First Day of School- Video

This was the way we practiced things Chantel needed to know, just before she got into the car on Monday, Sept. 8th, 2008. She was very excited. She still loves school so much. (She didn't even want to stay home when she wasn't feeling well yesterday. She was afraid she would miss something!)

The first day of school was an unusual combination of events. Mommy and Daddy adjusting to life at home without Chantel around each day, Taking Ralph's Mom to pay for flowers for the funeral, Lunch (taking Ralph out for an early b-day lunch!) and coffee out together (Ralph and I), Picking Chantel up with Grammy at the bus stop and going to DQ to enjoy ice cream, only to Run to the funeral home for a final viewing of Pop Pop (Ralph and his mom), then Chantel and I went back to DQ so she could climb on the equipment. It was a day of mixed emotions!

This weekend we are planning on putting flowers on Pop Pop's (Chantel's step-grandfather)- the only one she knows and Ralph's dad's grave (Ralph R. Schultz), who Chantel and I never met, which also has his sister Jeanette's grave, (Chantel's Aunt, she won't meet until Heaven.), Ralph's older sister, he never met. The flowers are Chantel's idea. She wouldn't put them on the grave at the funeral due to too many people watching her. She even shook hands with people that day; I think she understood how much they truly cared for her!

Back to School- Finally! Monday, September 8th, 2008

Chantel before she gets in the car the first day!

Chantel at Vikki's house!

Chantel and Rachel at Vikki's house, before the bus pose!

Here comes the bus up the street!

Here Chantel is getting ready to board the bus for the first time to go to school! (Vikki is talking to the bus driver- Pat, about the stop changing. She now gets on one stop earlier. Things are settling down with the bus!)

Here are the pictures I've been waiting to post for all of you to see and enjoy! Chantel had a wonderful first day of school. She loves her teacher Miss Sweigart and they enjoy spending all day together.



So far she's been at school 8 days out of 10. She missed the 2nd day of school due to Pop Pop's funeral 9/9/09, and she missed yesterday due to cold/allergy- runny/stuffy nose symptoms.



She also has been enjoying ballet class on Thursdays! Her teacher is Miss Lisa and we can't wait to watch her in October, the 2nd week, when we are allowed to observe the class. (Miss Deanna, the owner said they looked like they were doing a good job when she watched them the other week!)



Chantel is very lucky to be going to Kindergarten all day, she enjoys: recess and lunch for 1/2 an hour each, snack, 45 min. of special daily- art, gym, computer, music, and library. They even have a reduced length schedule for classes, etc. to fit in specials on early dismissal days. (Wow, when I heard that the other day, I was impressed.) Oh, she will have the opportunity to purchase an in color school yearbook. I don't know of any elementary schools that do that! (just 5th grade ones, not in color?) Small class size 12-15. I believe she has 14 children. Normal is close to 20-21 or more at most schools, public or private! So, we are very grateful for the benefits she is receiving! Praise the Lord!

She seems to be developing friendships and maturing so quickly. She is developing a self-confidence that I 've never noticed before. She's not as dependent on us, more polite and patient with others as well. Hopefully, we can learn some of these good things as well. (The pressure of life recently seems to have caused me to get frustrated so easily the past 2 weeks, today feels a little better.)

Hope you enjoy this update

Starting Kindergarten, Saying Goodbye to Loved Ones!

Making friends, meeting a new teacher, riding the bus, and small class sizes, these are the things that kindergarten is all about! This is one reflection of today. The good news was Ralph was off to join Chantel and I at her school. The bad news was the reason why he was off.

Today started at 3 a.m. with a phone call from Ralph's "Step-sister" Diane. She told me that her dad had passed on at 2:16 A.M. this morning. She had received a call from the hospital. I was shocked. Ralph C. had just gone back into the hospital, but I had no indication that he was in that bad of a condition until later in the day, today.

So the day consisted in lots of phone calls. E-mails to and from friends for prayer and encouragement. Ralph going to tell his mom the news at about 6:30 A.M., after waiting around for about an hour to get her up.

Next, going to Chantel's school and hearing about all the excitement of the year ahead. We were so thrilled. We even got to meet her teacher today. The sad thing was to give her the news that Chantel will be missing her second day of school and hand in an excuse blank. Chantel enjoyed everything about her class, meeting a new friend, Katie. Also, meeting her teacher and feeling like she understands how shy Chantel is. According to the principal, her class should only have about 12-15 students at the most in it. So we are excited about the small size which will help her to learn and grow and develop friendships more easily!

Oh, before we left school, we finally broke the news to Chantel about her "Pop Pop" dying. Her response, so he's in Heaven with Dion, my parents dog that died earlier this year. (An interesting connection, but she does relate well with animals. ) Later in the day she made a card for Grammy and told us that she missed Pop Pop. She also prayed for Grammy as she misses Pop Pop in her pre-bedtime prayers!

We will see if Tuesday goes so smoothly. It is her second funeral she attended. The first one was this summer, one of Ralph's uncles, who she didn't know very well. It was a good way for her to go through the motions without all the emotions of knowing the person, just to see how she would take it. She did well!

Finally, we went shopping to Wal-Mart and enjoyed a final family meal during the day, during the week at Subway! Chantel loves eating at Subway!