Forget college

May 27, 2012 5 Comments

I'm a wreck just sending my baby overseas by herself for the first time!  Yes, this wee one (in the pink blanket)…

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packed suitcases, boarded a plane and is somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean as  I type this post. Okay, yes, the baby really looks more like this these days:

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Tonight was the beginning of *the* big trip.  She has been counting down since February, when we first mentioned the idea.  My friend, Berta, headmistress of the International School of Iceland, had invited her to spend a week with her family.  Berta was an amazing support and friend to us while we were in Iceland, and her kids hit it off magically with my kids.  I couldn't imagine a better way for Cait to celebrate Confirmation, the end of 8th grade or forget about the beginning of her father's year away.

We applied for a new passport, bought the ticket, dug out the luggage, bought new clothes and did not forget the swimsuit (oh, the hot pots….).   She started loading up last night while simultaneously doing several loads of laundry.  Despite oversleeping a bit (guess no worries about jet lag), she was ready to go by the time the babysitter arrived.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner and then arrived at Dulles nearly 3 hours early (note to self:  waaayyy too early).  This gave us plenty of quality time which translated into Cait hitting both Cinnabon and Dunkin Donuts.  Whatever, right?

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We arrived at the gate an hour early (an hour and 15 minutes before the plane arrived) and just relaxed and chatted (you knw, played angry birds and watched Harry Potter).  It was so odd to look at her and realize that in just a bit, she would board the plane by herself and would then be off to a week of visiting old friends, hanging in lava fields, swimming in any kind of weather, and horseback riding, to name a few.  I began to wonder if I was truly sad or just extremely jealous.  Then they announced it was time to board. 

Technically, she went on a bit early.  Guess she had either that Saga Class look to her or like someone who needed a little extra time.  Either way, I accompanied her nearly to the boarding pass check and she (appropriately) looked extremely embarrassed when I suddenly threw my arms around her and told her to have fun.  Yes, I could have cried. 

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Not even a glance back…

After all, not only was my baby going off on her own, but she was doing something I never could have done at her age.  I never had this type of travel opportunity and even if one had presented itself, I wonder if I could have gone through with it.  Despite being only 13, she has an amazing sense of self and independence.  I was so proud that she was not fretting about traveling overseas by herself, but only mildly concerned if she would fill out the customs form correctly and remember where to go (my bet is yes).  I'm so excited that she has an opportunity like this and have a feeling it will be an experience she will never forget. 

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She made it on the plane…

I know it is an one that will never fade in importance for me. It's the type that makes you realize just how much knowledge your children have soaked up and how they capable they really are (not that you didn't know that already).  She was not afraid to pack up and leave her safe world behind for a week (granted, trading it for another safe world), and for that, I am so incredibly proud.  Have fun, Cait!  Hopefully, this is just the door to a whole new world of traveling for her, and for that, I am once again so grateful….and just a wee bit envious?!

 

 

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2010 Leave a comment

IMG_3928 Thanks to everyone who sent special treats and wishes our way!  As usual, way too much, but thank you, we will enjoy!

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At post?

February 1, 2010 Leave a comment

DPA675F-376If you are in the Foreign Service, you probably have heard of the blog, At Post.  It is relatively young, but has already earned two mentions in the Foreign Service Journal and is rapidly gaining a quite a following.  Due to a request for winter photos, I submitted a picture I snapped on Christmas Day 2007. 

It was our first white Christmas in Iceland and utterly gorgeous.  I took a walk around the neighborhood between gift opening and guest arrival and marveled in the beauty.  Despite the freshness of the snow, one can see by the footprints that many had already been out to enjoy and bask in the glow.  After all, we were down to maybe two complete hours of daylight at that point.  In fact, in my mind, the day was much brighter, perhaps because I was so used to the longer winter nights (all 22 hours of them!).

DPA675F-370 DPA675F-372 DPA675F-374  If you have a chance, please peruse the blog.  Better yet, if you are in the FS and have oodles of photos that might fit a category, don't be shy, send them in!  I think it's a fabulous idea for a blog, and will end up being a very unique photo album.

DPA675F-344 DPA675F-435 DPA675F-443 DPA675F-450  I realized while looking back at that time period, that I left out some of my own photos from that Christmas that I intended to post…you know, one day.  Guess that time has come. The first set includes three pictures of the kids at Árbæjarsafn, just on the outskirts of town. It's a unique open air museum and this was the first year we had a chance to visit it at Christmastime. We enjoyed games, súkkulaði, and watching the making of Laufabrauð, among other activities.  It was a bit nippy, but the kids love watching history come to life.  It's probably quite obvious, but the other photo is of the girls in front of the Christmas tree at the annual Christmas party at the Embassy.

The second set of photos include the girls posing as Icelandic Santas during our annual trip to the Christmas village in Hafnarfjordur, our last Icelandic Christmas tree, our home for three years, and an Icelandic snowman.  I wish I had written about it at the time, but I am guessing I must have been preoccupied with our (then) upcoming move, as well as the impending arrival of LG.

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Middle School Madness

September 4, 2009 Leave a comment

has begun.  We shopped, sorted, filed, labeled, packed, and prepped.  Oh, wait, she's 11.  C did all of the aforementioned with little or no help from us.  Well, one of us drove the car, and one of us paid for the school supplies, but other than that, she was on her own.  By choice, of course.

We took the obligatory picture on the front stoop with her carpool buddy, and with Kelsey. No, I don't know why they couldn't stand next to one another.  And, with that, she was off.  We waved until the car drove around the corner (yes, I even took a picture of the car driving away…I am hopeless). 

How's it going?  By all accounts, absolutely fine.  Her school has a nifty system called Schoolloop, which is a way we can all keep track of her homework and grades by merely logging into a website.  I suppose I should actually credit the school district, not the school, but I do applaud the school for using the system. Grades and scores are uploaded by the teachers per their schedule (daily, weekly, bimonthly) and there are never any (well, none thus far) surprises regarding grades, homework completion, or project due dates.

Last night was the official back to school night, and Peter and I were both able to attend (thank you, Sittercity!).  We visited all 7 classes, and received fairly comprehensive overviews of what would be studied.  C takes her "Core" (Readers' and Writers' workshops and Social Studies) classes with one teacher, and the rest of the classes (science, math, gym, and home ec (yes, an elective!) are with separate teachers.

I can't say we were disappointed in any aspect of the evening, and I was quite happy with the "rules" of the school. Rather than a crime & punishment style of authority, it is an action & consequence.  If she wears a hat inside, it isn't a crime, just an action.  There is the consequence that she loses the hat (for the day), but there is no punishment.  The same is true for gum chewing, dress code violations, and cell phone use.  They have a theory that middle school is hard enough for 'tweens and young teens, and try to teach them how to learn from their mistakes rather than just mete out meaningless punishments that shame them without teaching them. 

So, that's really that.  She comes home, works on homework, naps, eats dinner, finishes the homework, and reads.  Other than going to bed earlier (yes, earlier) not much is different.  I can't say it has been super-easy, as math has presented a few challenges, but she is adapting well and has no problem getting up and going in the morning.  It probably doesn't hurt that her Core teacher stresses that one should read, read, read, read, read, and read.  I think her placement in that class was more than perfect!

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