The kindness of strangers

The concept of DOS and the FS as a community / family really hit home for me this week.  Ever since A-100 began, I've been stressing the F out over what I was going to do with the Mini-Menace once we arrived at post.  I hate to harp on the single-parent thing because, god knows, there are countless other single parents (or doubles, to be honest) who have it so much tougher than I do.  But I had no idea what I was going to do when I got to post and had to go to work, but at the same time, had to figure out school transportation and after-school childcare until I was able to hire someone.  (And that is a whole other issue, the concept of hiring a domestic employee is so foreign to me that I feel incredibly guilty about having domestic help).  Anyhow, to get back to my point, the woman who runs the Welcome Wagon group at post put me in touch with a family there whose kids attend the same school that the Mini-Menace will....and without having emailed / spoken to me, this family offered to take the MM to / from school and to watch him after school until we get settled, help me get him enrolled at school or or anything else that I needed help with.   Amazing.  I'm so much more relaxed about the move now, I can actually be excited about the move.

So excited, in fact, that the MM and I are headed down to Managua next month for a quick bombing run of a trip.  We're just going down to visit his school / take placement tests, and get him officially enrolled.  Ok, and *maybe* we'll be taking a day to do a little sightseeing--but I think it will help his transition if he can visualize where he'll be going to school or if he has a better idea of what he can expect.  So expect some actual Managua-related posts & pictures next month!

And the vehicle dilemma has been resolved....the poor hybrid Highlander is officially dead and we are now the proud owners of a bitchin' Jeep: 

An imposter!!!

Somebody needs to tell Newsweek / Murdoch / Brooks that this particularly alias is already spoken for!!

Working Vacation

The Mini-Menace has been in California for the past 2 weeks, on his annual pilgrimage to visit his father and paternal grandparents, and, as usual, I am bored to death without him.  The first few days are great--freedom to go where I want, when I want, and to watch movies with all sorts of child-unfriendly language, etc.--but after the 3rd day, the house is just too quiet.  The dogs were depressed too--they both stopped eating for the first few days, and would go into his room to look for him.  We're fine, but I'm definitely looking forward to his return in 1 week.  Just in time for his Young Diplomats' Day and Youth Security Overseas Seminar, and the start of his Saturday Spanish classes!!

In other Spanish news, I'm still plugging along in class.  I had my first progress evaluation and did much better than I'd anticipated.  It felt like a fluke, though....I was really on top of my game that day, whereas in class, I still feel like a total idiot.  I have until early September to get my act together.  One of my classmates was able to convince his CDO and post to let him test early so that he could arrive earlier than planned in order for his kids to start school at the beginning of the school year.....and he passed!!!!  So happy for him!  I hope his luck is contagious.

Had a little bit of drama with the car--there was a massive flash flood in the 'hood two weeks ago, and the 2.5 feet of water in the street got INTO my car and damaged the interior, the hybrid system, the brake system, and the power steering.  No verdict yet on whether or not it can be salvaged.  I love that car, but am starting to think about replacements.  Since the roads are pretty rough in Nicaragua, I'm actually thinking about getting a Jeep.  The dilemma, though, is do I go with the soft top, or the hard top for security reasons?  And since the Mini-Menace isn't old or big enough to sit in the front, plus my family will be visiting, do I go 2-door or 4-door?  Ay caramba!!!

Thanks to my mom for sending the Mini-Menace a massive care package with 15 different kinds of Oreos.  That's one item off his bucket list.  At least one of us is accomplishing something!!