Nostalgie

It's the last day of the school year for my little guy and his last day of maternal (kindergarten) *sniff* Next year it's off to the big school. Lots of changes for someone so little. He seems to be handling things okay though. He's used to change I guess.

We had a fabulous going away-end of school year party for him on Wednesday in our backyard--pretty much the same party we had last year. About 25 kids came with their moms and even some dads showed up this time. It was a big barbecue and everyone brought a dish of some kind, tons of great food. Since we don't have the front gate on the house yet some kids just drifted in from the neighborhood which was funny. It was to the point where I was afraid we'd get a fine for not having a permit or something,--so many cars lined up on the street! We made sure to have a giant water balloon fight--which was probably why we had so many strays show up---they saw us filling them in the driveway. I filled over a hundred balloons and they were gone in minutes. Like last year we put a little baby pool at the bottom of our giant slide and then we watered down the slide so it was really slippery. Great fun but really, really exhausting to organize everything. I love party planning though. If we weren't so saturated with the move and the renovations I'd have been more relaxed about it all.




The real estate agent came and estimated the house. She liked what we've done with everything and said it should rent fairly fast especially because now because it's the renting season when everyone looks for a place. The sign goes up next week. Yep, It feels real now. Once the house is rented there's no turning back for three years. Butterflies! The weird part is that we don't have a place to live in Shanghai yet. I don't think we'll have time to go visit again before we leave either. We just have our preferences registered with a few agencies. Oh well, I think in some kook way that there's a place meant for us so if we can't go find the rental right now I don't want to push it. We'll find something the week we arrive. More butterflies!

Seb has his 40th birthday this month and I can't organise anything. I gave it a go but it just got so overwhelming that I gave up. My in-laws won't come and I didn't feel like begging,--no energy--but I did feel like they wanted to be enticed to come. I'm tired of paying their hotel each time they come so I think it's best for everyone if we just let it go. I feel awful but I think his going to Shanghai is a big present anyway. I mean what more could a change of life birthday offer? I'm not sure what to do so last minute though. The movers come the week after his birthday so I think if we try to do something we're just going to be stressed thinking of that the whole time.

Today I organised a picnic because it's my cantine day anyway. Once a week I take three kids plus mine and feed them lunch and the other moms take them the other days. It's worked out well and it gives me time to do plaster and paint on the days I don't have to go get Little S. Because it's the last day of school today though I'm taking three other kids out with us,--eight kids! I just couldn't think of S's other little friends stuck inside on the last day. The cantine at his school is really loud and the kids all hate it (which is why we started the cantine club). It should be fun. I'm taking them to a little river in the park by the school. They're all excited.

I think I found a job too. I won't jinx it but if it works out I'll start in September. I should know more in the next few weeks. I hope it works out. I've already signed up for classes and I don't want to cancel them so the job has to work around my schedule. Fingers crossed.