28 Apr 2008

Christopher's Last Day

How To Plan A Goodbye Party for Grade 5 Students

In advance:
Buy cups, plates and napkins - check
Buy fruit and drinks - check
Buy present and flowers for teacher - check
Beg sister to bake famous chocolate cake for the second time in four days - check
Order pizzas for pickup at 10:45 am - check

Morning of:
Pop popcorn - check
Cut up fruit - check
Carry drinks, present, flowers and snacks to car - check
Pick up pizza - check

During:
Feverishly replenish drinks while marvelling at the amount of pop children can consume in 5 seconds flat - check
Make sure everyone has access to pizza and kick yourself because you ordered too many 'nacho' pizzas and not enough of the plain pepperoni pizzas - check
Prepare slices of chocolate cake without accidentally eating too much for the yummy frosting - check
Take tens of pictures of your boy wonder with his friends, amazed at how seamlessly and easily he fits in after only a few months in the class - check
Try hard not to cry when the class presents your son with an album of personal messages, photos and mementos for him to bring back home to Canada - check

After:
Shed a tear as you walk home again, relieved at how well everything has worked out, but sad that it is coming to an end - check
Wonder how come your son never mentioned any of the cute girls in the class, when they all seemed very taken with him - check

25 comments:

Unknown said...

Have a wonderful party? Check.

And did your son notice all those darling girls in class and just didn't tell Mom? A definite check. :-)

dkuroiwa said...

Buy new suitcase that will be needed for all the "good-bye" gifts? Hopefully...check.

You are all holding up incredibly well...not sure I'd be doing as good a job!! I'm getting weepy for you just reading about it. *sigh* Which is why I will probably never leave here!!

OMG!! My son is also 10...I better start paying closer attention to those girls!!

Beth from the Funny Farm said...

Be GLAD that he isn't "girl" crazy yet! OMG.... my son has suddenly got girls on the brain!

Rima said...

I have a feeling that B is going to have a lot of Norweigan pen pals next year.

Lisa said...

You are such a great mom, helping make these last days extra special for each of your boys!
I bet you don't have much longer before C will start noticing those girls!

Anonymous said...

I seriously doubt he even noticed the girls, except perhaps as irritants. :-)

Annie said...

Lovely post, even made me a bit teary.

Ice Cream said...

Ok, I can't help but notice you call it "pop". Is that a Canadian thing? I grew up calling it pop in Idaho and was teased mercilessly for it when I moved to NY.

Sounds like a wonderful party and you sound like super mom (right down to the chocolate frosting denial). I hope these good feelings follow your son and give him the confidence he'll need back in Canada.

Mighty Morphin' Mama said...

You are a rockin' Mom! Sounds like things are wrapping up on such positive notes. I too feel a bit weepy for you though.
and My Ice Cream Diary? yep, up here in Canada we call it pop too.

kim-d said...

Okay, I just have to say that it just HAS to be the Norwegian stoicism that, thankfully, kept you from blubbering through the whole party :)! I can say this, because I know that there are times it is ONLY because of my "Norwegian part" that I'm able to hold back the tears!

Isn't it amazing how Christopher just seems to adapt so seamlessly? And I'm betting that he has definitely noticed the cute girls noticing HIM; he's just keeping it quiet as he weighs his options. Hehehe. Gee, I'll bet that made you feel much better, huh? From the sounds of things, you better get used to it, because both C and B-Boy are sure to have LOTS of female attention :)!

I am so, so happy how wonderfully this experience has turned out for both of your boys, and how it will help shape the adults they will become. I think you and Mike need to give yourselves a pat on the back...seriously!!!

And we call it pop here in MN, too!

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

Get used to the non-communication on the girl front. That is how boys roll!

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

Get used to the non-communication on the girl front. That is how boys roll!

Misty said...

*Sniff* I hate goodbyes. This is sad.

Beck said...

Aw.
It's sad, but it's also wonderful to hear how much they all liked him. He sounds like a great kid.

Mary Beth said...

Not only did you provide an unbelievable opportunity for them, but you must be so proud to have raised two great kids that are able to make such a positive impression on their classes in such a short amount of time. Yay you:)

Anonymous said...

What is a nacho pizza? I'm intrigued.

Oh, it is so sad that you are leaving! Do you think you'll keep blogging once you are back in Canada?

Steph said...

It sounds like it was a great party. Glad that they each got their own special "goodbye" from their classes.

Mrs. G. said...

I'm not surprised that he is popular with the girls-they have good taste.

dawn klinge said...

If I could send my kids to such a wonderful school where the kids seems to care so much about each other, I probably wouldn't be homeschooling. What a nice party for Christopher's last day.

Suzanne said...

How sweet! From your accounts of life in Norway, it's hard to believe you've been there only 10 months. It seems as if you all fit in so well!

Stomper Girl said...

That sounds like a big day! You must have slept well that night.

Oh, those poor little cute Norwegian girls. They will be pining for your handsome foreign boy all their lives!

Aliki2006 said...

Just like a boy, eh? Not to notice the girls, who all notice him...!

Karen MEG said...

Doesn't surprise me that the girls are startng to swarm, Heidi. Your Christopher, he is a cutie with charm to spare.

This is so bittersweet, your happy/sad wrap-up. But that's lovely to have those mementos from his Norwegian friends. I'm sure he'll be only too pleased to show these and share his experiences with his buddies back in the 'hood.

Girlplustwo said...

you are the rock star mama, junk food bringer rock star mama. i love it.

the dragonfly said...

Another wonderful party! Your boys have amazing memories of their time in Norway, I think. :)