Texans game!

I think Janni enjoyed his first NFL game. The Texans crushed the Titans and Janni and Wes seemed to enjoy the tailgating, game, cheerleaders, food, and festivities. Many thanks to Sue Davis for sharing these amazing pics!

Fun times...

Things here in Houston are still fairly hectic but we have definitely settled into a routine. Janni seems so comfortable in his new home. I frequently have people ask me how it is to have a "strange kid" living with us and the question always disconcerts me for a minute. He truly is a part of this family. He does chores, helps bathe the dog, and teases his siblings.

They all get along really well. Last night Hunter and Max were DJ-ing a high school party. Janni was smart and went with the girls -

They all said they had fun. It was one of those conversations where no one really volunteered too much information so I'm assuming all went well!

Some cool cousins from Nebraska are in town and they brought Janni his very own Husker shirt. Tom has him totally brainwashed into being a Nebraska fan...

Though he didn't make the final three for Homecoming Court (can I demand a re-count?!) it is so apparent that he is extremely well-liked by his peers. Friday a group of the girls helped him choose his outfit for the Homecoming Dance. Surprisingly enough it was pretty easy for the gang to reach consensus on what he should wear. But you'll have to wait and see the photos - no spoilers here!!

Janni is spending today at Reliant Stadium for the Texans game, joining Wes and his family as they tailgate and watch the team take on the Titans. So far Janni has loved high school football so I can't wait to hear what he thinks about the "big time."

Whew - what a weekend!

I'm tired. It's been one of those busy weekends that leaves you just a little excited for Monday so that things will calm down!

It was the official "Kingwood All Sports Booster Club All Sports Kick-Off" weekend.

(A little background: A few years ago the kick-off was tapped to be more of a fundraiser than just an event and a component of the efforts is the cook-off. Not only does the winning sports team get bragging rights for a year, but all of the briskets are made into sandwiches which are sold to those in attendance. Since cooking is more of an "event" than an "act" the men typically spend the weekend in the parking lot, watching over their grills and talking about manly things.)

Friday was all about setting up the official barbecue site and beginning the cooking process. Janni, Hunter and Tom spent the evening at the high school in Testosterone Village. They all seemed to have fun; I didn't ask questions.

After Anna's birthday party, the rest of Saturday was spent actually cooking and also setting up the tents, tables, and chairs for the actual event. And hanging out with friends, of course!

Janni was able to secure a front row seat for the judging.....

The kids had tasted the Official KHS Basketball Contest Entry and proclaimed it "amazing!!"
But what would the judges think?!!

THEY AGREED!!!! BASKETBALL WON!!!!!

wooooooohoooooo!!!!

Tom and Sue Davis - the brave female leader of the cooking crew - proudly show the prize:



Yay team!!!

The rest of the evening was all about food and fellowship. Janni spent time with friends....and was very happy to pause to pose with his sister and the other cheerleaders.

Needless to say, Janni has adjusted well to life in the U.S. Many people - from friends to random strangers - have commented about how easily he has assimilated into our family and in general. He truly has. He is an amazing kid who is friendly and easygoing. We are so blessed.

I've had other host parents contact me with questions about how we are handling "situations" with Janni. But we haven't had any. We treat him just like our other two teens and I'm thrilled that he acts like one. When he first arrived he kept his room spotless. I mean SPOTLESS. While he has not yet attained the filth level of his siblings he is definitely more "at home" in his space - which I love!

Perhaps the only thing (aside from missing his family, of course) that he doesn't love here is the homework. He spends 3-4 hours each day working on his homework, both trying to understand the nuances of the English language and just doing the required work. Though I know he gets frustrated (who wouldn't?!) it is apparent that each week it gets easier. When I think back on how he spoke English when he first arrived Aug. 3 as compared to how easily we converse now I am amazed. He is truly fluent in English, and Texan, and speaks English as easily as everyone else....with a German accent of course!!!

We still don't know if Janni made the top three for Junior Homecoming Court. The suspense is killing me and I promise to post as soon as we find out.

#TeamJanni

Vote for Janni!

Exciting news! Janni is a finalist for Junior Homecoming Representative!
If you happen to be a junior at Kingwood High School please vote for him.

Whew!

The home visit was anti-climactic. After convincing (ok, threatening) the teens to clean the upstairs so that the nice lady could walk and avoid attack by killer dust bunnies, she was here for less than five minutes. No exaggeration. Apparently this visit was just to make sure that Janni is okay and that his environment is safe and healthy.  

Nonetheless I think I can safely say that we are all glad it's over.

We also got some interesting news about Janni's government class. From the beginning, it has been U.S. History and government that have caused him academic grief. I assumed that it was the unfamiliar words, terms, and concepts that were stymieing him as he spent hours reading and studying yet still not feeling comfortable with the material. Thursday night he was so tired and so frustrated that I sent his government teacher an e-mail and told him that I insisted that Janni stop working on the assignment.

Not only did his teacher completely agree he also did some detective work and found out that when Janni was given his textbook at the beginning of school he was erroneously handed the incorrect book. So, the book he had a home – the one that was supposed to supplement what was going on in class – was the Advanced Placement book.

No wonder he was confused!

Home Sweet Home - but hopefully a cleaner version Saturday...

