Science Phun

This past week, Jesaiah and Taliah had to present their science research projects at the school science fair. Jesaiah did his research on 'friction' - what it is, how it works, what has more friction, etc. And Taliah did hers on the 'surface tension of water' - again, what it is, how it works and how you can see it. I got the opportunity to help them with this - science is right up my alley! I have to admit it was really fun - i enjoy science a lot. Anyways, they did really well on their research and the teachers (and other students) were impressed with their work. And it was fun to see the projects from the other kids at the school - there were some truly impressive ones!

So, here are a few fotos of Jesaiah and Taliah doing their research...





Talk about 'sticky' rice!



















What has more friction - smooth plastic, rubber or sandpaper??












Fill 'er up!













My cup runneth over!












Cutting water?!















Finished products...













and Taliah's











Random...'hey take my picture too Daddy!'
Zachie and his 'sleeping-bag'.













'Me too' says Dariah, 'look what I can do!'

Science Phun

This past week, Jesaiah and Taliah had to present their science research projects at the school science fair. Jesaiah did his research on 'friction' - what it is, how it works, what has more friction, etc. And Taliah did hers on the 'surface tension of water' - again, what it is, how it works and how you can see it. I got the opportunity to help them with this - science is right up my alley! I have to admit it was really fun - i enjoy science a lot. Anyways, they did really well on their research and the teachers (and other students) were impressed with their work. And it was fun to see the projects from the other kids at the school - there were some truly impressive ones!

So, here are a few fotos of Jesaiah and Taliah doing their research...





Talk about 'sticky' rice!



















What has more friction - smooth plastic, rubber or sandpaper??












Fill 'er up!













My cup runneth over!












Cutting water?!















Finished products...













and Taliah's











Random...'hey take my picture too Daddy!'
Zachie and his 'sleeping-bag'.













'Me too' says Dariah, 'look what I can do!'

Sunny SoCal!

Ok, just a quick update. We finally made it to SoCal - long trip but it was good, the kids did great! Dariah was just a little sacred of the take-offs and landings, but otherwise, she did fine. In fact, she slept for about half of the flight!

Now we are just trying to get over the jetlag - the kids were all up at 2.00 in the morning the first night, last night was better - Taliah and Zachie slept most of the night. It was just Jesaiah and Dariah who were up again at 2.00 to about 4.30 or so. Or well, hopefully it'll wear off in a few days.

Just for your info, we don't have telephone or internet at the house yet - we're working on that. We should have that next week, I hope. Then we can keep you better updated. OK, that's it for now - gotta go get the kids registered in their school and run a few other errands.

PS - we just had an earthquake - 5.2 on the Richter scale! It was the kids' first earthquake - welcome to California!

Sunny SoCal!

Ok, just a quick update. We finally made it to SoCal - long trip but it was good, the kids did great! Dariah was just a little sacred of the take-offs and landings, but otherwise, she did fine. In fact, she slept for about half of the flight!

Now we are just trying to get over the jetlag - the kids were all up at 2.00 in the morning the first night, last night was better - Taliah and Zachie slept most of the night. It was just Jesaiah and Dariah who were up again at 2.00 to about 4.30 or so. Or well, hopefully it'll wear off in a few days.

Just for your info, we don't have telephone or internet at the house yet - we're working on that. We should have that next week, I hope. Then we can keep you better updated. OK, that's it for now - gotta go get the kids registered in their school and run a few other errands.

PS - we just had an earthquake - 5.2 on the Richter scale! It was the kids' first earthquake - welcome to California!

SommerFest 2008

Summer is just around the corner and as always there are so many 'termine' - summer parties at the school and kindergarten, bbq's with friends, potlucks / picnics at church. Especially this year - we want to use this opportunity to see people one last time before we head off to SoCal and beyond. Every weekend (from Fri to Sun) until we fly is booked out with parties, bbq's and events. We love it and are enjoying every moment, even though it is a lot at times.

And God, in His sovereignty, has also blessed with kids who can handle it, in fact, who love it also. I couldn't imagine trying to do this with kids who can't handle change, new experiences or meeting new people. God is definitely preparing us for new adventures!

I especially enjoy the times talking about why we are here, what we are doing now, why we are going back to the USA for a year and why we are thinking about Africa and Asia. At Taliah's KiGa SommerFest, I got to talk to a father from Israel for a long time; at Jesaiah's School Fest, Becks and I talked to a mom about the Summer Camp CCF is putting on this summer. She had signed her 14 year old up for it but didn't know much about it (she was concerned that we might be a cult!), so we shared with her a bit about who we are and what we do. One mom asked what missionaries do - so we shared a little about that. Another mom really wants to talk to Becks more - she invited Becks and Jesaiah to come visit them. She seemed very interested - she wanted to know if our kids' names were from the Bible (all her kids' names were). All in all, it was a great time to simply be light and salt.

