A peek into today

I know part two of my "catching up" has yet to be completed and posted. It is written, simply waiting for photos to be located, on another computer. Such is the woes of digital photos... but I knew I needed to update the blog so you get the blow by blow of my life today.

6:15 AM ding dong, driver arrives asking for the key to the car (even though I told him 7 AM), make 5 lunches...eat breakfast
7:20 AM kids and I get in the car to head to school (30 min early for a band practice for the boys)
7:45 arrive at school wahoo - we are early. Time to track down PE teacher for a signature for pre-arranged absence (we're taking a mini-vacation this weekend - I'm so thrilled!)
8:15 after buying 3 bags of chips and one loaf of bread at the "PTA store" for ~$11.00 I find the PE teacher, get signature and just happen to be standing there as they realize the need a sub. "Sure, I'll sub! but only for half the day!" Perfect. (sent message to driver - we'll be here a bit longer than I thought :) )
8:30 Greet HS juniors and seniors for PE and melt until 11:50 (it's only 100 degrees and humid as a hot shower) - I'll be sore tomorrow - turns out "coach" is designated pitcher for their softball games. Only got pegged by one line drive in 8 innings. Then played badminton when we got too hot - I'll be sore from that, too. But it was FUN! (and got to sneak in a quick hug with Anna as they were on the field at one time with us, too)
12:00 head home for shower #2. Greeted by friend delivering food. Funny what we pass around and trade. Priya was completely confused as she shifted things in the freezer. Kuttima was hobbling, she slipped on a big puddle in our room WHAT????? what puddle? (was it yellow?? no, whew) We all trek upstairs. Sure enough a huge (2ft) puddle of water. There hasn't been rain since January! Probably the AC. Priya doesn't think so. We all shrug & bobble. They walk out, leaving the puddle on the floor. It was, after all, "clean water" and would dry, or so they informed me. (I mopped it up, anyway, just for good measure) Shower, look for Bible Study book (no luck), snack a lunch and head out the door. (right as a power cut greets the house!)
1:00 PM poor new driver got snapped at "Just close the door and drive, please" He insists on getting the door for me and moving my bags around. I really just need him to drive. I can close my own door and sort the bags. Then I realize just how haphazard I must look to him. Oh well.
1:30 PM arrive at Bible Study. This is a blessing. Such a great group of ladies. We are all friends from school and all in different places of our 'faith walk" but we find companionship, and comfort as we open our minds & hearts as we Walk with God in this strange place we live in. It is a great group. (and we also commiserate about the ants as a rather impressive multitude of ants invade my friends living room... and commiserate about parenting and children and travel and just how difficult it is to live here but still agree that it is amazing)
3:00 PM snack with my friends and head to the school. We trade rides, too. It's fun to ride with one another so we can continue to visit but it is a bit odd. Odd that you have to walk out and tell your driver to meet at school. OK, maybe it feels odder than it sounds. Wish there was a store on the way to school to get butter and sugar and tea (for the staff!!)
3:15 PM get to school - retrieve Anna from Kindergarten, successfully steer her past the playground. Find Alina to get her shifted into soccer cleats with really tight socks over sweaty feet. successfully hover behind a tree as I will Alina into engaging with the soccer team & coach. Whew. Success. Not only did she not see me hiding and watching, she actually got into line after actually talking with the coach. From a distance I watched as she ran and kicked, drilled and played. I literally jumped for joy and cheered (all from my bench). You see, Monday afternoon she shut down after getting her feeling hurt, being confused and overwhelmed. Alpha mom jumped in and tried to "encourage" her to go have fun. But she was wounded. Oh, tears were shed by both of us so, you see, today was a day of triumph. After all, she told me later that "soccer was awesome"!
3:45 Joey appears from upstairs, retrieves trumpet from band room and heads off to get ice cream. Anna is thrilled that my friend blessed her with her very own HUGE container of cheeslings (Just because all the older kids are sick of them. They are India's answer to goldfish.) You can hear her little voice... "my precious cheeslings"!!!
3:50 Jamie appears and heads straight to volleyball. They have a scrimmage/game today.
Finish watching (from a distance) Alina's soccer. Laugh at Anna cradling her cheeslings. Joey heads to library. We all relocate to volleyball.
4:15-ish "my precious cheeslings" spill on the volleyball court! HA! no tears, just some snickering (oh, that was the moms!) we watch volleyball. cheer. take photos. keep track of kids.... have amini-cup of "coffee". (that's a blog waiting to write)
5:45 PM load up car, whew. funny of the ride: kids knocking on the windows surprising the motorcyclist stopped next to us, as he fixes his hair in the reflection of our windows. Melancholy of the ride: masses of people moving along the roads and pitiful little street puppies along the roadside.
6:45 PM whew, home. Sooooo very thankful for Priya. She made a beef stew. Ready and waiting on the stove. Of course, Jamie refused to eat for some lame reason ...something like we had it too often or it was all cooked together... all he got was a piece of bread and offer to go outside to eat rice and curry with the gardener's family. He seemed strangly satisfied with a piece of bread.
7:30 PM Hubby helped with homework, got on business call with USA and keeps on working. Kids get homework finished and showered. Hugs all around.
It has been a good day....