6 years 9 months 9 days

Day 2473. On Monday it was back to school for the kids. As for me, I went back to bed after they had left and did not have any morning students which was nice. It was 12:15 pm before I got up after having gone to bed around 3 am. I went straight to the kitchen to warm up some leftovers for lunch. Just after 1 pm Randy left to pick up Tammy and Emmy, while I left just before 1:30 pm to pick up Sammy. 

Back home before 2 pm, I got ready for my 2:30 pm student. That is also when Randy returned with the other kids. And he left with them at 3:45 pm again to take them to their programming class that starts at 4:30 pm. As for me, I had a long afternoon of teaching without breaks. I taught from 2:30 to 3:30 pm, then from 3:30 to 4:30 pm, and then from 4:30 until 5:45 pm. Thankfully Randy came home for half an hour to be with Sammy before heading out again to pick up Tammy and Emmy. When I finished at 5:45 pm, I turned to Sammy and let him know I was all his from then on!

I went to the kitchen to cut up the kids' fruit. Sammy had already eaten his sandwich, and Randy had taken the sandwiches for the other kids with him. I had just started cutting up their fruit, when Randy returned home with the kids. They then sat down to eat and take a break with their tablets. After I had given them their fruit, I sat down to prepare for my 8 pm student. Then I went downstairs for piano practice with one kid first, then the other one. Since Emmy is preparing for his concert later this month, it takes him up to 30 minutes to practice. Back upstairs it was already really late. We did reading practice, then I prayed for them all before they went to bed. I sat down at the computer to teach from 8 to 9 pm. After I was done, I went to the kitchen to get something to eat and sat down for a break before going back to work.

Even though it had been late again, plus I did not sleep well with two kids in bed with us, I had to get up early on Tuesday morning. I lay back down at 7 am after having filled their snack boxes, but my next alarm already went off at 9:15 am. I was extremely tired when I got up and sat down to get ready for my 9:45 am student. I taught until 10:35, then got ready for my 11 am student. I taught until noon, then went to the kitchen to cook. Just after 1 pm Randy left to pick up Tammy and Emmy, while I left just before 1:30 pm to pick up Sammy. We were home before 2 pm. At 2:30 pm Randy returned with the other kids.

We then had half an hour at home before we all left just after 3 pm to go back to Tammy's and Emmy's school for the end-of-the year concert and celebration. Emmy had skipped his last soccer training and Tammy her dance classes because of it. By 3:45 pm we arrived at their school. The gym was already full of people which was disappointing as it was impossible to get a good seat any more. The kids took their recorders rand flute books and joined their classmates that were sitting up front on the floor. Then I got seats for Randy, Sammy and myself. It was in the first row but to the side and behind a speaker. 

At 4 pm the concert started with the director speaking. Then it was our kids turn right in the beginning. I went to the back of the room to film the kids dance. Tammy and Emmy were in the first row so it was easy to see them. They did a dance to a Christian song and did well. After the song was over, I sat back down. Sammy was on the floor with us for most of the time and was playing with a little boy for much of the time. But the program was long, and he kept saying he was hungry. He didn't want to be there any long so eventually Randy left with him to go to the buffet, about 15 minutes before the program was over. 

After the choir had sung a song, it was the first graders' turn again. They came up in groups of twos, threes or fours to play a piece on the recorder. All the students had been learning how to play the recorder throughout the year, one hour per week. Tammy and Emmy were in the same group of four and did well even though I wasn't able to distinguish them from the other kids.

After they were done, they were done for the day. The other grades were all doing plenty of songs, dances and recorder or guitar pieces. It was a little bit too much. After it was over, the director said a few words and released us.

We all went upstairs to the buffet where we found Randy and Sammy who was already eating. All the parents had organized the buffet, everyone having brought something to add to it. We all got some food as well but it was a little crowded. We went outside for a little while and talked to another kid's parents. 

The school had organized games for the kids, so Tammy and Emmy were off to do them. When Randy and Sammy were ready to leave just after 6 pm, they did not want to leave but it was time so they did not complete all the tasks/games. It was going on 6:30 pm by the time we left, and it was 7:15 pm before we were back home.

That gave us very little time to do piano practice. We did it as quickly as possible, and I was glad we'd already done reading practice on the bus. Then I prayed for them, and they left to get ready for bed while I sat down to teach at 8 pm. I was very tired, and even teaching did not invigoriate me like it usually does. I was mentally as sharp as always, but my eyes were heavy the whole time. And so I went to bed earlier than I had in a long time. It was 1 am.

Like yesterday I had to get up early at 9:15 (my second time getting up) and taught from 9:45 until 10:35 am, then I had to get ready for my 11 am student. I taught until noon, then warmed up yesterday's leftovers to eat. I was so very tired. Randy left before 1 pm to pick up Sammy and take him to his horse-riding therapy. I left just after 2 pm to pick up Tammy and Emmy at 2:40 pm.

I was surprised how cold it was, given it had been so hot, and it was also raining. As usual we went into the grocery store by the bus stop, then got on the next bus that took us to the second bus that took us home. Normally we are home by 3:25 pm but tody it was 3:37 pm because of all the traffice. Tomorrow is a holiday, and a lot of people leave town for the long weekend. It was a good thing then that our tennis class at 4 pm was canceled because of the rain.

I was glad we'd have more time to do piano practice and not be so rushed but Emmy wanted to take a break first so I got on the computer to prepare lessons. Some time after 4:30 pm we then went downstairs to practice, and Tammy also did her reading practice that Emmy had already done on the bus. Back upstairs, I made their sandwiches, then cut up their fruit, which was all the time I had before having to teach at 6 pm. They were eating while I was teaching. After I was done at 7 pm, I prepared for my 8 pm student then it was bathtub time. I was having so much fun with the kids that I somehow lost track of time. I quickly prayed for them, then sat down to teach just after 8 pm. The kids both lay down in my bed which doesn't work well but eventually they both fell asleep.

At 9 pm I was done teaching and went to the kitchen to get something to eat and take a break Later I went back to work, and now it's 2 am and I haven't loaded the dishwasher yet. I thought I could sleep in tomorrow, but my tennis make-up class is at 11 am.