Back to School!

Out to ice-cream the last night before school starts!! :)  Weston's friend Gustavo has become part of the family.

It's unbelievable how fast time flies!  The kids went back to school today!  It feels early to us.  We expected them to start next week or the week after, because that's when we started in Cáceres.  But... no... they started earlier.  :)  Poor things.  There's no air-conditioning in the schools.  This morning when we dropped them off (before it even gets "hot" here!) it was stifling in those class rooms! 

Thankfully, last night, no one was upset or crying... which truly is a first in a long time.  Nathan actually said that he was excited about school starting, so that should tell us pretty clearly that this move has been a good thing!

Waiting for the gates to open at our neighborhood school.  The "line" was unbelievable!  First day of school craziness... :)

Nathan and Weston just inside the doors of their school: La Patacona

I think the last time we updated y'all, we had the 4 kids at 2 different schools; and we were praying for an opening for Jonathan in our neighborhood school.  It didn't look like it was going to happen; but at the very last minute, they found a "plaza" for him!  We were so thrilled... until Jonathan looked at us with tears in his eyes and declared, "I don't want to leave my school!"  Isn't it funny how we think we want something (like all 4 kids at the SAME school), and the Lord shows us a better way?

Jonathan outside his school: Ausías March

After praying through it, we realized that although we never would have chosen it this way, it seems wise to keep the kids in the schools they have been in.  God knew.  Jonathan has thrived in this school.  There are only 15 in his class, and it's a pretty calm class on top of that.  His teacher has commented on his ability to pick up Valenciano; and we have all been impressed with his music teacher, who has brought out a side of Jonathan that we have never seen.  This is my child who has a very hard time sitting still for any length of time... but if you put a recorder in his hand, he will practice for an hour without stopping! :) His teacher has commented on well he does with music.  I think Jonathan has found a piece of himself at this school... the 6th graders ask him to play soccer with them during recess... he is able to be his own person in this school and do things that he might not be able to do if he had older brothers in 5th and 6th grade. :)

Walking to school (after parking the car) in Alboraya

The other thing we realized as we began praying, is that all of our relationships have come from this school (Ausías March)... NOT the one in our neighborhood (La Patacona.)  It's kind of strange, really.  But the neighborhood school is much larger and it feels big city... busy families, parents not present, no one stands around talking; there's a get-in, get-out mentality... whereas the school in the Alboraya feels like a family, everyone knows everyone, etc.  We have seen the Lord working in relationships in this schools; so in addition to Jonathan wanting to stay, it made sense to continue these relationships!  So in the end, we decided to keep Jonathan and Carolina in their same school (since Carolina is always happy no matter where she is!)  Although it makes it harder logistically, we know that the Lord's hand is on this, so we are trusting that He knows best!  From the start, going to Ausías March has never been our idea... but rather the path the Lord chose for us.  Obviously, He has a plan!... and we are grateful for it.