Reality Bites!

We are at the three-week point of our time here in Belgium, and I think it has hit Allison that we aren't going home anytime soon.  She had a rough day today at school.  She forgot she had a French test, and we'll just say it didn't go so well.  She started to cry when she saw me after school.  As we were walking to the car, she said, "I hate it here!  I hate this school!  I just want to go home!"  It absolutely broke my heart.  I know she is hurting, and I want to make it better.  But I know in time, she will like it.  I will say though...they have a tremendous amount of homework.  It is 2+ hours every night for Allison.  And, it's not "right there" answers.  They are very thought provoking with multiple answers and most are short answer.  They have very little down time in the evenings.  Combined with late bedtimes, they've just been all out of sorts.  But tonight, they were in bed by 8:45, and we are praying for a more positive day tomorrow.  

On the flip side, there have been so many positive things that have happened to Allison....

1.  She joined a writing club (and informed me it was free.)  They meet the first Thursday of every month and share stories they have written.  They critique each other's writing and offer suggestions for improvement.  They also discuss what they liked about the piece as well.  She is really excited about that.

2.  She now has a violin!  She will start private lessons next week to get caught up with the other 5th graders.  

3.  She was invited to a birthday party.  It's a Harry Potter party, and they are requesting the guests dress up.  She talked about it all night last night!

4.  She really likes the girls in her class.

5.  She ate the cafeteria food today and said it ROCKED!

6.  Tomorrow they get to dress up for school according to the first letter of their first or last name.  She chose A and is wearing her soccer uniform.  She is an "athlete".  I know if you have had Allison on your team...you just laughed.  LOL!  FYI...Thomas is wearing a camouflage shirt with a tiger snake around his neck.  That is just so Thomas!

7.  And, I received emails from both of their teachers complimenting how well they have settled in (Allison's teacher said "remarkably well"), they advocate for themselves, ask questions, and they already have many friends.  That makes this mom very proud!

So see...it isn't all bad, and they are loving riding with me to school and back.  It sure beats the stinky bus, with the driver who doesn't speak English, and the teenagers who "make out" in the back of the bus.  

Here she is composing her first story.

I had to include some pictures of the evening entertainment from last week.  The kids wanted to do shows for us.  Thomas has the moves like Jagger and Allison was channeling her inner Rihanna.  It was hilarious!

Just for the record...I would never let her leave the house like this.  How do you like Thomas' really cool hairstyle?  He did it himself.

Owl update...Chris is using his McGyver skills as we speak.  He has a mirror taped to some cardboard and is trying to look up into the flue.  I'm not sure what he's going to do when he meets that owl face to face.  We could hear the poor thing hooting last night.  It sounded really pathetic.  We even put food down in the fireplace to lure him back down, but so far, nothing has worked.  We'll keep you posted.

Until next time,

Wendy