School Daze

September to December has flown by, largely due to a whole gamut of school related involvements:

• Surprise new arrival of Wadzanayi Magaba, our Zimbabwean University student, who has joined our family and is living with us until the New Year. She just finished her last exam today and is one happy girl! I've been warned that beds will be jumped on :) We are going to send the older two to watch a movie to celebrate tonight. They have both worked hard this semester and we are so pleased how well they get along as sisters.
• Kehlen began Kindergarten - so we have a new school bus schedule, food to pack, backpack to get ready, concerts, fundraisers, etc. He is doing wonderful in French, and is starting to speak in full sentences as well as sing songs in French.
• Isinino began grade 12 - and this year we get to be more involved in her education in parent-teacher meetings, career expo, etc. Now we are being enlightened with all things grad, like grad dresses, scholarship applications, etc.
• Korean School! Perhaps the most unexpected bunch of students showed up for registration day in September, when whity mom (me), Caucasian looking biracial Asian kid, and Ethiopian older daughter sign up together for the family discount. After we got the initial "Wha?!" and "What brings you here?" Isinino proudly tells them that their dad (my husband) is Korean and we are a part-Korean family. But you know Asians and their dedication to academics - we have been getting lots and lots of Korean homework every week! But we are loving the experience together!
• And after the language class, Isinino is in K-pop dance - a Korean hip-hop class.  Kehlen and I are both in Tae Kwan Do. I am the oldest in the class, including older than our instructors - but cherishing every minute as Kehlen is still at the age he things its cool to do it together. Don't mess with this mommy & son ninja duo :)
• Harold has finalized his thesis topic for his doctoral work and is fine tuning his rationale and research. Look out 2014! We are going to conquer this project once and for all! :) I say we, because where there is a spouse doing his doctorate, there is a spouse to edit, research, and keep the pressure on.
• Harold completed his training certification for Circle of Security, something helpful in his counselling of families.
• Harold and I (Wendi) also went back to school this Fall - this time to team-teach an intensive course at Steinbach Bible College related to adoption and foster-care. What a great experience for us to engage approximately 40 students and community members on a topic we have grown so passionate about. We realized that we enjoy teaching together, and are finding other opportunities to work with churches and families seeking to be informed or supported.
• Mikhala is the only one not in school, although she and Kehlen have started Sunday School in our new home church of Gateway. They are loving it. This past Sunday she wrote the letters of her name on her poster project by herself, which surprised us as we have not taken the time to teach her. I guess all this school stuff in the family is rubbing off on her. She has also enjoyed playing at the Family Centre, which happens to be right across from Kehlen's classroom.

As our school daze winds down for 2013, we are gradually taking our noses out of books and focusing on the blessings we have gained in the process. Things like: greater awareness, deeper comprehension, greater appreciation, and the possibilities in the future. By far, the greatest Teacher who has overseen all of our educational pursuits and Who has made these opportunities possible, is God himself. In hindsight, these past months suddenly don't seem like a daze, but with clear purpose and on a positive trajectory for His glory.