Change of Plans

...a whirlwind 24 hours for our family...

Late Wednesday afternoon I received a phone call from the school at which Chloe had interviewed in July, announcing that the admissions committee had just finished meeting and Ta-Da! there was a place for her in the kindergarten class. The finance committee also smiled upon us and converted the tuition into something that former West Michiganders could more easily swallow. Official first day of school: Today.

At 6:00 last evening I was able to determine what time we had to arrive at school (8:15)
...what to do about lunches (bag lunch, not even lukewarm half-rotten milk is provided, as it was when I was in school)
...uniform requirements (must be ordered from Lands End with school logo embroidered. Too late for that, sorry kid, but you'll have to be "special" for a few days)

So it happened that Chloe and I found ourselves in the midst of much plaid and many knee socks this morning. She was thrilled; I surprised myself by feeling a bit emotional. Her kindergarten, like many in the city, is 5 full days a week. They have recess in Central Park and P.E. class is in a gym a couple blocks from the school. NYC provides free buses to the private schools, and though we have to walk a few blocks to the bus stop, it beats having me take her (and Jonathan) on the subway.

After I left Chloe in the care of her kind teacher, I attended a parent's informational thing, where I met many more people who have intentionally decided to stay in the city, sharing their lives as Christians. It's a motley bunch of folks: church planters, investment bankers, actors, stay at home moms. I'm excited to know these people better, witnessing how God works through each of them over this next year.