Sunday morning I went to walk with Lara. When I got home, Jack was awake and eating breakfast. I went to take a shower. When I was dressed I came downstairs and Millie was awake. I fixed her breakfast and they both got ready for the day. I had made their lunches before I went out to walk, so I sat down to enjoy my cup of coffee.
Once we were all off, and Stuart was tucked back into the sofa, our third week of Ramadan officially started. When I first got to work I was expecting to be able to start my data analysis that I had actually put off the week prior. But instead I was informed that our books for English, Math and Science were being delivered. This is my least favourite day. The boxes consume our school nursery and then have to be collected by teachers and put away. They have 7 books for every child in their room. We received over 7000 books. These are consumable books and are given out each year. Im not sure it's the most efficient teaching tool, but it's what we get so we go with it.
While the books were being delivered, I did try to work on our data. While I was sitting at my desk I got a phone call from a nanny at the Millie's school. Millie was being invited to come to the palace again with Osha. They would play for a bit, go to the mall to a soft play area called Cheeky Monkey, go back to the palace for dinner and then I could collect her from the palace. The nanny told me if it was too short notice we could plan it for another day in the week. I told her it was fine and that Millie would probably be thrilled to go with Osha for the afternoon. What's with my kids being friends with royalty?
After school Jack played at Ian's and Stuart and I had our daily afternoon Ramadan nap. There is something about this time of year that requires more sleep. I'm not sure if it's that we don't work as many hours or that it's so dang hot. Either way, I feel a bit lazier during Ramadan, which I don't think fulfills the purpose of this holy month in Islam.
Around 6 pm I headed to the palace, a different palace than where we picked Jack up the previous Friday, to collect Millie. I got to the gate, and again, a non-English speaking guard with a machine gun strapped to his back, came out and did his best to understand why I was there. I finally called Kelly, the nanny, and she had the Shaikha call the guard to tell him to let me in. I pulled through the gates and followed Kelly's directions. When I pulled into Osha's driveway there was a many playing with her little brother. I walked into the home and was introduced to Osha's mother, the Shaikha. She was very sweet and explained Millie's outfit. Since Millie had come straight from school she didn't have any play clothes, just her school uniform. So they told Millie she could pick out an outfit to keep from Osha's closet. I wish I would have taken a picture of her clothes. She had on a cream shirt with gold hearts around the top, a pair of red leggings, which she had on over her white bike shorts that she wears under her school dress, a pair of yellow socks with red and white hearts, and her black Mary Jane school shoes. She was quite a sight! I asked her if she had fun and she said she did. I asked her what she had for supper and she said 'nothing'. This was my fear. I know her tastes and I know we haven't talked enough about being polite and eating a bite of what is offered to you. She said, 'Mom, it was Arabic food and I didn't like it. I did taste it. But they told me if I didn't like it I didn't have to eat it'. Thank goodness she is 5 years old and a little easier to forgive for her rudeness. Ugh!
Once we were all home it was showers and bed for the kids. Stuart and I watched some television and then he moved up to the bed. He had spent the entire week before sleeping on the sofa backside laying flat was too painful for him. I was so glad he was doing better. More importantly, him moving upstairs meant I could watch the Bachelorette again. Thank goodness!
Monday school was a lot of the same. Teachers were either moving or preparing to move the following day. We had declared Tuesday as moving day. Once school was over, I came home and took Molly on a play date with Greta. Greta was a little more aggressive this play date, thank goodness. I really need Sarah to take care of Millie this summer. If those two puppies don't get along then Sarah staying at our house may not happen. At the end of the time, Sarah decided she would come and stay at our house from the middle of July until we return at the end of August.
Once I was home with Molly, I told the kids that if they would hurry and take a shower I had a special surprise for them. I had purchased the new Beauty and the Beast on iTunes. When they found out what it was they were very excited. I popped popcorn and they had a sweet treat. It was a successful surprise, and what a beautiful film it was.
Tuesday was moving day at school and most of my teachers were ready. The ones who we not ready were the ones who are always slow on the uptake, so it wasn't surprising.
Once I was home I took the kids to Bounce. We were going to get our money out of those passes if it killed me. I decided I would jump, just concentrating on bouncing up and down or falling to my seat and then back up. It was fun, but I did tweak my knee a bit. Why do I think I'm 20 years old?
Once we were home Stuart fixed the kids dinner. They were all ready for bed, and Millie actually went to bed at her normal bedtime. I had a follow up appointment for my knee pains where she told me nothing I didn't already know. The appointment was at 8 pm because during Ramadan doctors do a split shift. They work from 10-1 in the afternoon and then 8 pm until midnight. Don't ask!
