Sweet Success

Today I took the kids to the grocery store without Marty because he had some video work to do at the house.  We walked there and were planning on returning our bottles.  The bottle recycling here is quite interesting.  It is more like the Oregon State system than anything else I've seen.  Nearly every bottle (plastic or glass) has a special recycle symbol on it and there are big automated machines at the entrances of grocery stores where you can recycle your bottles for store credit.  Large plastic bottles gives you a 25 cent per bottle return and glass only 8 cents.  You feed your bottles one by one into the machine and then the machine spits out a receipt and you cash it in when you check out.  I told the kids that if there was no fighting and no whining we would use the money to buy ice cream cones.

 But.. they had to order in German.  Sugar is always a strong motivator with these two.  Sweet success.  We had the ice cream before the store and I should have waited because about two minutes after we entered the grocery store and after they enjoyed their ice cream cones a huge fight erupted.  Complete with tears and yelling and as embarrassed as I feel in the states when this happens it is way worse here.  In Seattle when this happens there is always another mom that gives you that empathetic look of "I totally get it!  And it will get better"  But in Germany you just get that judgmental glare when they (usually an older woman or man) look at you simply appalled that you chose to procreate.  The three of us talked it through in the cheese aisle, we had a family snug and we walked up to a bus stop and took the bus home because I was carrying all of the groceries and the kids were SOOO tired from the 1.5 mile walk up to the store.

Before the ice cream cones and the store and the fighting, the 4 of us walked up to the bike repair place and dropped off Benjamin's bike.  JFK is directly across the street from the repair shop and since this is the first day the office is open we decide to go onto campus and have a look around.

We find the receptionist/administration building and Marty decides to just ask about Benjamin and his chances.  I'm the only one who has had email and phone contact with them and I decide to not say a word assuming that  I've said enough.  Again, a vague reply of "we have no way of knowing if there will be space.  It is our first day back from vacation and we are just now processing cancellations. "  She asked if we had a plan B.  Not promising.  But then said that they are not done accepting for the year. Promising.  I feel in complete limbo and would really just like to know.  Their process of accepting students seems completely random.  I've now met 3 different families, all two American parents and all of their children have been rejected from JFK.  Some applied before us and some after but all before the deadline.  Other parents who attend the school confirm that their admission process is random or at least it sure seems that way from the outside. Hearing that so many other double American parent families have been flat out rejected we are even more thankful that Josie was accepted.
I'm putting up a good front saying that it will be fine if Benjamin doesn't get in (and I know it will be fine) but it really would be so much better for everyone if he does.  I have to say that he has been amazing throughout this process. He has not pitched a fit in any way that he doesn't know where he will be going to school.  I've said this before but I thank God nearly daily that the tables are not turned and it is Josie who doesn't know where she will be attending school.  I doubt she would have even gotten on the airplane.  But he has been very chill about the whole thing.  We even walked by the local (all German) elementary school which is closer to our house than JFK is and we said that maybe he should just go to this school.  He was able to joke around and say sure, then I could walk or ride my bike all by myself.  Fingers crossed, prayers daily, hoping for the best and hoping we make the best of whatever comes our way.
Both kids were very excited about the cafeteria options at JFK.  Josie for the fresh fruit and vegetables options

Benjamin for the desserts and smoothies.

We should (hopefully) hear something more definitive this week.  But maybe I'm delusional and we don't end up hearing anything either way.

Here is our spunky, go with the flow kid who lost his second upper middle tooth this morning. I have no idea how he continues to eat.  He barely has any teeth now.