Day 1672. We could have slept in, but as always the boys were up early. Eventually Randy got up and made them breakfast, then took them downstairs to play. They kept coming to me, so I was glad, when they were downstairs, as it finally got quiet. At some point I got up as well and started working, then I went to the kitchen to make lunch.
We ate lunch at 12 pm and then still had some time. Randy even took them downstairs again. At 2:30 I went to the kitchen to make their dinner-to-go boxes. Then they came upstairs, and we got them all ready for church. At 3:25 pm we left the house to take the subway, then we took a train, and by 4 pm we knocked at our friend's hospital door.
Because of the missions conference last week it had been two weeks since our last visit. It was great to see her again, and again there were other people there to visit her. Sammy sat with me on her bed and was so happy to see her. He was then the one to say we should pray for her, and we did. Tammy and Emmy were playing with the man who was visiting that they already knew from last time. It was after 4:30 pm, when we said our good-byes and left.
We walked back to the train station and took two subways to go to church, where we arrived by 5:10 pm. We hadn't been at that church for about two months, way longer than usual. The service had already started, and the kids ran to the front right away to get the streamers to dance with them. Sammy also got one. But time was short. At 5:30 pm it was time to go to the kids' room for their program. I had not had a chance to worship, but had talked to a friend briefly.
It was my turn to stay with the kids, though Sammy would probably be alright on his own by now. However, they don't have enough staff, so they want us to stay with him. All the kids sat down in a circle right away for the teaching. As it was Palm Sunday today, that was the topic. First there was a time of worship for the kids. They had the streamers, and Sammy had one as well. I sat on the floor while holding him in a standing position, and Sammy really participated, dancing and waving the streamer. The other two, however, didn't participate much.
Then the teacher of the day did a teaching on Palm Sunday, and our kids listened carefully. And they knew the answers to the questions she was asking. Later another Mom who was there came to me and told me how impressed she was with what they know.
After the teaching it was time to play the triumphal entry into Jersualem. A boy played Jesus riding the donkey, using a sheep though, while the other kids put palm branches and clothes on the ground for him. Then Emmy got to be Jesus, as well as a few others. Tammy never got to play Jesus, even though she wanted to. And Sammy looked at books then asked me for the bobby car. I found it in the neighboring room and brought it to him. He was really happy and stayed on it for the rest of our time there.
Then it was time for a game. They made two groups, put a chair on the other end of the room, and the kids had to crawl on all fours to the chair, around it, and back. In the first round it was even, in the second round Tammy's and Emmy's team won. They had fun.
Then they all sat down at the tables to draw and cut. Emmy got up first as that is not his thing. He prefered playing with what was in the room, and he was also hungry and got some food. I had already started feeding Sammy who ended up eating everything in his box, which is unusual, plus some of his siblings' bread. As the kids finished with the crafts, they sat down to eat and then started playing. A little girl pushed Sammy around the room - much to his delight - and then Emmy did it too. Then Tammy did, and she pushed Sammy around for a really long time. What a sweet sister. Emmy was playing with a brother and sister, but was having some conflict with the brother. I encouraged him to deal with it correctly, as that will be an important skill for him, when he starts kindergarten in a week. The sister really likes Emmy and lifted him up a few times.
It was 7 pm and so I asked Sammy, whether he was ready to go look whether his friend Anna was there. He was more than ready, as he had already asked for her right at the beginning of the service. The other two wanted to stay and play, so the two of us left. And we found Anna right away. Sammy was really happy, as he hadn't seen her in a long time.
After some time I left him there, and Daddy was there too, and went to the kids' room to get the other two kids. We put the coats on everyone and left church at about 7:15 pm, just as they were finishing the service. It was really cold and windy, as we walked to the subway and started our long trip home. Just after 8 pm we were back home and started the going-to-bed process right away. Sammy was in bed first, then I read a story to the other two. We were in my bed, and Emmy wanted to cuddle right there. Within moments he was asleep in my arm, contrary to Tammy. After a couple of minutes, Tammy went to her bed, while I carried Emmy to his. Then I went to the kitchen to make myself something to eat. After having eaten, I started working on the pictures. Now it's 1:20 and I have yet to take care of the dishes before going to bed.
