So a Jew and an atheist walk into a bar...or into an adoption.To be clear, I am sometimes an agnostic. For instance, recently I thought there might be a God. Why? Because I put this picture on my blog in 2007:
It was what I visualized as the most perfect adoption combo, an older sister and her baby brother.And here we are, three years later...
However, my belief in the existence of God wavers. Right now I am a non-believer. Knowing this, it may surprise you to hear that we are sending Meazi to Catholic school in the fall.
I have many issues with the Catholic church. There are also many Catholics that I admire very much. I went to Catholic high school. It was an excellent school.We are sending Meazi to this school for many reasons, but the simplest one to understand is- class size. The funky chicken school, were Meazi experienced a phenomenal pre-k program, is not so phenomenal for k-8. LAUSD has had major budget cuts, and the Kindergarten will have 30+ kids and one teacher. Her new school is 20/2. She will have art and music classes weekly.
We cannot afford private school, we did not get into the new charter school started by frustrated parents, and so we decided that this was our best bet for now.
We put Meazi into summer school at her new school. It is from 9-12, weekdays in July. She is taking Spanish, and Theater, and also spending an hour with her new Kindergarten teacher.
She loves it.
But then Meazi loves any kind of school.
We'll see how it goes.
Pray for us.
Just kidding.
Sort of.
Posts
Oh god!
ReplyDeletei know something EVERYONE believes...that girl looks adorable in a school uniform.
ReplyDeletethis post was very cute and clever.
the photo that you visualized as the perfect adoption and your life now...beautiful.
She is the cutest in her uniform!!!! Holy cow!
ReplyDeleteEyasu just squealed when he saw Meazi's pic. I told him her name, he beamed and now keeps repeating it. His first crush? :)
ReplyDeleteI believe this school will be great and that uniform is to die.
oh my goodness, the cuteness of that girl in that uniform!
ReplyDeleteYour children are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have found a good school program for Meazi. And how wonderful she will be getting languages and art. I hope (and pray) that it continues to be a place that Meazi can learn and blossom and question.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
School is such a tough issue, I've considered sending Elfe to a Catholic school once she's ready for kindergarten or first grade. Part of it is because she's definitely not going to learn anything about religion at home, and I think she should learn about it somewhere - so she can reject it later if she wants ;)
ReplyDeleteHope parochial school goes well for Meazi!
I'm an athiest and Medina goes to a Jewish school (and now Ruby will join her there). Medina's also been going to a Baptist summer camp, although it's not to churchy except for the VBS week. Like you, the deciding factor for me was class size. It also helps that about 25% of the school is made of transracial adoptees.
ReplyDeleteYep, right there with you, only it's a Lutheran school. If you had told me five years ago I would be sending my kid to a private Christian school, I would have laughed you out of the room.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course she is cute as a button in that uniform!
She does rock that uniform. They've come along way since my Catholic HS days. I went to Catholic HS for the same reasons you are sending Meazi to a Catholic school--my dad is an atheist, my mother a lazy Catholic and me I'm what my therapist likes to call "a spiritual crisis walking" which means I don't know what the hell I believe in. The long and the short of it is I loved my HS, no other educational experience shaped me more (even college) and really it had nothing to do with religion except the education it provided. That trumped everything else.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, she looks like a rock star in that uniform. Maybe it's the hair, or the way she's standing. Or maybe because she is so amazingly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Meazi will have some incredible opportunities at this school! Class size makes a huge difference too...and she is awfully cute in that uniform!!
ReplyDeleteHail Meazi. I love that she loves school.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest single factor in her school success is and always will be: you. The parents. So.. Be happy she's already got the blue ribbon. That said, Catholic schools are typically terrific .... For the reasons you listed. But of course I'm biased and I think the faith part helps too. Plus your kids come from a culture w a very strong deep faith tradition and Catholicism is not far removed from Orthodox... Many overlaps. So that is also a beautiful link for them. But again, I'm a touch biased!! She's gonna do great!!
ReplyDeleteThe girl and her baby brother/your girl and her baby brother, and the boundless eagerness of Meazi...amazing.
ReplyDeletei LOVE your blog. the first time I found it, i spent hours going back to the beginning and reading through. it's been so neat to see your story unfold. your children are beautiful, and of course Meazi looks adorable in that school uniform. i'm sure she will do great at the school you have chosen for her. have you ever read the book "The Reason for God" by Tim keller? It's not a "churchy" type book but is an intelligently written book by a guy who is a pastor of a church in Manhattan. it's really good. i highly recommend it. i think you would like it.
ReplyDeleteWILL definitely be praying for her! Kindergarten is a big step.
ReplyDeleteShe should be a uniform model :)
If a little Catholicism gets mixed in, it could be a sweet link to her country and their strong orthodox heritage.
I'm getting a very Lauren Hill-esq vibe from that ridiculously cute pic!! it really is a tough dance...the whole "best way to educate our kids" thing. I find for me it changes yearly, depending on their needs and where we are at as a family. I'm glad that you guys found a match that will fit your needs for now. heres hoping thats something fab/multicultural/holistic/and all the other good stuff you could toss into a school appears before you in the not to distant future. for now, god bless;)
ReplyDeleteYou are making what you think is the best decision for your daughter right now in her life. She will benefit greatly from the small class size - you can't go wrong there.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I am a believer in Christ. I became a believer about the same time our oldest (Lauren) entered K. We sent her to a small private Christian school so she could learn about Christianity because at the time, I was feeling not equipped to teach her.
10 years later, we still send our kids to the same small private school. What I've seen over the years is how much they have benefited academically from the small class size. However, for us, we have learned that it's no longer about wanting someone else teach our kids about our faith. In fact, what they teach at their school doesn't exactly line up with our beliefs. We have now taken on the responsibility to teach them the truth that we have learned and from there, they can decide on their own what to believe and discern as truth.
So, I guess what I'm saying, is much of your child's character building and how they form their belief system comes from the home more than anywhere. Hope that makes sense. Praying that your first school year will be positive.
Those last 3 lines really made me laugh. Love it, and I hear you on the religion issue! Uniform picture is priceless.
ReplyDeletejust wanted to say that you are lovely, in case I haven't said it in a while. you are lovely.
ReplyDelete