Home again

I attended a ladies' retreat over the weekend.  Our cabin was a fun group of ladies and one of the highlights for me was the Catan game we played at 10 p.m. on the Saturday!  Not very spiritual in one sense but I have been thinking about how it is ridiculous to split things into spiritual and non-spiritual.  Whatever we do is spiritual because we are spiritual.  It's just that it can be good or bad, but even the way we play a game can bring glory to God.  And we had a lot of fun with our game.

I drove to the retreat and when we were almost home the car started acting up, like it had Kangaroo juice in it.  It reminded me of when I was learning to drive!  We ended up doing a bit of a car swap to get everyone home but it worked. Bonnie had lent her car to Steve for the weekend and graciously let us keep it.
I arrived home when my family were up at school so stayed up there with them.  Their welcome was - as usual - fairly low-key - but it was good to sit and watch them play in the sand (some tried jumping again) and wind down from the weekend.  I was so tired and felt a bit dehydrated.  When I got home I drank so much!
Rose made us laugh at tea as she was praying for her friend to feel better and said "Please bring healing to his bother..." I think she meant body. She paused and Steve and I were chuckling so she said "What? what are you laughing at?"  So Steve explained what was funny and she got it too.

Flavour of Friday

I am looking after my friend's children for the first time.  Typically, the little girl trips and scrapes her leg at school so I pick her up but she won't talk to me.  So I ask her brother to check she's OK. He thinks for a minute, then says "She answers me better if I speak German" - as if he is asking permission to talk in German in front of me, which is actually what I want as I think she may be more comfortable talking to him in German. "That's fine," I say.  Anyway, she refuses to speak to him too as by now all 4 other kids are staring at her.  Ironically, my friend says that when these to play at home they speak English together.  That is their play language.
On the way home Josh spots a flag, "Hey, what flag is that?"
Classic TCK response from another of his friends, "That's my grandma and grandpa's flag!"

It hurts being away from home, today.  It hurts being unavailable for people I love deeply, it hurts missing the day to day grind of their lives; it hurts being away from family, especially my new niece. It's like an elephant sitting on my chest! Or perhaps a better description is that today I feel my cross more than I do other days.

Teacher

I've noticed that the last two Tuesdays at preschool Naomi has taken to calling me teacher, even when it is just me and her interacting!  I seem to remember Joshua doing this, too.  Ironically, one of the other little girls only realised I was Naomi's mummy today.
It has got so hot that we started using the air-con yesterday afternoon and it is not March yet. One of the other mums told me it's supposed to be El Nino this year so it will be a long hot season.  Great!  I was talking to one of our first year teachers, too, and it reminded me that you have to experience that first hot season to really know what it is like.  She said it was extra weird as North America is still getting snowstorms and she can't relate.  It is strange when I am talking to the rellies and they have warm jumpers on, while we are wearing as few layers as we can decently get away with!

Pidgin French

My kids love Ratatouille.  Not that they watch it a lot but they quote parts of it a lot!  Other than the whole eating with one bit of food, then the other, then together - which they sometimes do at meals - they like to toast one another.  Except that they have created a pidgin French!!  They touch cups and say "Mon appetit, Coconut"!!  I have no idea where the coconut originated from but obviously the mon is supposed to be bon.  Josh and Naomi were doing it today with their juice cartons in the supermarket as I paid the cashier.  I've tried correcting them but it's stuck now, and they insist they are right. And then, at dinner Rose announced she knew how French people said hello.
"Monjour".
I said, "It's Bonjour".
"Oh, bonjour".
Maybe there's hope?!
Probably not.  Just another Brit butchering the French language.

"How sweet to hold a new-born baby"

Tonight we met the newest member of our clan.  Esther is so gorgeous.  She screamed her head off to start with, which was funny but we did see her peaceful face too!  It's such a blessing to be able to see her but sad that I can't hold her but at least I know what my family had to deal with when our children were born - and we didn't use skype then so they didn't get to see Rose except in photos until we took her on her first trip to England at 6 months!
This is Esther's first official photo on the day she was born.

