She’s So Brave

This week has been a week of courage.  Miss AnnMarie started a private school close to our apartment.  In Argentina, spring is in full swing.  The seasons are just the opposite of the United States.  Summer break starts in December & finishes at the end of February, so the current school year only has about 2 months left.  We were planning to wait until March to officially ‘get her started,’ but last week when we were registering her for next year, the director urged us to start her now. 

Her first day of school was on Monday of this week.  This was a big day for all of us.  Her uniform was ready, her backpack was ready - everything was ready…except for the snack she was suppose to take that I didn’t know about.  I got it right the next day.  She was very excited, but a little nervous.  I was very nervous, but a little excited. ;)  Oh, it’s difficult to put words into the emotions of this week. 

My little one is going to school now every day from 1:30-5 PM.  So far, she absolutely loves it.  This school has never had an American student.  They are more than thrilled to have her there.

Most Argentines are very fair skinned.  The blonde-haired lady is her teacher.  She is a native Argentine through & through.  She does not speak English.  However, AnnMarie has a very gifted tutor there who speaks amazing Spanish & beautiful English.  (She is the dark-haired lady in the second to last photo.)

 

The second day, all apprehensions were gone – at least for AnnMarie.  (Carlie’s not too happy about dropping her playmate off every day.)

The street names here are dates (like The 12th of October or The 25th of May).  Ironically, the name of the street that the school is on is the day of AnnMarie’s birthday.

It must be meant to be.

Dear Blake Shelton

Dear Blake Shelton,

My cousin & I wrote a new song called “Ain’t What Shoulda Been.”  You should listen to it, love it, & have your agent call me ASAP.  There still might be time to get it on your new album.  Okay, maybe not, but your voice would fit it perfectly, so download it for free HERE, & then we’ll talk.

Your aspiring songwriter,

Sharee Wolfley

From A-Z

I’ll let the pictures tell the story…

Our life in 12 bags.

Already busting into the snacks, & we’re only in Pasco.  Good thing one whole bag was dedicated to snacks.

Thank You Uncle Clint for helping us check our bags in.

In answer to the question, “How was your flight?…,” this photo about sums it up.  I look so scary.  Now you’re thinking that, too, right?

Doesn’t the National Migration Office look professional?I

On the street where we live.  (Don’t worry, this is down from our apartment about a half a mile.)

A few streets down, but very cute.

I’m Definitely In South America

Oh, wow.  We made it to Argentina.  We finally made it!  I spent all of last week in our house getting ready to leave.  Movers came & family came.  It was exciting & exhausting.  I cleaned every square inch of our house.  I packed & repacked…& repacked again.  I slept on an air mattress & ate out of a cooler in our nearly vacant home.  It was a good good week to remember. 

We have been in our Argentine apartment now for about 2 days.  It took a full day getting to Atlanta, Georgia from Pasco.  From there we flew over 10 hours to Argentina on a red-eye flight.  When we finally arrived, we drove about 5 hours to Venado Tuerto, our new hometown.  Sheesh!  And the greatest miracle, I somehow managed to refrain from being a blubbering mess through it all.

I have some fun pictures of our journey, but my feet & back are not holding up (I miss my carpet)!   I’m headed to bed, so in the meantime, I have to share some pictures of when Grandma & Grandpa Wolfley came to visit us in Kennewick before we left.

At the time, I thought the Pasco, Washington Farmers Market was surely a preview of Argentina, but oh, I was wrong.  Very very wrong. 

(Excited Sharee is still excited – just undergoing a little (okay major) culture shock).

They Have Each Other

Lately, these two have been clinging to each other.  I’m certainly not ready to say that they can go an entire day without fighting over something or another (oh, the drama!), BUT they have been developing a very sweet relationship that I adore.  I never had a sister growing up, & I can’t help but wonder how magnificent it must feel to have one – someone like yourself, yet different than yourself - a special kind of double really.  I’m pretty sure that the only thing better than having a sister is having a daughter.  Lucky for me, I have two.

JC Penny Portrait Studio just went up about 100 points on the richter scale in my book!  I thought they captured some beautiful moments in only 20 minutes.

Our Little Corner

Oh, I will miss our Kennewick home!  Moving is an emotional rollercoaster.  We haven’t been here nearly as long as I thought we would, and these sleepless nights of worrying & packing are causing me to wonder why in the world I am consenting to move across the world!  I love this house!  (Start the violins)…BUT all this change has caused me to once again ask the question, “What is home?  Is it a house?  Is it a specific location?”  From my experience, home is being with the people you love. 

So here’s to this house that we will always love & remember…

 

But cheers to a new adventure & the new memories to be made in our new little corner of the world.

Grandma & Grandpa Are Here!

We have company this week!  Better than company - it’s Grandma & Grandpa J!  We are within a few short weeks of moving to Argentina, so a lot of transition is going on these days, but the support & presence of loved ones is making this doable & exciting.

(Can I just say that my dear Mother looks AMAZING!?  She has lost over 50 lbs. in the past 6 months, & we are all so proud of her!  Way to go MOM!)

You know you’re a grandma when you think it’s completely normal to take your granddaughters to the mall for nothing other than strawberry smoothies, orange balloons, & the sheer joy of riding around in red converti-strollers.  Yep, only everyone was starring at us. 

   

The girls had their pictures taken this morning.  I can assure you that this is not normal attire for attending the mall…(although they did make quite the fashion statement).