We'll soon be hosting again and I was thinking about what we would be doing in the next year that would interest a teenager. Our lives have changed so much in the last 5 years. When Anna was here, we had two teenage girls, I was going to college and we were fairly new to Southern California. Now, we have two little girls and I don't work or go to school any more. Most of our activity is aimed at the interests of the preschooler and toddler. This could be torture for a teenager!
The school year of 2005-2006 was the year we took in Anna. She was originally placed with another family but it wasn't a good match between them and she needed a new host family. Katie came home and said "Can we keep her?" My kids never brought home puppy dogs or frogs and begged to keep them, but kids, they brought home one after another after another. The other strays were always local kids who stayed for night or three. Anna stayed with us for the entire school year. She had only been with the first family for a few weeks.
We've kept in touch with Anna. She sends us the best German chocolates every Christmas! Yummy!
I asked her (in a facebook chat window) what were her favorite things we did and where were her favorite places we went while she was here.
I cut and pasted her response:
Dear Mary, I thought about all of my amazing experiences:
such as
Halloween Party & Trick or Treating
the Blocks coming over for parties or we going there
going to san diego, karlsbad, oceanside
I love the beaches!
being part of a movie
visiting Hollywood and L.A.
Quoir trip to S.F.
Sea World
Shopping in Temecula and San Diego Mall (it's so colored and huge!!!)
meeting all of katies friends and hanging out with them
making music in the band room
PROM and Homecoming
dsigning customes for mvhs performances
taking photos with you and making them pretty on your p.c.
getting your FAMILY CERTIFICATE ( awesome gesture)
being part of your homepage
Homecoming Football game at mvhs
Thankgsgiving dinner and Thankgsgiving shopping
making popcorn & cookies and watching movies
DDR - dancing
my suprise birthday party at the pizza place
mexican birthday party next door: hitting that colorful ball with candy
your graduation
trip with mrs. jeffersson to plam springs and their hills
OUR TRIP
MONTANA; WYOMING and VEGAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mvhs swim meet and volleyball
drama performances
mvhs award ceremonies
(it was very special to me that you came there, too)
you giving me rides everywhere - thx so much!!!!!!!
it was such a special year for me... I'll never forget that time- THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!
the only thing I missed was a baby shower 
but since your family knows so many mommies I am sure that your exchange student participate in one of thise
but since your family knows so many mommies I am sure that your exchange student participate in one of thise
and... birthday party in oceanside
love, hugs&kisses Anna
What a great response from Anna. I'm glad she had such a good time and remembers all that stuff. She didn't get to see Yellowstone, though, except in pictures. Unless you can bring the new student out here before November she won't see it either. But I hope she can get in a trip to Wyoming and Montana too (with or without YNP)
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