School in the USA

We've been asked a lot about what our boys are doing for school here in the States for our time here.  Well...now that's a story of God going before us!

We knew we wanted to them to have at least a full semester at school.  It just feels like with the transition of everything, at least they could start at a natural starting point instead of halfway though the semester.  We also knew there was a public school very close to the house we stay in. There was also the option of a local Christian school that offers a Spanish Immersion kindergarten program.

So we prayed about what would be best for both Forrest and Elliot.  We thought that maybe it would be best for Elliot to be in the Spanish Immersion kindergarten because it would be a safe environment for him to really dig into Spanish.  But that program is really hard to get accepted into and since it's at a private school there is the tuition thing, and well...

Back in June, someone mentioned to me that the public school district in this area was starting their own Spanish Immersion program.  Huh.  Thanks to the amaziness of the interwebs, I discovered that indeed there was going to be Spanish Immersion, and get this!  The Kindergarten and 2nd grade classes were going to be at the building closest to our house!  I am not kidding!

I emailed the coordinator and explained our situation and she said "yes!  absolutely!  Your kids sound like a great fit for the program!"

So.  Both boys are at the same building, which is literally a 2 minute walk through the church parking lot, in rooms full of other kids who are all non native Spanish speakers, and they are doing great!  It's been so great for Forrest to continue with his Spanish (he's right on target with his class, and in some ways ahead of them language wise)  and for Elliot to start formal schooling and language learning.  While he was in daycare all in Spanish while we in language school, it's been and while and he doesn't get much Spanish at home with me at home.

 Can I just tell you, he is so happy?  He was very ready to start school and is doing great!  And because all the other kids in his class are brand new to Spanish, the whole day is built around teaching them a second language.  We are just thrilled!

Yep, God wasn't kidding with me.  He did go before us!

Third Culture Farm

I woke up this morning to Elliot describing this picture to me.  Apparently he had been up a while working on it.  I wish I had recorded it because he was in rare form, full of one liners, like

"I can't draw pigs very well.  I did my best, but I tried to make it a fat pig and it just looks like a turtle."

"The ant loves God, that's why it is saying 'God help me!'"

When I asked him what the different circles were, the reply for perfect for a TCK !

"The green ones are watermelons, the red ones are fresas, and the yellow ones...they're ummmm, what the name again?  Oh, yeah, piñas!" 

Love the mix of language, and that pineapples grow right next to watermelons on a farm with a big red Midwestern barn with a pig that looks like a pink sea turtle and an ant that loves God sitting under an apple tree. 

Last Day of the First Grade

Well.  We made it!  It was a rough year in a lot of ways, but we've made it to the end and are thankful!!  What a sweet kid!

Oh yeah, and he finally lost that snaggle tooth this morning!  So stinkin cute!!  Now, on to the adventure of 2nd grade in two countries!