Long Jumpers

When we went up to the field today, Bonnie showed my kids how to long jump.  It was very entertaining.  Rose insisted on shouting during the run-up, Josh had to twist so he landed backwards each time and Naomi didn't manage to jump particularly, but did flop on her tummy each time.  She forgot to put her hands out once and did a face plant!  I helped her get the sand off her face using my shirt and when I then got some sand in my eye a few minutes later she told me to use my shirt to get it out!  They had a lot of fun and as the other families arrived, the children all began to take part. Then one of them got the hurdle up to jump over.  We left shortly after that!

At Last

At last...I got to speak to two very special people today on Skype who I haven't spoken to for too long.  Coincidentally, both in Australia!  Niro sounds so Ozzie it's funny - especially when I also said hello to Dharshi and she sounded as American as ever.  It's great to see how God is still leading, challenging and moving them forward.
And Lara.  It was as if we were back in the coffee shop chatting over everything.  What a wonderful way to spend an hour this afternoon.
At last...we went swimming again.  It's finally warm enough for the pool to not feel completely freezing.  At last...I did some proper exercise, swimming a few lengths.
At last...we had our new field director and family for dinner, postponed from the week they arrived!

Lightning Thief

Steve and I got to see Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief tonight.  We are doing well this year, I think we've seen more films this school year than the rest of our term put together! I thought it was OK. I felt like it couldn't quite decide what age group it was aimed at.  Steve, however, did not like it one bit.  He has read the book and the sequels and proceeded to tell me over dinner how they had destroyed the plot, the characterisation and the settings.  But apart from that.....

Queen for the morning

It's that time of year again - acting as the "Queen of England" for Grade 3 during International Week.  I have Lara to thank for establishing this tradition! : )
I think I nailed it this year, though.  I made more effort to look a little closer to Her Majesty and I had my spiel off pat by the second group.  We did it in centres so I had 4 groups.  We shared tea and scones and looked through my "family album".  The kids completely bought into it - even those who know who I am. They asked some great questions too.  It was a lot of fun although I was pretty hot by the end!
I think I look a bit like my Gran(s)!

State-side Tour

We inadvertently became part of Grade 1's tour of the US when their "bus" arrived at the playground while preschool were down there for their playtime.  As the group passed Naomi and her friend, the friend said "That's a lot of big kids".  Naomi said, "Yes.  I saw my sister - and my friend, Bonnie".  It made me smile.

I rang the clinic and the receptionist spoke very good English - which I wasn't expecting as where we live is fairly provincial and not a lot of English is spoken.  She remembered me from Sunday (probably hasn't had any other Americanos this week!) and as we were paying cash was happy for us to come in and do the x-ray.  Plus they had Rose's chart so could check what the dr had requested.
After the x-ray we got in the car and Rose said, "When are we doing the x-ray?"  I said, "That was it!"

Chase the Mouse

We were up at 10 (if that sounds early to you, we go to bed around 9/9:30) last night trying to find the mouse we could hear nibbling round our chest of drawers.   We've known we have one but this was the closest we'd got.  So we had the door to the bedroom shut, the lights on and Steve had the thrill of the chase on his face which made me laugh.  We got more than we expected, though, when Steve pulled out one of the drawers and I realised there were 5 blind, bald, baby mice nesting in an old swimming costume of mine!  We eventually drove the mouse out of the drawers but it escaped down a hole near the wardrobe. It wasn't very big but it was fast!

