our new addition

Many of you have hear but Bella and Parker now have a new sister... RINA!! she is our foreign exchange student. She will be with us until the end of the school year this June. She is 17, from Nagano Japan ( where they held the winter Olympics in 98'.) She has been with us for 5 weeks now. I had not made an official blog notice because... well, I am lazy... but also we did not know if it would be permanent.
Dan had inquired some time ago about getting a student, he loves Japanese and I had many exchange students while I was growing up in my home and we always loved it. anyways the company he contacted said they only do long term visits. we did not think we wanted that right now but if anything came up to let us know. The first week of august that company contacted us and said this girl is on her way her original host family canceled last minute because of a serious family illness. They wanted us just to take her until they found a permanent replacement.
She came and we loved her and said we didn't want her to leave. It was a bit tricky getting her into a high school in our district, but I pulled every string I could and got it done and we were so excited to find out she could stay with us. If she couldn't have went to H.S. here they would move her to eastern Idaho and I would not wish that upon anyone (no offense my e. Idaho friends... I have not heard good things) :)
She is a very sweet girl who is very loving and so helpful and respectful and a ton of fun!! She is a very accomplished performance pianist. Like the most amazing I have ever heard. We can even be in the car listening to a song on the radio and she will sit down and play it just by ear. AMAZING!!
I honestly thought it would be more work for me to have another person here, but she is truly a blessing in my life. she wants to help with everything and is kind of like my cute little assistant. don't worry I will try not to take advantage.
She loves kids and in every crowd she becomes their best friends and many 5 year olds in our neighborhood want Rina to come over and play.
Her English is very good and is is getting better each day. I can hold a conversation with her with ease, but she is modest and says she is not good. I always correct her when she says that to let he know she is great!
We are glad she is here and thankful for all of our friends and family who have met her helping her feel welcomed!!