First Day of School

This was a big week for us! Emma started second grade on Monday, Jack started preschool on Tuesday, and Will and I started language school on Tuesday. It was a long week full of intensity, flexibility, overwhelmingness (is that a word?), excitement, independence and hard work. I think we all enjoyed it, and we're glad to be in a routine again. It is strange to think this will be our life for the next year and that comes with all kinds of emotions. It's just so different than what we're used to. Our typical day this week consisted of this: wake up at 6am, pack lunches & snacks, out the door by 7:15am, school from 7:30-12, pick up Jack, go home and rest for a little bit (we usually play Mario Kart), walk back to get Emma at 2:30 in a torrential downpour, study, dinner, wash dishes, bathe kids, kids in bed by 7:30, we're in bed by 9. We really rested this weekend which was nice. Back to the grind on Monday! Here's some pictures from the first days of school:

Emma lost her tooth the night before school started. She was so excited about school and the tooth fairy that she couldn't sleep. Will made her put the pillow outside her door.

The tooth fairy in Costa Rica brings colones!

My big girl second grader

Emma - age 7 1/2...check out that missing tooth!

Have to spray legs with bug spray every time we walk out the door...Emma looks thrilled

Emma and her new friend Elena

Preschool playground where Jack hit his head

Back door to the school...only open for 10 minutes before & after school with a guard

Sojourn Academy school hallway

Gym where they had opening assembly. There's Emma & Elena in the middle.

Hallway connecting kid's school & language school

School playground complete with concrete, jagged rock, questionable swings and fenced in sand box. We ain't in the USA anymore! Emma said they play a lot of tag & that's her favorite game.

Family backpacks

My big boy preschooler

Jack - age 4 1/2...he loves the Costa Rican flag on his arm

Mom & Dad first day of school picture

Blue polo shirts are the school uniform

My favorite picture of the day...they're growing up so fast

Emma and her teacher Mrs. David

Emma by her desk in her classroom

She really likes the kids in her class and her teacher. I think there's only 3 girls and 8 boys. Will told her that her odds are pretty good for a boyfriend...she punched him.

Best picture I could get of Jack's classroom. His face pretty much explains how he feels each day coming home. The kids in his class speak English, but his teacher doesn't speak any English at all. I think after having Spanish spoken at him for 5 hours straight he's pretty weirded out. I have to carry him home every day after school and usually after lunch & some down time he's okay. We ask him every day if he understood anything at school and he says no. We're gonna ask him this every day, so we'll post when he finally says yes. We've been told it could be months.

Will's grammar class

His group of 5 guys in phonetics and language class. I have a group of 6 girls. It's kind of nice having the same people in each class, but the small class sizes make it impossible to hide and daydream. Will and I don't have any classes together which is probably good. Keeps us from getting too competitive with each other!

Will's teachers are Laura, Lissette and the butterfly lady. My teachers are Ana, Eugenia and Dixianna. My teachers speak some English but Will's don't at all. We've already had plenty of homework and we're moving at a lightning pace. Will said after only 4 days we're probably 3 months into a high school Spanish course. My language teacher is a little intense and kind of scary, but I guess that will make me learn the language! We even had a lady cry in class on Friday. We've been told this happens often. Will and I know that the most important thing for us is to get in bed early every night...even if we're not finished studying. This keeps us from getting emotional and helps us focus. If we get tired and get behind in our work, I have no idea how in the world we would catch up. I can't even begin to describe how intense it is to not only listen, but learn in another language you don't understand for 5 hours a day. Wow.

We begin week 2 tomorrow...please keep us in your prayers!