that contributed to his not settling in as well at Hill House. He was good friends with Maria, but she (Falastine’s family) left Amman 6 months before we did. And although they still plan to get married when they grow up, their very different interests at this age made them less compatible as playmates. In sum, Miles was actually happy to leave Amman…which I thought sad considering we were there for two years.

Neither of the kids was happy about leaving Fe, though. That was the hardest part, as anticipated. She started crying as she helped buckle them into their car-seats, and this set off Miles crying, too. For the first time in his life, I think he really understood what it meant to leave, to possibly never see her again. She loved the kids, and they loved her. They cheered when she came to the house every day. She always made things fun for them, and she contributed warmth, calm, predictability and obviously order to our home. We were all very sad to say good-bye. We’re keeping in touch with her by email and phone, and it looks like she’s going to have seamless employment. She has lots of choices of employment since everyone knew how lucky we were to have her.