ICS International Festival 2009

Elise's school held their annual International Festival last Saturday, and it was so much fun! It began with a parade of nations, with kids dressed in the colors (and sometimes costumes) of their countries, carrying flags. It was really amazing and inspiring to see how many countries are represented by students at school. For example, the 9 girls in Elise's classroom come from Argentina, Poland, Sweden, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, South Africa, England (and Elise from the US). Pretty amazing!

This was Elise's big performance day. She has been part of several extracurricular clubs / classes throughout the year, and many of them performed at the festival. First was primary band, where she plays the piano / keyboard. She started taking clarinet lessons in February at the local Musik Schule, so next year she plans to play clarinet in the band. Later in the day she performed with other third graders on the recorder, then with ICS singers. They sang several songs along the theme of the earth and friendship across the world. And, finally, she performed with the Scottish country dancing group. This was a class held during lunchtime that she didn't initially sign up for - until a few of her friends told her how much fun it was.











The other highlight of the festival was all the food booths from the different countries. It was so fun to eat Norwegian waffles with brown cheese, South African dishes, Argentinian samosas, (fruit rollups from the US for the kids), and Swedish chocolate cake (and there were too many other booths to try!).

As far as classes for the kids, Elise has been able to participate in the clubs / classes that performed at the International Fair, as well as girls football (soccer) an art class and a jewelry making class. All of these activities are taught by teachers either during lunch or after school, and kids have an opportunity to sign up each term. So, there was no extra cost for anything, and she was able to do it all at school - no driving around for mom! So easy!

Elise also takes piano lessons from an American woman and has participated in the Royal Academy of Music assessments this year (she passed her theory test with distinction, and has her practical exam tomorrow at one of the other international schools across the lake). She has been taking horse riding lessons since we got here, and is also doing a swim training class. When we went in December to the nearby pool for Elise to be assessed for a class / trianing group, the director said that she must join the Meilen swim team "for the good of Swiss swimming." They thought she was an amazing swimmer! I couldn't help but imagine what they would think if they saw all the great swimmers every year at OMPA! With the new baby coming, we didn't want to join the swim team (they practice 20 minutes away), but perhaps we will join this fall. And, Elise will definitely join the ICS swim team that starts in grade 4.

Nathan and Will have lots of classes at their preschool, including Sakadula (music) and yoga. They go to art class on Friday mornings, and they now both take swim lessons at the nearby pool (Nathan took during the winter, and now Will has started in his own class). I also take the boys to an English-speaking playgroup sometimes, where their favorite part is the singing time at the end.

There's always plenty to do (and, of course, we're still trying to take vacations to explore Europe as often as we can)!

Springtime in Switzerland

It's springtime here and it's BEAUTIFUL! Everything is so green. Flowers are blooming all over our yard, and the leaves on the ivy of the house are coming out. Elise tried her hand at some nature photography and took this great photo of Chinilly the cat (she belongs to our neighbors but is often in our yard - a great arrangement from the kids' perspective). She often jumps on the window ledge outside Elise's room at night and peers in.

And, Meredith is growing bigger and getting cuter every day. She's nearly 4 months old in these photos. What a happy, peaceful little girl. The first comment anyone makes when they see her is "so viele Haare!" (so much hair). Yes, she has a lot of hair and it just keeps growing. What a little beauty...

Mother's Day

I am so blessed to have such great kids! They really are wonderful. We had a nice Mother's Day, with Dave and Elise making a nice big breakfast of waffles (they said if I didn't always get up so early, it could have been breakfast in bed!). Nathan painted a very nice cup and saucer for me at preschool, and William made a plate. They were both wrapped up very nicely, and the boys were excited to have me open them! Elise made a necklace for me. Motherhood is a lot of work (especially with kids at these ages), but 100% worth it!

Shokoladefabrik (chocolate factory)

What better place than Switzerland to try your hand at chocolate making! Elise, Nathan and Will went to a class at the nearby "Kindercity" and got to make and bring home their own chocolate (along with a souvenir apron)! Switzerland really has a lot of activities catering to kids. Kindercity is a combination kids' museum and amusement park. They have these fabrik (factory) classes that kids as young as 2 (Will) can join. Next time the kids want to do the breadmaking class! And, of course, every time we go they want to play in the fun activity areas, and ride the train and go-carts!

The actual Lindt and Sprüngli chocolate factory is just across the lake from us in Kilchberg. They have a factory store which Elise and I were very excited to find!

Plenty of Experience with Swiss Health Care!

We had a chance to experience the Swiss health care system again - this time not for nearly such a happy reason as the birth of baby Meredith. Dave spent a week in the Universität hospital in Zurich being treated for a bacterial infection!

On Sunday morning, April 26th, Dave mentioned that his elbow hurt. It quickly became red, painful, and very swollen. The swelling spread quickly up and down his arm and it seemed like he was getting the flu. Dave went to work on Monday and Tuesday, before getting an appointment with the Rheumatologist on Wednesday morning. The infection was diagnosed, and Dave was given antibiotics to take at home, but told to come back the next morning to be admitted to the hospital if the infection wasn't responding. So, Thursday morning when the redness was still spreading, Dave, Meredith and I all went to the doctor - expecting Dave to be admitted to the hospital. He was admitted, had surgery that night on his arm since the infection wasn't responding to oral or IV antibiotics, and spent the next 5+ days in the hospital! The surgery was a bit scary, as it was the first time he'd ever had general anesthesia. But the care was very good.

We have said so many times in the last couple of weeks that we are incredible grateful to be living now (not 100 years ago when the arm probably would have been amputated) and in a country with such good health care as Switzerland.

We still don't know how Dave got the infection, but it spread quickly because of the medication he takes for his chronic arthritis (the medication weakens the immune system).

Dave had a removable cast for a week or so after coming home, and he still has the Spitex (home health care) coming to check and dress the wound every other day, but he's back at work and getting into the swing of things. Again, we were so thankful for people's willingness to help us (including a priesthood blessing). Dave readily admits that he wasn't a very good hospital patient. While I kept telling him to enjoy the time to rest, he just wanted to come home!

We're all glad that he's home now, and thankful that he's doing better! As Elise wrote in a get-well poem for him, it just wasn't the same here without him!