Random: heading East

Happy May 1st! When we lived in Iowa, Julie always prepared May first baskets for the kids that she babysit. Of course, S got one, too! Inside the basket always full with homemade cookies,  little flowers that kids picked from the morning walk and a note from each kid to their mama and dada.  I heart that tradition in Julie's house!

It has been a week that full with busy and some better news from the travel agent.  We should have everything settle by the end of the week. Thank you for all your well wishes I think they worked! Thank you for all the sweet and lovely comments on {keep it simple}.  {Thank. You}.

It is May 1st! We are moving in 24 days from today! Finally, I am more settled and ready to share with you where we are heading! It is not a secrete, but we have not feel that we are ready for this and with all the busy events lately. Everything just got postpone..

It has been little over a year of decision making and planning about where we heading. We are heading to East, Taiwan for a year! The thought for going to Taiwan came to me the summer before my last year of graduate study. I have listed many pros and cons about the move. S and I have talked about it before we approach our family. The move scars her to begin with. Every time, we talk about the schooling in Taiwan that brought her lots tears. She is fluent in conversation and listening, but reading and writing are not something that she can work with like her English.  We have done some new study at home since then, but it is still limited.  I have promised that we'll work together and we'll have great experiences instead of worrying not being able to catch up. 

I have always though it would be great to let S exposes to the culture that I came from, but it has been hard to find the good timing to do so. The post graduate year seems appropriate for taking the year off. This year would allow S and I spend time together, read, travel, make arts, be with family, and of course, pup, Lucky, the boy.

Beginning of this year, I have approached so many blog friends who homeschooling their children { thank you friends for you kindness}. There are so many information about homeschooling and I made many phone calls to find out the appropriate way for homeschooling. This is the part that I am not ready for! Homeschooling S for her U.S. study. I went and sat in her classroom one day in February and try to figure out how the teachers teach and oh boy, it is not as easy as I thought. Many of our friends have kindly offer Skype reading time with S once a week and help out her study via Skype. It really helps me out in many ways.  {My stars of Learning} is where S will post her readings and things that she enjoys while oversea. It is considered a portfolio that she can record her study on her own, so we can submit it in when we return next year to the school where we'll be.

My mom is overjoyed when I told her on the phone back in March. Oh, no screaming or tears! But I could hear her voice was higher when I told her our decision. That's a lot for my mom; a very conservative lady. I know that we'll have an interesting year together, but we'll try to be sweet and kind to each other.  It will be some adjustment to live with family again, but S and I both started looking forward coming home that grandma might be cooking dinner and Lucky might be waiting to play.

S is finally comfortable to share and talk about the move! She still unsure about schooling in Taiwan. She has many uncertain feelings about study in Chinese, but she will do well and hope gain tremendous great experiences for her little life.  She helps out packing her books and toys to store away. She picked out the clothes that she would like to take with. She gets involved with the move and be part of this adventure this time.

We'll still be here at {1/4" mark}, but we are away from the land that many of you and I are stand for. It doesn't seem like that going oversea is so difficult this time, but we do have more preparations to make and careful planning for S' schooling.

Within the year of oversea:
S will ...
-attend Taiwan's elementary school as an exchanged student and learn some Chinese.
-wear uniform to school everyday.
-greet the teacher before class starts and when class ends.
-spend time with extended families
-have a real pet, Lucky
-go to market with grandma at 6a.m. in the morning
-enjoy night markets
-travel to South East Asia
-experience different holiday traditions
--- much more

I, on the other hand would like take the post graduate year to work on some new sewing patterns and possible some a new quilt. A full suitcase of fabric is what I am taking and a full suitcase of books is what S is taking.  We both have our loves! 

The year of 2013 has been so great already even it is only May!  I hope to keep blogging and sharing even we are oversea. I'd love to show you my hometown and show you some fun places. Of course, I will continue sharing sewing with you and keep {shop} running.  This blog brought S and I many amazing friendships and many encouragements to keep moving on the days good and bad! Thank you for coming here to read a bit of this and that~  

now,
Stella.. are we ready for this adventure? It is going to be an excellent year ahead of us, i promise you!

xxc