oh my goodness I'm finally back online!

So I have been totally out of the blogger loop for way too long and I have been dying to put some photos up since the last month has been FULL of events in our family. So appologies that I have been MIA. Our computer decided to die on us so I have been using random computers along the way, not able to upload my pictures. So I wanted to wait to update in writing till I had some photos to share with it. First things first. My big girl started into the Belgian preschool! She has been there three weeks now and is doing great. She is only going tuesday and friday mornings from 8:40 till about noon. Here is her on her first day. Standing in front of our 'home' aka hotel, the place we called home for 8 weeks! Room 341- the beckenhauers.she's still working on not using her creepy smile :) So as we entered her school grounds there is a courtyard area where all the kids run and play till one of the teachers rings the bell. At which point all the children go running to their designated lines, allies being the 2 1/2 year old class. They all line up with their teacher and walk to their class. I followed next to her to support her to her classroom. At this point I have met the teacher once, but you have to get the picture in your head of me looking and the teacher saying "Bonjour Madame" and she saying "bonjour madame." Yup and thats it. Thats the extent of our conversation cause I do not know enough French to converse and she knows no english. I mean none. Sooo away we go to the classroom, atleast thats what we assume we are doing since all the parents walk that way conversing together, in French that is. We get to the room and everyone starts taking their coats and bags off while listening to the teacher. I stand there laughing to myself thinking... seriously how is allie going to know what the heck is going on??? but off with the coat we go.. and all the kids walk over to the carpet area to take a seat.. Allie follows suit.

There are only 6 kiddos in her class which is great. Three girls and three boys. Allie of course always looks the biggest (her height is a bit taller than the rest). And the teacher continues to say directions as allie and I watch in confusion. Another mom walks over to me and I state politely "Bonjour" She looks at me and says "Are you American". PRAISE THE LORD! I think. This mom speaks ENGLISH! I will survive! I look at her excitedly. "Yeah I am." Then we continue with about a 5 min conversation. She is belgian and has a sweet little girl Eloise, who at this point Allie is hand in hand with and giving me big smiles. Eloises mom speaks incredible english so she continues to explain to me how the classroom works, the things Allie will need etc and gives me her phone number in case I need a translator for anything. Hallelujah it was like the heavens opened up with a light on this sweet mom. I look over at Allie and she is just chatting away with little Eloise, while Eloise just looks at her with confused eyes as if to say "what are you saying?!" (since eloise only speaks french) Yet it doesn't seem to bother Allie one bit. Allie comes running over gives Jake a big hug and kiss and says "I love you sooo much" gives me a hug and runs back to her friend while saying "see you later mom". Ok then. I guess she doesn't mind school...

Allie runs over and sits next to her new found friend as the teacher starts to give instructions. The parents start to file out of the classroom and I just look back, say a little prayer that Allie doesn't have to use the bathroom, since she doesn't know how to ask in french to use the "potty" and away I go. Eloise's mom (Caroline) lets me know that she'll be fine and if theres a problem they will call. I'm not too concerned just kind of laugh at the idea of Allie not knowing what anyone is saying. I thank Caroline and out I go.

Jake and I head off for the morning. Tuesday mornings the chapel on base offers the most amazing womens Bible study. So it works out perfect for us to head down there for the next three hours, have some coffee, worship and a great Bible study. There are some amazing women here whom I have been so blessed to meet. Honestly as crazy as the last two months have been and how crazy it is to move overseas the women here have made this place really feel so welcoming and so much like home to me. I am blessed. So Jake headed to the nursery (where they offer free childcare during bible study) and I get a blessed three hours for me. ahhhhh. so amazing. I will definitely enjoy tuesday mornings.

Noon came quickly as Jake and I headed back to allies school. On the first day of school everyone has a half day so all the parents are there waiting for their kiddos to get out and thankfully Caroline is there waiting as well (have I noted that she also has a baby boy, two months old, I think I found myself a Belgian friend in the making!). All the kids come running out into the courtyard, Allie with her friend in hand. Big smile on her face runs up to me gives me a big hug "Hi MOM! did you miss me?" "Yes Allie of course I did!" she says "was jake crying All morning cause he missed me?". "Definitely, he was for sure crying allll morning". the mind of a two year old, all things must cease to move if she is not around :) Madame Celine (allies teacher) came walking up and started speaking to Caroline. Caroline thoughtfully asked her how allie did and translated for me that Allie had a great day and did very well. Perfect. Allie said her goodbyes and away we went.

