A Few Tears...

Poor Maxwell... he just wants to do everything right... he's such a rule follower despite his exuberance and energy. When I picked up the boys for lunch today, he came running out to me with tears in his eyes and then burst into tears in my arms. Turns out that the homework he and Josh had worked on so hard last night was really supposed to be class work today and he was upset that he had gotten that confused. His teacher was not upset or anything, he was just upset. When I pointed out to him that we will make many mistakes as we learn the language and figure out the whole French system, he calmed down. I then had him giggling when I pointed out all of the mistakes that Josh and I have already made since we moved here... like buying the buckwheat galette (dinner) crepes instead of the sweet dessert crepes and trying to put Nutella and jelly on them (yuck!)... like ordering a bottle of cidre and getting a pot of tea... like asking for the books written in English and getting directed to the French/English dictionaries... The list is long. Anyway, after a fun "picnic" style lunch at our house, Max and Calvin went happily off to their afternoon of school. Quincy and Taba also had a good day at school and both came home talking about the friends that they feel they have already made. Of course, English class is everyone's favorite as it's easy and they get special recognition but everyone comes home with new words that they have learned in French. I had a blissfully, beautiful day with myself!!! It was the first moments alone that I have had since we moved here. I loved it! I did my shopping in peace and everything went right! I remembered to bring my own bags, I was able to unlock the cart without help and I finally got enough food to fill everyone's stomachs!! I was also able to go to the post office and ask for a package that they were not able to deliver to our house! I met with the real estate agent at our house today and we talked to the "gardener" who the home owners have hired to tame the wild jungle in the yard. He plans to come back next week and get started. For now, it's just a big, buggy mess with poison ivy and low hanging branches that scratch my car when I pull in. I forgot to tell you that Tabitha met both of our immediate next door neighbors yesterday. A 10 year old girl was out playing basketball and Taba (being our bold one these days) grabbed her ball and went right out to play with her. The girl could speak some English so they had a good time together. She then took Taba home with her to meet her parents. She has an older sister and brother as well and they all speak some English. Taba then later walked down to the mailbox to get the mail and was stopped by our other neighbors. Their English is very good but they only live in the house during the summer. I will have to get busy meeting everyone! Calvin had an injury during gym class today where he scraped up two of his fingers. They were pretty bloody but he said that his teacher was very helpful and he got to see the school closet where they keep all the "medicine stuff". Josh left for 2 days of training in England today so the kids and I are on our own! The boys had a great time playing in their empty room at the house today and then taking a walk with me to get the mail during their 90 minute lunch break from school.