1 November 2001
Dear Crystal,
We so often think of you and hope you are doing well. It is nearly a month before Cameron turns 5 and you will be so pleased to hear that he is growing into such a fine little boy. I wish I had time right now to make a picture review of his year, like I did last year, but it’s been a busy season, and I’ve had some computer problems…so, I’ll get this written now, and find the right pictures to catch you up on your most beautiful creation.
He is still the MOST delightful little boy I’ve ever known. His kindergarten teacher says that he starts her day every morning by telling her how wonderful and beautiful she is. Though he is the youngest in his class, in a bi-lingual school, he is not just keeping up, but doing as well as any of the other kids. He is now reading very simple books – has learned how to sound out English words, and he recognizes many Chinese characters too. He’s learning a little Malay/Indonesian too! He can write (even has spelling tests!) in both Chinese and English. He also loves memorizing verses (see the list of those he’s committed to memory – he’s quite amazing!) We have a chin up bar at home and he’s learning to pull up on it to build his muscles. He wears one of his 3 Superman costumes almost every day.
Like a typical little brother, he follows what big brother likes and so we have a lot of talk in our house about Digimon and Pokemon (cartoons) and Dinosaurs. This year Cameron is now old enough to play together with Tyler and since they have similar interests, they are very cute when they are getting along (they bicker quite a bit, but that’s pretty normal. They love each other a lot too!). We spend a lot of play time building forts out of mattresses and sheets, and dressing up in costumes.
We had a great time this summer in California – Disneyland, Legoland, California Adventure, a trip up the coast, to the mountains, on a boat, on the train…It was a perfect 6 weeks, crammed full of adventure and love from Grandmas and Grandpas, Uncle and Aunt, cousin (Cade now 2), and loads of friends who wanted to spoil the children!
We’re looking forward to a visit over Thanksgiving from my parents. We’re counting the days until they come! This year we will go to China in December, Indonesia & Malaysia in January, and to Venezuela in June next year. Hope to fit a trip to Cambodia in there too as the boys have some missionary friends who live in there. So he’s going to need new pages in his passport soon! Tyler has begun doing some commercial work for the Disney channel (the satellite in Singapore serves all of Asia, Middle East and Australia, so Tyler has been in some ads for Australian market), Cameron is so photogenic, but is a bit camera shy. He’s wowed the directors, but still doesn’t want to cooperate in camera. I bet this year he’ll get some work too – he’s so adorable when he puts on the charm!
He still loves puzzles. He has started to play some educational computer games. Luke is still his best friend, but he often talks of a girl named Vanessa in his class…he
says he likes her because she’s fat! His best friend in school is a little boy from Hong Kong. So, Cameron is learning to speak English with a Singaporean accent too.
We have a maid who lives with us (common in this part of the world!) and she loves the boys, and Cameron LOVES her too. She didn’t get passed 1st grade in Indonesia, so she likes learning things with him.
If you saw him you’d probably see things about his personality that are a lot like you! Since we didn’t know you very well, we wouldn’t see these things, but you would. They are surely there. He has the cutest way of praying, and running, and the positions he is in when he sleeps. He’s completely hopeless right now when it comes to eating neatly, but he is so polite, and sensitive. He is not easily offended, can be a great actor (when it comes to crying, or being punished, or caught doing something naughty), makes the funniest faces…
I imagine sometime this year he will begin to understand that a woman named Crystal Cooper brought him into this world, and gave us the precious privilege of raising him and having another son. He notices, but still doesn’t make an issue of why his skin is brown (beautiful, perfect skin, by the way!). He is surrounded by so many races, that he doesn’t feel different, and it hasn’t been an issue. He sometimes hears us use the word “adopted,” when people ask why he looks so different – but e often find that Asians don’t even consider this…they just think he doesn’t look as much like us as Tyler does! I am so glad for the very sweet letter you wrote to him, and the pictures you passed on. They will mean so much to him as he gets older.
You are, as always in our prayers with thankfulness.
These are the verses Cameron has memorized (New International Version)
Psalm 119:105 1 Chronicles 16:34
Mark 10:43 1 Peter 5:7&8
John 14:15 Matthew 6:9-13
Genesis 1:1 Psalm 119:11
Ephesians 6:1 Mark 10:27
Psalm 56:3 Psalm 100
Proverbs 3:5-6 Philippians 4:11b
Ephesians 4:32 Galatians 5:22
Proverbs 15:1 1 Chronicles 4:10
John 3:16 Isaiah 41:10
Ephesians 6:10-11 Deuteronomy 6:5
Philippians 4:13 Psalm 133:1
Romans 5:8 Romans 3:23
Matthew 7:12
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