O M Goodness 5 More Days

In the final stretch to arrival.  5 dayssssss until pickup at the airport.

Getting ready for an exchange student is much like nesting in the final days of pregnancy, should you have experienced that before.

Why do I feel the need to have the house cleaned like I am having company over?  She is supposed to be like a daughter to us - she will see the dirt, the dog hair, the dirty dishes, the shoving things in a closet/under the bed/in a hamper to look clean, the unmowed lawn, the weeds that I don't have time to get to, the dust on the blinds, etc.  Let's not pretend we are something we are not, right?

Regardless, I'm still trying to have the house as clean and tidy as possible, because that's how everybody should keep it, right?  Just kidding.  I do realize we need to live in our house - but striving for a clean house is a nice idea.

We have a BUSYYYYYYY 9 days between her arriving on Saturday and school starting.

Gathering class schedule?  Check.

Setting up a meeting with the school counselor?  Check.

Making a sign to welcome her at the airport?  Um...not ready yet.  Yeah, we still need to do this.

Room ready?  Check.

WhatsApp messages about last minute things before she flies to New York on Wednesday?  CheckCheckCheck.

Mdewakanton Sioux Wacipi Festival?  Check - our family also needs this history lesson.

Camping trip planned?  Check.

Maybe a trip to Minnesota's Largest Candy Store?  Probably check.

Welcome Basket?  Check.  If you are wondering, the welcome basket we made for her has a sweatshirt for New Prague from a local shop, lotion, soap, mineral water (stereo type - Germans drink more mineral water than regular water), a water bottle, an Alexa dot that will be her alarm clock too, some other miscellaneous treats from Marshalls and 3 mega bags of Reeses (she shared that she loves Reeses and it's the only food thing we know she really likes other than Italian food).  We know she does not like tomatoes and ironically, German food - tomatoes are NOT in her welcome bag.

State Fair Day planned?  How can we NOT show her the "Great Minnesota Get Together"?  CHECK.

A trip to the Black Hills - WHAT?!  Check and Check.

We are crazy and we know it.  But super excited!

Prost!