First Day of School

We did it!

Today was Zoe's first day of (home) school Kindergarten! Ariella tagged along and did a lot of the activities with us...coloring, Bible time (Genesis 1:1-2), math, reading/writing (Zoe wasn't as interested in this part), history (learned about a timeline), literature, music/dance, science (cool beads that change color with ultraviolet light). Each subject took only a few minutes. Zach took a nice long nap during our school time.

It feels significant that Zoe is 5 and has started school and that I am her teacher. There is a lovely little American International school here...but it starts with first grade. So this year I get to teach Zoe! Once a week she will have class with her same-age friends--art, science, gym--with the moms taking turns teaching. I hope this will help them to be prepared to be in a classroom together next year. The things that I remember learning in Kindergarten are mostly social. What do you say when you need to use the bathroom? Who is popular? What do you do in class and at recess? I think it will be fun getting to experience Kindergarten all over again this year with Zoe (and then likely later with Ariella and Zach).

Of course we took some cute photos!

My Little 2 Year Old

Zoe is 2! 

Two years ago I met her for the first time. We had already completed 3 months of language school and she was born in a hospital in Indonesia 1.5 hours away from where we lived.

One year ago we celebrated her birthday in Idaho at the MAF headquarters and she loved eating her cupcake.

And now we live in Papua, Indonesia and she loves to run around, play in water, and practice saying new words.

I love her so much!

In approximately 4 months she will be a big sister!

Beginnings

I have been meaning to start a blog for several months now.  The problem, really, is getting started.  Other people's blogs interest me, make me cry or laugh.  I have ideas that I would like to share, but none of them seems right for a first blog post. What is worth writing about to start out?

There are many beginnings in my life right now: beginning to live in a new place, learning a new language, being pregnant and giving birth for the first time--becoming a mother.  Almost everything feels new!

Yet, at the same time, it's amazing how quickly we adapt to a new place.  When we took Zoe to Jakarta to visit the American embassy and turn in her passport paperwork, I just wanted to go home.  Home to Salatiga, to the house I'm living in for a year during language school.  And looking out my windows at banana trees, red-and-white flags, and my neighbors' homes is so familiar.  Only understanding part of the conversations around me also feels fine, now.  Yes, I can communicate much better than I could when I arrived here in March, but I do not really mind that I sometimes do not know what people are saying.  And even my little Zoe, who is still very new, is growing so quickly! 

So, to honor what feels like the most significant beginning that I am a part of right now, my daughter Zoe's birth and life, I will share some pictures of her in her first day of life and current pictures!

July 15, 2011

 

August 22, 2011

 

I hope you enjoy these pictures!  What beginnings do you have in your life right now?  How do you suggest starting a blog?  :)

-Joy