6 years 7 months 5 days

Day 2408. Monday, the first day of their Easter holiday and their camps. Emmy wanted to do a soccer camp again - of course - while Tammy asked to do a tennis camp. That was very surprising as she had said two years ago that she would never ever do a camp again. But now she asked for it. As the tennis school they have been attending for the past two years was too far away, I was looking for one that was closer and found the one she started today which is just three subway stops from our home.

Our alarm was set for 7 am (6 am before the time change) but Sammy was already up before that. Randy then got up to make breakfast. I had another alarm set for just after 8 am but did not need it. Tammy and Emmy got up soon after their brother and Daddy and kept coming for me for different things. They were getting their backpacks ready for the first day of camp. The weather was going to be cold but at least no rain was expected. 

Randy left with the boys earlier than he would have needed, in my opinion, at 8:15 am. Tammy and I left at 8:30 am. Tammy was so very excited even though she knew nothing about the place. We rode the subway for three stops, then rode our scooters by the stadium to the tennis club. It was easy to find. When we got there, the gate was open, so we went in.

We were still 15 minutes early. We rode our scooters down the path until we reached a little canteen with tables outdoors. We saw some people in the distance. There were tennis courts and a vehicle was going over the sand to get it ready. After a few minutes of waiting, a man walked up to us and knew right away that this was Tammy. It was the founder and director of the tennis school who I'd had an email exchange with. We talked briefly, and other parents and children were walking up as well, some smaller than Tammy. I then said good-bye, and Tammy followed the trainer and the kids to the courts where they had a little cabin with tables. Then I left to go back home.

After two stops, I looked up, and there were Randy and Sammy getting onto the subway. What a surprise! They were returning after having dropped off Emmy at his soccer camp. Together we rode the subway home. Back home, Randy got ready to leave the house to go to the grocery store while I lay back down in bed for a little while. Sammy's tablet was too loud for me to sleep for the longest time but then I did fall asleep. When my alarm went off at 10:30 am, it was pretty tough for me to get up but I had to. And then Randy returned as well.

I taught from 11 to noon, then went to the kitchen to make lunch. By 12:45 pm we were able to sit down to eat lunch. After having eaten, I called Paul in Mali for a much-needed conversation. He finally gave me the two amazing testimonies he'd had for a month. We talked for half an hour then I had to hang up as it was 2:30 pm, and we needed to leave the house.

The three of us walked to the subway, rode it for three stops and walked to the tennis club. The gate was locked, and the code not working so we had to call the school director who came to open the gate for us. Then we walked in and followed him to the back where the kids were. He said that they'd had a good day. There were 13 kids in the camp. When Tammy saw me, she came running to me. She told me she'd had a great day and didn't want to leave yet. Several times on the way home and at home she told me that she wanted to go back to the tennis camp.

Before we left, the tennis school director gave us a tour of the club as we were new. Tammy and Emmy are already members as they are now switching to this school from the other one, simply because it's closer. And I'd like to also sign up for a tennis class and become a member. Then the kids and I can play tennis any time we'd like to for free. He showed us the sauna, showers and fitness room that are available to members then we said good-bye and walked back to the subway.

After two stops, Randy got off to go pick up Emmy whose camp ends at 4 pm (while Tammy's ends at 3 pm). Tammy, Sammy and I returned home where I went back to work while they got on their devices.  After a while Randy and Emmy returned home, just as I was making their sandwiches because they were already hungry. Emmy told me that he'd had a great time at the camp even though his favorite trainer was not there.

The kids ate their sandwiches then we went downstairs for piano practice. Back upstairs, we did reading practice. They then ate their fruit while I was preparing for my 8 pm student. At 7 pm they went into the bathtub. After that, we had plenty of time to read a story. Emmy wanted to sleep in my bed again but finally got up to return to his own bed after I had already started teaching at 8 pm. At 9 pm I was done teaching and got myself something to eat. After a break, I went back to work.