Summer Holidays

We've had a really busy couple of weeks with school winding up for the year.  It was lovely to attend Jalen's school presentation night, and to see him announced as a member of the School Leadership Board for 2015.  He has already been busy having lots of meetings, and helping out at things at school, so I can see how busy he will be next year, but it will be great for him.


School finished on Thursday and I am happy that it's holidays as we are all very tired and need a break, but I will miss my EAL (English as an Additional Language) students a lot.  They have come so far this year, and have gone from just saying a few words in English and understanding just a little, to now having great conversations with me, and understanding most things that I say to them.

I can't believe that they've come from only understanding things if I showed them pictures, at the beginning of the year, to me having to tell them to be quiet and listen! :)  I feel so lucky to have been able to work with them.

The best part of the job is seeing them experience things they haven't before.   Before they came to Australia they had never swum before.   We were very lucky to be able to go swimming for a few sessions this term.   I love hearing them all yell 'Mrs King, look at me!!' as they show me the things they can do.

All of the students are Muslim, but their parents are happy for them to participate in Christmas activities at school.  The other day they asked me how many days it was until Christmas.  We worked it out together, and then they said 'and then Santa will come to our house with presents!?'.  I didn't know what to say at first, but then asked them if their families celebrate Christmas.  They said no, and I told them that Santa knows that they don't celebrate Christmas, so he won't go to their house. I reminded them of their special celebrations they have such as Eid and Ramadan and said that we don't celebrate on those days, so they get to have a special time then.   Luckily they were okay with that. 

When the kids first arrived they were so scared of animals, but they are getting used to them.  I loved seeing their smiling faces when we visited Kindergarten the other day to meet the teacher's new puppy.
My contract teaching them has finished, but I'm hoping that I will get another contract when school goes back.  I won't know till later in January and I'm very nervous as I wait to hear anything, but hope things will work out.  Because I am not yet a Permanent Replacement Teacher or a permanent teacher, I have to wait until all the permanent teachers and PRTs are placed before I can be offered a contract.   I'm hoping Aaron and Noah are up there pulling some strings for me.

For Christmas this year I have been saving up for a trampoline for the boys.  The boys have been loving jumping on trampolines at their friend's houses, especially when we stayed with my cousin Kristen and her family in Canberra, because they had a basketball ring on theirs.

Santa just brings small things to our house, and I didn't want to be working out how I was going to put it together on Christmas Eve, so when our missionaries from church asked me if there is anything they could do to help me, I knew exactly what they could do.  I bought the trampoline from a store on eBay and was very nervous that it may not arrive, but luckily it did, and the missionaries and our friend Aaron came around that same day, to put it together for us.
I don't think they knew what they were in for, as it took a lot longer than we thought, but they were making us laugh the whole time.  They're hilarious guys, and the boys love having them visit.   I'm doubting they'll ask me if they can help me again! ;)

The boys are very excited to have an early Christmas present, and are on it all the time. 

The basketball ring has already come loose thanks to them dunking on it, but luckily my brother Jared is very handy and has welded it together for them.  I told them no more dunking, and I think it's killing them!  It's great having something fun for them to do during the summer holidays, just in the backyard. 

We were all very happy on Thursday after school, as holidays had officially begun. 

The days are very long if we don't keep busy, so yesterday I dragged the boys out (they would actually be happy to stay home all day, every day).  We went up to Heritage Forest which has been done up a bit lately.
The boys were excited to go on the new flying fox there.  They loved the one we went on in Queensland, so it's nice to have one close by now.   This video cracks me up as Kobe almost flies into my phone!

Holidays are often hard, and especially when there's Aaron's birthday, Christmas and the anniversary of Aaron's death happening, but we are all happy to have a break, and hope to keep busy and have a lovely summer together.