A Grand Day

I helped out with centres in Rose's class today.  It is International Week in Elementary, which is a very fun week.  I missed the parade at the beginning of the day - I always forget the opening parade!
Grade 1 are "visiting" North America - taking in Canada, the US and Mexico.  I did the inside centres and Bonnie had the energetic work down on the playground - dog sledding and hockey.  It was fun.
During merienda my delightful daughter was singing "Lord I lift Your Name Up High" to herself as she coloured in (a reward for being 'great' on the behaviour chart last week).  It was very cool.
After we finished I headed home.  Naomi and Joshua were playing beautifully together when I arrived home.  They were re-enacting "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" with their lego people.  The peanut brittle hole to be exact!
The three of us went shopping.  Naomi chose 3 things today - chocolate milk, chocolate biscuit dippy snack and strawberry iced tea juice drinks and didn't like any of them when we got home and she tried them!  Josh bombarded me with theological questions: Was God born? Where is heaven? What is heaven like?  What does the Bible say about where heaven is? Is God boy or girl? What is a spirit? and on and on.  I barely answer one before the next pops out!  It certainly makes me think about what I believe and how to explain it simply without reducing it.  When I was answering him about heaven and he asked me what the Bible said, I was delighted that he understands the Bible to be what we base our faith on.  Probably need to swot up on my systematic theology tonight!
After shopping we had a late lunch, a brief rest and up to school to pick up.  I dropped off the boys and was heading for an x-ray with Rose when I remembered I needed the referral slip.  Could not find it anywhere. Tried to ring Steve - he'd already left to run home which meant at least a 30 minute wait. We have no idea where it went so I have to ring the clinic tomorrow and try and get a verbal referral from a dr whose next clinic is not till Friday at that particular place!  Because I don't want to pay for another consultation just to get a slip of paper.
The absolute highlight of today was hearing my niece had been born at 5:45 a.m. GMT.  Esther Hope has made her grand entrance into this world.  I'm sad I am not there but I am delighted to be an aunty. I can't believe my baby bro is a daddy though.  I am still waiting for photos.....
And I should be preparing for preschool tomorrow but I'm blogging instead.  Tut, tut.  Priorities!

An Unusual Sunday

Unusual because it was so busy!
On the way to Church we were listening to a song about Daniel in the lion's den and Rose asked us "does it really say [the lions ate the people who wanted to kill Daniel] in the Bible?"  I said, "Yes". And I was thrilled that she is checking out the facts against the Bible and not just accepting the presentation of the story. (Important when you watch Veggietales!)
After Church we went to Sta Lucia because we were trying to get an X-Ray for Rose but they wouldn't let us because we didn't have a referral from the doc.  So we had lunch and whipped home so that I could take Rose to a dr who had been recommended to us nearby. We dropped Steve and the other 2 off at the house and raced off to Robinson's.  And, actually, you can almost race on a Sunday as the traffic is so much lighter : )
Thankfully, there was no-one waiting to see the dr so we went in pretty quick. I really liked her.  Rose's TB check from school was inconclusive and she has had a recurring cough so we have to have an x-ray to make sure she doesn't have TB.  The dr didn't think it too likely but unfortunately that clinic didn't do x-rays on a Sunday so we will have to go back tomorrow.
So we went home and I got ready to go to our new field director's induction.  I was the family rep for the Taylors and had been asked to play the piano - a brand new "digital" piano which was very nice.  We did a new song "From the Breaking of the Dawn".  Great words, easy to sing.
Then back home - via Sta Lucia again as the people I had a lift from needed pet food - just in time to read a chapter to Rose before bed.
Game with Steve. Skype with family.
Busy but good.

Crashing

I have had Admin Council for the last 3 days and I feel so wiped out today.  As soon as I arrived home and sat down to eat my dinner - everyone else had already finished - I felt a great weariness.  I think partly it is the feeling of being home again, though.  Being able to relax and back in the heart of those I love most. Partly I think it is the intensity of 3 days of thinking, processing, listening and making decisions.
This morning I was getting lots of texts because almost everyone else on Council had been ill last night and they think it was the lunch yesterday but I did not eat the lunch as I had my own so I was fine : )
After dinner the kids entertained us with a rendition of "Who's the King of the Jungle" and "Hey there, funky chicken".  It was very fun and they actually did a great job.  I wish I had got the video camera out.
Naomi has left her babyness behind and is looking and acting much more as little girl.  The other day when we read one of the Spot books she said, "you read this part and I'll read the sight words!" She could actually read most of the words behind the flaps. Tonight she was trailing her finger across the words as I read - not in sync with me but still she is definitely in the pre-reading stage. 

Ultimate Threats

For a while my kids were showing their displeasure (a polite definition) of each other by threatening to exclude whoever was currently annoying them from attending their next birthday party. I stopped that by telling them they HAD to invite their siblings to their party, it was not a choice. So, now, the ultimate punishment they have come up with is: "You will be at my party but you will not get any balloons and no cake"!! Where and how do they come up with this stuff? Most of us at our ages couldn't care less about birthdays but obviously it is still very important to them.

