Home School Halloween Party!

We had our first group outing with the Home School Co-op this week! 

It was a Costume Party to celebrate Halloween...belated, because of the crazy thunder storms and rain Kuwait has been having.

(Our family was particularly blessed by the delay, as we were puking on actual Halloween =). This gave our kids something to look forward to!)

So on Thursday, we put on our costumes (A, a jedi, and L was Batman/Flash/Storm Trooper) and walked to the store to purchase candy to pass out to all the kids, and hailed a cab out to a park in another district.

That in itself was a bit of an adventure, as the cab driver said he knew where this park was, but then proceeded to drop me and my cherubs off at a mall. 

I asked three times before we got out of the cab "this is a park?"

"Yes!" he said assuredly.

Well, ok then. He seems sure. Perhaps the park is just on the other side of the mall?? We paid him and hopped out.

Nope. Just a mall.

Called the only Home School mom for whom I had a phone number, and she gave me better directions to give a driver.

Finally, we arrived. Albeit 45 minutes late.

(I told David it's probably good I start these new friends off honestly...as I'm known for never ever being on time anyways)

The women were full of grace and patience regarding our late arrival.

I loved them instantly =).

Introductions all around, and then games began...

An Egg Race =)

We played several games  - which our kids LOVED - and then the moms stood around different parts of the park and the kids went from mom to mom and "trick or treated" much to their delight =).

L & A had a really good time meeting new friends and getting to play outdoors.

I had already gathered via the Facebook group page that this Co-op was an eclectic bunch, and meeting a handful of them in person did not disappoint. 

Women from all over the World, currently raising (and Home Schooling!) their children in Kuwait.

Expats are a cool group of people, and I felt commodore fairly early on in our conversation.

While my children frolicked with the other kids, I chatted with women from the UK, from Singapore, from South Africa, from Bangladesh, and one who is Kuwaiti and was born and raised here. 

I told them how I just kind of fell into Home Schooling, and am still getting my feet wet. They understood, as some of them had planned all along to Home School their children, and others were doing it because situations forced them too...like us =). 

I listened as they talked about their days and curriculum and schedules, and nodded along while mentally taking notes to google terms like "Unschooling" later when I got home. 

It was a real blessing to watch my kids play so freely with a bunch of new friends, on a random Thursday morning...a real advantage to Home Schooling =)

The twins made their way to a soccer field right next to the covered park area we were playing at, and proceeded to run around and play soccer with their new friends...

One mom in the group has B/G twins (age 10) and our kids connected under their shared love of all things Star Wars and How To Train Your Dragon =). At the end of our time there, she even gave us a ride into a more populated part of town so we could hail a cab to our district home. 

(because hopping in the car with people I just met is totally a thing I do here, apparently)

We had a great time, and I continue to offer up Thanks that I was introduced to this group. We have a really fun field trip coming up next week, and I'm excited to get more time with these people, and meet many who weren't able to attend the Halloween Party.

We're off to Bahrain later this weekend for a few days, and would love some prayer for some and safe travels, and health.

Thank you!