Where to begin?????

The past two months have been a blur. I think it is mainly because I was taking my two online courses to renew my teaching license. I have finished (today is my first day of freedom!) and so I am celebrating by catching up the blog. We have had a whirlwind spring but have enjoyed ourselves immensely, too!

I will focus this entry on March. At the beginning of March, we started with a tea ceremony at the kids' school and Tanner's last day at the Yochien (unofficially). The other children at the Yochien graduated and the Yochien's last day of ever being open will be in July. Japanese school ends in March and then starts again in April with a new school year. Funny story...Tanner's teachers asked me to explain to him that he and the other little boy in his class would have to present gifts to all of the graduating children but they would not be getting gifts themselves. Try explaining THAT one to your three year old. I told him and he broke down into tears. Being the quick thinking mother that I am, I said, "But I will take you to the dollar store right after the ceremony and you can pick WHATEVER you want!" He smiled and all was well. At the ceremony that day, he did end up getting the same gift as all of the graduating children. While he is sitting there with his gift in hand in front of the whole group he whispers loudly, "Mom! Hey mom? Does this mean I don't get to go to the dollar store?"

At Marist, the children have been able to participate in a tea ceremony each year. I was able to bribe Isaac to wear his Yukata (summer kimono) this year and I didn't have to ask Brynnie twice to wear hers. Thankfully, I was able to ask the moms in charge of the tea if Isaac and Brynn could just have water. Other than a little boy spilling hot green tea all over Isaac's BRAND new pair of Nike socks that Bryce brought back from the states (still can't get the stain out!) the ceremonies went off without a hitch!

I turned 34....34!!! I certainly don't feel that old. When I look at my parents and see how young they are I think, "They can't possibly have a child THAT old." Wow! However, Bryce turned 35 in Feb. and that sounds ancient compared to 34 so I will take it!

The last Friday in March was also the big charity fundraiser for the NHS at Marist. Brynn and her cheerleading squad were performing. Unfortunately, her coach had a conference out of the country and needed someone to fill in for her. In comes....M-E!!! I had so much fun working with the girls the week prior to the performance. They did awesome and their new uniforms are fantastic. Funny thing was that Brynn told us a few days before that Friday that not only was she cheering but she was also singing a song with a few of her classmates. We didn't even KNOW about it. Just so happened that all of the girls singing with her were also cheerleaders so they all matched :0) That girl has no hesitation or fear. She certainly doesn't get it from me but boy did she do a great job! (I can say that...I'm biased!)