The boys sang some songs and performed a dance around the Kaaba which is the building at the center of Islam's most sacred mosque, Al-Masjid al-Haram, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. During this time of year, many Muslims participate in 'haj' which is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is when they make their pilgrimage to Mecca. At least once in a lifetime a Muslim is expected to make this religious journey to Mecca and the Kaaba.
Basketball practice and rugby practice were exciting. At one stage Jack was being coached on the sidelines at rugby practice.
The lady you can barely see off on the right in the yellow shirt is my rugby team captain, Clare. Sunday and Tuesday she coaches her daughter's team.
Monday brought another celebration, this time it was in the second grade boy's pod. One of our new teachers wasn't aware of the plan, and really neither were we. It's often like that. I have found that I just show up to school and go with the flow. If there is a special program I was not informed about, I attend and don't worry about what it was that I should have completed during that time. It's the way it is in the UAE.
Monday after school the washing machine guy came to switch out the washing machines. They did, in fact, bring us a loaner which looked very much like our original one. He said it would be about 4 days and they would have it back. We still don't have it back. So glad I didn't let them take ours without a loaner.
Here is a picture of me after practice. Had to put my hair, at least the front part that would fit, in little piggy tails in order to keep it out of my face. Cute, I know.
Tuesday I wasn't as sore as I thought I would be, but on Wednesday? Woah, mama! Needless to say I am constantly reminded of what pitiful physical destruction my body is in.
Tuesday morning when Ms Janet came I gave her salary for the month of September. She seemed upset so I asked her what was wrong. She went into a story about how she had expected more and we didn't pay her enough. I was so shocked because in late August, Rochelle and I sat down with her and lined out how much we would pay her and she agreed. Because I don't have the energy to write the entire sorted story, the bottom line is she quit. She did not tell me she was not coming on Wednesday. Rochelle called me to inform me. I then called Ms Janet so I could address it with her. Needless to say it left a bad taste in my mouth. However there was no time for sulking. I had to kick into gear and think about what we would do for the rest of the week and for the rest of the year.
In the end, Rochelle and I decided we would still search for someone to share, mainly because we both love the freedom it gives us to do other things we like. In the meantime, Kayleigh is attending on-line school this year so her schedule is pretty flexible. For the last two days of the week she came to our place. But starting on Tuesday (because of the Eid holiday) we will take the kids to her house. It will be easier for her since she still needs to study and do other things for her mom around the aprartment. We shall see if we actually do get a new nanny. I'm going to have to clean the apartment this weekend and do a few loads of laundry. It's funny how in just a month I got used to someone else doing that for me.
Tuesday we had training for our science series. It continually amazes me that the training we receive by people who have never taught in the setting we are in seem to have all of the answers. I will say that the presenter was much more receptive to input than those in the past. I always see it as a day away from school, an excellent meal, and catching up with fellow Heads of Faculty.
Tuesday afternoon was the Miss Janet saga. And Jack had rugby practice. Since I had told Millie last week that on Tuesdays we would start having 'Millie and Mama ' time, I stuck with it. It was actually really nice. We sorted her baby dolls and made sure each one had on clothes. We straightened up her kitchen and had 'tea' then headed for the bath.
Wednesday was school as usual, with more celebrations and less students. Just before any holiday or the end of a term, attendance drops off dramatically.
We went to rugby practice on Wednesday evening and decided to take the kids. I knew Jack would stay busy because some of his friends from school were going to be there. Millie is the one I thought might be clingy and not let me practice. However, I was pleasantly surprised when she played with Jack and his friends and didn't come onto the rugby pitch one time. After Wednesday's practice and a few more bumps and bruises, Cathy has decided that rugby is probably not for her. She told me she would not be going back to training. I am going to carry on. Quite frankly, I may never play in a match because there may be a conflict with Jack and Stuart's matches. We shall see. I also may change my mind about the game once we start tackling next Wednesday. That kind of scares me. Stay tuned for the final decision.
Thursday our girls at school had their Eid celebrations. There is always a great deal of chocolate being passed out to teachers during celebrations. I love that part. Our school has a total enrollment of about 1400 students. On Thursday there were 174 students on the girl's side and 72 on the boy's side. Of course the boys who came were our more 'energetic' ones. Typical.
