Sunday was a challenge because I was used to letting Millie sleep in and not going with me to Ms Janet's, not the story on Sunday. I thought I would be able to let her sleep until it was time to throw her in the car. But after hearing, at the end of the day, that she had peed once on the carpet and once on the floor, I shifted gears on Monday morning. When I asked her why she peed on the carpet, she answered by saying 'Cause I wanted to', which was probably true.
When I picked the kids up from Miss Janet's we went home and both kids showered. I am proud to say that by 3:15 pm Jack and Millie were ready for bed. They had some food just before 5 pm and were asleep by 7 pm. Before they ate we Skyped Stuart, and as usual they were super crazy. There is something about getting on Skype that hypes them up. It's nuts!
Once they were in bed I started watching my new obsession, Orange is the New Black, a Netflix series. Oh my goodness! It is about a middle class lady who goes to prison. It is wrong on so many levels and really good! Sadly, I only watched one episode, fell asleep, woke up just after 8 pm, and went to bed. The only other time I have been to bed that early was when I was sick.
Now for the story about negating Diet Coke and coffee from my life. When my dad was hear he recommended a book to me by Rick Warren called The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier You. So, because I have so much respect for my dad's opinion, and I have kind of lost control of my health......for the hundredth time, I decided to download said book on my Kindle. Don't you just love modern technology? The book gives a lot of biblical advice as well as practical dieting advice to help get your physical body back to being a temple of The Lord that is respectable. We shall see what I can do with God's help. The headaches subsided by Wednesday and I think I may be in the zone for at least the 40 days. However, I am not a fan of giving up bread, dairy, sweetener and sugar. The idea is to see if your body is allergic to the crap they put in food. After a week, I can tell you that I am probably allergic to many things. I feel incredible not eating all that junk. The advice was if it is made from a plant, eat it. If it is made in a plant, leave it. Easier said than done, especially here.
Monday I drove the kids to school and if it is possible, the traffic flow was worse than ever. I am just praying that once the construction is finished things will settle down. I thought I was moving here for less stress:)
My student teacher, who is really a second year student but doing what we would call a practicum, was supposed to teach a lesson on Monday. But when she started to open here program she realized the website was blocked from our school. I thought she might crumble. I just told her she could do it the next day and would need to bring all of her things on a flash drive. She apologized, but there was no need. I remember having to teach a lesson for the first time and how nerve racking it was. Don't miss that part of my career at all.
The excitement continued as the day drew on. At 12:45 pm, during 6th period, one of my students told me that another student who had ridden the bus to school with her that day, was not in class all day, meaning she was missing. Well, don't mention it any earlier in the day or anything. That would be silly. Obviously the attendance clerks are not like they are at home. At any rate, I went to the social worker and tried to explain what happened. After a serious of questions and responses I left them to it and went back to class. The social workers showed up in my pod and asked the girl's sister if she was on the bus that morning. The answer was yes, which made me more sick. They stated they would go to the bathrooms to look and then would inform our principal if they couldn't find her. What? Anyway, they did just that. When an announcement came on the loud speaker and said that this girl had won a prize and she needed to come down to receive it, I knew they were trying to smoke her out if she was at school. In the end, they discovered she never came to school and was home with a fever. Someone explain this to me, please.
After school on Monday was our first parent night. We only had one parent night last term but it was stated parents had to wait a long time to see the teachers. As you can guess, if parents are given a choice of evenings they will often decide to wait until the second night to come. As a result I only spoke with 15 of my 47 parents in the 4 hours we stayed after school.
After my 12 hour day, I count from door to door, I went to pick up Jack and Millie. Fortunately Miss Janet had already fed them. Millie had an excellent day and used the potty everytime she needed to do so. I made her wear her 'potty watch' to help her remember. After discussing it with my mother on Skype Monday evening, we decided that any new place for her may cause her anxiety and to have accidents. I will tell you that I ignored my mother's email on Sunday saying she could Skype and asking how Millie did on Sunday. I couldn't bear telling her that Millie peed twice on the floor. All I could think is that I had failed all of Grammie's efforts. Thank goodness Millie pulled it together on Monday.
After Skyping Grammie and Pop, they showered, had a snack, and went to bed. I also went to bed about an hour after they did. I am proud to say I beat my goal of going to bed before 9 pm.
Tuesday was very uneventful. My student teacher did her lesson which was not bad for a second year student. She was nervous but I assured her she did just fine. Oh, I also have a class assistant. She walks around and helps kids while I am helping others. I have three adults in my room each day, which really means a whole lot more learning goes on. I will miss them when they go next week. They are both very sweet and are trying very hard to do everything correctly. The toughest challenge they have is trying not to speak Arabic to the students. I have no choice in this area, but they do. Being bilingual and teaching students a second language is a blessing and a curse, if you ask me. On one hand you are able to clarify for students in their native language if there is NO other choice. On the other hand students take advantage of this and often won't attempt to speak English. It is a balancing act for sure.
