More Olmsted

(This is cross-posted at the family website for anyone who has already read it.)

So, here's the update: Alan will be starting school at Charles University in September or October of 2010. In between then and now, we will have to finish remodeling the house and getting it ready to sell and do 47? weeks of language training in Czech. Czech is an Indo-European language, so it's sort of like a fifth cousin once removed of English (but a first cousin of Ukrainian and Russian.) None of us have any experience with Slavic languages, so this will be a new experience for us.

There are two main language schools for the military: one is in Monterrey, CA and the other is in Washington DC. It looks like we will probably head to school in Washington DC (Good-bye beautiful Pacific Ocean. Good-bye sea lions. Good-bye California sunshine, Monterrey Aquarium and walks on the beach at sunset. Sigh.) Nothing is set in stone, though. It's possible that we could do our language training in-country, however, and be in the Czech Republic in October of this year. Nothing is certain yet, other than we could really use an army to put our house together zippity-quick (Good-bye kitchen! 'Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all!)

Olmsted

We got the news today (via an Army staff sergeant) that we made the cut. Alan was selected to receive the Olmsted Foundation Scholarship, and hewill be assigned to study at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Wow! I am overwhelmed!

Random Thoughts

I am currently without a kitchen sink. So we're washing dishes the pioneer way--or at least, how pioneers would have done dishes if they had running water and electricity. Maybe not so tough, after all.

My new kitchen is going to be awesome. I look at the cherry cabinets and they make me smile inside.

The powers-that-be will give us Official Word on Tuesday (supposedly) of whether or not Alan won the Olmsted. . . . .

Mirielle: Was Jesus married?
Me: Uh, what do you think?
Mirielle: I think he was married to Mary, the one that's not his mother.
Me: (thinking, "Where did that come from?") Why do you say that?
Mirielle: Because she was his friend.
. . . and then the conversation between my five-year old and I got even stranger. You can only imagine. I guess small people have a talent for metaphysics or something. It got to the point where I wouldn't have been surprised by the casual mention of Kant or Emerson or a desire to visit Walden Pond.

Other memorable quotes:
Analise: My mind is empty but my heart is full of love.
Briellen: (pushing up her nose) I look like a hippopotamus.

This week is science week again. I like science week--it's relaxing, interesting, and hands-0n. Remind me again why all of home school isn't this way? Oh that's right. There are just some things people have to learn to do that they don't like. Like writing legibly, darnit.