Our day was filled with tasks to set up a normal life sooner than later. We signed our lease, measured rooms for furniture, let the kids battle out which bedroom they will get, picked out appliances, and tried to figure out where a power outlet was hiding in the master bathroom. Answer: nowhere. Really. Both real estate agents were as surprised by that as we were!
In between all these house tasks, we went to register the kids for school since we now have a lease to prove our "residency." We met briefly with the principal, who was very nice, and got an assigned time (9:25 AM) for the kids to start on Tuesday, February 1st. Yea! Yea! They need peers in their lives and so do we! We will go on Monday to purchase school uniforms, including hats (there's a no hat, no play policy), raincoats, and library bags (not so sure what that is). Interesting things: the school has a no nut policy so no peanut butter is allowed, there is a school swim carnival (American = meet) in February in which all the kids compete in swim races (Sam is extremely excited), school starts at 9:00 (much later than Chapel Hill!) and felt tip pens are called texters. Non-residents must pay $4500 per year, per child, for school attendance. Assuming the government can process our application in a day (hmmmm), school will start on Tuesday. Whew!
Now I have to figure out which buses to take to get them there since we won't have moved into the house yet and haven't bought a car yet.
Jackson arrived this morning via Qantas and has settled in at the quarantine station. We spoke briefly to his handler this afternoon and she gave us an update. He was "sweet, beautiful and doing well." Visiting hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays during school hours so we haven't figured out how to get the kids there to see him yet. He has to stay until March 2nd which seems like a long time to all of us, but we are glad the trip went well for him.
Can you tell we miss him and are ready for him to join the family?
4 comments:
i really miss jackson has he got with you yet
What times does their school end each day?
Awwww, so cute to see those big smiles in front of their new school.
Glad you are starting to get settled. I guess you'll have to fix your hair in the bedroom (I want to assume there IS a power outlet there! CRA-ZY!
OK, do I have to admit seeing those pictures of Jackson made me teary eyed? Poor guy he probably has no clue what is going on. And he'll be very confused by the prison visiting hours and having you come and not take him with you too!. Breaks my heart!
I too want to know what time school ends. And I can't even think about Jackson...
Kara
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