School Days

So many of you have sent messages asking about the kids first week of school.  I was thinking about this past week as we worshiped yesterday in church together.  That first week of school.  I remember how both Rebekah and Caleb felt so nervous going into the first day.  What would it be like and would they make any friends? The not knowing was the worst.  All the what ifs!  How would they explain where they lived and where they went to school?  How would they answer the “what did you do this summer question?” As the first day of school came we prayed.  You all had been praying with us and we knew it.

Before Rebekah and Caleb left our side, we prayed these verse over them.

      Deuteronomy 31: 8 (ESV)
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or
forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

That first day I remember praying all day and waiting for the hour to go pick them up because I wanted to know how their day was.  Well, as it turns out I lost Caleb on the first day. Of, course I did! He had wanted to walk home so badly but I was just not ready for that yet and so he told me that if he didn’t see me as soon as he walked out of the gate he would walk home.  I honestly didn’t hear him tell me that.  I was at the school 20 minutes early because I wanted to make sure I had enough time to go to the office and then come out and get Caleb.  So, while I was waiting in the office for the crowds to calm down he walked home and of course his teacher and I were looking all over the campus for him.  A few minutes later I get a text, “Hey mom it’s Caleb, I am home!” Cue all the rolling eyes! So, I found him, at home happy as could be because he made it home all on his own and come to find out that he had a great day at school.  He enjoyed his classes, made new friends, and ate lunch with his classmates. Oh, yes and got recruited for the basketball team because he is the tallest student in his WHOLE school! HA!

 

As I waited for Rebekah to get out of school I re-read some texts she had sent me throughout the morning.

“I have PE for my first period!
I can’t find the gym.
Oh, I introduced myself to a lot of people, like 5!
OK, I am lost again!
I found the gym.
And OK I am totally lost!”

Well she made it to gym and after getting lost more than a few times she made it.  She found all her classes, got her locker to open on her own, made some friends and ate lunch with her classmates.  Eighth grade is a big deal!!!!  Rebekah is loving school! She is all in and looks forward to going to school every day.

As I thought about how their first week of school went a few moments stood out.  Rebekah came home and told me that all the kids she met use bad words.  As she told me the story she said, “but I found one girl who doesn’t.”  I thought that was interesting and I asked her how she knew that.  Rebekah said, “well, I asked her.  I said, so, hey do you use bad words? She said no and then I said oh good because I don’t either!” Our hope is that Rebekah will charge in making a difference with her classmates.  That she would influence others.  We know there are going to be challenging times but we are confident that the Lord will go before her as he has every day.  Her boldness is pretty incredible to watch.  We are so proud of her.

Caleb was telling me how his class had learned how he lived in El Salvador, how he went to school there and how he flew on a plane to come back to California.  He told me how he had made friends with a few of his classmates and how he was eating lunch with them one day and he said “mom my one friend comes up to my chest and we were sitting at lunch and I pulled out the pizza you gave me.  He said to me, ‘Caleb when I look at that slice of pizza next to me it looks HUGE but when you pick it up and it’s next to you it looks TINY!!!!’”  Caleb said they laughed so hard together.  Being the big kid on campus does has some perks! HA!

 

We are so grateful for all that God is doing in their lives.  The kids first week of school couldn’t have gone any better, well maybe except for losing Caleb! HA! We are so grateful that they are going to great schools, are able to get a great education and have begun to build community.  I am just waiting for the first one to ask if they can invite a friend over.

Thank you for praying with us.  Our transition bad has gone smoothly and we are so thankful for all the support, love and encouragement you all have given us.

Thank you for journeying with us!

Con Mucho Amor, Cristina

Please continue to pray for:

• Rebekah and Caleb that they would want to be part of our church’s youth group
• For me as I begin to new position in the coming months, as Director of Development for an NGO based in El Salvador
• For John Mark’s back and health issues.  He is in a lot of pain due to his back, he will be visiting doctors this week