- We visited America in all its glory. Frog jumping contests, children's museums, family pets, and of course, family.
- I spent 1 month away in Bahrain while Alison and the kids remained in the US. It was good to have time to get lots of stuff done, but I also missed them.
- Gabe may have an allergy to gluten and/or dairy. Uff. Breads and Dairy products? Poor kid.
- Eva is being potty trained! I'll spare you the details.
- The Packers lost to the Seahawks on a horrible call
- My parents have a foreign exchange student from - wait for it... - Bahrain! Alison and I have had the chance to meet her familiy here, which has been a lot of fun.
Away to Chicago
Alison and I left the kids with my parents for three days and headed to the Windy City (named for its long winded politicians, not for excess amounts of wind). We walked around downtown, at Chicago style pizza, visited a few museums, went for bike rides, took tours, and visited the U505 submarine. As the nerds we are, we even visited a couple bookshops and I found a book on Bahrain from the 1980's! I am still working my way through it.
We have moved!
One of the perks of being the Principal is moving into the house reserved for the Principal. It's actually a duplex, and we occupy the second floor. The first floor is occupied by the pastor of the National Evangelical Church and his family. They have already been wonderful neighbors, and their four teenage/adult children living at home provide ample baby-sitting opportunities.
The house provides more room for our family and, most significantly, a yard! The kids love being outside. We are within walking distance of quite a bit, and I am within walking distance of the school. This cuts my commute down by an hour. There are a lot of small things I need to come to the school for, so it is nice that I can pop over for an hour if I need to without taking up my entire day.
On Being Principal
I have learned more in the last three months than I anticipated. I have learned about how air conditioners and electrical wiring work, set ups of industrial fire alarms, labor law, organizational design and a plethora of other things. And of course, when someone comes to me, I can no longer pass the buck if I don't want to deal with it. I have had to learn better time management, to prioritize, and to slow down a bit. I may have some ideas, but changing institutions takes time - even if everyone inside wants to change with you. Fortunately, I have a great staff. Everyone is hard working and dedicated, and I am encouraged every day by the work that they do.
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