Day 1707. We could have slept a little longer, but this morning they were all up early, even Tammy. Eventually I got up as well and got everyone ready to leave the house. We left at 9:15 to catch the 9:30 train, which would allow us to just about make it to our 10 am swim class.
It was a sunny and warm day, as we walked to the train station. When we got there, we saw the notification that our train was canceled. The next train was half an hour later, and as the swim class is only half an hour, there was no point in waiting that long as the class would be over by the time we'd get to the swimming pool. That was annoying, as it was the first of 6 classes until the summer, and we're already gonna miss two sessions. Now we only have 3 out of 6 sessions, unless the train gets canceled again.
Given the beautiful weather and that we were already out and about, we decided to go to the playground. I wanted to let them go without me, so that I could work on the German translation of the newsletter, but the kids wanted me to come as well, so I gave in. I hopped on the subway with them, as it was just arriving, while Randy went home to leave the swim stuff there and get the kids' helmets. It was the first time we let them take their scooters on a longer trip, as I wanted to see how well it goes, so that we can do that more often. Especially when we go to tennis class, as there is so much walking to get there and to get home after.
We rode the subway for one stop and got off. Then we walked down the street to the playground, which took some time. As it was still early, there were not a lot of people there at first, and the kids were enjoying themselves. Sammy went straight on the round swing and had lots of fun, as I was pushing him high. The other two were climbing and sliding. Emmy fell into a hole that someone had dug into the sand, which got Tammy's attention who then wanted to continue digging in the hole to make it bigger.
Randy joined us, and then the kids wanted to go use the zipline. All three used it and had lots of fun. I was impressed with Sammy who was able to hold on to it all by himself. He loved it so much that he cried, when we walked away. It was time to go home again.
Back home there was still some time before the food was going to be delivered. We were going to go to McDonald's after swimming, but being home, I decided to order food online, especially since I had a coupon that was about to expire. It arrived at about 12:30, and everyone was hungry and ready to it. It was alright, but not great, and they had forgotten to bring the dessert. Later they called to apologize and they came back to still deliver it.
After lunch the kids joined me by my computer again to watch the dancing and singing show. I was too tired to work anyway. But I was watching the clock, as we were supposed to already leave the house at 2 pm . I was so tired I didn't want to leave, but we all left the house a little after 2 pm. We got on the subway, and then another subway that we rode for quite some time. We got off where we usually get off to go to church, but walked in a different direction, heading to the big park there.
There was a spring festival/party there that had already started at 2 pm, but the question was where exactly in that big park. Thankfully we were heading in the right direction. When we got there, everyone was crowded around the "Kasperl" bus, and I figured that the performance was about to start. It was 3 pm, so we had arrived at exactly the right time. We found ourselves a good spot to watch, and then it already started. I had Emmy on my shoulders for a while, but then somebody got up from a bench, and Emmy sat down. As for Tammy, she ended up sitting on the wheelchair handles, as she didn't want to stand. It was a nice story they played, and the kids enjoyed it.
Then it was time to check out everything they had set up in the park. We went to the tent closest to us, which was registration, and picked up a paper. It had five numbers on it, and the kids had to complete all those five stations and get stamps to then get a gift, when they'd turn in the paper.
The first station was right there. They had boards to strap to and to walk with, but they were all taken. There were also sacks there, and so we did that. Tammy and Emmy each got into a sack and then jumped to the end of the set up cones and back. Then they received their stamps, and we walked on to the next station.
They had a map of the district on a board. While we waited for our turn, we were listening to the previous kids. They asked them where certain landmarks and streets were on the map. We were a long way from home and had no connection to the area, where we were. The kids had to draw a paper that then had a picture of something well-known in the district, and they were supposed to show where it was on the map. Of course they were not able to do that, so the lady showed them. They received a short lesson on the district and got their stamps. On to the next station.
The next one was not a station where you got a stamp. They had fruits and vegetables and cutting boards and knives for the children. They were supposed to cut whatever they wanted and put the pieces on a skewer. Once they were done, we walked on, and the kids actually ate what they had put on - at least some of it.
