Football!

There have been many movies, books, and even television series centered around high school football - especially Texas high school football.

Yesterday was Janni's first introduction to the wonderful world of "Friday Night Lights." On Thursday.

We drove to the other side of Houston to watch the Kingwood Mustangs take on Elsik. Though the outcome was not to our liking the game was fun to watch. It was Hailey's first time to cheer at a varsity football game, which she really seemed to enjoy, despite the relentless heat.

Janni said the experience - complete with the band, drill team, etc. - was unlike anything they have in Germany. He loved it. And that's a good thing. Pretty much every weekend between now and Thanksgiving will contain a Kingwood football game. Of course Tom will also do his duty as a host father and make sure Janni gets to watch plenty of college football as well. (Mainly the Huskers...)



Janni and Hunter

 Kingwood TOUCHDOWN!! Yay!!!

(Unfortunately this was followed by two Elsik touchdowns. Oh well.)

Next Friday night he will get to experience a HOME football game - on a Friday. Should be fun! 

Much better day!

I am very pleased to report that Janni's second day at his new American high school went far more smoothly than his first! He was able to find all of his classes and is feeling at home amid the student body.

Basketball practice was a different story, however. Janni has said from the start that the sport is more rigorous and taken more seriously here as compared to his league in Germany. I think the first official class (practice) was tough for him. And I'm also sure that he will work hard and soon be a valued member of the team.

After school was all about doing homework with friends prior to open gym. While Hunter and Janni were playing basketball, Hailey was cooking her specialty - spaghetti bread. A carb lover's dream, it's basically spaghetti topped with cheese, inside of bread. Janni was a bit skeptical at first but after tasting the unusual concoction went back for seconds...I really think he is enjoying having a sister :)



Spaghetti bread!

The recipe can be found here: (We use sliced, not cubed, mozzarella)
https://rhodesbread.com/blog/blog/braided-spaghetti-bread   

Day One. He survived.

I'm not going to lie, Janni looked a little shell-shocked when I picked him up from school at the end of his first day. Kingwood is a large school by any measure and is much larger both in student body and square footage than Janni's school in Germany.

This we knew.

Things became really challenging for him after we realized that he wouldn't see his schedule and class locations until the morning of the first day. Basically there was no chance to "walk through" his schedule so he could find his classrooms prior to the chaotic first day. 

(I don't understand why. Apparently it would have been FAR TOO DIFFICULT to print out the schedules of the 20-or -so new students who attended new student orientation Friday so that they could find their classrooms then....when things were fairly calm. )

His MAP (Mustang Advisory Period) class was first. Once there he received his schedule and things started to go downhill. His first period class, Principles of Architecture, wasn't in the room that corresponded to the number on his schedule. After walking around for a while, and getting "so nervous I was sweating" Janni said he finally figured out that the large classroom number had a small piece of paper taped to the wall below it, with another classroom number - the number matching the one on his schedule.

Janni's other classes were thankfully in the rooms as shown on his schedule but he said it was a bit challenging to find them. The good news is that he knew someone in each of his classes so felt fairly comfortable once he got there!

One funny thing that happened was during basketball class when the coach told the players that he's "not a Nazi" but that practice will be hard. Janni said several of the boys were joking with him about the reference. I'm sure the coach was only trying to say that he's tough, not cruel and narrow-minded, but we all got a laugh out of the slip of the tongue. Hopefully Janni's stay here will remind everyone to be a little more culturally sensitive! As a mom I'm just happy to hear that he's become a part of the group to the point that the guys are joking around with him.

All in all, he said he enjoyed the first day - once he found his classrooms.

Last night he kept remarking on the close relationships that the KHS teachers share with the students, saying that German teachers are far more formal. In Germany, Janni said that the teachers stand at the front of the classroom and talk, with the students sitting quietly. He said he likes the more interactive aspect of the American classroom. He was, however, upset that some students in his English class were being disrespectful to the teacher.

Once Janni got home and played some ping pong and ate some tacos with his friends he was able to laugh about getting lost and the other misadventures of his first day at Kingwood HS.

I know it will take a few days to get into a routine (I had forgotten how much I hate the alarm clock) but so far all of the members of the Leahy household are handling the start of the new school year pretty well. 

Other than Lucy. She really misses the kids!

Sad dog :(

First day of school!!

I don't think anyone slept well last night...not sure if that was due to nervousness or excitement. Or both.


Janni (Junior), Hailey (Junior), and Hunter (Senior. OMG.)

Hailey, Tyler, and Janni
(He rode to school with the girls)



Hours away from his first day

Tomorrow morning Janni and his host siblings will head to Kingwood High School. I think it's safe to say that he is the most excited of the trio!

