Birthday Party Filipino Style

Following our massive Thanksgiving meal, all five of us went to the "birthday party" that Rose and Naomi had been invited to.  It was a party for 3 siblings, one of whom is in Rose\s class and one in pre-school with Naomi.  It was not so much a party as a carnival on the playground at Faith.  There was a huge inflatable slide, an inflatable play area, stalls with free food - fish balls (deep fried fish in balls of batter), candy floss, popcorn and hotdogs, some games, an amazing face-painter.  We opted to go for a short time and I think that was a good idea as the playground was rocking, with three classes of children invited, and in Filipino tradition, their families, the children's extended family and friends from their church.  The children loved the slide.  At 5 they had a proper acrobatic show which was very good.  Rose particularly enjoyed it, especially when one of the guys swung the two children around in a bamboo contraption (see picture).
When we were leaving our kids wanted to stay as they hadn't opened the presents yet.  We explained that at Filipino parties they do not open presents in front of guests to avoid embarrassment on the part of the giver.  I think that is a great idea.  My kids do not.

Thanksgiving

We were invited to celebrate a late Thanksgiving with our friends, at their house. It was an amazing spread and the kids were pretty excited about having Turkey.  As we were driving to the house, they were listing off traditional Thanksgiving foods they were hoping would be on the table.  There are times when I really think my kids are American - they know so much of the culture!  Hopefully, some of you can share in these foods when we are in England next year.  We have grown to love pumpkin pie for instance - so maybe it's not just our kids who have been inculturated!
The real highlight for our kids, though, was the trampoline in the back garden.  They had a lot of fun bouncing on that (Naomi wanted me to com eon with her but I told her that was a very bad idea as I had a very full tummy!) and when we decided it was time for the adults to play a game, the host's Wii was brought out to great acclaim.
I do love the idea of celebrating the things we are thankful for in our lives and especially taking time to recognise all that God has given us.

my minx

Naomi has been a bit of a minx lately in preschool and Sunday School.  She is flexing her naughty muscle a little too much!
Today her preschool teacher told me that Naomi and her friends had been playing families.  Naomi wanted to be the mother but so did two of her friends so the teacher suggested they took it in turns.
A little later, one of the friends came to tell the teacher that when they took on the role of mother, Naomi turned to them and said, "You are not the mother. You're fired!"
Her teacher was chuckling even as she told me and I had to laugh too. Where do they get this from?!  Well, I'm pretty sure I know where they get the cheek (the apples haven't fallen too far from the tree!) but the vocab?

I Remember....

We were in the middle of a great class discussion on various aspects of The Great Gatsby this morning when the subject turned to adultery.  (If you've read the novel, you'll understand!) I began saying, "I remember..." when the class erupted.
"What???!!!!!"
"Mrs. Taylor what are you telling us?"
"No, no, don't go there"
I stopped, completely embarrassed.  Which, of course, they found even funnier than the fact I was talking about adultery with 'I remember...'
Those high schoolers keep me on my toes!

The Crucible Trip that never happened

My class and I were going to see a college performance of The Crucible tonight as we had been studying it last quarter.  Thankfully, I asked the High School Secretary to phone and reserve tickets last week.  I say thankfully because when she rang the person on the other end said, "Oh for Imre [the other play they were doing]".
"No. The Crucible"
"No, ma'am.  That is not showing."
So we checked the advertisement they had sent us.  Yes, definitely right dates. Secretary rings again
"No, ma'am. Not enough students.  We postponed it!"
OK. Well thanks for the heads-up, people.  Good job we rang before heading down into Makati!

Warning: Spoiler ahead!

In class this morning, I could tell they were not quite with me.  (There was a student banquet on Sat and I think they were more tired and behind in school work than normal!)  Most of them were too concerned about what tests they had and what work they hadn't done over the weekend.

I decided to abandon my planned lesson and get the film version of Great Gatsby out instead.  We could watch the beginning and discuss whether it captured the novel.

We started with the Robert Redford/Mia Farrow version.  It has a protracted start over the credits with a slooooooooooooooow build up.  As we moved into the story, despite getting the background noise and music, we could not hear the dialogue!  I messed around with wires, still no dialogue.  So we watched a few minutes of mime.  I paused the video and we discussed the visualisation of the characters and set - did it match with ours?

I had another film version too - Paul Rudd/Toby Stephens/. It started very close to the book - narration by Nick. Then it moved to Gatsby in the pool and showed him being shot.  There was an eruption in the classroom.

"What just happened?"

"Is that the end?"

"Noooooo,  does Gatsby die?"

Whoops!  None of the class has reached the end of the novel yet!  So I kind of ruined it for them.  I'm trying to spin it as motivation - "Now you'll want to read because you don't know who shot Gatsby or why"!!

