On Saturday, the Sunday School pastor texted me. You are teaching tomorrow, right? I thought about it. (pause) I think he forgot to ask me last week. I texted him back. I can't. I have the kids by myself until Tuesday. Can't do anything extra.
You see, my husband went to Thailand on a very important mission related business with SIM International. I'm sure he did not enjoy all that sunshine and tropical weather while his wife was with his three sons in cold South Korea.
It turns out that the Sunday School teacher was looking at the wrong month, February, not March. So glad it wasn't about me and my forgetfulness.
Sunday school that day was a hoot. My two youngest ran out of the room at least twice and the other kids took great pleasure in hiding under the desks (see the photo above). One for the record books.
Monday was the first day in the clever room for my son Aidan. (In Korea the kids are organised by age. The cherry room is for the three year olds, rainbow room for four year olds, etc.) Oh boy, was the kid excited about that. "Oh yeah! I get to be in the clever room. My friends and I are going to be the rulers of the school!" Proud declarations of this kind have been going on all week. Cute and a little funny!
Aidan is taking Taekwondo classes now. When I come to pick him up, he has to change into his Taekwondo clothes before I can drop him off at his lesson. Except that there is no appropriate place for anyone to change in the clever room. I covered him with a blanket and then the teacher suddenly clued in and made a make-shift changing room out of a foldable gym mat that was lying beside the book display. (Okay, the clever room teacher is a little clever...) He loved this too and shooed out the girls who were trying to peek at him when he was changing his clothes. And then there was an abrupt change of subject.
"For my birthday, I just want a Carbot and an iPad!"
"Really Aidan? Just that."
"Yes."
Just an iPad. Really?!
Jordan has had his moments as well. When he is not coughing and sneezing (yes, there is no cure for children with runny noses in winter) he has taken to putting his face under my shirt or in my shirt while I'm still wearing it. He laughs and says, "I'm here." "Where Jordan? I just can't see you!" More giggles from the little man. "I'm here." Actually this one is driving me a little batty because it occurs 10 times in less than an hour. I feel a little like that superhero who used to turn green and grow large whenever he got angry. He ripped a lot of shirts. My shirts and sweatshirts are not ripped yet, but definitely out of shape. (I think it's the Hulk.)
I did try to tell the little man that he shouldn't do that about 50 times. To no avail. I am curious what will happen in 25 years when he is in a relationship and his girlfriend tries to draw a boundary. Hopefully its just something 4-year-olds do.
Which brings me to my eldest son. Justin. A good kid. A fun loving child who can't pick up his stuff for the life of him. (I know many mothers feel like maids and I include myself in this lament.) I was putting a nice clean sheet on his bed when I made the mistake of pulling the bed out a little bit to manuever over the mattress. Low and behold I found treasure stuffed or fallen down the side of the bed. Small toys, cookies, candies, kleenex (used - ugh!), papers, wrappers, socks, and a few other unmentionables.
Did he need a new storage area? Why not the corner beside the dresser? Why not stuff garbage between the two dressers? When I talked to him about it, I got a "Yes, Mom. Never again." Do you think me meant it? :)
By the way, that's Justin in the top middle picture with his fingers over Aidan's head. I love that kid and the other two more than life itself.
There should be a proverb about a sense of humor being a requirement for becoming a parent. And for the record, I'm teaching Sunday School this week.