As if we didn't have enough going on right now, we just dove heads first into something neither of us was even considering before a week and a half ago.
Lately we have been attending a 5k race each weekend. The one on October 29th was at Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club where we ran into an old friend's mother, who happens to be the current mayor of Trophy Club as well. She and her husband are the host family for a French exchange student so she had heard about two other exchange students at Northwest High School how needed to be relocated. She asked us if we knew anyone in the district who had room for two girls. We thought about it but couldn't come up with anyone. Aaron half jokingly commented that we do have an extra room right now since he cleaned out his office and moved it to the garage in preparation for Small Ferrell's arrival. He said that the two girls could stay there temporarily if they just needed a place. Neither of us considered actually being a host family. So Connie, our friend's mother, took Aaron's email, we ran the race, Aaron had a personal best time, and then we went on with our day.
Before we even made it home we received an email stating that YFU, the organization who coordinates the exchange students, would like to talk to us and have us fill out some forms. That following Monday we were asked to complete an online application because they can't just let the students stay anywhere, even for a short period. After that, a volunteer named Anne came to our house to conduct a personal interview and look at our house. It was at that moment that I realized this was no temporary solution for anyone. They evidently have a tough time finding host families and if were approved it was likely that the girls would be with us until the end of the school year. Not quite what I was expecting. After all, I am expecting a baby instead, and had hoped to have the normal, bring-my-only-child-home experience the way the rest of the world hopes to do. But I stopped feeling sorry for myself, thought about everyone I met in India three years ago, and met the challenge gladly.
On Friday, November 4, Aaron walked out to feed the animals and saw that our horse had her baby! We were getting the first of the two girls that night and I was just overwhelmed with everything and thinking we had made a mistake. We still needed to pick up the bunk beds from Decatur, buy a new mattress, get stuff for the pony, spend time with the pony, and the list goes on and on!
But we got Diana from Korea on Friday night and then Vivien from Germany on Saturday.
They are both very sweet girls, different but the same in ways. They told us about some of the problems at the old house and I felt bad for them. So far it's working out really well. They are good at doing their homework every day and picking up after themselves. They seem geniunely happy and appreciative with everything we do and they are courteous and enjoyable to be around. So far so good!
