4 years 2 months 2 days

Day 1523. On Wednesday Randy took Sammy to kindergarten, and he set a new record for how long he stayed there with them returning home just after noon. In the afternoon Tammy and Emmy had their exercise class, and Randy and Sammy came along with us. After having them dropped off at their class, we went to the grocery store and then to the little playground there, but Sammy did not want to stay long, so we walked back to the school and picked up his siblings minutes later. We took the 5 pm train home, where I had to teach from 5:30 to 6:20, then I made their dinner and got them ready for bed and put them to bed and taught another lesson at 8 pm.

Yesterday was Austria's national holiday, and the kids were impatient for Sonja to arrive who they'd only seen at their birthday party and once at church. They were asking for her all morning, but had to wait until nearly noon before she arrived. They were so very happy to see her! They went downstairs with her, but soon came back upstairs to eat. After lunch they returned downstairs until nap time at 1:30. They did NOT want to sleep but to continue playing with Sonja. I encouraged them to fall asleep quickly so they could go play with her quickly, and they all fell asleep. The boys were soon up again and went downstairs, and Tammy also immediately went downstairs as soon as she woke up. They were having so much fun with Sonja!

For me it was a very long afternoon and evening. I taught from 3 to 7 pm and had some of my tougher students, so it was really draining. I was thankful that Sonja stayed until I was done. We got to talk a few minutes, while I was making the kids' dinner, then she left. The kids ate, went into the bathtub, then we got them ready for bed. I read them bedtime stories, prayed for them and put them to bed. Then Randy sat with them, while I grabbed something to eat and sat down at the computer to correct homework and prepare my 9:30 pm lesson. I was pretty tired doing that lesson. In the end I stayed up until about 2 am again.

Like yesterday we did not have to get up early this morning, as Sammy did not have kindergarten today. It was about 8 am, when Sammy was up and whining to have me get him out of bed. Of course Emmy was up right away as well, and then Tammy was too. I got up to give them what they wanted a few times, but always lay back down again, at least a few times. By 9 am we were all up. After breakfast Randy went downstairs with the kids, while I made a casserole and put it into the oven. Then I turned the computer on to work.

We ate lunch early today, as everyone was hungry, then they watched videos until it was nap time half an hour earlier than usual today, at 1 pm. Randy was on a grocery store run but already returned just as I was putting them to bed. I did what I always do to get them to sleep, but today Sammy did not want to sleep, and then Emmy did not sleep either as a result. Only Tammy did. And I never got to sleep either, as they were keeping me up. It was 2 pm, when I left them and already time to get up.

At 2:15 pm we all left the house and walked to the train station, where we took the 2:30 pm train. After we got off the train, we rode the subway for one stop - a new one, much to Sammy's delight - and walked the rest of the way to school. We got there a little early and sat down to wait for the dance class teacher's arrival. She arrived at 3 pm, which was the time the class was supposed to start. I took Tammy and Emmy inside, then the three of us went downstairs to the library.

We had nearly 50 minutes until we needed to pick them up again. First I had Sammy, who was standing in front of me and pulling books out of the box for me to read to him, but he never wanted more than the first two pages or so read to him. Then Randy took him and went to the box of English kids' books with him to read to him. In the end we even took an English book home with us.

A few minutes before the end of dance class, we went back upstairs. Once the class was over, we put their shoes and coats back on and made our way to the exit. We took the subway for one stop again - a new one - and rode the elevator up. We had just missed a train and had to wait 20 minutes for the next one. We got chestnuts and stayed inside the building to not have to wait on the cold, windy platform. Tammy needed to go to the restroom, so we put the 50 cents into the slot and went inside. Everything was metal and very modern. It was Tammy's first time in there, and she liked it, especially all the buttons to push.

We then took the 4:23 pm train home. Tammy had discovered the book Randy got out, and so I ended up reading it to Tammy and Emmy on the train - at least the first few pages. Once home, Randy went downstairs with them, while I got ready for my 5 pm student. I then taught for two hours. Randy and the kids came back upstairs after one hour, and they started watching the movie Randy had gotten out of the library - Mary Poppins. At first they didn't want to, but then they enjoyed it.

After I was done teaching just before 7 pm, I went to the kitchen to get their dinner ready. Sammy joined me in the kitchen, and we had lots of fun together. He pulled himself into a standing position and did his best to make the drawers open up with him holding on to the handle. He'd laugh out loud every time it happened. We also had music going, and Sammy was dancing to the music. By the way, he can now stand in the kitchen while holding on to the handle with just one hand.

After they had eaten some they went into the bathtub, where they continued eating, then we got them ready for bed. I read a few Bible stories to them, prayed for them and put them to bed. By the time I was done reading the Bible story, Sammy was already asleep.

I walked away to get something to eat, while Randy sat down with them. I ate, and then went back to work. Now it's nearly 1 am and time for bed.