money & modesty

They twins have a great concept of money...they think everything is too expensive :)

 

  All of our kids help around the house and have jobs that earn them a small allowance- the twins have saved up quite a bit- they don't spent a penny even when they see something they love at the store.  Jerusalem was holding doll shoes in her hand for $6...she had plenty to purchase them but she put them down saying, "Wow, $6 is too much!"  (good girls!)

 

While checking out of the grocery store for the 1st time Helen watched the lady ring up our food- her eyes were glued on the screen watching the numbers going up and up.  As I paid for the ridiculous amount of our weekly groceries she said, " OH NO mommy-  Oh my gosh!!!   NO more food!!"

 

They find it to be a strange custom that we give money to children who loose their teeth!  "What money?!  For teeth?!  WHY?!" and laughing.... 

Now I was trying to avoid them knowing this because- when the girls first came home- Helen was loosing teeth right and left!  She didn't know English and we were in survival mode- so when she lost a tooth- we made a big deal about it and I told her to save it in her box.  The toothfairy never came because that would just be...confusing-I was not up for toothfairy charades.

Well- when the younger kids teeth started falling out and some coins were being found under pillows- Helen ran to her special box and pulled out her 3 teeth that came out last fall- she soaked them in mouthwash and put them under her pillow :)

 

The twins told me that when they lost teeth in Ethiopia they would sing a song and throw the tooth up on top of their roof- Jerusalem said, "mommy, LOT's of teeth on top of my house!"  The kids thought that was awesome and said nextime they loose a tooth they want to do that :)

 

 I avoid the grocery store with them honestly because of the magazines at the check out isle.  Having the girls now makes us see how desensitized we are to inappropriate pictures.  I have always been annoyed at my boys having to stand in line facing girls plastered 1/2 nude on the magazines- all younger 3 kids act like they don't even see them.  Well...that's not the case for the twins!  It was quite a scene in BJ's! 

Helen thought it was a mistake or something- she picked up the magazine and ran to me laughing shoving it in my face- she was almost on the floor laughing!

 Once one of them picked a magazine to browse while I wasn't looking and dropped it in disgust.  It was a fitness magazine and there was a very inappropriate picture. 

 One day when we were in line they asked me why the girls where no clothes.

 

Somehow the girls found out that Michael was in the room when I delivered the boys- they were shocked and horrified, "What?! oh my goodness mommy!  In Ethiopia the daddy's are OUTSIDE!" 

They asked about the Dr.- when they found out it was a man- they almost fell to the floor...I don't know if I can ever redeem myself from that one in their eyes!

 

They also think it's weird that we have babies in hospitals.  "Home is good to have a baby mom!"  They have paced outside many of their friends homes (along side the fathers!) while women were inside having babies.  They even re-enacted the screams to me and 1 of the girls says she is only going to adopt!