Just got a call - Saturday at 10:30 a.m. we are having another home visit with the exchange student people to make sure Janni is in a good, safe environment. Which he is. I promise.

So we will be using this as a reason to clean the upstairs of the Leahy casa....and the teens are really excited that they get to clean their rooms and bathrooms. (Not.)

All I can think of is a really funny sign that my friend/trainer has by her front door: "Remember, as far as anyone knows we are a nice, normal family."

In all seriousness, I completely understand why they are so thorough in their vetting of host families. I would want nothing less for any kid and/or parent. But I'm not going to lie, I'm not looking forward to"supervising" my kids as they make sure the upstairs won't terrify the nice lady coming to do the follow-up home visit!

Disclaimer: Tom gleefully informed me that I had a grammatical error on a previous blog entry. I'm not surprised. When I first started this blog my goal was to post photos of Janni somewhere that his mom (Maria) could easily access and learn about what Janni was up to in the U.S.  - not create another  "work" responsibility. Yes, I am a writer by trade, but I never wanted this blog to be a responsibility, just a joy. I am a terrific speller but a horrible typist so sometimes the results aren't quite perfect. So buckle up and enjoy the ride. This is real life  people.

Aren't they adorable?

The boys got haircuts today - it was Janni's first official American haircut. Hah!
Love these handsome guys!

And the beat goes on....

We have settled into a "school year" rhythm here in the Leahy house. Mornings come too soon, nights are filled with meetings, homework, and school events, and the days in the classroom are "boring" according to the three teens.

However, Janni definitely has more enthusiasm for school that either Hunter or Hailey. He really seems to enjoy his classes now. As of Friday he moved out of his 1st period architecture class into a class called "academic enrichment" -basically a period when he can get help with his other classes. The teacher will insure that he isn't having any issues with the language difference that might be causing him to not succeed. He seems happy with the situation so I am happy too!

Friday night was all about the football game. But, prior to the game Janni asked Amanda, a precious, adorable girl, to be his date for Homecoming. He found this poem online and we went to our favorite local florist to pick out fresh flowers and a ballon to attach the poem.

Homecoming
A night of music,
Of fun and laughter.
A beautiful story,
Like Cinderella in Ever After.

We shall dance,
We shall dine.
It'll be the best,
You'll have a good time.

Say yes to me,
You'll have fun.
A night to remember,
When it's done.

What can you lose,
Give me a chance.
Say you'll go with me,
To the Homecoming Dance.

You know me,
I'm certain that's right.
How bad could it be,
It's just one night.

Just say yes,
You won't regret.
It's going to be a night,You'll never forget.

Isn't that the cutest?
Needless to say, she said yes!!

(He had hidden the ballon and flowers in her car so she saw them when they got into the car to leave for the game)

Saturday was his mom's birthday so the main priority was making sure he was able to Skype with her on her special day! Hailey and I were also able to say "Happy Birthday" - technology is so cool. And, fortunately, Maria has a pretty good command of the English language since Hailey and I really aren't fluent in either German or Greek.

(Yes, Hailey completed two years of German. But that's a topic for another post. One with a lot of blonde jokes. I'm well on my way to being fluent as I can now say "Hello" and order pineapple and wine. Important stuff!)




The Happy Birthday Skype session with Maria

The kids spent weeks shopping for the perfect outfits to wear Saturday night to the much-anticipated "Bad 80s Dance!" And they definitely did pay homage to the decade of my youth:

Hunter was out of town for the weekend and missed the dance but Janni is so laid back he doesn't even mind when he's the only one with the group of girls...what a great kid!

Though the night didn't necessarily end as they hoped (TOO MUCH TEEN DRAMA!) I think they still had fun. At least from what I could glean. They weren't too forthcoming with details.

Sunday was gorgeous here in Houston. The temperatures finally dropped from the 90s and it seemed like we finally had a break from the scorching Houston summer heat. Janni, Hailey and I headed down to Galveston for a meeting/gathering with other exchange students and their host families. We got a bit of a late start and then hit some traffic on the way so I asked Hailey to please e-mail the couple that was hosting the gathering and let them know we would be late. A few minutes later, shortly after we drove onto the island, my phone rang. Captain Dave, whose home we were driving to, let me know that I had the date wrong and that we were supposed to be at his house NEXT weekend. Oops. Not exactly sure how but I entered it on the wrong Sunday in my calendar. The weather was so beautiful that we decided to make the most of our day and grab some lunch and walk on the beach. It may have technically been a wasted trip but I really don't think it's possible to go wrong when the result is the beach on a gorgeous day....right?!

Even better, we get to go back next Sunday...for the gathering on the correct day! There's a method to my madness. Really.

Finally Friday!

The kids capped off the first week of school by hanging out at home last night - they all seemed pretty tired.

Jorge, an exchange student from Spain, joined the gang. I think he really enjoyed having "teen time" since his host siblings are quite a bit younger. They played ping pong and watched "Mean Girls"...such a classic movie!

Not only did I cook dinner but I also made a strawberry pie, which they devoured. (I really DO cook. Don't believe Hunter's complaints!)

Pie time!

They also talked a lot about Homecoming. It's always a little chaotic during the "who is asking/taking who" phase. I keep reminding Hailey to let Janni decide who he wants to ask to the dance, not to try and decide for him. I'm sure she thinks it is her duty as his sister to help him with this stuff :)