Well, today Joshua got mad at me because I told him he couldn't come up to school with me when I went to get our car pool kids so he said, "You will not play any games or get any balloons or any cake at my birthday". Steve pointed out that I should have mentioned he wouldn't get a party or cake if not for me so the threat was pretty much null and void. I didn't think of it because actually I thought it was pretty funny.

MIssing Wendy

As we sat round the dinner table last night Rose said, "When is Aunty Wendy coming back? I love Aunty Wendy" (I think she had just seen a photo of her on the computer). Josh said, "I love Aunty Wendy too. I love hugging her."

I love Wendy too. We all miss her.

Looking Ahead

On the way to Church this morning, Rose asked Josh if they prayed for sick friends in his Sunday School class.

Josh: "I don't know. They never tell me if they are sick!"

Rose: "I mean do they pray for people who are sick?"

Josh: "Oh, I don't know".

Rose: "Well if they do, can you ask them to pray for me as I have a cold."

Josh: "I'll do it now". So he bows his head and prays silently.

I saw an excellent example of nonsense-speak (otherwise known as pc labels) at the mall: Elevator rehabilitation ongoing.

On the way home today we had a post-mortem of the film yesterday which was interesting. Rose didn't get the whole peanut allergy bit so we had to go over it a few times.

We have had a fairly non-eventful week but perhaps that is a blessing as this coming week is going to be manic! I have Admin Council for 3 days which means staying away overnight for 2 nights. Then Saturday Steve is away for most of the day presenting an in-service day for teachers at a Chinese-Filipino, private, all-boys school. Sunday we have our informal induction service for our new field director. Then it will be time to breathe slowly again!

Cloudy...

Steve was OIC today. It was good for him as he has to finish preparing for his presentation next week. The kids had a loud morning. We had a picnic lunch on the porch. Then they calmed down a bit and did their own things. Our treat was going to the 3D cinema to watch Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Bonnie picked us up and drove us. She had compiled a cool CD for the kids to listen to in the car.

Rose knows the book so kept asking B through the beginning of the film "When are the meatballs coming?" I had made a point of prepping the kids that they would be wearing glasses to watch the film so it wasn't too much of a big deal when they had to do it. Naomi looked so funny - and small - tucked into her seat with these big glasses on her face. It was a fun afternoon.

R&R

Bonnie and I took off to Calapan for the weekend. It was so refreshing. We were the only ones staying and it was so lovely and quiet. I enjoyed not having responsibility for anyone else for a couple of days! I got to do all the things I enjoy: puzzles, playing the piano, reading, games, talking, watching films. We also got to go to a different, lovely beach yesterday and swam and drank tea on the beach. Doesn't get much better than that! It was a blessing and I feel very relaxed and rested. Unfortunately, Floss (the guinea pig) died while I was away so Steve had to deal with that (I think that was a blessing too!). We now have a new Floss installed. I am very grateful for my wonderful husband and his willingness to let me go away and that he is comfortable, capable and enjoys looking after the kids by himself.

Life Goes On

Naomi is quite a mummy's girl and she obviously had missed me because today we spent a lot of time together doing things at her insistence.  We did some colouring together and it made me aware of how much she is growing up.  She was chatting away to me and then stopped, looked at me and said, "mummy, I love you".  It was so sweet.  I said, "Oh, sweetheart, I love you too."  It made my day.
I went shopping but Josh did not want to go so he persuaded Naomi to stay too.  That was fine by me - it's quicker without them, although I do like their company.  I got to use B's car - ours being checked by mechanic - and have to admit to a little piece of me coveting it!  It is automatic - which makes a lot more sense in the traffic here.  But I did almost kill myself coming out of the drive as I was foolishly trying to use left foot for the brake and B's brakes are tighter than ours so I nearly took myself through the windscreen! I had to retrain my brain and use the right foot for both pedals and then I did great.  And, unlike some automatics I've driven it changes gear very smoothly without revving to high heaven so it was very enjoyable.
When the mechanic returned our car he had been unable to find anything wrong with it and it had not (of course!) acted up for him in the time he had it.  Good job I had witnesses!