**Update2**
I also forgot to mention that on her first day of school, Emilie had asked Mike to go to the store with her and buy flowers for me because I had done some shopping and running around before school started and she wanted to say 'thank you'. :-) Isn't she the best...
*Update*
I forgot to mention that Mike took both girls to the 'Build a Bear' store. They each chose a doll. They put a heart for him and one for each girl in the dolls. They have been sleeping with the doll very nice Mike left for Iraq...
This week has been filled with emotions in our household.
We started the week with Emilie's first day in Kindergarten (which is here the equivalent to the 1st grade of Primary school in Europe)at the Bluewater Elementary School!!! . So BIG Deal! Her teacher is Mrs. Runyon and they are 19 kids in her class. Mike was able to walk her to school and pick her up almost every day. She rides her bicycle with the neighborhood kids.
She came back every day with a sticker for her good behavior. She is very proud and very excited to be in the big girl school.
Emilie's classroom,Mike and the girls sitting a her 'desk/table'
The computer and the cubbies and folders
2nd day of school - Red Day
On Tuesday afternoon, both girls are now in the same ballet/tap class which they really enjoy.
Look at Emilie's moves...
Tap
Claire started her first gymnastics class on Wednesday morning.
Friday afternoon, Emilie decided she wanted to remove the training wheels of her bicycle and to our surprise she took off without the wheels in a few minutes!!! and Mike was able to be there for that moment. We then had to get all the neighors and show them!
This was pretty much her first try...
Mike measured the girls to see how much they would grow while he is away...
Mike measuring the girls
We spent the rest of the week watching Mike getting ready for his 6 months deployment to Iraq. As Tropical Storm Fay was getting near, his departure was changed from Sunday to Saturday morning (which weather wise was acually the worst day of the weekend because of the winds and rain).
We drove him to the airport and were even able to get him to his gate. It was very tough on all of us. Emilie looked at me and said 'Why are your eyes red Mamy?'. She kept on saying "Please don't leave Daddy. Stay..." Claire was good at first, she was trying to comfort Emilie by saying 'Daddy has to go on his trip for work but he will be back soon Emilie' then when it was time for Dad to leave, the four of us were crying and I left the airport dragging the girls and crying. We cried till we got to the car then I tried to get it back together for them. Emilie looked at me and said 'Mammy, are you still crying?' I told her I was still sad because Daddy was gone but I was not crying anymore. I really had to hold it but I thought it was better for them. They started to quiet down and I told them we would try to get on base to see his plane take off. We actually managed to see the plane as it was taking off and then it dissapeared in the low clouds.
The weekend has been hard but we were able to speak to Mike a few times since he was still in the USA. As I type this, he is in Norfolk, VA waiting for his Sunday night departure.
Tomorrow is school for Emilie and next weekend Papy and Maminou will arrive to stay with us for a while which will be nice.
