Down Under

It has been a crazy roller coaster of a week and just so you know I am not a big fan of roller coasters. The Hub got a dream job. He will help the company he works for develop a huge natural gas field and pipeline. It is a great opportunity. The only catch, the job is in Brisbane, Australia. So we are moving yet again. This time to the land down under. I am very excited for this new adventure. This is an expat assignment for 2-3 years and then back to Texas. We have been doing tons of research and are anxious to find the right schools, neighborhoods, and church. The school year in Australia begins in January and runs pretty much all year, with breaks every 8-12 weeks. Our hope is to get there before school starts. We are all sad to leave so many dear friends, but feel grateful for technology that will make it easier to stay in touch. A few years ago my grandfather said to me, "You move so much, we should've bought you a motor home for your wedding."...that was 3 moves ago. I guess he was right.

Shoes

The hub volunteered to take the oldest shoe shopping last Friday. He is braver than I and surprisingly patient when faced with a preteen melt down. Off they went in search of shoes that were comfortable and cute. I have been searching for those shoes for years now, but they seemed confident they could find them in the hour before dinner. While on the shopping adventure, the hub sent me this text, with a note that said, "Do you know that your daughter loves to put on high heels and run around the store in them?" I laughed because this is actually a little game that CB and I have played since she was little. We always try on the craziest shoes and then try to run up and down the aisles in them usually talking in silly voices. If you have never done this grab your daughter and go and if you have no daughter call me because it is totally silly, but really fun.

ps:She almost talked her dad into these, she is awfully hard to resist, but at the last minute his sanity returned and they came home with some much more practical all WHITE tennis shoes ;)

Grammar Lesson

Today, I had to teach another grammar lesson. Grammar is not an easy subject for me to teach and while I can logically understand that it is important to understand the fundamentals of the English language, I am just not sure that it really matters if my students can name all 7 subordinate conjunctions. So I really geared up today and over prepared with all kinds of "fun" activities and attention getting techniques. I even played the oh so familiar Conjunction Junction video from school house rock. You remember the one at the train depot, with the really catchy, albeit slightly annoying song. "Conjunction junction, what's your function?"



I must admit, I was pretty excited and thought for sure my students would love it. I played the clip and waited for the reaction. But they just sat there, I think somewhat confused, definitely not entertained, and clearly not appreciating the iconic school house rock. I even had to explain what it was and tell them that there used to be a programing requirement that Saturday morning cartoons be somewhat educational. School House rock was developed to meet that federal requirement. Again blank stares. I resisted the urge to play Bill on Capitol Hill or Lolly, Lolly, Lolly Get your Adverbs Here. You remember those, all part of growing up in the 80's.

Genetics

Do you ever look at your kids and wonder where they came from? I mean we all know where they came from and how they got here. I just mean do you ever look at your kids in wonder and think they are so much more amazing, terrific, intelligent, athletic, artistic, graceful, etc than me? I had one of these moments on Sunday. I was sitting on the back patio, enjoying the great weather, watching the girls play. I sat is awe as CB maneuvered her ripstick in and out of the small obstacle course she had set up. Skateboarding is something I have never been able to do. There are so many things about her that are clearly not from genetics. Honestly, her ability to learn things never ceases to amaze me. She just made the Science Olympiad team at her school, no small feat as a 6th grader. This summer she wake boarded on her first try. She plays the piano and now the cello almost instinctively. She is a whiz at math, loves to draw and has had several of her art pieces displayed. I marvel that such an amazing person could come from my genes; I am really flawed.

My Little Monster

Can you believe it is October? Cam came home from school today and announced that October is half over and that we better get out our Halloween decorations before it is too late. So into the attic I climbed for the giant orange plastic jack-o-lantern, inflatable purple spider, and spooky tin mansion. I got out the "costume box" and yet again told the girls that this year all costumes had to come from this box. They played along like they always do. "Yes, mommy we will not beg you for costumes 2 days before Halloween. No mommy we will not change our minds and cry huge crocodiles tears until you take us to the store for the perfect costume." We all know the truth. I will be frantically combing the much picked over aisles on the 30th., but I can pretend right. I felt the fun of Halloween escaping as I thought of all of the costume drama. I do have 3 girls remember. And then I remembered this little cutie, a birthday present from a dear friend who loves all things Halloween. I filled him with candy corn and set him on the entry table. A great little reminder that Halloween IS supposed to be fun and that even little monsters can be cute.