kolmapäev, september 01, 2004
First Day of School
1. September is traditionally the first day of school here, and in all of the former USSR. Even if the date falls on a weekend, the schools will still have their opening ceremonies on the first day of September; it's just tradition.
Unfortunately, today was marked in a terrible way in the opposite corner of the former Soviet Union (we are northwest; this was southeast): "Attackers Storm Russian School" and "Deaths in Russia School Attack" tell the story.
We know that some of you read stories like this, and worry that we are in danger. We are so far away from Chechnya and any of this sort of thing. If you want to picture what life is like here in Estonia, go spend a day at an Ikea store. Try to read the Swedish names of furniture (impossible). Enjoy the food in the cafeteria. Let your little ones play in the ball room.
We spent today much as we have spent almost the past six months straight -- packing and cleaning and unpacking. I was glad to get almost all of our homeschooling stuff sorted and organized and put away. We are excited about beginning a new school year in a new way for us, using Sonlight curriculum.
Tim got a few birthday cards in the mail today. He turns 40 in exactly one week!
It was pouring down rain, with thunder and lightning, last night and much of today. Elizabeth was disappointed that she wasn't able to go outside and hunt for snails, which has been her latest joy. Instead, we watched a couple Chronicles of Narnia videos together.
Tim made shells for supper, just a simple pasta dish that he always used to make for potluck dinners at the corps in Chester. But it was nice to have that much normality to our lives.
Chris has a question he's been wanting to ask people lately. If the tenth plague killed all of the firstborn Egyptian males, then why didn't the Pharoah die? Please e-mail him at chrisjohnclark@juno.com if you have an answer!
Evelyn
Unfortunately, today was marked in a terrible way in the opposite corner of the former Soviet Union (we are northwest; this was southeast): "Attackers Storm Russian School" and "Deaths in Russia School Attack" tell the story.
We know that some of you read stories like this, and worry that we are in danger. We are so far away from Chechnya and any of this sort of thing. If you want to picture what life is like here in Estonia, go spend a day at an Ikea store. Try to read the Swedish names of furniture (impossible). Enjoy the food in the cafeteria. Let your little ones play in the ball room.
We spent today much as we have spent almost the past six months straight -- packing and cleaning and unpacking. I was glad to get almost all of our homeschooling stuff sorted and organized and put away. We are excited about beginning a new school year in a new way for us, using Sonlight curriculum.
Tim got a few birthday cards in the mail today. He turns 40 in exactly one week!
It was pouring down rain, with thunder and lightning, last night and much of today. Elizabeth was disappointed that she wasn't able to go outside and hunt for snails, which has been her latest joy. Instead, we watched a couple Chronicles of Narnia videos together.
Tim made shells for supper, just a simple pasta dish that he always used to make for potluck dinners at the corps in Chester. But it was nice to have that much normality to our lives.
Chris has a question he's been wanting to ask people lately. If the tenth plague killed all of the firstborn Egyptian males, then why didn't the Pharoah die? Please e-mail him at chrisjohnclark@juno.com if you have an answer!
Evelyn