The car ride home is always a funny one.

"Did you have a good day Allie?"

"Yup"

"what did you do?"

"glued"

"glued what?"

"Nothing. Just glued".

"mmm ok. did you have fun?"

"Yup"

"Did you read a book?"

"yup"

"was it good?"

"Yeah it was really funny." And away she goes eating her snack.

I laugh to myself thinking, she made no comment about how no one made any sense or that she couldn't understand what they said. It amazes me that she doesn't need language to get through her day. She follows cues and body language and just plays. Quite funny to me.

A very successful first day!

Allie has now been to three weeks of school and is doing very well. We have had tears two mornings now when I leave but they quickly stop as I walk out of the room. She has done all sorts of fun things in class (although I don't know what they are since I can't speak to the teacher) Although on fridays she eats lunch at school with the kids before picking her up and the first friday this is what Madame says to me. "Allie Mange" Thumbs up. "Allie mange bien bien". translate "Allie ate very well allie ate her whole lunch." Yup thats my girl, the good eater. They cook huge healthy meals for them for lunch its great. normally a soup, a meat, a vegetable, and a fruit. Allie loves it. So preschool is a success and I am thankful we are doing it the two mornings a week.

ONE QUICK FUNNY STORY

So Belgium is known for their french fries. They actually invented the french fry, suprisingly. So everywhere throughout the city they have things called Friteries. They are tiny little shack of a restaurant that have all of the WORST foods for you, hense why my husband LOVES them. They have everything fried you can imagine and some you can't imagine. Their fries of course being the best. Heres the types of signs you see everywhere...

So one night we are out shopping and such so we decide to head to a friterie, having only been to one, Rob was really wanting another heart stopper meal. So thankfully we walk into this one that has a type of meat like Gyro meat that they serve over lettuce and with some veggies, thankfully that is what I order. Rob on the other hand has no idea what is on the menu and just starts pointing at random items in the glass case in front of him, at which they grab the item and throw it into the frier. Then they serve it up with some sauce normally a mayo sauce. Rob is in heaven, I am a little sick to my stomach seeing his items, but happy I have my own :) We walk outside to our table and allie says what are we eating? I laugh and say "I'm not sure allie a little bit of everything." "Can I have that sausage?" The one non fried item on robs plate is this large sausage, cold mind you. "Sure allie girl you can have the sausage." Rob takes a bite and Allie starts chowing it down.
"mmm momma this is good". "Great Al I'm glad you like it". Of course we ordered an order of fries, in which they serve with mayo as well (they alll dip their fries in mayo.. lovely) So the tiny fork allie has in her hand is for the fries to dip in the sauce.

Rob says "wanna bite?" "no I'm good, I think I am gaining weight just sitting next to all that oil". "Try the sausage". "No its ok I like my dinner. thanks". A couple minutes later he says "Here try a bit of the sausage". "no I'm good. really". "Come on just try it".

"Ok fine I'll take a bite". (we have always said that we will try anything here, just one bite atleast, cause thats what we make allie do) so I tried a bite.

"Its cold. tastes weird cold. like it should be served with crackers or something."

As I swallow my bite Rob says "Wanna know what it is?" "huh? what do you mean?"

"wanna know what animal it is?" I swallow a little harder thinking you little punk you had me eat some crazy meat. "what was it?

"Cheval he says." I think real hard at the limited french words, many animals I actually know.

"HORSE????"

Rob looks at my with a grin on his face. "Yup"

So then I had to sit there with this little girl in front of me gnawing on her sausage and I can't say a thing cause there's no reason I should tell her to stop or get her grossed out... so instead I sit there getting a little sick to my stomach at the thought of sausage made from horse... and rob sits there laughing at the sitaution..... ahh a day in the life in Belgium :)