First Day of School 2010-2011

The first day of this school year went off with a bang! And quite a few beeps too! Oh, this is not a traffic post? Well...back to the fun school stuff then!

Both kids were eager, and me too! Last night, I sat outside in the folding "camp" chair Rob got me (THANKS I LOVE NOT SITTING ON THE CURB ANYMORE) underneat 10+ bats reading Shurley Grammar, Botany and History lessons for the week to become very familiar with it. After that, I felt overwhelmed, discouraged and found myself sobbing!! Then I remembered that even those of you who are trained and equipped properly need the Lord to truly excel! So, I pushed aside my whining and dove in with a big smile!

Jasmine started picking clothes Thursday evening....you will see she finally decided. ha! I love her flare! This is taken at the entryway on the ground level of our apartment building.


As you can tell, even Sam realized today was a big day..it's the first time he's camped at our door to cry for me...I didn't pet him, I wanted him to keep crying - this photo cracks me up, he looks pathetic! ha! Darling little beast! Yes, that's the door to our apt. the elevator is beside me w/ the camera.

(I adore how she was excited to use her new water bottle from daddy)

Jasmine in front of her quaint, cozy, home-feel school where she declared to have enjoyed her first day (especially her treat of purple gatorade). She goes to school from 8 am - 1:30 pm daily. It is a 20 min walk in one direction. Thankfully, the humidity didn't seem so high today.


On the way home, I saw this and HAD to take a photo. Not only do I think this is a stunning vehicle, but if you could "grasp" the poverty it's parked next to, you'd be as baffled as I am as to its presence? Perhaps one of the extreme poor in the shack behind me are watching it for a job - great idea! I hope that's what happened.


Joshua and I started school at 9 after I had my shower. We took a recess mid morningof riding his scooter while I just sat and breathed and listened to the church service in Arabic and the beautiful sound of Sudanese music. I am not good enough yet to understant a church service..but I do hear things here and there and "get" some of it.

Yes, I look like a dork in socks and sandals, but I have my reasons! LOL
That is Waleed's motorcycle, I wanted to share the shade with it.

Joshua favorite today was to pick the biography we would read together each morning - he chose Davy Crockett. He likes to talk about moral character and remember specific teachers telling specific things.....I like that it makes his stories come alive and more applicable to himself and our lives wherever we are! smooches to you teachers! ALL of you!



I made a gallon man.....after I stood back and beheld it, I realized there's something not quite up to par for OCD...but I gotta leave it....construction paper is a RARE AND VALUABLE ITEM HERE, I will not risk destroying what precious bit we have! I bet H from the UP and Betty from NJ will be the first to find the annoying most part. (Josiah, see my picture I still have gracing my walls? I love it!)


Of course here's Joshua on his first day of THIRD GRADE! wheeeeeeeeen did that happen, mom? sniff sniff.......onward we go!


After 5 hrs of school, we did not finish, and neither did we become bored. I am going to focus more on repetition in math instead of 30 min of one thing each day. 10 min of the new thing (multiplication and algebra) but then constant repeat of the other stuff - he hates repeating, he hates not getting new stuff on the first try - so I'm being more flexible this year with math. I did however, completely lose him after lunch and wasted almost 40 minutes with his impulsivity.

He loves his new History book and his favorite "project" was starting his journal. His least favorite is writing down new words he learned that day and what they mean.

So that's our day in a nutshell and a few pics! Thanks for cheering us on thru the year and praying for us!

I love Jasmine's nervous look here - she really is excited, but you can tell she's holding back some anxiety. Miss Nahed founded and runs this preschool. She makes the hole in my heart for Miss Stacie and Mrs. Aldrich feel a bit full ;) She's quite wonderful, God really lead us to her! Education is not just abc's and 123's..just like St Mark! Jasmine was excited to see her, until she realized I was going home.



Lastly is a photo from last night when Caleb came over while his mom did some work downstairs at the church offices...he and Jasmine had a blast picking thru my veggies and such to make a soup all their own! We really enjoyed it!!! Jasmine remembered making stone soup w/ Gpa and Gma! Wasn't that fun that day last winter?


Wait, that wasn't last! I snuck in another from today....this is the groundskeeper across the street. He is basically "beside" me from the photo above in my chair.....he cuts the grass by hand...obviously he let it go too long and now it's a REAL nightmare. I tried not to be too gross and obvious about photo taking.....never did catch the "sickel" in motion. But you get the idea, right?