Back to School Blues ...

Well the feelings appear to be 60/40 ... We have three that are excited about going back, and two that are in great distress..and don't even want to say the "S" word. Emma and Bekah are almost distraught at the thoughts of going back to school... They want us to take them back to Central Asia and go to school there. Bekah says "Just hire us a translator for a few months, and we will be just fine ". Benjamin is going back to school to get his Masters Degree... he is very excited and has been looking forward to this for some time. He loves school. Our daughter-in-love, Rachel, is following in Julie's career path and is taking a post grad Addictions Counseller Program and is very happy with this. Altynai started school today at the Technical Institute in town... I think that she has had the most fan fare of any student... We have received photo's from both Sergei and Anya and also from David and Jayne... It has helped us to have so many EYES on her to keep us posted. We have called a couple of times and talked to her, but that usually ends up with us all crying..... The first photo we received was this one

This is Altynai in the middle , introducing her new room mate ( On her right ) to Jayne and Davids friend Bekah. When we saw this we were so excited... the room mate is a girl that we know.... She is a beautiful girl with a genuine gentle spirit... we were so blessed to see this. This is a photo of her on her way to school.... You can see Christina over her shoulder... Christina was such a blessing to us while we were there, and that continued when we left... She and Ruslan took Altynai as part of their family when we left... She has been so good to Altynai and has had a special connection with her... Christina works for PI and was Altynai's English teacher and tutor.... she deserves a lot of credit for the wonderful job that she does with the kids... Here is a photo of their new room.... Maybe we were in Central Asia for too long, but when I look at this photo, the first thing I see is a hot water radiator on the wall and mattresses on the beds ....

Well I guess 3 out of 5 happy is a start...... maybe we will have to offer some sort of incentive to help the other two with their attitudes... how's that for good parenting...lol.