First Day of School with a Soaring Start

So, Lea had her first day of school yesterday, a day which was mostly celebration, while the first day with real schoolwork is tomorrow.
We arrived for the celebration at 3pm, but now the order of events...

• 11:00 Leas's class was received in the school auditorium for a two-hour spectacle (the other 1st grade class had already come and gone). For 25 kids, the auditorium was full, estimates of some 300 people (as many relatives as could), the third-graders put on a show and the teacher did give them their books and lesson plan.
• 12:00 Our niece had lunch with parents and grandparents. Balloons were blown up and the present table prepared (full later!).
• 3:00 We and others arrived for coffee and cake followed by general playtime and chatter.
• 5:00 Lea released the helium-filled balloons to carry her wishes for a colorfully successful school career up to the sky.
• 6:30 Dinner arrived, prepared and set up by caterers, and endless delicious buffet!
• Art gallery of chalk drawings on the driveway pavement (unfortunately NO photos until we get Steffis!) with the kids and the uncles endeavours.
• 8:30 Fire balloons sent up into the night sky to dazzle kids and adults alike.
• 9:00 We left for home, and there were still people at the party when we phoned our thanks after arriving home.

That's how you start a kid off in school here in Germany, below selected photos in a slideshow.

[At least we spent about 15 minutes with Lea looking at the books etc. in her school bag, admiring her lesson plan, what she gets to do now, etc., something no one else had had time to do given all the festivities going on. The interlude was quickly over as the next guests arrived, but Steffi was glad we had told Lea we find the part interesting that she herself has yet to show any enthusiasm for.]