6 years 9 months 13 days

Day 2477. The last three days are somewhat a blur. On Friday, the kids were off school because of the holiday on Thursday. I stayed in bed though the kids kept waking me up, and got up at 10:30 am to teach at 11 am. By noon I was done and went to the kitchen to cook lunch. After we had eaten, I went back to work on the computer, trying to get office work done for Mali, and I also talked to Paul in Mali. At 3:30 pm there was a Zoom call with Global Awakening, prophetic rooms. Several of their staff members gave prophetic words to the people on the call, including me. One of the three greatly touched my heart, even causing tears because of the encouragement it brought.

Then it was time for piano and reading practice which took some time. After we were done, I made their sandwiches and cut up their fruit, and they ate while I was getting ready for my 8 pm student. They went to bed at 8 pm, while I sat down to teach until 9 pm. 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 as we had to leave the house at 10 am to go to their piano class. While the three of us were gone, Randy and Sammy went to the grocery store. We took the subway downtown, then walked to their music school. At 10:30 their class started, and all four students were there. After the greeting song, the teacher asked Tammy and Emmy how their race had gone last week, and they told her. Then she asked the other kids questions I don't even remember. Next it was time for the finger warm-up, then she asked each kid what they were going to play at the end-of-semester music party in two weeks. Every child had chosen a different song. We then practiced those songs one after another, and in the end each kid got to play it by themselves for the others, if they wanted to. Then they all went to the front to practice the two songs they're going to sing at the party, and the class was over. There was no time for a story. The kids got their stamps and stickers, then we left.

We did not go to McDonald's as the weeks with the discounts had ended. We rode the subway home where I got the lasagna out of the oven and put a pizza in. The kids all wanted to eat lasagna. At 1 pm Randy left with Sammy to take him to his music class. Sammy practiced a song with his teacher that he'll be singing with other kids at the end-of-semester party.

Tammy and Emmy were on their tablets while I finally lay down for a much-needed nap. At 3:45 pm I got back up and got ready for my 4:14 pm student. Randy took all three kids outside so they could ride their bikes. I finished teaching at 5:30 pm, then I made their sandwiches and cut up fruit for them and sat down to teach again from 6 to 7 pm. After I was done teaching, it was time for piano practice; we'd already done reading practice on the subway. Then it was bathtub time, and there was no time pressure. But time went by fast, and soon it was after 8:30 pm so we did not read any story. I prayed for them, and they went to bed. Then I got something to eat and took a break before going back to work.

Today it was Sunday and a chance to sleep in. However, it's much harder with loud kids and kids that come to you for something without considering that you'd like to sleep. At 11:30 am my alarm went off, and I went to the kitchen to cook. However, it took longer than expected. While the food was cooking on the stove, the kids were doing their homework for their maths club. At 12:15 pm I gave them their food to eat, and at 12:30 pm Randy left with them to take them to their maths club.

Sammy and I stayed home. He was on his tablet, and I on my computer. I was getting some things done I don't get around to during the week. When Randy returned at 1:30 pm, he and Sammy ate lunch. At 2 pm, Randy left again to pick up Tammy and Emmy. This time Sammy and I were having fun. I was also working on the computer at the same time.

Randy returned home with the kids just before 3:30 pm as they go to the playground for a little bit after their class. They had an icecream, then we went downstairs to do our little family service. I was teaching on praising God with instruments, and on praying for those in authority over us. I had printed out pictures of the Austrian chancelor and the Malian president for them to pray for. After we were done, Emmy did piano practice, and he did really well, without all the whining and anger fits. Three more weeks until his concert. Tammy did her practice after him, which is much shorter, then she did her reading practice. 

After that it was high time for me to go to the kitchen and make their sandwiches and cut up their fruit for them. After I was done, I returned to my computer to work. It was after 7 pm before they went into the bathtub and had fun there. Emmy then still had to do his reading practice. Even though it was already after 8 pm, the kids wanted to read a Bible story so we did as we don't usually have time for that. We had a good time then I prayed for them. They brushed their teeth and went to bed. It was already 8:30 pm. I then went to the kitchen to get myself something to eat and had a break before going back to work. Now it's nearly 2 am and time to load the dishwasher.