School Begins

It seems that I missed a few months in there as I now stand one month into the new school year. This school year welcomes a senior, a freshman and 6th grader from the Thompson family - all at the same school. The three Thompson kids have not been in school together since AC was in 5th, JA in 2nd, and Na in pre-K back in ourhomeschooling days.

The school year started the weekend before school with a Gaudeamus concert in Carlisle Cathedral for Julieanne, a prefect planning time and hockey pre season training for AC. It hasn't let up ever since. This is the reason Anna Catherine wrote all of her university applications in August as there is little time for anything else at the moment.

Nathan went from keeping up with about five subjects to fourteen to so he has had major transitions. He said he loves school but hates the classes. Hmmm. We knew once we got to this place it would bring a fresh amount of work along with new challenges in organization. He's having to learn that just because he doesn't have written homework for the next day, there are probably still assignments he is supposed to be working

on. He is enjoying the chance to play rugby and basketball at St. Bees while knowing many students already in Anna Catherine and Julieanne's classes. He is taking golf lessons and drum lessons during the school day as well which is a bonus.

Julieanne is taking the usual core subjects of Math, English, French, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Religious studies, health and then her electives for GCSE of history, geography and PE. She

is in the school play and enjoying field hockey again. Living on house one night a week as a house monitor has brought its challenges of keeping up with her own

school work while trying to keep others on track as well. She overslept one morning on duty and was 10 minutes late ringing the wake up bell which upset a few people thus upsetting her. Mrs. Williams, the house mother, said all monitors sleep thru a bell and Julieanne just got hers over with at the beginning.

Anna Catherine has started her senior year with gusto - planning activities for the senior girls' house and getting to know

the girls from other countries. She stays over two nights a week with some rotating extra duty nights. Living on house a few nights a week has brought the beginning of the transition away from home that will inevitably come next year when she goes off to university. She is juggling an enormous school load along with hockey, cello, youth group and combined cadet forces so next year might actually be easier.