Back to School update

Ok I know it's only day three but why not?  It's been an interesting three days.

On the first day of school, we drove the girls to school.  Jocy's teacher suggested it would be a very good idea to be there.  And I am glad we did.  Not that we haven't taken the girls on the first day.  We were a little concerned because it seemed so chaotic.  Joel decided to work from the hotel just in case something happened.  Since we are still with only one car, he didn't want to have to make a mad dash back from Koceali (up to 2 hour drive).  And of course something did come up, which we napped right thru.  LOL.  Luckily, nothing bad.  The only two issues of the day were the bus ride home.  First we forgot to inform Elly that she was riding the bus home.  Thankfully, we had Jocy and she had also listened when we told her to look out for her sister and make SURE she was on the bus.  The other was the EXTREMELY late arriving bus.  I was a little frantic.  We didn't think to ask the bus #.  And we waited and waited.  If we knew the bus # we could have logged onto the website and tracked it by GPS and seen the alert.  Joel got ahold of the head guy and found out they were just 15 minutes away.  I was so relieved when they arrived. But the cause of the delay, was this poor 6th grade girl.  Some how the bus driver had the wrong address.   She had just move in from Romania and didn't know the area.  And of course the driver doesn't know English.  I am guessing it all worked out, because she was on the bus Tuesday and Jocy and her are good friends now.  The girls verbally attacked us, but we were very relieved that they had a great day and liked their new school.  Elly did tell me that if the bus was going to take that long, we had to drive her home.

Jocy has already made two friends, Bianca and Tinka.  She has no idea where Bianca is from but Tinka just moved here from India.  I am loving the diversity she is getting compared to Liberty!   She has already had her first Turkish lesson and then today is French.  She said PE was a ton of fun and very tiring.  She is really looking forward to when they start swimming.  Her teacher is doing well in feeding her reading habit.  Which is good because she has about read thru all the new books she got before we left!

Elly is a complete exhausted mess.  Yesterday she slowly got out of bed but was quick to get ready.  This morning, not so much.  The alarm was going off, lights being turned on and the curtains opened, and Elly was still asleep.  After three attempts to wake her and her rolling over and going back to sleep (preview for teen years?), I finally  pulled the blankets off.  That got her moving.... slowly.  So I think we are going to have to adjust bedtime.  But other than that, she is doing great!  No separation anxiety at all!  Maybe its because she leaves me at the bus stop with Jocy.  She has been dying to ride a school bus since Jocy did last year.  It's not the big yellow school bus but it's still a bus!  I love that the school has a daily communication book and her teacher writes in it everyday.  She has made a friend Charlotte and they seem to be inseparable.  Elly gets 30 minutes of Turkish a day.  But she couldn't tell me anything.  Today is her first PE class.  She was very nervous and didn't want to wear her tennis shoes.  Jocy explained to her that PE was an organized recess.  Yes, that came out of my 7 years.  But whatever she said, seemed to work.  She says she loves school and no matter how tired she is in the morning, she still wants to go!

As for me.... sigh.  It was hard enough for Jocy to go to Kindergarten.  She really needed it and Nate was a few month old.  But I wasn't prepared for Elly going full time this year.  She was only going to go 3 half day at St. Gabriel's this year.  The first day I didn't cry, but was a bit emotional on the ride home.  Maybe if we were actually settled and everything had been taken care of.... they like to wait til last minute to handle anything.   Can tell you Ford HR might be bitched out from me soon.  I was just really nervous being so far away, in an unknown country, and someone else driving my kids!  I am very glad that Joel was not at work.  Joel made a comment, that it seems like once we get thru it the first time here, we are much more comfortable.  We had a very nice day.  Ate my fav sandwich outside looking over Taksim Park.  Feeling VERY weird having one kid.  I can't believe how freakin easy it was!!  I am VERY sorry but I don't think I can listen to anyone with one kid talk about how hard it is now.... I might laugh my ass off.   Now, Day 2..... bored out of my freakin mind!  I hate seeing 6am.  And I really don't hate anything.  If I could wake at 9am everyday, I would be the happiest person all the time.  I got up and ready, then woke the kids up and got them ready.  All 3 by myself.  Now, I sort of did that last year.  It was more of I threw the kids in the stroller (or car) in their jammies and walk up to the bus stop (in my jammies).  Unfortunately, you can't do that in the Hilton.  Ok maybe you can but it is HIGHLY looked down upon.  This is a very fancy place, you know.  I take all three kids down for breakfast.  Never been to breakfast at 7:00am before.  A whole other world!  And then I get everyone into the bathroom, since it is an hour before they get to school and they just had two glass or OJ/Tomato juice.  Yes, Jocy is a tomato juice fan, just like her mommy.  We have been early for the bus every morning so far.  I thought it would be weird standing out front of the Hilton waiting for the bus, but not so much.  The Valet guys know us well and alway talk to the kids.  And there are a few other families doing the same.  We are the only family from BISI but I saw buses for IICS and MEF too.  We need to form a club or something.  LOL.

Now 4 hours into day 3, I am ok.  Wish I had something to do.  There are only so many times you can run thru the "yard" and play puzzles and Buzz and Woody.  It's getting a little cool for the pool but we might try to go today.  If not, to just have lunch.  I know in two weeks, I will have an apartment to put together.  And hopefully, finally be busy with life as always.  So Nate and I are going to watch Toy Story (for the 100th time) because he just asked.

Later!