Note to teacher: watch film first so you know what's coming!

we're doomed

Following on from Naomi's favourite word - Joshua's favourite phrase at the moment is "we're doomed".  He often uses it in funny contexts and makes me laugh but sometimes he's right on (usually when I'm hassling him and Naomi to hurry into the car)!  He is very good at picking out phrases from films and repeating them whenever he can.  His teacher said she loves his turn of phrase.  Good job, really.  Some phrases he says with a very British Northern accent, for instance, "Silly Billy".  Not sure where he got it from.

Never

Naomi's favourite word at the moment is "never".  I think it's actually worse than no!
On Tuesday, as we were driving up to school she chose to sit in the front seat of the car.  I said, "Put you seat belt on".
N: "Never."  "I am never putting my belt on. I am never turning around. I am never sitting still."
D: Well then, after I finish teaching, we will come straight home and you will not go to your friend's house and you will not watch TV when we get home!
Naomi immediately turns round, puts belt on and sits as good as gold.
For the moment!

No more Scooby

That's right.  Rose decided she is old enough to make do without Scooby and that it is her blanket that encourages her to suck her fingers.  She is beginning to get concerned that her new teeth coming through are not straight so announced to me that she was going to cut up the second scooby so I could add it to the quilt I am going to make and set to there and then.
I was impressed that she did not make a fuss when she went to bed and has not mentioned it since.

IGCSE awards

I gave myself the morning off, while Naomi was at preschool, because I had official duties this afternoon.  It was lovely.  Unfortunately, I had to drive up to school with the rest of the family at 6:30 because it was Steve's day to drive and I needed the car later but I rolled out of bed 5 mins before and once I was home I was able to have a relaxing breakfast and then started quilting Joshua's new quilt.
I got changed for school and went up to pick up Naomi, we ate lunch and then I went and put names on chairs for the IGCSE certificate presentation today.  Takes me back to when I received mine!
I did a brief prezi (I love this presentation device and have been using it since a colleague introduced it at a staff meeting) on the history of IGCSE at our school and then called up students to receive their certificates from our principal.
I had a couple of people congratulate me on my conciseness and speediness of getting through 63 students! I made a small bodge - I did not acknowledge the individuals who achieved A*.  Ah well, it's someone else's problem again next year!

Silent Night, Holy....

Josh was giving me a rendition of the song Kinder is singing at the Elementary Christmas program.  As he sang "Silent Night, Holy..." he froze.  "Mum," he said.  "Do they know holy is a bad word?"  I knew exactly what he was thinking and so did Rose.  She said, "No, it's not a bad word. It's used for God".  I agreed, "Because it's used for God, it's not good to put it with other words that don't have that special meaning, so when you say 'holy moly' or whatever, it's not a bad word, but used the wrong way."
He was relieved.  The Elem Christmas program was almost doomed in his mind for a minute there!

Grandpa

My grandpa died on Tuesday (UK time).

I have been trying to process what this means to me.  It's harder when I live far away from "my others" who are grieving. It's hard to appreciate that they share a collective grief and a collective memory of a big family occasion which I can never be a part of.

But as I reflect on my grandfather's life I'd like to share these things that I honour about him. 

He was married almost 60 years to my gran. I can't imagine what that feels like:  To lose someone you have spent your life with.  Even though he has been in a home for a while he has still been a part of her life, her daily routine.  What is it like to have that torn away from you?  To have to build a new life at 70+ without the person you have always shared it with? But, 60 years? That's a commitment to aspire to.

One thing that is core to my memory of my grandparents is their dedication to mission: It is not something you see very often anymore. As a child staying in their home, I knew that after breakfast was Gran and Grandpa's prayer time for missionaries and other friends and family.  They would sit silently at the kitchen table praying through names and prayer requests. They gave financially and offered rich hospitality to visiting missionaries. They even supported a family whose children went through Faith Academy - how funny is that?  And I wonder how much of an impact that has had on our decision to be here, working as missionaries?  I wonder if, right now, grandpa is celebrating having "slipped the surly bonds of earth" with those who are the fruit of his labours on behalf of missionaries?

And, mostly, I ponder my rich spiritual heritage.  I have the privilege, on this side of my family, of coming from a line of at least 3 generations of believers. I think of  the "generations" song of Sara Groves: "Remind me of this with every decision. Generations will reap what I sow. I can pass on a curse or a blessing to those I will never know." It reminds me how vibrant our faith is - it is not dependent on those who go before, it is our own - we make that choice as individuals but we surely have more opportunity to see it lived in ways that make us desire to follow Jesus too.

I have been doing the Beth Moore bible study, Living Beyond Yourself and it seems each week God has taught me a new lesson that has been applied in the days following.  Last week we learned about God's peace - in every circumstance, not dependent on circumstance.  It does not mean we do not feel the pain, the grief, but we do have peace.  And I take comfort in 1 Thess 4: ^{13 "}And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope".  I have hope.

My grandpa died but his legacy lives on.