Wednesday I finished up my data and got it submitted to the principal. I did get a call from the Vice Principal of the school where I was to transfer. She stated that most likely I would not be able to transfer to her school. She said the HR department was trying to make sure that if a school had a Western Vice Principal they didn't have a Western Head of Faculty. We are both Western. Boo! So I may keep my happy butt right where it is. I spent the rest of the week trying to wrap my head around that fact.
Wednesday afternoon I had invited all the English teachers to our house for a staff party. Everyone brought a dish to share and their favorite beverage. We played games, chatted, ate and enjoyed the time away from school. Stuart didn't spend a great deal of time with us for a couple of reasons. First of all we were all eating and he couldn't do that. So that was no fun, and secondly he didn't know many of my staff. He's not terribly crazy about situation like that. So he kept the dog company out on the back patio. All guests were gone before 10 and it was nighty-night for the Telfords.
Thursday I took in some of the leftovers from the party. We all gathered in my office again and had some laughs. I will admit that these three weeks of Ramadan seem to have gone faster than in the past.
After school I got home and made my mom's banana cake. We headed to Scott and Clare's just after 4 pm. Stuart had planned to eat some of his soup there but just never got around to it. They were having a farewell for the summer party. It was a nice gathering, but we left just before 7 pm to take Jack to a Harry Potter themed birthday party at Meriana's house. Meriana is a friend of Jack's from school, and her parents are both Heads of Faculty, like Stuart and myself. The party was great and Jack had a wonderful time. I picked him up at 9 pm, taking Millie with me so she would fall asleep on the way. On the weekends it's the easiest way to get her to go to bed.
Friday Stuart took the kids to Bounce in the morning and then to the club for lunch. He was so excited because this was the day he was going to get to eat his first solid foods. He ate about a third of a scrambled egg and Millie ate the rest. He said it went down well. At the club he had soup and that was also a good choice. He seems to be having an easier time, food wise, than I did. I'm very happy for him. 2 weeks after surgery and he has already lost 40 pounds. It's quite incredible.
While Stuart was with the kids in Al Ain, I was in Abu Dhabi spending the day with Gina. She was passing through on her way to Italy, starting her summer vacation with some pampering and relaxation in Abu Dhabi. We went to a few malls so I could buy Stuart something for Father's Day. Naturally I decided upon smaller clothes for him from American Eagle, one of his favorite stores that he is so excited to shop in when he is at his goal weight. I also ended up buying the kids journals and a camera for our summer adventures in the U.K. as well as in Italy. We had a full day, eating lunch at Olives at the Ritz Carlton. We also spent a few hours at the hotel pool, which reminds Gina of Arizona. It was lovely to see Gina and catch up for a while. She promised she would come to Abu Dhabi more this next school year. We saw her back in August and hadn't seen her since. Was glad she said she would be in Abu Dhabi more.
I got up early Saturday morning. Molly is my new alarm clock most days, so sleeping in is not much of an option any more. I had some quiet time before the kids were awake. I had a cup of coffee and did some laundry. Once the kids were awake I started changing beds. I got everyone's bed changed, but had to hang Jack's duvet cover to dry more.
Stuart and I sorted through clothes that were too big for him or things we no longer wore. We gave away two bags of clothes to the local charity here.
I messaged Cathy to see if she was interested in riding with Millie and myself to Dubai to watch Millie do gymnastics. She decided to do so. We left just after 11 am. In the meantime Stuart and Jack went to the club to the pool. Stuart didn't swim because of his incisions, but Jack did. They then had dinner at the club.
When Millie finished gymnastics her coach told me that she had done an evaluation of her at this particular practice. She told me that Millie was going to be a champion and that next fall she would need to come for two hours a week. I kind of knew this was coming. Millie is built like a gymnast and has incredible balance and poise. She is strong and is able to do everything her coach tells her to do. So the conversation I would need to have when I got home was 'how we going to do this?' I can't deny her natural abilities, even if it means me driving to Dubai once a week next year. There are no facilities in Al Ain, so I suppose we will bite the bullet and let her explore this sport.
After gymnastics we were planning to have lunch at the Dubai Mall and then go see Wonder Woman. However, the only tickets for the movie were in the front row, so instead I told Millie I would buy her a toy at Hamley's. We had a wonderful time, making a stop at the sweets store before heading back to Al Ain.
Once we were home, Millie showered and watched a bit of television. Millie went to bed at 8 pm and Jack was in bed at 8:30 pm. Stuart and I watched some television and then Stuart headed to the airport to pick up Sean. His flight was due in just before midnight. What a way to end the weekend. He was home around 1:30 am and off to slumber land we went.
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