Penney For Your Thoughts!: July 2011

Just wanted to not somewhere that I've got my first semester results back and I was pleasantly surprised!

3 Hd's - Thank-you very much! I was quietly confidant that I had 2, but the third was not expected. I thought I'd gone ok in the exam, but as it was a 70% exam and the other 30% was based on group-work, I wasn't expecting to do so well in the exam. Seems I'm very bad at judging these things and ended up getting the 2nd highest exam mark for all the students. Not bad for someone who spent the previous night tending to a sick little boy having a horrendous asthma attack!

It means I now have a very healthy GPA of 6.889 (damn that distinction in my very first semester!) and I'm very proud of myself. I know that marks probably don't mean much in the long run, but right now, they are motivating.

The next big step is starting 2 x 10-12 hour shifts EVERY week, starting in 2 weeks time. I'm not even going to begin trying to work out how I'm going to juggle that, study plus I still have 4 women left to birth. Eeek!

Grace's school always celebrates the seasons on the last day of the term, it's a nice way to wrap up the term and to break up for the holidays. They are normally held during the day, but Winter festival is often held in the late afternoon or night, as often lanterns are used to celebrate. It was our first winter celebration up at the school, so we were not sure what to expect. The children had made special invitations, asking us to bring along either fresh bread or a pot of vegetable soup and to meet at the prep rooms at 4.30pm.

After getting to the school, the lovely Miss Pam put us into groups of 2-3 families, with instructions to follow the golden path up to the main part of the school. She also told us to keep our eyes wide open as we may be seeing some magical things on the way.

We were in a group with 2 of Grace's closest friends, Molly and Olivia. Trude and Jasper also came along to celebrate. The children excitedly skipped ahead as the Mum's and Dad's brought up the rear. As we rounded the corner to head to the Grade 1 class, there was somebody all rugged up in Pj's and dressing gown and resting on a chair. In front of them was a lantern and a bell, with instructions for the children to ring the bell if they were asleep. After much encouragement to the girls, who were very unsure of what was happening, the bell was finally rung. Up jumped the woman in her Pj's and she recited the poem:

"Jack be nimble,

Jack be quick,

Jack jump OVER the candlestick"

The girls, still unsure, soon clicked and after a bit of a nudge, each jumped over the lantern. They were then each given a candle and told to keep following the path.

Next on the path was a farmer with a tree full of apples beside him. He also told a little poem and presented each child with their own pre-cored apple, telling them that their candle should fit in it perfectly!

We set off again, and the next stop was to the banker. She gave each child 3 gold coins and told them at the next stop, they may be able to buy something very special

The next point on the journey was to the woman who was milling the flour and the children were asked if they'd like to buy some using their 3 coins. They were then given a bag of flour and sent on their way.

The baker was the next stop. The children swapped their bag of flour for a bag of freshly made bread, which upon closer inspection, Grace worked out that it was actually THE bread they'd made in the class today!

Last but certainly not least, was a trip to visit the wizard and her fiery cauldron - a nice warm place for a cold winters night. The wizard asked the children to make a wish and each wish was thrown into the cauldron and dramatically disappeared in a puff of smoke! The children loved the whole trip, but mine especially were enchanted with the wizard and her flames.

We all headed back to the prep rooms, and waited for all the other families to finish the tour. Whilst we waited, the children impressed us all with their sewing abilities, whipping up a little moon headband to celebrate the festival. Below is also just one of the wonderful things that Grace has been busy making this year - a beautiful cushion that she embroidered her name on all by herself! The children use them when they are sitting on the mat to kneel on.

After everyone had ventured back from the exciting walk, we got to have a big, yummy dinner! There was such a variety of warm, hearty winter soups and crusty bread with butter - Yum! We all sat around in the prep rooms lapping up soup with chunks of bread, the parents chatting and the children playing.

After everyone was finished and cleaned up, Miss Pam told us that she'd be turning the outside lights off and we were to come out in family groups to say good bye. The children were to hold their candle, and she would light them as we left.

It was so still and quiet as each child waited patiently for their moment with Miss Pam. She lit the candles and whispered a wish to each child. In the dark, just with candlelight, it was a very special and reverent moment.