Here are a few fotos...







KiGa Chor (Choir) from Taliah's Kindergarten










Jesaiah's Class Summer Party












Singing...












and dancing...












and throwing (typical Finnish past-time - rubber boot distance throwing!)











Stockbrot - bread on a stick

SommerFest 2008

Summer is just around the corner and as always there are so many 'termine' - summer parties at the school and kindergarten, bbq's with friends, potlucks / picnics at church. Especially this year - we want to use this opportunity to see people one last time before we head off to SoCal and beyond. Every weekend (from Fri to Sun) until we fly is booked out with parties, bbq's and events. We love it and are enjoying every moment, even though it is a lot at times.

And God, in His sovereignty, has also blessed with kids who can handle it, in fact, who love it also. I couldn't imagine trying to do this with kids who can't handle change, new experiences or meeting new people. God is definitely preparing us for new adventures!

I especially enjoy the times talking about why we are here, what we are doing now, why we are going back to the USA for a year and why we are thinking about Africa and Asia. At Taliah's KiGa SommerFest, I got to talk to a father from Israel for a long time; at Jesaiah's School Fest, Becks and I talked to a mom about the Summer Camp CCF is putting on this summer. She had signed her 14 year old up for it but didn't know much about it (she was concerned that we might be a cult!), so we shared with her a bit about who we are and what we do. One mom asked what missionaries do - so we shared a little about that. Another mom really wants to talk to Becks more - she invited Becks and Jesaiah to come visit them. She seemed very interested - she wanted to know if our kids' names were from the Bible (all her kids' names were). All in all, it was a great time to simply be light and salt.

Here are a few fotos...







KiGa Chor (Choir) from Taliah's Kindergarten










Jesaiah's Class Summer Party












Singing...












and dancing...












and throwing (typical Finnish past-time - rubber boot distance throwing!)











Stockbrot - bread on a stick

Einschulung!

There are some words in German that are impossible to translate, and this is one of them. Einschulung is the festivities for the first graders before they start school for the first time. The new first graders get a 'schultüte' that the parents usually make themselves, and are filled with all sorts of goodies, from candy to school supplies. Each one is unique, just like the kids themselves. I think in most smaller villages it is a time for the families to celebrate their kids starting school, grandparents and other extended family members come and enjoy a day together. The kids meet their teachers for the first time on Einschulung day and get to see the classroom for the first time too. It is usually on a Saturday so that the parents and everyone can be there without having to worry about work conflicts. There is even a church service to go along with it. In fact, the local newspaper did an article on the start of school for first graders in other countries and interviewed Becks and Jesaiah about school in America. We'll try to scan the article in and post it soon.

Our school did it a bit differently this year and had Einschulung on a Wednesday evening. The other difference is that the school is huge (for German standards)! There were around 180 new first graders, and that is just from our neighborhood! We know people whose kids are starting school in a nearby village and they only have around 60 (i think). So needless to say the Einschulung today was a major event! When you consider parents, siblings and extended family members, there were a lot of people there - at least 1000!!

Jesaiah's 'auntie' Anja and Dariah's 'auntie' Doro came also and afterwards we had dinner together. It was fun, and a unique experience, for all of us. I just can't believe he is actually in school now, it is such a major step!

Tomorrow is his first day and he finally gets to take his schulranzen. A schulranzen is a special backpack that all the first graders carry, they are pretty big and bulky but they stand up by themselves (not like a traditional backpack). We found one that was a bit lighter so he doesn't have to lug too much extra weight. The schulranzen is also a big milestone, it has all the pens and pencils and everything that they will need for school in it.

Our little boy is growing up! He is SO ready for school, I am excited for him, I know how much he enjoys learning and discovering new things. I just pray that school will be fun for him and not a bad experience. His teacher seems very nice, I look forward to seeing how the school year will be (the kids have the same teacher from 1st thru 4th grade).

Einschulung!

There are some words in German that are impossible to translate, and this is one of them. Einschulung is the festivities for the first graders before they start school for the first time. The new first graders get a 'schultüte' that the parents usually make themselves, and are filled with all sorts of goodies, from candy to school supplies. Each one is unique, just like the kids themselves. I think in most smaller villages it is a time for the families to celebrate their kids starting school, grandparents and other extended family members come and enjoy a day together. The kids meet their teachers for the first time on Einschulung day and get to see the classroom for the first time too. It is usually on a Saturday so that the parents and everyone can be there without having to worry about work conflicts. There is even a church service to go along with it. In fact, the local newspaper did an article on the start of school for first graders in other countries and interviewed Becks and Jesaiah about school in America. We'll try to scan the article in and post it soon.