Field Trip

Naomi and I signed up to accompany the Kindergarten class for their field trip.  (Grades 3-5 did theirs yesterday). On the way up to school, Naomi was very excited and said, "this is my first field trip!"  I said, "it's my first field trip, too!"  I think she felt I was trying to steal her thunder!
We started at the bird sanctuary, close to school.  Naomi was not to thrilled with the walking there - especially as we have been there before so it wasn't really new or exciting. Mosquitos viciously attacked us at the duck pond.  I could see them on the children's legs and faces!

Then we moved on to the eco-park.  Kinder were separated from Grade 1 and 2 - who watched a video - and they had so much fun running from one case of pinned butterflies to the next.  Josh especially liked the display that had branches with butterflies hanging of them like leaves.  He thought that was very clever.  They also had a cool collection of shells and a set of shark teeth. Then we walked around the park, the children petted the bunnies, Josh stroked the snake!  We ate lunch at the picnic tables while waiting for Grades 1 and 2 to finish.

On to Antipolo Church.  This is a famous Catholic church in our area.  It is the church that people process to at Easter.  We saw the statue, read about its 400 dresses - the dress is changed every day!
Next, Antipolo market.  One of the kids in my van asked what we meant by the market - because if we meant supermarket, she had been to those before!!  So we did the market and tried to keep the kids' comments of "ooooh, how stinky" to a quiet minimum!  My group missed the pig's head but we did go through the fish stalls.  We were also followed by a gaggle of Filipino children and pointed at.  The girls did not like that, they thought they were being laughed at.  I think we were just a bit of a curiosity.  People probably had no idea there was such a large group of white-skinned people near Antipolo!
Finally, we went to "The house with no steps", a workplace and living place for disabled - many in wheelchairs - adults.  We watched a video that seriously needed remaking, but the kids were enthralled and then had a quick tour.
And, back to school.  I needed a nap by then and I think many of the children did too!  It was an interesting day and the kids were brilliant.  It's always good to move beyond the confines of the school campus and remember why we are on the school campus in the first place.

Strange Birthday

It was Steve's birthday and it was an odd day!  He had his birthday merienda at school yesterday because the upper elementary were off on field trip today and he covered break and lunch duties because of that too!  Tonight after school we were hosting prayer meeting - so it didn't feel too exciting!  I did bake a chocolate cake for him, so we all sang to him and had a piece of that (I use the we figuratively!).  Tomorrow we will make more of a fuss with his choice of dinner and presents.

Ministry Day

It's the start of another Filipiniana Week - a celebration of the culture and country we have the privilege of living in.
Today was "ministry day" and a local school, started by a Faith Academy family, were invited up to school.  Faith kids teamed up with a couple of Cuatro kids and played games and parents were invited to provide food for the friends assigned to their children.  Great. Except lots of parents forgot (we've just had a weekend!) so there was an urgent queue formed at our school cafeteria as parents sought to buy food (the specification was rice and ulam [a general term meaning the meat topping]), and others bemoaned the fact that their helper hadn't worked over the weekend so they hadn't thought to cook anything appropriate.  I brought up our food, only to realise I hadn't brought plates - another common fault! I also forgot to pack the food as individual servings - again, a recurring problem!  Grade 3 was cooking their food, so there was plenty of extra for those who didn't provide anything and I think the children saw a little of the miraculous in the feeding as there was more than enough to go round and Rose brought some of our contribution home again!

Made it...just!

Neither Rose or Josh wanted to go to school today.  One of Rose's arguments was that it wasn't fair that Naomi and I had the day off!  (It's never bothered her before!) I think we have all reached the point where we are delighted Steve is coming home.  And for some reason J and R couldn't wrap their heads around the fact that he was coming this evening, not during the day.  I pointed out that their day would go quicker if they went to school and I think that prevailed upon Joshua who got ready but not Rose.  The only way I could mollify my daughter was to take her temperature (I think thus validating her claims to not feel well), give her a spoonful of medicine and then she got dressed.  Bob was picking them up and she was just ready in time.
However, I then got a phone call from school saying she had been in the nurses' office 3 times today!  She was claiming to be dizzy and tired - both of which are perfectly feasible considering the lack of sleep my children have had while Steve has been away!  So, I went up to fetch her early.  She had to stay in her room till dinner but we fought toe-to-toe for most of the afternoon as I held her to it.  Rose, of course, said she was no longer well and she was sorry for saying she was but she felt perfectly able to be downstairs. I told her it was a consequence of saying she was ill.  It was quite the battle.  The culmination came when she threw all her clothes out of her drawers.  I told her that she had to pick them all up by dinner or I would give any clothes on the floor away.  It was the activity of folding and putting away all her clothes that seemed to settle her!
And, thankfully, finally, Steve arrived home.  A collective sigh of relief and peace descended on our house.

Twins

Thank Goodness!  Back to school today.  Rose and Josh were whispering and plotting when I put them to bed last night so I naturally assumed the worst but it was only a plan to be "twins" today.  So they chose the same uniform combination and had the same breakfast and sat on the same stair to eat it!!  Unfortunately, it did mean Naomi was excluded so she had her fair share of tears.  I tried to point out they could not be twins but they weren't having any of it.