Birthday Shopping
Greetings everyone.
Uncharacteristic excitement overtook Xavier a few days ago. He learned Daddy's birthday was coming.
He wanted to pick out a cake and Mommy told him he could. They went to Costco where Xavier saw a chocolate sheet cake with a rainbow, clouds and sun. That was the cake! No matter it was half a sheet.
Having checked off the cake, Xavier wanted to make a birthday card. He and Mom came home and went to his room.
Daddy came home before he had finished all his preparations. That led to a telling of Daddy, "Don't go in my room. It's a surprise."
Xavier kept his secret until about an hour later. Compelled, he had to show me the card. He went so far as to open the envelope for me and pull the card out.
The store-bought card (bought because of the googly eyes on the skunk) had inside a pop-up rainbow arching between two cottonball clouds with a sun colored behind. I learned that he had planned the card and told Mom it had to be a popup, and she needed to help him because he did not know how to make a popup card.
I knew nothing of the cake at this time. Though later in the evening, I did learn he picked out my cake. Again, he held out as long as he could in keeping his secret.
On Wednesday, I picked Xavier up from the lady who watches him after school. When we walked in the door, Rebecca had the cake out, candles on it and lighter at the ready.
Upon seeing the cake, I instantly understood the inspiration for the card. He recreated his cake design in his card.
What greater gift could he give me than such thought and labor as this?
Addenbrooke Classical Academy
Greetings to everyone.
January is the time of year, at least in Colorado, when you scramble and compete for a place in a school for the next school year.
We have not had much difficulty in the past. Xavier got into Waterstone Preschool four years ago when they added a new Friday class offering. We've kept up on keeping him signed up every January since.
This year, however, marks Xavier's last year with Waterstone. The school, teachers and curriculum have served Xavier well. He is further ahead of Rebecca and I when we were his age. But, there are no more preschool classes for Xavier to advance to. It's Kindergarten for Xavier next year, either at Waterstone or somewhere else.
Both Rebecca and I have felt strongly that Waterstone is not the Kindergarten for Xavier. We had in our sights a K through 12 charter school not too far from us.
We toured it and attended the parents' inquiry meeting two years ago. We liked what we learned. It offers a classical education. They still teach cursive writing, something public schools no longer do. It has a well-structured learning program, which Xavier will do well in. We liked the educational philosophy, and the fact it's practically in our backyard.
The problem for us was admission. It's done by lottery and seats in the school are filling up. We had two years at least before we could apply. Would there be space for Xavier when he was ready?
So, for the last two years, when we passed the school, we prayed over it, proclaiming it would be Xavier's next school.
In early January, we gathered up all the necessary documentation and filled out all the paperwork and put in our application the morning enrollment opened. Rebecca and I walked the paperwork into the main office.
I felt we would get in, but still I thought of a Plan B. Rebecca felt similarly. But, there was no Plan B we liked. The public elementary school we are zoned for did not appeal to us. However, that was our Plan B. We did not pursue it at all, however.
We were supposed to hear from the school about Xavier's acceptance by the end of January. We did not hear from them. Things seemed grim. Did we not get in on the first lottery? Will we need to try for the second one?
Sitting at lunch, we decided to call. Perhaps they had the wrong phone number or email address with which to contact us.
Rebecca got hold of the woman with all the information. She told Rebecca, "You are next on my list to call." Listening in on the conversation, I wondered "is that good or bad," but I held out hope.
Xavier was accepted. He won the lottery! Rebecca and I thanked God for His goodness.
So, where will Xavier attend school next year? If you've read the title of this entry, you already know: Addenbrooke Classical Academy.