Fall is Here

We dropped a very hesitant Kaleb off at the ungdomeskole today (Jr. High).  He met with the principal right away, who gave him the sternest of talks.  He told him he’s on probation for this week and if there’s any kind of funny business out of him, he said he will “kick your ass right out of school.”  It was kinda funny when it said it because he was talking to him in Norwegian, but when he said that particular quote, he reverted over to English, just to make sure Kaleb knew what he meant.  He said he already had six or seven problem boys and he didn’t need to have any problem kids “imported from America.”  He has no time for that, he said.   I think Kaleb thought the whole lecture was comical, rather than intimidating, but I’m sure he got the message.

Kory and I waited anxiously all day to see how things would go for Kaleb.  I attended a prayer meeting at my friend Kristin's house (below), for several hours this morning, and I was feeling rather confident, after all that fervent prayer, that things would go well. 

I picked Kaleb up at two, when school was out, and I can say at least that things didn’t go poorly.  He said it was “OK” but kinda boring, since he couldn’t do any of the things the other kids did.  He didn’t bring gym clothes so gym was out.  He couldn’t use the computer to take a math test, so he just sat there.  He brought my Kindle with some books on it, so he was glad to have something to read all day, but he’s not sure he wants to just go to school for the sake of being there, with nothing to do.  I’d have to agree, but tomorrow might be a different day as they rotate classes.  He’s agreed to go again to see how it will be.  Whew.

A big storm came in today so we’ve been hunkered down in the house just trying to keep things from flying off the deck.  I made dinner for Odd and Turid, but Kory had to set the grill up on the entrance side of the house, under cover, since the storm is coming from the west and our balcony is a dangerous place at the moment.  A chill is also in the air so I believe summer is officially over and we are well into fall.  I’m so bummed.  I never even got to enjoy our deck this year, as the days it was warm, Kory was refinishing the wood on it, so it’s still not a pretty place and I never got to plant flowers, etc.  This is not a good time of year to be here, that’s for sure.  I like coming in the spring much better.

Odd and Turid didn’t stay long as they had places to go and people to see but it was nice to see them for the time we had, anyway.  Turid’s book is being released on Thursday so she flies to Oslo tomorrow to do a book signing.  She’s the illustrator of a children’s book that I dare say would never cut it in the U.S.  It’s quite risqué for the American market, but Norwegians have a different take on what children can and can’t be exposed to. It’s full of images we try to protect our kids from – mild porn, drinking alcohol, and smoking marijuana.  The idea is that all these farm animals are doing these things and I guess the parents would then have to point out how it’s not really appropriate, but the text sure makes it look fun and silly.  Strange.  Turid is anxious to see how it’s received by the public.  It will sell for about $35 – which is typical for a children’s picture book. 

Kory didn’t do a darn thing all day.  No honey-do’s, no exercise, nothing.  I fear he’s taken his worries a bit too far.  I guess the pain he experienced is still too fresh for him to want a repeat performance, but there are some things I think he can do just fine if he wanted to.  It’s been three weeks now and his cousin, Dr. Odd, said he just needed to rest his wrist for two weeks.

I'm not being political, but I thought this sign in Kaleb's room is funny.  It says "My Room," but by adding his knee... it's says something different - get it?

We were able to Skype Grammy J tonight and have a long talk with her, which helped us all feel less homesick.  This constant rain is more than I can bear and the forecast is just for more of the same.  I’m ready to go home.