Day 1869. Yesterday we all needed a break. Randy took the kids downstairs to play, while I got more sleep. Then I got up to make lunch. After we'd all eaten, Randy left with Tammy at 1 pm to take her to her climbing class. The boys stayed home with me. I needed to write a newsletter. I'd had no time to do so during the week, so I was thankful for the time to do it. After Randy and Tammy returned at 3:15, they all went downstairs, while I continued working on the newsletter. Sammy wanted to go to church, but Randy can't handle all three kids, and if he had only taken Sammy with him, he would have started crying for the rest of us. I made good use of the time and got the English version of the newsletter and the monthly thank you letter finished.
This morning Randy took the kids to kindergarten, while I went back to bed to get some more sleep. I got up late today and still felt exhausted. It took me a while to really get going. I was glad that I only had to warm up yesterday's soup. It was only when Sammy got home at 12:40 that I got up for good. I had fun with him, while Randy was gone to get his siblings, and I got to have some food. Then I prepared my 3 pm lesson and made some bread with salami for the kids to take with them to their classes. As always, Sammy wanted to call Daddy, and he cries until Daddy picks up.
Just after 2 pm Randy returned with the other kids. I did piano practice part 1 with both kids together, on the whiteboard, then went downstairs for part 2 with Tammy, so she could play the piano. Then we returned upstairs where I got ready for my student and got ready what she needed for her class. After I'd finished teaching, I helped Randy, Tammy and Sammy to get ready to leave the house, which they did just before 4 pm. Last week I had taken Tammy to ballet and Randy the boys to soccer, today we switched. And as Sammy hadn't enjoyed soccer and likes music, he was going to ballet today. And it worked out well.
After they had left, I went downstairs with Emmy so he could do his piano practice. Then I cut up some fruit for them for dinner. Just before 5 pm the two of us left the house. We took the subway to the end, out of town, then walked to the school, where Emmy's soccer class had started last week. Emmy changed, then we went inside the gym. All three gyms had groups inside. The previous soccer group of younger kids were still inside playing, with lots of parents lining the walls. We waited until it was over, then Emmy sat down in the middle of the gym, while I did on a bench along the wall. Emmy had been excited for me to watch him play, and I was looking forward to it as well.
They did a roll call, and the coach gave them some behavioral rules. Then he explained the first game to them. It was a fun game to get them warmed up. After the game, he gave them a ball each and explained the next activity/game to them. They had to move the ball with their feet and then try to shoot a goal, which meant defeating the dragon. They went around a few times, trying to score a few times each, and Emmy scored once.
Then it was time for a soccer game. They split them into two groups and each group again into two to play against each other. I was impressed with how well Emmy can play. He was definitely the best in his group. And he was the first one to score a goal. Then he switched to be the goalie, and he held every single ball that came his way. In the end his team had won. I'm amazed not only how good a player he is, but how passionate he is about soccer, when I'd tried to keep him away from this sport.
Emmy got changed, and we left the school to walk back to the subway. It was after 6:30 pm, and the sun was just going down. We rode the subway home, where Sammy was impatiently waiting for us. It was 7 pm. I gave Emmy his fruit, while the others had already been eating theirs, then the kids went into the bathtub, which started their evening routine. After they were all in bed, I got myself something to eat, then started working on today's pictures. Now it's not midnight yet, but I need to go to bed early tonight, as I leave the house very early in the morning.
