Back to school and readjustment

Well, some of you have asked about re-entry and I have been missed writing our reflections down...so I thought I would give a quick update.

The kids went back to school on Monday. There were some anxiousness, a 7am predawn departure (ouch) and then happy reunions and big hugs. Our Minneapolis School, Clara Barton is a great school and the kids fell right back in its rhythm (even the early mornings). This is their comfort zone and not so much because of the language. I think Barton is very intentional about creating a positive environment for all kids. Theo said, "there are no "cool" and "uncool" kids at Barton. I think its also a great fit for Grace and Theo because learning and paying attention to the teacher is cool!

Along with school, we also have slid right back into programmed extra-curricular activities, namely sports so far. Both kids started cross-country ski league, and Gracie is back on the swim team and Theo is checking out a traveling soccer team. From our relatively simple, unprogrammed life, it comes as a shock that at least one of the kids has a sports activity 6 days of the week! Ahhh, back to the infinite juggle (and I'm not even working yet)!

Our challenge now is to retain some of the very precious family time we came to so appreciate during our travels. Perhaps it will be less about the quantity and more about being fully present for the time we can carve out. A friend asked if the time in Chile had gone fast and I responded "no". Everything was so new to us that we spent the year like four children, experiencing the world with wonder and open eyes. We were very present - no rote routines, no same old same old to which we devoted very little of our brain energy. We were fully present and paying attention to everything. So now we have the chance to rediscover our life in the Twin Cities with our eyes fully open as well! :-)

Hope to see many of you soon. Our home number is the same as ever.
Laura