The girl presentations are a little more calm than the boys. They sing and sometimes do a dance.
When I got home from school Jack presented me with a piece of paper. It was from Ms Clare, his teacher and Henry's mom. He was a 'Star Student' for sharing do nicely with another student in his class. I asked him what he dared and he said he let Fredrick play with his Lego Technics car that he took for Show and Tell. He was so pleased with himself.
Thursday evening Cathy came over and we ordered in curry. We were all so tired. At 8:30 pm it felt like it was midnight. The kids went to bed just after 6 pm because of their late evening on Wednesday. Needless to say they were up before the sun on Friday morning.
We did some grocery shopping Friday and ate lunch at the mall. Stuart had a rugby match and had to be at the club around 2:30 pm. So the kids and I went with him and swam while he got ready for his match.
Because the official Eid day was on Friday, no booze could be served Thursday from sundown until Friday sundown. Attendance for Stuart's game was kind of low, maybe because the beer wasn't flowing. Who knows.
Stuart scored the first try (rugby's version of a touchdown) of the match. He was very thrilled with himself. They still didn't win but they played better.
In this picture Stuart is the one in the middle, just about to fall on the mass. He has on a black beanie, called a scrum cap.
Stuart is in the yellow, number 1. After the match Millie pointed to him and said, 'Mama, Daddy is number 1'. I was pleased that she knew what that number was and also that she thinks her daddy is number 1.
This was when the other team was taking a conversion. Don't ask me what that means. This is just what Stuart told me was happening in this photo. He is the second player in.
After the game we headed to Scott and Clare's for supper. The kids played and the adults talked. The downside of us not living in the villa next to the Turners and the Richardsons is that when they have parties we can't just walk across the drive way and go to bed. Boo!
Jack was supposed to have a sleepover with Henry, but by the time we got ready to leave he was over tired and just couldn't stay. It would have only been his second sleep over, ever. I suppose he is still a bit attached. He ended up going in on the sofa and falling asleep. Millie went into the living room to watch the Pink Panther. About five minutes later I walked in to find her face down, asleep on the rug. That was our sign that it was time to go home.
Saturday we headed out to Rochelle and Andrew's for lunch that turned into an all day affair, getting us home just before 10 pm. Those parties are the best.
They live in a huge villa that was bank owned. It is in front of a villa twice its size that no one lives in. There is sand everywhere and the kids can play without worrying about cars driving up and down the road. It is a kid's dream sandbox. Needless to say the kids were outside until it turned dark. Cathy rode with us but needed to get back to get Claire from a friend's house. I drove her back into town and headed back out to the Rouvi's just as it turned dark. I am bad at directions on a good day, but mix darkness with it and watch the confusion. I am happy to report I found my way back out without getting lost.
When I got back, Rochelle was trying to coax Millie and Evie (her 4 year old) to take a bath. Ah, I love people who try to help take care of your kids. The worst part about going home after an all day party at a house with sand everywhere is that the kids HAVE to shower before crawling into their beds. Jack is old enough to either stay awake until we get home or wake up once we get home. But Millie will have none of it. So having her bathed when we started home was fantastic.
We borrowed jammies from Emerson, Rochelle's 7 year old daughter, and the girls were twins. So sweet! This is the first time Millie has really played with another child. I assume being in preschool now has helped move her along into the playing with others stage.
Here are the boys watching the match, Louie, from New Zealand; Jack, from the United States; and Henry, from England. We have our own tiny United Nations here. Everytime I sit and think of the cultural diverse society we live in now, I am so thrilled my children are a part of this life with us. This broader view of the world is priceless.
We ended up staying to watch the rugby match between South Africa and New Zealand. The Rouvi's house was a wreck when we left, but Rochelle doesn't care. Oh to be more like her!
Millie was asleep before we pulled out of the driveway. Jack fell asleep on the journey, which is about 25 minutes long. It wasn't easy waking him up and once we were home he was crying because he didn't want to take a shower. I let him sit in the hall for a bit and finally told him he didn't have to take a shower, but if he didn't he would have to sleep on the rug instead of his bed. He got up and took a shower. I know my parenting techniques may not be perfect, but generally they work.
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