Happy Birthday America- a note from Habtamu

Hello Everyone,

Today I returned to school after spending 5 days in my aunt and uncle's house in NH. It is much smaller than their home in Massachusetts- so I call it their "tinish bait" or "small house". We spent the time at their home running around in the rain - by the way- no one told me that the sun does not shine in America and that there is only rain (zenab). Although life here is good- I'd sure like to see the sun. Mom and dad finally bought be a rain coat and some boots. They have moose on them. Speaking of Moose- I finally met Nana's moose- it turns out its a dog- that she calls Zeus.. not moose- so now we call him Zeus the moose.

In the tinish bate there were 4 dogs, 5 adult humans and us 2 kids. It was wonderful to be surrounded by our family, I now have a lot of dogs in my family. It's still a bit strange and sometimes uncomfortable, but the dogs that are my family are nice and loving.

Debritu kept sleeping in the car- and waking up at Storyland. It must be strange to fall asleep in the car and wake up at such an imaginary place. You have to see storyland. It's this place- where you ride on fish, sit in logs that float on water, drive cars- (I'm a great driver -btw) and ride balloons into the sky, and all the old ladies smile and wave to you. Many people comment on my sisters big eyes- she gets a lot of attention- I must be more careful about leaving her around strangers. All of this happens while you stand in line behind all these people to scream on these giant fish and logs. Mom calls them rides.

At this park, I saw a boy- well he looked like a boy, only his face reminded me of a lion. As we walked through the park there were many of these lion boys. Dad kept telling me I could do it too If I'd like- become a lion boy. I was not sure what all this means- so I walked up to one of the boys- who according to mom "was sitting on miss muffets tuffet" and touched his "lion" face. It was not hairy-and the boy was frightened by my touch. I decided If I was going to be a lion- I wouldn't be afraid if a little boy like myself touched me- he was a wimpy lion. Eventually, with so many dogs as family members, I decided to become a dog, instead of a lion. This way mom and dad can't yell at me when I lick their face.

America's birthday party is funny. You take these things called "flags" and you take them all over the place with you- and then you walk around in the rain, after you spend time in the rain, you get to watch the sky become noisy- while somebody paints it. You get to eat candy, french fries- which are not french at all- just potatoes and bounce in a rubber house type thing.

Uncle E's birthday only had cake, friends and family but my cousin T was there and we got to play in his house -that was lots of fun- but they didn't paint the sky for him. Maybe because it was still raining. I wonder what a birthday is.... We sang this little song- which I'm getting quite good at-"happy birthday america, happy birthday to you".. and then we blow all over the cake we are going to eat. Then they cut it and we eat it. My cousin T- was bouncing up and down- going Caaaaaakkkkkkkeeee. I think he liked the sugar.

By the way, if anyone talks to the sun, can you ask him to visit my new home once and a while? Mom and dad bought me a new bike and I'm learning to pump my legs when I swing at the parks-but we can't go to the park and use the swings and I'm not allowed on my bike when it's raining... and I'd sure like to do both.


Good night everyone, mom says I have to go to bed as I have school tomorrow morning and she needs some time to herself to read her book before she goes to bed.

Loving America- Habtamu