6 years 6 months 1 day

Day 2376. Yesterday Sammy stayed home from school as he was coughing, he had a runny nose and he wasn't feeling so well. I went back to bed after Randy had left to take Tammy and Emmy to school, and my alarm went off at 9:15 am so I could get ready for my 10 am student. I taught until 11 am and didn't have my second student as he had moved his lesson to the day before. I then warmed up some leftovers for us all to eat. After having eaten, I did office work for Mali while Randy spent his time with Sammy. At 2 pm he left to go pick up Tammy and Emmy. Usually I am the one to pick them up on Wednesdays, but with Sammy at home that was not necessary.

By 3:30 pm they were back home. They wanted a break before doing piano practice so I went back to my office work. And then it was suddenly later than expected. I quickly went downstairs to do piano practice with at least one of the kids - as well as reading practice - then went upstairs to make sandwiches for them. Just before 5 pm Randy left with Tammy and Emmy to take them to their swim class. Sammy and I stayed home. I cut up fruit for the kids and put it on the table.  At 6:40 pm I started teaching, about twenty minutes before Randy and the kids returned home. I'm really glad that the trains will all be running again next week.

I was done teaching at 7:30 pm and went downstairs with the kid that hadn't done piano practice yet, then we did reading practice. There was no time for the bathtub that night. I prayed for them, and they went to bed while I sat down to teach. Emmy slept in my bed again, right next to me teaching, and I carried him to his bed once I was done at 9 pm. Then I got myself something to eat and took a break before going back to work.

This morning started with one of Emmy's worst anger fits ever. He believed his sister had taken his stickers, but she denied it, and he went on a rampage, hurting her and me, and screaming and crying. It seemed that he wasn't going to calm down or even go to school, but in the end he did both. Sammy stayed home for another day, still coughing and having a runny nose. As for me, I got up at 9 am again to get ready for my 9:30 am student. Randy was downstairs with Sammy and playing with him.

I taught until 10:30, then again from 11 am until noon. I had put a lasagna into the oven, so we were able to eat right away. Sammy was still eating very little. At 1 pm Randy left to go pick up Tammy and Emmy, while I stayed home with Sammy. At 2:20 pm I started teaching, ten minutes before Randy and the kids returned home. I finished at 3:10 pm and started my next student five minutes later. I had told her in advance that I was not able to do a full lesson today. I finished at 3:50 pm, then put my shoes and coat on to leave right away. I had prepared all the stuff I needed to take with me in advance. And the kids were ready to leave with me when I was.

We walked to the train station and took the train just after 4 pm. The kids were doing reading practice on it. Emmy was the sweetest kid, the complete opposite of what he had been like in the morning, and in fact, he stayed like that the whole time we were out and about. Getting off the train, we walked to the tram stop where Emmy spent his own money for the first time ever in his life. He had brought his 2€ coin with him and put it into a machine to get a ball out. He was very happy when it had a joyful smiley face on it rather than a mean one. 

As has been the case these past few weeks, we got to the school pretty early, over 15 minutes before their class started because of our regular train not running. Emmy enjoyed playing with his new ball, finding out that it jumped really high. At 4:50 pm their class started. For the longest time I was the only one in the locker room. I was reading at first, then got so tired that I closed my eyes to rest.

At 5:45 pm the class was over. The kids quickly put their clothes back on, and we left and walked back to the tram. We were lucky that one came right away. That way we easily made it to the bakery before it closed at 6 pm and picked up our bread for a third of the price. Then we continued on to the train station where we still had 15 minutes to wait for our train - once again due to our train not running. Emmy was playing with his ball the whole time, able to make it touch the ceiling even, that's how well it jumped. He was loving it. A few minutes before our train was to leave, we went upstairs to the platform where there were lots of people waiting for the train. There was also a Mom with her 18-months-old child. Emmy went over to him and interacted with him, playing with him and making him laugh. I love that side of him, how he always goes up to little kids like that. And then he gave his new, precious ball to the little boy as he was interested in it. My heart was really touched by his sacrifice! We then sat by them on the train, and Emmy continued playing with the ball. I then gave him 4€ as a reward for what he has done. That way he can buy himself a new ball next time we're there again. I was really proud of him. 

By 6:40 pm we were back home. I went straight to the kitchen to cut up their fruit and gave it to them. I was preparing for my 8 pm student while they were eating, then it was time to go downstairs for piano practice. Tammy went first, but I could not get Emmy to practice. He was having a fit again; the sweet boy from earlier gone. And his fit lasted until he went to bed. He never practiced the piano.

Back upstairs, it was bathtub time, then I prayed for them. Emmy still lay down in my bed with me teaching next to him, while Tammy went to her own bed after a few minutes. At 9 pm I was done and carried Emmy to his own bed, then I got myself something to eat and took a break before going back to work. Now it's after 1 am, and I still have to take care of the kitchen.