Day 2449. I usually teach at 10 am on Friday but not this Friday. After two early mornings I was thankful that I only had to get up at 11 am to teach at 11:30 am. At 12 pm Randy left to pick up Tammy and Emmy, while I left right after having finished teaching. By 1 pm Sammy and I were back home. I hadn't eaten yet, so I did that right after having sent my student his homework. Then I had to prepare for my afternoon students.
At 1:30 pm Randy returned home with Tammy and Emmy. At 3 pm I started teaching, and Randy and Emmy took the 3:50 pm train as Emmy had his breakdance class at 4:15 pm. Tammy and Sammy stayed home. I finished my first student at 4:15 pm, then went to the kitchen to make their sandwiches and start cutting up their fruit. Then I taught again, from 5 to 7 pm. Randy and Emmy arrived around 6 pm, while I was in between students.
After I finished at 7 pm, I went downstairs with Tammy and Emmy to do piano practice with them. Back upstairs, it was time for the bathtub. After that, I prayed for them, then I sat down to teach at 8 pm. At 9 pm I was done, then I got myself something to eat and took a break before going back to work.
On Saturday my alarm went off at 9:30 am. At 10 am I left the house with Tammy and Emmy. We rode the subway downtown doing reading practice, then we walked to their music school. At 10:30 their class started with the greeting song, then the teacher asked what the kids were doing for their Moms on Mother's Day but they didn't want to say as it was a surprise. Then it was time for the finger warmup, followed by two of the songs in their book. Then they sang the newest song up front before doing the story. The class was over, and they got their stamps and stickers. Before leaving the room, we had a quick talk with the teacher about the concert end of June where the winners of the piano competition and the best piano players of Vienna play. Emmy is allowed to be a part as he was fourth place and got an "honorable mention". We showed her the song he wants to play and asked what other songs she recommended. She showed another one in the book and said to pick another one from the book we bought for the competition.
We then walked to the subway and rode it for a few stops to meet up with Randy and Sammy at the McDonald's there. We had a good time eating, then we went to the playground right next to eat as we all still had time. Sammy wanted to show me how well he can walk on the hanging bridge while holding on to the chains. It was moving a lot, though, which made it harder. Emmy showed how he can go from ring to ring hanging off of them. At 1 pm Sammy had to leave to go to his music class at 1:30 pm that he loves so much. Emmy and Tammy stayed a little while longer, then we returned home.
I was so extremely tired that I just wanted to take a nap before teaching at 3 pm. However, on the way home we had started talking about Star Trek (I'm a fan), so I wanted to show them an episode so they know what it is all about. I showed them an original series episode, then one of the more modern ones, and they loved it. Because of all that, I never got to take a nap.
Randy and Sammy returned home before I started teaching at 3 pm. By 4 pm I was done, but I was also extremely tired. Randy was sitting in his chair and had his eyes closed; he was just as tired. And so the decision was made to stay home. The kids had school work - maths - to do that I helped them with, and they did piano practice - Emmy because he has to start practicing for his concert. I then made their sandwiches and cut up their fruit. After the bathtub, we had plenty of time to read a Bible story as I didn't have any students for a change. It was nice not to have to watch the clock. We had a good time reading, then I prayed for them and they went to bed. After that, I went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat and take a break. Later I went back to work and to bed way too late. Recently it's been closer to 3 am when I make it to bed.
Today was Mother's Day and I had asked the kids yesterday to let me sleep in today which basically never happens because they are always so loud. It turned out to be the most terrible Mother's Day for me today. They were loud as usual but at 10:30 am Randy was about to leave with them to take them to the playground. However, Sammy had a fit and they never left. Instead, I was woken up for good. There was no more sleeping after that. Suddenly the kids were with me, giving me their gifts, then I asked them to get their schoolbooks out to keep working on the maths exercises, as well as do the homework for their maths club later in the day. Then Emmy started his terrible anger fits again. It was bad. It includes insults and hitting, and it brought tears to my eyes.
At noon we sat down to eat, then Randy left with Tammy and Emmy at 12:30 to take them to their maths club. I was thankful for the peace and quiet that had finally returned to our home. At 1:30 pm Randy was back, and at 2 pm he left with Sammy to pick the kids up again and take them to the playground. I was exhausted from the morning and the short night and lay down for nap.
I woke up again when Randy and the kids returned just after 4 pm. We went downstairs to do a short service, me teaching on worship and prayer, and it was Sammy who had a fit, crying hard, which made it hard to teach. After that, it was time for piano practice but Emmy didn't finish it.
We went upstairs so the kids could continue their maths homework from school. Tammy finished it but Emmy had a hard time concentrating, and his anger fits continued, causing more tears. I finally went on our balcony to get away and get a break but the kids followed me there. Tammy understood and gave me the space but Emmy kept provoking me on purpose. I finally decided I needed to get out of the house and take a walk but the kids wouldn't let me leave. So I went to the bedroom instead and closed the doors. I then googled anger fits in 6-year-olds and found some interesting stuff which helped giving me perspective.
I then left the room and continued with our routine. They ate dinner, then it was bathtub time. Emmy was fine again, and so I was I. We read a Bible story and prayed together, also about the anger fits. Emmy apologized, and I forgave him. Then they went to bed, while I went to the kitchen to get something to eat.
After a break, I went back to work and got a lot done. Now it's after 2 am, and I still have to load the dishwasher.
