Day 1574. I had gone to bed just before 2:30 am. My alarm was set for 8 am, but of course they were up earlier than that. Today it was Emmy who was up first, and his noise woke up Sammy right away. Tammy had slept in her own bed for the third night in a row. Emmy wanted to open his advent calendars right away, but I asked him to let me at least sleep until the alarm went off. It wasn't long until he came with his calendars, and I helped them open the right doors.
They had breakfast, then we dressed them, and we left the house at 9 am to take the 9:20 train. I was so tired that I could barely keep my eyes open, and it was like that for most of the day. After the train we took the tram for two stops, then walked the rest of the way to the swimming pool. We paid and went to the changing room to get ready for their swim class.
Once inside, we went straight into the water, and the kids were having fun right away. Tammy and Emmy were jumping and diving non-stop. Then the class started with the greeting song, and we had to try to reign the two of them in. The class started with them swimming to the teacher to get a ball for the Christmas tree that they had to swim to the tree with to put it up. That way they swam back and forth a few times, and they enjoyed jumping back into the water after having climbed out to get to the tree. Later the teacher got out a board she used as a slide, which the kids enjoyed a lot as well. Our kids are now the best in class, but I feel like they are not getting challenged enough any more. Hopefully that will change in the next course.
The half-hour was over quickly, and we moved to the other half of the pool that was open to anyone. Our kids put their own swim rings on, and then the fun continued. I was the one playing with them, chasing them, and then throwing them into the air and into the water. It was hard work, as three kids constantly tried to be the kid to be thrown into the air.
We had played for quite some time, then they wanted to go into the baby pool. We went in there for a little bit, then we showered and went to the changing room to get dressed again. Then we left to walk back to the tram and then take it to the train station. We took the 12 pm train home, where we arrived around 12:10. I went straight into the kitchen to make lunch. We soon ate, then the kids wanted to watch or play on their tablets. When I looked at the clock, it was already 1:15 pm. We only had just over an hour until leaving again, and I was so tired I needed a nap bad. I lay down, but if I actually slept, it was only very briefly. Sammy started hammering on my door and laughing, when I asked him to stop. At 2:10 pm my alarm went off, and I got up to get ready and to get the kids ready to leave the house.
At 2:30 we all left the house again to go to church. Earlier than usual, as the kids had to be at church at 3:30 to run through the Christmas play they were playing in once before the service started. We rode two subways to cross town and got to church a few minutes early. The sanctuary was set up with tables, and we put the food we had brought with us for the potluck on the buffet table. Then we picked seats right by the door, where there was also space for the wheelchair. We went to the kids' room, where all the children were gathering. While the adults were getting ready, the kids got to play. It took a while, but I was finally able to get the little car for Sammy that he likes so much, as he can move around on it. Emmy was playing ball with the older kids, but as the smallest one, he was pretty much on the losing end the whole time. Tammy ended up sitting with Daddy.
Then it was time to go to the sanctuary to run through the whole play once before the service. Tammy and Emmy were angels, and Randy a shepherd leading the ship onto the stage, carrying Sammy. After the trial run, we all returned to the kids' room, where the kids sat down to eat snacks, as it was gonna be a while before they could eat dinner. After that, they got to continue playing and even drawing and cutting to do crafts. Tammy and Emmy were wearing completely white clothes as angels, and Emmy got color on them from the crayons.
Then it was time to put the costumes on. Sammy went first, then Randy, then Tammy and then Emmy. They were all looking great. Then we returned to the sanctuary, where the service was about to start. Tammy and Emmy starting flying (running) through the room and having fun. Sammy sat down with me and started asking for Anna. I texted her and found out that she was on her way. I told Sammy she was gonna come through the door right there, so he faced the door and kept calling her name, sometimes a little too loudly. She was still quite a while away, so he called for her for a long time. Unfortunately she missed the play and missed seeing them in their costumes.
After two songs and the announcements it was time for the play. Tammy and Emmy joined the angels and actors backstage. Randy and the sheep were waiting right where we were sitting. Sammy was still calling for Anna. The play started, and first the shepherd and sheep walked up to the stage and stayed to the side. They later walked to the other side of the stage to join the other actors. Then the angels came out. They were really cute. There was a song that they were dancing to, and even though our kids had never practiced a dance, they were trying to do what the other kids were doing. Tammy was standing right in the front in the middle, while Emmy was to the side and a little hidden. Tammy was doing a great job. When it was time to go off the stage, she found an angel's halo on the ground. She picked it up, said something, and handed it to the director standing on level ground by the stage. Everyone in the room was laughing.
They were still staying backstage until the end, as they were all coming back out to bow. This time Emmy came all the way to the front, and it was hilarious to see him bow, and he did it several times. I don't know who showed him to do it that way. Then they all went back to the kids' room to take their costumes off, while I sat down at our table and waited for them to come back.
They returned just at the right time, as we were about to light our candles. Every person in the room put some tin foil around their candle to protect from dripping wax, and then the light was passed to everyone from the front of the room. We then sang a few more songs while holding our candles. Sammy was sitting with Anna, who had finally arrived, and was really happy about it. Tammy was sitting with Daddy, and Emmy with me. They were getting hungry and impatient. Around 6:30 pm it was finally over. Thankfully they said that parents with children could go to the buffet first. And so I went with Tammy and Emmy, while Randy went with Sammy. They picked some food that we then took to our table. We had a good time eating, together with Anna. They also got some desserts, and they got a gift each. A little box that had some candy and a self-made star to hang on the Christmas tree, as well as a Bible verse.
It was getting late, and the kids were getting tired. We got our coats and dressed everyone. Sammy said good-bye to Anna, and we left to go home. It was after 7:30 pm. We took the two subways that were luckily new trains, so that Sammy had fun pushing the door button, while the other two were watching Peppa Pig videos on my phone.
By 8:15 we were back home. We immediately got them ready for bed, and did it wall in record time. Not long after 8:30 they were in bed. Tammy was crying hard because there was no story; she always cries, when she's really tired. I told her I'd lie down with her, which comforted her. Emmy then also came to the top bunk to lie on my other side, and they both soon fell asleep lying in my arms. I stayed a few more minutes, as I was extremely tired myself, then got up. Emmy actually ended up sleeping the whole night on top - finally. He was proud of himself and said he'll continue sleeping on top now. We'll see.
I turned my computer on for the first time - it was after 9 pm - and as late as yesterday, when I had turned my computer on for the first time. I started working on the pictures and on my report, but I soon got so very tired that I decided to quit and go to bed. It was 1 am.
