Sunday 6-29-14

Sunday 6-29-14

                The kids woke up and I just wasn’t ready yet, so they went out into the living room and put on “All dogs go to heaven 2” They maybe got 15 minutes into it before the power went out. I was proud of them for turning my computer off knowing that the battery doesn’t last long and I might want the battery power to write my journal later that same day. With no power, they couldn’t entertain themselves, so whether I was ready or not, it was time for me to wake up. I got each of them two andazi with the cinnamon powdered sugar. Ayla was so grateful but Jove just said how he wanted Oreo cookies instead.

                The kids really wanted me to read a book to them, “Detective Mole”. I made coffee first then we read the book and Ayla colored a paper airplane. Next on the child agenda was building a fort. I figured it is almost time to leave, so why not. They got to use nearly all the living room to make a massive blanket and pillow fort.

                Jove decided to remake their list of items they wanted to buy from the dollar store once we get back home.  First on the list was a vase, then book of stickers. Next up on the list was crayons, but he had a meltdown at this word. He asked how to spell it. I do spelling by sounding out with him, and he did not like how I pronounced the word. He says ‘crawons’ and he wanted me to say it that way. I told him I would not pronounce a word incorrectly on purpose, that when I realize I am saying a word wrong, I try my best to correct that. Jove is just so stubborn, he just wouldn’t drop it. He even tried getting me to give him the pencil back that I was using to make my journal notes, since the power was out. Poor little guy, the last few days he has been having more and more meltdowns. I think he is ready to get home. When he finally calmed down, he asked how to spell how he says crayons. I explained to him that no matter how you pronounce it, it is still the same word. That seemed to help him chill out a little. While all that happened Ayla snuggled with me as if to say “It’s okay Mommy, I am being good.” Although the spelling everything phase he is in right now gets a little annoying at times, his spelling is getting better. Ayla even helps with the spelling of words and so it is helping her sound out words also. It is a nice win-win situation.

                Samweli came over and the three kids played in the massive fort. They laid and sang jolly songs. I got a video of them singing together having a great time. It is moments like those that I want to remember. After awhile they got bored of that. Jove went outside to find caterpillars.  The guard ended up hanging out with Jove. They searched for seeds together and Jove kept counting in Swahili to the guard, and the guard was trying to say things in English to Jove. It was such a sweet scene to watch. I asked the guard if I could take a picture of them together and was very happy when he said it was okay. I think Jove will really appreciate it in the future. The guard kept referring to Jove as “his boyfriend”. I love the translation awkwardness that comes about when individuals are learning a new language.

                All the time that Jove was outside, Ayla and Samweli were inside making paper airplanes. Tape was used to make some that were five planes thick, or two planes long. They had so much fun, and then Ayla made him a large paper purse so he could carry all his planes home. She didn’t want him to end up dropping any. Samweli decided to head home for a while at that point. So I sent him home with some oranges and limes that I knew I would not get a chance to use before we leave. He was pretty excited about it. Once he left, Ayla made a few comments about wishing Samweli hadn’t left. I think she is really going to miss him, even though they fight a little like brother and sister. It is hard to remember sometimes that Samweli is 10 and Ayla only nearly 7. We are all going to miss that one; he really has become one of my children. I have to not think about leaving him because every time I do I tear up pretty bad.

                Joan and Wendo came over to play in the fort. I figured even being Sunday, 1:00 in the afternoon was late enough to make the kids wait before getting their friends. It was after all one of our last days before leaving.

                The guard had misunderstood his task a little. It was a different guard from this morning. I had been packing all day, driving myself crazy trying to get everything taken care of. When I finally stopped to have a very late lunch (after having no breakfast) I kicked the kids all outside to play on the swing. I just wanted a little quiet time to read and eat where I didn’t have kids yelling right next to me. They were all being good, but still… The kids came back nearly in tears (only mine nearly in tears) because the guard came over and told them to go and he tangled the swing up high so they could not play on it. I tried to tell him they were allowed to play, but he didn’t understand. I had Joan translate for him and he finally understood and got the swing back down. I thanked him. I would have figured that it was obvious that they could play on the swing since Ayla and Jove were two of the four trying to play and it is after all our backyard and our swing, but whatever, all was resolved and they were playing. I needed that quiet time to eat and read. It wasn’t the quietest since I could still hear everything, but it wasn’t in the same room with me, so it was better.

                This had been one of the longest days I had had in a very long time. Time just couldn’t pass quickly enough. Everything I could pack, I packed. The house was decently cleaned up so there wasn’t really a whole lot for me to do. With having no power today, it made things a bit more difficult. The kids can entertain themselves for only so long before they drive each other and me a little crazy.

                After a while, Ayla and Jove asked if they could go visit Teacher Charlene. I told them it was okay so long as they stayed together. Once they left I even fell asleep for a while on the couch. I needed the nap so bad. When I woke up, I was still just as antsy and lost feeling. It was still as if time were at a standstill. I went over to Charlene’s to check on my munchkins. As I went out front I noticed this massive swarm of bees right around the area where I burned the trash during the morning. There must have been a few thousand of them. I had to go very wide around to avoid them. I was worried that if I got to close I would get stung, there were that many of them. When I got over tho their house they had power. They are so close it isn’t fair they have power and I don’t. I know that sounds super childish, but it was how I had been feeling.

                We got back to the hosue and I made parmesean noodles and tuna with canned cheese on the side for the kids’ dinner. They were pretty happy about it. Ayla and Jove had just sat down to eat when Samweli showed back up again. I didn’t have enough to feed him also, but I didn’t want to make him leave. I gave him an andazi and he played in the fort while they ate. Jove kept not listening and Samweli looked at me and asked “Why is Jove so terrible?” It was pretty funny hearing this come from him. I am going to miss him so much. It will be nice though not having a kid follow me around everywhere like a little puppy, no matter what I am doing. He just loves me so much when he is over he wants to be right there with me.

                We will have to get the Marty Stouffers Wild America again. We brought it for it to stay here and when Jove saw it and I told him we weren’t packing it he got pretty sad.

                The kids played very sweet together. My three children make me smile when they are all being good. Man I am going to miss Samweli. The kids went outside to play once Ayla and Jove were finished with their dinner. Jove was almost done in fact, but he took a fistful of tuna and went outside to play with the others. Joan and Wendo came over for a little while also. Samweli told me that he knew why we had no power. There was no money on the Tenesco box. Well shit! I texted Isaac and Ruth, but after two hours I still hadn’t heard back, so I decided to tuck into bed also and read my book. Before tucking in, I read a little while on the couch so I could eat some andazi with the spiced sugar mix and some Nutella. I could so get fat on andazi, they are so good with the sugar.

                At 8:00 I got a message from Ruth saying she had just gotten my message and sent someone to get the power credits. About forty minutes later we had power back on. I was so very grateful to Ruth for getting it back on so quickly after seeing the message. I was also so grateful to Samweli for telling me what was going on.

                I ended up ending my day using my tablet in bed texting with Asa on Facebook a little. I wish I could have talked to him longer because I was having a hard time settling down, but he had disk golf to get to. I decided to force myself into going to bed. After about an hour of laying there I did finally fall asleep.