He's gotten a lot of advice from the girls - especially about his first day outfit...

They were very excited to help Janni chose an outfit

I can't believe Janni has already been here for three weeks. On one hand it's been such a smooth transition, on the other it seems like he has always been here and has always been a part of our family.

Yesterday I asked Janni a few questions about his experience so far. I learned:

• Yes, he still really likes having a sister. (I know there will be moments he regrets this statement!)
• Texas is much bigger and hotter than he expected. I keep promising it will cool off. But he may be getting a bit skeptical.
• No, he's not homesick but does miss his family - even his youngest brother ;)
• Fajitas were the tastiest meal so far (no argument there!)

Tomorrow's post-school discussion should also be interesting. I think it will be fun to hear Janni's impressions of his new American high school and how it differs from his school in Germany.

I know he will make friends easily and soon feel at home in the building he said is much, much larger than his previous school. And if the girls have anything to do with it he will be the best-dressed new student by far!

It's so cool to be connected!

Many, many years ago (the year prior to my freshman year in high school, just after dinosaur extinction) we hosted a French exchange student for the summer. Muriel (whose last name I don't remember) spent a few months living with us in Tampa. Though I don't remember all of the details about her stay, I do have some very funny memories   - like trying to teach her how to shave her legs.  That was bloody. Sadly, we lost touch after sending letters back and forth for a few years...it's tough to maintain a relationship when the communication is so cumbersome.

Technology has really altered the exchange student experience. Prior to Janni's arrival we were all Facebook friends and used the platform to not only get to know each other but to share with him basic information about what he should expect from life in Houston. And to let him know that he could leave the wool sweaters at home!

It has also been amazing because Janni can not only talk to his family but can "see" them thanks to the modern miracle of Skype. We have all been able to wave and say "Hello/Hallo!" to them, even while they were on vacation in Greece.

It's fun to watch him communicate with his family. Their love is very evident, even though I cannot understand what they are saying...especially since they go back and forth between German and Greek. I know he misses them and cannot imagine how much they miss him. I just hope that he is feeling loved and accepted here. He says he is but the Mom in me worries that he is being polite. Unlike his host brother and sister, who have no problem misbehaving :)

It's also been fun to watch all of the other KHS kids interact with him via social media, Facebook, Instagram, etc. Some of them sent friend requests prior to his arrival while others have waited to officially meet him "live and in person" before becoming virtual friends.

We have also used the Internet to share experiences...even recipes. Hailey was making pancakes the other night so Janni decided to make crepes - complete with bananas and Nutella.

What skills!!

This is our last "quiet" week. School starts Monday and then the routine of early mornings, homework, football games, dances, etc. starts. We've been doing some shopping and, thanks to the input of his new sister and her friends, Janni just may be the best dressed kid in school.  

Still on the "to-do" list: sports physical, buying some school supplies, and getting some rest! I'm not looking forward to those 6:45 a.m. departures next week but am excited for the fun events that are on the horizon.

Welcome to the Inferno, Janni!

August in Houston is awful. It's the month when even the native-born retreat to the comforts of A/C and moan about the heat and humidity.

While it hasn't been quite as hot as last year, temperatures are still hovering around the 100 degree mark. Which is about 20-plus degrees higher than the average high temperature that Janni is accustomed to.

His very first day, even the short walk from the terminal to the parked car sent his sweat glands into overdrive. The next day when I stopped for gas on the way to the Galleria just a few moments with the car A/C off was torture.

A few nights ago the kids all went to play beach volleyball and he told me that he is definitely getting acclimated.

He even survived a temporary A/C outage. Apparently two really smart rats decided it would be a good idea to try and eat some of the wires to our downstairs A/C unit. Needless to say they are now in rodent heaven but they did manage to disable the system for a few hours until the damage could be repaired. By that time the downstairs was about 83 degrees - but Janni wasn't sweating any more than the rest of us!

He and Hunter have been working out and shooting a lot in preparation for the high school basketball season. I think it will be so fun for him to have the experience of playing on an American team. I really think this year will be full of new and exciting things for him.

I do feel really bad for him, however. I hadn't really thought this through prior to his arrival but Janni's culinary lifestyle has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. In Germany, his family owns and operates a hotel and restaurant. While I knew this from his student profile I hadn't really made the mental connection that his meals are often prepared by professionals. And he orders whatever he feels like. If I cook more than once a week the family is asking if I "feel okay" because it is such an anomaly. So tonight I will do my Julia Child impersonation and whip up some homemade chicken parmigiana. School starts a week from Monday and that's when the schedule really gets nutty so hope they all appreciate the effort!

Bon Appetit!