Our school did it a bit differently this year and had Einschulung on a Wednesday evening. The other difference is that the school is huge (for German standards)! There were around 180 new first graders, and that is just from our neighborhood! We know people whose kids are starting school in a nearby village and they only have around 60 (i think). So needless to say the Einschulung today was a major event! When you consider parents, siblings and extended family members, there were a lot of people there - at least 1000!!

Jesaiah's 'auntie' Anja and Dariah's 'auntie' Doro came also and afterwards we had dinner together. It was fun, and a unique experience, for all of us. I just can't believe he is actually in school now, it is such a major step!

Tomorrow is his first day and he finally gets to take his schulranzen. A schulranzen is a special backpack that all the first graders carry, they are pretty big and bulky but they stand up by themselves (not like a traditional backpack). We found one that was a bit lighter so he doesn't have to lug too much extra weight. The schulranzen is also a big milestone, it has all the pens and pencils and everything that they will need for school in it.

Our little boy is growing up! He is SO ready for school, I am excited for him, I know how much he enjoys learning and discovering new things. I just pray that school will be fun for him and not a bad experience. His teacher seems very nice, I look forward to seeing how the school year will be (the kids have the same teacher from 1st thru 4th grade).

Only in Germany!

This is a craft that Taliah made in Kindergarten here this week. Only in Germany would the kids be allowed to cut and use beer ads for crafts! There is no negative association with beer here, it is simply another drink that 'big people' drink. Here is a picture of the craft, with beer glasses for decoration on the house.

Only in Germany!

This is a craft that Taliah made in Kindergarten here this week. Only in Germany would the kids be allowed to cut and use beer ads for crafts! There is no negative association with beer here, it is simply another drink that 'big people' drink. Here is a picture of the craft, with beer glasses for decoration on the house.

Eltern Abend!!!

I had my first Eltern Abend (parents night) last night at Jesaiah's school where he'll be starting in September. There was so much information, and just trying comprehend it all in German wore me out!! The microphone wasn't loud enough so I had to really strain sometimes to hear what they were saying.
Going to school here is a big deal. All the new first graders get 'bags' of goodies (Schultüte) (they actually look like a dunce caps turned upside down and filled) and they have a welcoming ceremony (einschulung)where they are greeted by the teachers and other staff (I think). Jesaiah's einschulung is going to be on Sept 12 and his first day of school then is the 13th.
I know that I would probably be having a lot of the same emotions if we lived in the US and he was starting school, but I think I am even more 'emotional' (or however you want to put it) because it is all so foriegn to me. The school here has a very good reputation and i know that he will get a good education, it is just very different than the way I remember school...which isn't necessarily a bad thing ;).
In any case he is ready and excited. I am still working on teaching him to read and write English here at home, hopefully we will finish our book before he starts school. He will be adding a 3rd language to his 'repertoire' come September. They start teaching French here in the 1st grade! It is done mostly with games, songs and pictures, but by the end of the year most kids at least know a few words and how to say 'my name is'. So it will be interesting to see how well he picks it up and if he likes it or not.
So we are getting geared up for school! I will post some pictures of the einschulung when we have some, in the mean time please pray for Jesaiah that he will have a good start in school and that we will adjust well as a Phamily to the changes. Ich bin ganz aufgeregt! (I am so excited, nervous, all of a dither (just a few translations of aufgeragt... it's a great word!))

Eltern Abend!!!

I had my first Eltern Abend (parents night) last night at Jesaiah's school where he'll be starting in September. There was so much information, and just trying comprehend it all in German wore me out!! The microphone wasn't loud enough so I had to really strain sometimes to hear what they were saying.
Going to school here is a big deal. All the new first graders get 'bags' of goodies (Schultüte) (they actually look like a dunce caps turned upside down and filled) and they have a welcoming ceremony (einschulung)where they are greeted by the teachers and other staff (I think). Jesaiah's einschulung is going to be on Sept 12 and his first day of school then is the 13th.
I know that I would probably be having a lot of the same emotions if we lived in the US and he was starting school, but I think I am even more 'emotional' (or however you want to put it) because it is all so foriegn to me. The school here has a very good reputation and i know that he will get a good education, it is just very different than the way I remember school...which isn't necessarily a bad thing ;).
In any case he is ready and excited. I am still working on teaching him to read and write English here at home, hopefully we will finish our book before he starts school. He will be adding a 3rd language to his 'repertoire' come September. They start teaching French here in the 1st grade! It is done mostly with games, songs and pictures, but by the end of the year most kids at least know a few words and how to say 'my name is'. So it will be interesting to see how well he picks it up and if he likes it or not.
So we are getting geared up for school! I will post some pictures of the einschulung when we have some, in the mean time please pray for Jesaiah that he will have a good start in school and that we will adjust well as a Phamily to the changes. Ich bin ganz aufgeregt! (I am so excited, nervous, all of a dither (just a few translations of aufgeragt... it's a great word!))