She relaxed in her seat and crossed her left leg over her right. She was a bit perplexed as she thought a moment.
"My goodness we have been here a month," she thought aloud, "Keeping busy I guess I never gave it much thought."
She gave a chuckle as she smiled a bit, "So our children want to celebrate. I sort of thought that they did that every time they played together." She thought again for a moment and smacked her hand on the arm of the chair she was sitting in.
"Damn!" she semi-shouted, Ben's tenth birthday is in a few days. I've been so busy I haven't had time to think about it or get him a present." She shot up to her feet, turned around, her back toward Erik, placed her hands on her hips and threw her head back, "Uuuuggghhhh!"
She turned back around, "I never forget his birthday." She then went a bit somber, "Not that it's a big celebration as it's always been the two of us since he was born."
She put her hands behind her back and walked over to a window in thought. The only people she knew were co-workers. Yes, Peter would make it better. Somehow, she thought, Peter's birthdays weren't much better. Like her, Erik was a single parent and a hard working professional. The difference? She had only filed her papers recently for citizenship. Erik had always been one.
Still facing the window and her arms crossed, she spoke aloud to him, "Perhaps you might have an idea of how or where I can make his birthday better. I mean, I just don't know the area that well yet."