Sebastian- Our new addition to our family

I was to tired last night to write this post, but wanted to put a few photos up on FB.

We officially have a new member being added to our family at the end of this week.  His name is Sebastian and he is coming here from Luxembourg. Sebastian is 15 years old and will be attending the same High School as our daughter Maddie.

I have had a lot of people ask me why we are doing this and isn't this too much on our plate as we are just moving here.  I thought this would be a good avenue to share our backing behind this.

I have been intrigued in the past when emails or FB post would come out talking about the need for Host families for a few weeks, or during holiday times or for the summer back in Ohio.  I would look at it and ponder the idea, I even reached out asking additional questions about what it would be like.  At the time though I really didn't have a room set up enough to have another person living at our home.  I had the space, just not the set up.  So I never went through with opening our home as I just couldn't quite figure out the logistics. My point being we had talked about hosting in the past, just did not fulfill the role of doing so.

I happened to be in Florida with my girlfriends the weekend of Memorial Day weekend and received the normal weekly email newsletter from my daughters H.S.  In one of the line items it says "Host Families Needed".  As I often do, I wanted to know more.  So I clicked on the link and there were two male students that were needing families.  I read both bios (mind you this was while we are on the roof of a really cool restaurant over looking downtown Ft. Myers-both my girlfriends went to the bathroom and I had to stay busy- one of my issues in life)  on the students and Sebastian's really stuck out.  The one big thing was it was a semester and not a whole year.  Not that I wouldn't have done a whole year, but without being an exchange family before, I thought this would be a good intro to the experience.  As I read his bio it had sooo many similarities to our family!  He loves photography, cooking, wants to learn about American Football, loves to travel, his father is in the medical field,  loves sports,  has a great and loving relationship with his family, wants to know what living with an American Family will be like.  WOW!  I was like is he already apart of our family???  He also looks similar to my kids, hair color/skin color/eyes.  I always joke with him that it all about my photos and he looks like he could be in our family and this is what matters most!

So I talked to Bradden about it and he was open to it.  I reached out to the school a few days later about what it entails, expectations all the important stuff.  I was very pleased with my conversations about being a Host Family. My intention was for Bradden and I to make the decision before sharing with the kids.  Bradden spilled the beans before hand though and they were behind excited, so that kind of gave us the final Ok, let's do this!!

Sebastian speaks 4 languages, with a hint of a few others as well.  He has traveled all over Europe and a lot of the US as well. We are excited to learn about all of his experiences and for him to bring a new cultural meaning to our lives. I have always been intrigued with my little cousins from my dads siblings as they have traveled so many places in this world and I have not.  I am hoping Sebastian is going to open our horizons to what else is out there besides beaches!!

I hope we can bring to Sebastian what living a typical American Life is.  I think we have a strong family unit and will be able to share our love of life with him.

I truly believe this experience is going to change all of us for the rest of our lives.

How amazing is this that we are able to have a moment in time that we are able to open ourselves up to new experiences and the meaning of life.  One little email that came through and my zest for why not???  There has not been one decision in my life that I have regretted (well maybe owning a boat- the jury is still out o that one) and I am 100% positive this is going to be another "yeah that was such amazing time in our life"!

The biggest thing I think we are going to be sad about is, we can't share Toledo with Sebastian  :-(

Till next time!

xoxoxo

A few photos of our meeting, his rooms and our little dinner party.