We have officially had our first week of school here in Lima. Summer is OVER! I feel like it went by so fast, a little too fast. Our summer took us to the States for over 3 weeks so obviously that made it go by faster but it was a summer filled with sun, beach time, some down time and of course a whole lot of fun.

Last week at the Fletcher house we named the week “Operation Last Week of Summer Fun Week.” Stupid name but I wanted to make sure we did something fun everyday of the week leading up to school. We had a blast but by the end of the week I was READY for school to start:)

Maddox started on Monday at his “nido” (kind of like a preschool.) 4 days before he started we were called by admissions at Sofia’s school to say they had changed their minds and there was a vacancy in the preschool class for Maddox BUT we needed to make our decision in less that 5 hours. AHHHH WHAT???? I couldn’t believe we were going through this stress AGAIN in having to make a decision at the last minute. The process of getting into a school here is the most insane thing I have ever seen and has ONLY come with stress. Needless to say I was pacing all day and about 30 minutes before we made our decision a wise friend told me (thanks Alison) that God is peaceful. He doesn’t come in the form of stress and anxiety. She said a lot more but after praying about it we decided that even though this is what we fought for for Maddox a few months ago (and were denied) and that this might harm his position to enter the school next year, we told them no. Lee was gone all day and told me he would be fine with whatever decision I made but told me to ask Maddox. I thought to myself “sure, what good is that going to do?!?” Ironically it made a huge difference. Maddox had always wanted to go to Sofia’s “big school” but when I asked what he wanted to do I truly felt God spoke through Maddox because he just looked at me and with every certainty in his voice he said “I want to stay at my blue school, I don’t want to go to Sofia’s school!” WHAT???

So, that’s exactly where he is and seeing him this week beaming, kissing his teachers, finding out his primary teacher is a Christian and having the teacher tell me he has been incredibly sweet made me want to grab God’s face and kiss it! Maddox is in the oldest class but because it’s not an official preschool he will have to work really hard to “test in” (I KNOW that just sounds so stupid saying it) to enter Kindergarten or preschool next year (depending on vacancies and what we choose.)

One more funny story about Maddox’s school is that when I walked in the first day, I found out that his teacher spoke near perfect English. They said this is the year that they divide the kids between English and German groups (depending on what school they will go to.) This year they get most the day in English with some Spanish. I about DIED laughing because it was the FIRST time I realized that last year Maddox was in an all Spanish class!!! HAHAHA. The Nido is bilingual so I just assumed that meant that all the teachers spoke English. I was confused during the first half of last year when his teacher couldn’t speak much English to me but just thought he had another teacher for the English part. No WONDER the poor boy was frustrated last year. Oh well, at least he learned Spanish.

Sofia just finished her first week of FIRST grade. I still feel a lump in my throat just saying that!!! I honestly can’t believe we have a first grader. Lee looked at me after we dropped her off and said “were old.” HAHA. She was pretty nervous the night before and voiced a lot of fears but she looked so big (well not really she looked tiny in comparison to everyone but big to us:) and brave when we got to the door. We got to meet her teacher a week ago and she was SO nice. I really liked her and felt like it was a great fit for Sofia. When we got there on the first day we were able to see if any of her friends from last year were in her class and she had 4!!! I was so excited and relieved. I wanted so bad for her to have something familiar and God so blessed that. Another neat blessing is that a little girl named Alana is in her class. Alana is a precious little girl that I met last year. She and her and her mom ride the bus over 2 hours each day to come to school. Several times last year, I tried to nurture that relationship with her and Sofia because Alana and her parents were such sweet people. When I dropped her off and saw that Alana was in her class I got super excited (sofia was looking at me like “what is your problem mom???”)

I’ve been praying that God wraps his arms around Sofia this year. I just get the feeling that this year will be tough emotionally as well as academically. Most of the kids in her class are almost a full year older than her and I think it’s going to show more this year than it did in Kindergarten. Were just trying to learn how to read in English while most of her classmates have already mastered the Spanish reading and are starting on the English. Most of her reading books I bought this year were in Spanish (ALL 12 of them.) Sofia is a strong little girl though and I have NO doubt she will persevere and GET IT DONE! As a mama though I just don’t want to see her struggle too much (though some struggling is good for the soul:)

Well I hope you enjoy a few pics from the kids first week.

Alana and Sofia (can you tell Sofia was a little nervous?!?)

My big First Grader

Sofia and Maddox

Maddox and Rafole (he wasted no time starting to play)

Priceless

Mama and Sofia