Mimi's Trip to France

Well, I have been trying not to be a nervous ninny but she leaves on March 10th and I just feel unprepared. There were parent meetings I missed so I feel a bit out of the loop. Or maybe not everything has been discussed yet. I was under the impression at one of the earlier parent meetings that we would have some correspondance with the parents via emails, and letters ahead of time. Here it is already Feb. 3rd and M is just sending her reply letter to her host family. Also, I get this letter dated Jan. 31st, informing us that the kids need to have their letters ready, and some small lightweight gifts or things like magnets, pencils, or t-shirts that have to do with Milwaukee. Well, um, thanks for the notice. I was upset with M because she didn't even give it to me! I had to dig through her folder. I will rant later about how irresponsible my kids are behaving lately. I felt bad for yelling at her. She tried telling me I was 'always mean to her' when I was telling her to stop acting like a spoiled brat. She was acting like a spoiled brat, crumpling up her letter, stomping, whining, crying, talking back. I am way past fed up. Frankly, I think her daddy spoiled her a bit, just like he is with lil'J but that's a whole other post. I asked her what alternative could she give me? How can we let her know she's being a nasty snot and needs to stop? It's not like we're picking on her, she can be a huge drama queen.

I started getting my overly worrying mommy thoughts about how I'd feel so terrible if God forbid something should happen to her, and we had this fight just a month before. Richard told her she was a bad daughter, and being a bad student. I'm sure he meant to say sometimes she's behaving like a bad daugther, it's not always us but that made me cringe. Oh vey, I need to get a grip. Nothing is going to happen to her, she's going to have great fun! I know it will all work out, I just want to be prepared. I'd like to start getting her stuff together and ready.

I had some Milwaukee post cards only to discover that S at one point must have tried to write, Happy Valentines Day, on it. Or in her case, probably Happy Valentimes Day. So we gave her a little beginners cross stitch kit that has directions in french and english, a tiny sheer pink drawstring bag with a earring/necklace/bracelet set. Also, a pack of glow in the dark star stickers, a colored pen, and pictures of the kids. I would have liked to have copied more pictures but oh well. The bigger gifts go by plane. I don't know anything about the family yet so I don't want to buy t-shirts and stuff and have them be the wrong size.

Also, M thinks she may not be getting a student to stay with us in April. If so, I will be livid since we waited until this year to host a family. The students that go to france are suppose to get first pick on hosting a student. Usually, it's the child they stayed with, if they are coming over. Well, I guess other kids are getting slips and she is not. I have been wondering why 3 times now, I keep seeing the notices about hosting students, yet haven't heard anything. I sent the first one out, then the second, with a note, just in case. Now there's a 3rd one stating they still need placement for 5 boys. M has been just as excited at the idea of her student coming to stay with us, as she has about going over there. If they don't place a student with us, she is going to be crushed and I will be very upset. One of her friends hosted an exchange student last year, and she's not even going to France this year, why should she get to host another student?

Anyways, I'm waiting for the principal to call me back and clear some stuff up. I sent an email to one of the moms that organizes this stuff and I haven't heard anything back yet. I will wait til later then I'll start pestering. :o)