School starts, but do all of the students return?

After three weeks, for some kids more than that, off from school there was still rather low attendance the first day back after the winter break. I assume the kids will just ease in to term 2. It's fine with me because I was also informed that I would be teaching half days for two weeks starting Thursday. The good news was it would be in grade 4. The bad news was it would be on the boys' side. 

After school on Sunday Millie started her ballet class. My sister in law told

Me she had amazing ballerina toes and that I had to get her into a ballet class. This class was much different than the dance class she had last year. She actually participated in this class. The teacher was really good. There were only three little girls there so thay all got a lot of attention. 

Millie listened and did exactly what the teacher told her to do. Right up until the end Millie was 'on task' and then she noticed the black curtains hanging on the stage and decided to hide in them. I suppose she had been good enough for the teacher. 

Once Millie and I were home from dance, both kids got ready to go to the rugby club for Jack's rugby practice.  It was a pretty uneventful evening. 

Monday at school I nearly feel asleep two or three times at my computer. I was so tired for some unknown reason. And quite frankly there was not a lot for me to do, which is really nothing new. 

We had rugby training Monday night and my knee was aching, yet again. I am pretty sure I need to have this knee surgery to remove the loose cartilage, but I would like to wait until April when rugby is finished for the season. We only have three more matches. One is in Kuwait, for which I will probably not make the cut. One is the same day as a match for Stuart and Jack, so I won't be playing in that one. The last one is March 7. We will see if I can hold out that long. 

Tuesday, out of 7 senior leadership team members,  I thought I was going to be the only one in school. Yikes! But the English Vice Principal ended up just coming in sick. Thank goodness the day was pretty uneventful. 

Tuesday evening was Mama/Millie night which turned out to be the same as usual, Millie falling asleep early and me being able to watch whatever I wanted to watch on Hulu Plus. Hello Bachelor!

Wednesday we all went to the rugby club and I had a better practice with less pain.  It was great.  

By the end of the week most girls had come back to school but the boys were still a little sparse. I had to start teaching a 4th grade class on Thursday because one of our English teachers was having eye surgery and would be out for two weeks. The schools won't provide substitute teachers unless your teacher is out for at least a month. So that leaves the Heads of Faculty to teach. I only had 14 boys in my class but they were a handful for sure. They didn't listen, they spoke while I was speaking, and were generally all around a naughty bunch of boys. 

Thursday evening we went to a Mardi Gras party at my old principal's house. Her husband has just retired and needs something to do so I anticipate a lot more parties in our future. It was really fun to just sit and chat with people. We met some new folks and the kids played in the sand in front of their house for hours. That's the best thing about living here. I see my kids having fun with other kids they way my siblings and I used to do when my parents would go over to their friends' houses for 'coffee'. I think Jack and Millie are just now at the great age where they can play anywhere with anyone. They had so much fun. 

When we got home, which was a bit late, I showered them. I had never seen so much sand in a tub, even when we come home from the beach. They both laughed at the sand. 

Friday we just lazed around the apartment in the morning, because of the late night. Later in the day Millie and I went to the mall to buy a gift for my Emirati Vice Principal who had a baby last week. We then met Jack and Stuart at the rugby club. There was a huge tournament at the club. The older boys played on Friday, along with the 1st team and the 2nd team (Stuart's team). The younger boys played on Saturday. So, once again, our weekend was filled with rugby. 

Although Stuart says his team acts as if they have won the match when they return to the locker room afterwards, they haven't won any matches. I do, however, think they have improved. I watched the entire match, considering last week I went to the bathroom and missed Stuart scoringb. Oops! But even though I watched the entire match, he didn't score. Oh well!  He still loves it. 

Stuart is the one with the black scrum cap that has a green ring around the top. He really just shoved people over rather than tackle them. 

Saturday morning we were up early making sandwiches and packing snacks for the kids. Stuart made a dozen bacon sandwiches to take to the club which may have been a little bit naughty. The recipients of the sandwiches appreciated them. 

Jack's team played three matches and only won one of them. He played really well. One of the times he scored was really more like the skills of an older child than a 6 year old. I am rather impressed that while other kids are just running back and forth and around the pitch, he is always focused on the try line. He also plays excellent defense. Since it is like flag football, he goes in and is so aggressive at getting the flags. I have, once again, proved myself to be 'that sports mom'. 

After the tournament we went to Scott and Clare's to let Jack play with Henry. They decided to get in the pool which was very cold. Fortunately Jack and Henry are about the same size so Jack was able to borrow a suit. Millie decided to swim as well, even after we had her put her foot in the cold water. She had no suit so swam in her underwear. She ended up jumping on a foam may while the boys were screaming like girls about how cold the water was. They wouldn't jump in, but Millie just went for it. She also stayed in the longest of all three kids. It was crazy. 

When we left the Richardson's house Jack had a meltdown. When will these stop? He usually saves them for when he is too tired, so at least we have that narrowed down now. He calmed down within the first 10 minutes of leaving. 

We fed the kids when we got home, showered them and then put them to bed. All were too exhausted to stand up, including Mama and Daddy. 

Another great week in the UAE.