We are so happy to see Joshua blossom this year.  Last year was a tough year for him – he didn’t want to be in the USA (he kept asking when we would go home – meaning Cameroon).  He had to leave behind friends from around the world who he had things in common with.  It’s been a hard transition for him to the USA and being a middle schooler with new emotions and hormones only compounded the difficulty.

This school year, he was a little more outgoing.  He made friends and has a good group of boys he mingles with.  One of his friends is moving to Colorado and Joshua told us about it, but could frame it and process it with the experiences he’s continually had of moving around, friends in and out of your life, etc…. he understands the importance to enjoy friends who are in front of you and with you because transition is up ahead.

We are so incredibly grateful to a specific teacher at the Middle School who began reaching out to him the second half of his seventh grade year and throughout his eighth grade year.  She’s helped encourage him, draw him out and encouraged him to express himself.  We were notified that Joshua would be receiving an award at an end of the year award assembly on May 18th.  We went and were thrilled when he was given an award not only in her class, but in other classes to.  He’s a great student and gets good grades, however, it was such a thrill that they could see him and his character.  We are proud of him, not because he received awards, but because he’s blossoming not only in front of us, but in front of others and others are recognizing who he is.