At the next station they had filled 6 balloons with different stuff. The kids had to feel what was inside and decide on what it was. Tammy went first and got it all right. Emmy went next and did not.
The next station was also one with no stamps. The kids got a little cup, some soil, some powdered clay, some seeds and some water. They then had to stir it all together with their hands and form a ball that they could take home with them to plant somewhere and hopefully watch flowers grow. They needed some help from the workers to get it done.
Randy and Sammy were always close to us, but Sammy couldn't/didn't do any of the stuff. We went to the next station, which was a race. There was quite a long line, but it moved quickly. The kids did stone-paper-scissors to decide who'd run first, and Emmy won. Tammy was very upset about that and started crying. When we got to the front of the line, Emmy started his run, and he did great. Then it was Tammy's turn and she was still crying and didn't want to run. She then said he'd run together with me, so off we went running. Emmy then joined us as well. Then Tammy fell and she was again crying. We continued running to the end, but obviously Emmy had won. It was not like her to act that way, and I had no clue why she was like that. Normally she would have just done the run and competed with her brother. I had said that the winner gets a lollipop and so she cried yet again, as she also wanted a lollipop.
We had one station left to complete. It was a drawing station. Originally kids had to color in the symbol of the district with the right colors, but they had run out of photocopied papers. And so the kids got a blank piece of paper that they could draw on whatever they liked. Tammy was still not herself and didn't want to draw. She wanted me to draw, so I drew a princess for her. She drew the pattern on the princess's dress. They showed their pictures and got their last stamps, so we returned to the registration desk. We handed in the paper, and the kids got a little piece of chocolate and a sticker as a gift.
It was 4:30 pm, so we still had a little time before the service started at 5 pm, as the church was in walking distance. We walked in that direction and came to a nice playground. Because of the festival, it was the most crowded playground I had ever seen. Sammy saw the zipline and wanted to go o in it, but there were way too many kids. Tammy and Emmy climbed up the big climbing construct and climbed around on top. Then they went down the slide, and we all went to a climbing thing that turned. All the kids got on, as well as other kids, and I held Sammy and walked with him, while Randy turned the thing. When we got off, we decided to start our walk to church.
I was so exhausted that I didn't really want to go there, but we do what's best for the kids, right? We walked and walked and got to church five minutes before the service started. We got a seat in the sanctuary, and the kids ran to the front to where there was paper and crayons to draw, and that's what they did in the beginning of the service. Tammy then got a streamer to dance with, and Emmy wanted to run. Sammy was with me and Randy.
At 5:30 it was time to go to kids' church. It was Randy's turn to stay in the sanctuary. We sat down on the mats, and the pastor's wife started her teaching. She did some songs as well, and I had Sammy and helped him do the movements. As time went on, Sammy asked for Daddy, and he kept insisting. When he wants something this bad, there's no way out. I finally told him I'd go get Daddy. I also told the assistant teacher that I was leaving to get Randy and told the other two kids. Randy was less than happy, when I got him, but he left to go to the kids' room, while I sat down in the sanctuary.
It was close to 6:30, when Randy wrote me that everyone was tired and that they were pretty much done, so we could go home. I left the sanctuary and went to them. I found them finishing their crafts. They put their shoes on, and we walked back to the sanctuary. Sammy had been asking for Anna, so we went inside the sanctuary to find her. She then came outside with us and stayed with us for a few minutes. Sammy was so very happy and enjoyed being with her. The other two, especially Emmy, also played with her. Then we said our good-byes and made our way to the subway. Not long after 7:30 pm we were back home.
The kids had a little more to eat, then we got them ready for bed. I read them a story, prayed for them and put them to bed. I lay down with Tammy and Emmy on the top bunk, while Randy finished eating. Then Randy sat with them, and Emmy went to his own bed, while I went to the kitchen to grab something to eat. After having eaten, I started working on the pictures, but I didn't get my report done. I went to bed around 1:30 am.
