34 months 17 days

Day 1051. What a long, busy day! The kids were up early as usual, but somehow they opened the balcony door, which I didn't think they could do. I fell back asleep and woke up at 8:15, noticing that they were on the balcony. We don't want them there unsupervised, as you never know if they could try to climb up the railing und fall over it to the ground below. We got up right away, also in light of the late time, especially today as I had my first student at 9:30.

I made breakfast, we sat down to eat, then I cleaned them up and dressed them. I took them downstairs, but did not have time to stay and read a Bible story with them. I went upstairs and got ready for my first lesson.

I'd had two scheduled lessons with potential students, but neither one showed up. They were on different days, but today they had scheduled me with 4(!) new students on one day! I definitely don't want to do that again. All I did today - besides my daily tasks as a mother and wife - was to prepare lessons and teach. I'm exhausted tonight.

And all four students were pretty different. I started with a 7-year old immigrant who needed to improve her German (picture). My next student was right after her, which I definitely don't want to do again. And that was my worst lesson. I had a 11-year-old boy who had hoped to get a young, female student as a teacher and who knew nothing and didn't want to learn. I was exhausted after it ended at 11:20. But it was time for me to go cook lunch.

They came up early, and at noon we sat down at the table to eat. Tammy didn't care much for the food, Emmy did better, and Sammy ate it all. They all had icecream, then I cleaned them up and dressed them, and we went downstairs. Even though I was tired I wanted to have that quality time with them.

Sammy wanted the piano, while the other two wanted to try out the new crayons and pens. Emmy wanted me to draw sharks, while Tammy asked me to draw Peppa Pig. After a while they wanted to go in the swing, and Tammy went first. I set a 5-minute timer, then it was Emmy's turn for 5 minutes. Then I put Sammy in. Tammy and Emmy wanted to look at the first photobook of the pregnancy and their first few days on earth. Then it was time to go upstairs and to bed, and as always Tammy threw a fit and didn't want to go, but then followed us upstairs.

It did not take them long to fall asleep, and I left them to go to my computer and get ready for my next lesson. I never closed my eyes even though I needed a nap bad. At 3 pm Emmy walked into the room, and Sammy was up too. I turned the ocean waves off, and then Tammy woke up too. Randy had gone to the grocery store, but was back. He soon went downstairs with them and then took them outside to run their vehicles. Sammy was in his walker and then on the tricycle. They stayed outside for quite a long time, and after my lesson I took some pictures from the balcony.

At 4 pm I had my third lesson of the day - after English and German, it was French this time, and this time it was a 14-year-old. We connected, and it went really great. After that lesson I prepared for my last lesson of the day. At 6 pm Randy and the kids came upstairs, and I went to the kitchen to start making their dinner. I was really tired. At 6:30 we sat down at the table to eat, then they continued eating in the bathtub. They were in bed just after 7:30. I had told them in advance that Mommy had to go work tonight and that Daddy was gonna sit with them, but they were crying. I stayed until 7:45, but then left. They were not happy, but calmed down faster than I had expected.

I took my computer downstairs to my office and did my fourth and last lesson from 8 to 9 pm. Once again the student was even older, 18 this time, and we did English together. And again it went really well. I guess I do better teaching older kids.

I was really glad to be done for the day and went upstairs to get something to eat and take a break while eating. Thankfully I did not have a lot of pictures today and took care of those fast, before starting to write today's update. Emmy has been up and required me to sit down by his bed and work there. Now it's after midnight and time for me to get some shut-eye.