I picked the kids up, picked up Stuart's laundry and a few bits at the store, got home, fixed dinner, did a load of laundry, packed lunches, showered kids, wrapped birthday presents for Stuart (he was gone for his birthday), put kids to bed, watched a bit of tv, then went to bed myself, knowing Stuart would be home sometime after 1 am. Can you say exhausted? Have I mentioned that I never want to be a single mother?
Stuart rolled in just after 1 am. We talked for a bit and then back to sleep I went, as did he, snoring might I add-him not me:)
When the alarm went off I know Stuart wanted to continue sleeping because I actually got out of bed before he did. That never happens except on the weekends. I wanted to make sure I was ready by 6 am so I would be able to get the kids up before Stuart had to go to work, and we could give him his presents. Stuart went and woke up Jack. The first thing out of that boy's mouth was 'Daddy, where are my present?', which I knew would be the case. So it's good that I planned to get them up. Stuart also got Millie out of bed. Can you say cranky? However, she perked up when we told her that Daddy and Grandma had presents for her. Chocolate cures lack of sleep every day of the week.
After presents were opened, by the kids and Stuart, we all headed to our respective places for the day. Millie cried when I dropped her off at Miss Janet's but was fine by the time I actually left. I carpooled kids to school and am happy to report that the manic traffic has settled down a bit.
Once I was at school it was business as usual. I made the mistake of telling my wonderful Islamic teacher that I was on a diet and told her all the things I couldn't have. I suppose I wasn't as clear as I thought. Because as we were starting our parent meetings on Wednesday afternoon she stated she had brought me a sweet biscuit so I would not go hungry. On Monday at the parent meetings I passed on having a sandwich because of this plan I am on. So, when Miss Alia, whom I have developed a fantastic relationship with, offered me a biscuit, I had to take it. Did I eat it? Actually the issue took care of itself. I took a break and walked to the other 4th grade pod. While I was gone a parent showed up and her little boy apparently saw the biscuit, wanted it, and was given it by one of the other teachers at the table. At the same time Miss Alia was downstairs getting her coffee pots that I think her driver had delivered. She didn't even know I didn't eat it. Perfect! Or was it? Once she got back with the coffee, which I am really not supposed to have either, she then offered all of us a bigger package of biscuits. Really? When she handed it to me she said, 'It's diet.' I pretended like I was going to wait for my coffee to cool, which I justified because it didn't have any dairy or sugar. The chai tea she gave me on Monday after school was not so dairy or sugar free. But I feel offending her is out of the question and for that I can fall off the wagon a bit. In the end, none of us ate our large package of biscuits. All four of us sitting at the table, me being the only English teacher, looked at Alia when she offered her open package to each of us. We all refused, to which she responded, in English 'I the only one who eats'. Then we all laughed. Alia is my favorite!
Our parent conferences, overall, I think we're very successful. However, my pod, which consists of 5 classes, had very poor attendance. I only had 15 parents come the first night. So I assumed that on Wednesday I could have up to 32 parents. At 4 pm, an hour and a half after the conferences started, no parents had come to our pod. I think this proves, at least for my pod, that one night would have been plenty (wishful thinking). So from the time school dismissed until the first parent showed up I just sat and listened to 3 teachers talk to each other in Arabic. I don't understand many words in Arabic, but I kind of think they were gossiping. It was comforting to know that all women gossip, in every culture. I thought I understood something they said, once, so I had a facial response. At that point, Miss Alia (the Islamic teacher) giggled and said,'Miss Dana, you are my friend, right?' Nothing nicer could have been said to me that day. Sometimes, as you can imagine, there are preconceived ideas from us to them and vice versa. Miss Alia has restored my faith in knowing that all people are really the same, down deep inside.
By 6 pm most teachers had already gone home (in fact, some had left by a bit after 4) and we only had 5 parents come. It was exhausting, but it is over now so no big deal.
When I got home Stuart went back to his school because his principal was having a dinner for their staff. It was the kind of Bedouin dinner that was a plate of rice, a very big plate, with a roasted goat on top of it. Stuart said everyone ate with their hands and the traditional Bedouin meal was once again an experience to remember.
Thursday after school we officially joined the Rugby Club. So we are now able the use the pool and gym whenever we like. Our membership at our compound turned out to not be the best idea. So we went swimming after school and then had our normal dinner at the club.
Jack and Millie ran around like they normally do. Jack was an absolute sweat ball. So when we got home Stuart gave him a summer do. Oh wow, did he! Even Jack was surprised, but loves it. It reminds me of pictures of my brothers when they were little and summer rolled around. Summer comes very early here. It has been over 100 degrees here for the last few weeks. So welcome, Summer!
