It has been a crazy, busy, frustrating, uplifting, exhausting, irritating, blessed and joyous week all rolled into one. Add being a single parent (Jeff was traveling) and it just about did me in.
This week we, the parents, alumnae and friends of John's school, have encountered/completed the following:
- dropped our children off Monday for what we thought would be a normal April school day (and also Teacher Appreciation Day)
- learned abruptly around 10 am that the Director and teachers had been fired
- immediately pulled our children out of the school (ALL of us. Every. Single. One.)
- met under the trees of Dartmouth park and cried, prayed and ultimately hatched a plan
- incorporated a new school
- secured a temporary location for our new school
- secured insurance (!!!) for the school
- enrolled all children in this school
- continued school throughout the weekend in many locations across town
- met as a parent/alumnae/friend group 3 times
- began investigating permanent locations
- obtained a Federal Identification Number
- registered with both the Department of Education and the State Department of Education
- fingerprinted and ran background checks on every single person that might come into contact with the children (including me :) )
- started the process of filing for non-profit status
- consulted with non-profit attorneys and CPA's
- set up payroll
- voted a Board of Directors
- opened a bank account
- raised $$$
- planned two fundraisers
PHEW.
About 10,393 other things occurred as well, but I can't remember them all.
I'm exhausted, but so very excited and grateful for this community we are so blessed to be a part of. I think I'll be feeling the emotions of this week for a very long time. It was amazing.
Friday April 30, 2010
Pee-A-Boo - I found you, Logan! I love it when our kids play together :) They are really into building forts and playing hide 'n seek. It is the sweetest thing when they include Leila, who is just a little too young to completely understand the concept of not wrecking the forts and hiding quietly. I know they all love each other so much and hope they continue to be there for each other...
What's wrong with this picture?!? There are actually two things (the head and the thumb by the baby's head), both will forever remind me of our strong-willed littlest one. It's quite ironic that we bought it while on holiday in Bali, Indonesia in memory of my dedication and many years of breastfeeding all three kids. However, the damage is equally as symbolic to the joys (*cough*) of raising children and the havoc they can cause!
The engineering toy that Logan is intensely playing with has been the best investment. "Build Its" (as they are officially called by the kids) are a hit with all ages and genders. Santa brought a starter set two years ago and several big sets this past Christmas that have been played with daily. In this picture, Logan is showing me his "gaming seat" that he built before school and continued to play with in the afternoon. Sometimes I wonder where he gets such creative ideas?!? It's my goal to keep encouraging him to come up with more!
*giggle* Oh, the joys of being a father of girls :) Here's Chad getting his hair combed and clipped by little Leila. I was cleaning the kitchen when I heard "Ouch! Gentle!" coming from the living room. When I peaked over the divider, I saw a little pink comb working its way (roughly) through his hair and had to grab the camera. She ran out of the room and then came back with the little purple clip to finish the look!