Partially done.
He had a lot of hair, just like his mama and daddy, when his daddy had some.
And his reaction when he felt it. Darling! He asked me if it would look this was when he woke up. Ha!
We got up Friday morning to call my niece, Morgan, and sister in law, Julie, to wish them a happy birthday. They both had a big birthdays. Morgan turned 18 and Julie, well let's just say she didn't turn 18. It was great to talk with them. I remember when Morgan turned one year old. I flew to Arkansas as a surprise to everyone. When they say 'time flies' they aren't just making it up. My nieces mean the world to me. I am so proud of the young lady Morgan has become.
Jack was so excited on Friday morning because he knew he was going to hang out with Louie all day. First they were going bowling, then they were going to be dropped off at our place, we were going to swim at the rugby club and then after that we really hadn't made any plans. By the time the swimming was over Stuart went golfing with some of the guys and we decided to eat at the rugby club because it seemed easiest. However, that may have been our fatal error. The kids played like crazy and were exhausted by the time we got back to our apartment at 9:15 pm (first clue). We walked in our door and Louie started crying and said he wanted to go home. I am typically not a very empathetic person, but I surprised even myself. I immediately told Louie it was fine and that I would take him home. I also was genuinely sad for Louie. When I told him I would take him home, Jack started crying. At that point I was not sure what else I could handle. How do you explain that it's okay for your friend to go home when you were so looking forward to this night? You don't, really. I was so disappointed for Jack, but couldn't fault Louie for wanting to go home. Poor boys. We just wore them out, I think.
While all this fun was going Millie was pitching her own fit, not wanting to have anyone give her a shower but me. She had a rough day. She peed herself once and pooped in her pants twice. Yuck! Setbacks, I understand. Poopy pants, I don't.
We returned Louie and all was well once he saw his mother. She said it was very uncharacteristic of him. On Saturday we went swimming with Louie and his family. Then his mother told me the story. We don't have a bath.....still. But Louie had never taken a shower. So when I told him he and Jack could take a shower together once we got home he was nervous since he had never used a shower. Bless him! At least I know it is nothing I said. Whew!
On our way back from Louie's I asked Jack if he would feel better if we stopped and got him a treat? Of course that perked him up. We stopped and bought him something. On our way out of the shopping complex there is a little toy store. Jack looked at me and said, 'Maybe if we stopped in there and bought me a toy I would feel a little bit better, too'. Then a wry smile came across his face. Ah, such a clever boy. We stopped in, but then he decided he would rather have a light saber that we could only get at Toys R Us. So I told him we would go to the mall the following day.
Stuart became the human surf board for the kids Saturday morning.
After we swam at the pool we headed to the mall. I was looking for a dress for the Rugby Ball that is next Friday, May 9. Apparently everyone gets all dressed up. I assumed that meant I needed a new fancy dress. And we were also getting the light saber. I'm such a sucker!
Millie's potty training has had an obvious set back. At the mall she pooped her pants again, while we were eating. Classic! Ironically enough it was at the same table she peed on several weeks ago on her first diaperless outing. I couldn't believe it. I am not even sure how to react. So I just told her she was not doing what she was supposed to do so we might need to wear her watch again. Then, once we were home, she pooped herself again. Unnerving! This time, because I had just asked her if she had to go to the bathroom and she said no and because she was watching a movie when it happened, I told her she would not be able to watch a movie again until she could prove to me she was able to keep her panties dry and clean. That may be the ticket. We shall see.
The kids were eating supper so I decided to finish up the laundry and fold the last load of the weekend. I took the clothes out of the dryer and dumped them on our bed. I turned on the AC and wouldn't you know it? It was blowing hot air. It was almost quiting time so I made the call to the maintainence man. Now I'm not saying he doesn't do his job, but he might not be as proactive as I would like. Remember, we did ask for a bathtub in October when we moved in. Also remember, the reason Jack's friend, Louie, didn't want to stay the night was because we don't have a bathtub. Any questions?
The story here is really too long to write, but let's just say both the husband and the wife that live in our apartment had words for, we will call him Mr. Ehab (cause that's his name), about the timeliness in which things have been taken care of since our move in date last October. And let's just say the compressor for our AC unit that we were told would need to be ordered and not in for 3 days, Inshallah, will now be totally in and finished in 2 days. And let's just say they are bringing the bathtub to said apartment on Monday. It might have been stated by the wife that she would be calling the company that owns this complex on Sunday. She also might have hung up on Mr. Ehab just after that statement. It's amazing how fast an explanation, at your front door, comes to you once you let someone know of your intentions. Now, will it happen in the time stated? Inshallah! I'll let you know.
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