Finding Our Groove!
Edging past Week 7 of the Philippines, Round #2....
I am only giving you all a peek at the first week of pictures, as we are still hanging pictures and setting out decorations, so I will wait until we are done to post final pics.
We have had the surround sound wired, additional network plugs installed, the lanai speakers installed and appliances purchased. It has been a whirlwind of activity and money blowing around. The past few weeks have started to slow down a little. Both girls have had play dates over to the house and we have made time to visit with some of their parents and make a few new potential friends. This time around, I am slowing down. I am volunteering with the American Women's Club less as I find room to do other things that I want to do. For example, I am on Week 3 of Tagalog lessons. Don't ask me to speak it, I can't say anything of real importance, but I can describe a friend (only in terms of the Filipino categories they are of interest here; civil status (married, single or widow), how many kids one has, and where someone is from). In addition, I can say what a food tastes like and which food is better than another...again, nothing interesting...
Our shipment came and you can guess where we have been over the last several weeks! Enjoying our "Stuff." Seeing our belongings take hold of a new place and instantaneously make it our home. We didn't quite have this experience last time. We only sent a few things over, so it was more of an over-sized Christmas, than a whole transformation. Our helpers were beside themselves as the truck was unloading, wondering where everything would go! It will all fit, trust me...and it has. In an effort to make the house tidy at all times, some things are shoved in closets, not properly put away, which makes my head spin. I will be going through closets for weeks now, explaining what certain things are so they can be put in their proper place. But, that can wait...
I am only giving you all a peek at the first week of pictures, as we are still hanging pictures and setting out decorations, so I will wait until we are done to post final pics.We have had the surround sound wired, additional network plugs installed, the lanai speakers installed and appliances purchased. It has been a whirlwind of activity and money blowing around. The past few weeks have started to slow down a little. Both girls have had play dates over to the house and we have made time to visit with some of their parents and make a few new potential friends. This time around, I am slowing down. I am volunteering with the American Women's Club less as I find room to do other things that I want to do. For example, I am on Week 3 of Tagalog lessons. Don't ask me to speak it, I can't say anything of real importance, but I can describe a friend (only in terms of the Filipino categories they are of interest here; civil status (married, single or widow), how many kids one has, and where someone is from). In addition, I can say what a food tastes like and which food is better than another...again, nothing interesting...
Last week I ventured on my first run in the village. I learned a few things...1. that 745am is too late and too hot to run, 2. It freaks my helpers out that my face gets all red in the heat, and 3. My body wasn't ready, I immediately launched my self into a chest cold the second I set out for a run. After 5 days of battling it, I went to see two Dr.'s. "Two" you ask? Well, there is the one all the expats go to and then there is the one I have heard great things about that I wanted to try. So, it seemed easiest to compare them side by side on the same day for the same problem. Result...the one everyone sees was fine, but he seemed to think I was crazy to come in for a cold. The thing is, it's the 3rd chest cold I have had since about November. Anywho...the second loaded me with drugs....woohoo! Seven, to be exact. Now, they weren't all prescription, one antibiotic was, but they all helped to make me feel soooo much better in less than 2 days. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and the chest congestion is significantly less this week...progress! Maybe I will run again within the week, that would be nice!
We have learned a thing or two about Jones these past weeks. He LOVES the color green. We have no idea where this comes from, but a few weeks ago he started saying it and now wants to drink from a green glass, use a green bowl and points out everything green that he sees. Sort of bizarre as his favorite character is Spiderman, followed by Batman, followed by Superman...none wear green. He's going through a brain surge and has learned so much about letters and sounds and writing. I do remember being ever so slightly aware that he seemed behind in all things fine motor, but he has made huge leaps this past month in this area. He is still all entertainment for us. Dancing and singing are his favorite parts of school. About 10 minutes after school starts, free play ends and they get into circle time. He picks the green chair, of course, to pull into the circle. They start the singing with their Good Morning songs and that's when I am "released" to go home. He spots me across the room and gives me a thumbs up that he's good to go! Before this point, he begs me to stay. Wants me to play with him, watch him climb the miniature monkey bars, etc. This 10-15 minutes a day has allowed me to meet a few moms and visit with his little friends. I have also run into a few moms that I knew previously when I was here, so that's a nice surprise.
Aleah is settling into a group of girlfriends. As the newbie she is the novelty thus far and I think it may be disrupting the chemistry of the group. Listening to her discuss what girls aren't getting along and who is popular makes me cringe. The following years are going to be so tumultuous. I did ask her what it means to be popular and how you know if a person is popular and she just looked at me and said, "I don't know, Anna just said she was popular." It's good to know the standard is still the same 25 yrs later...popular is still just a word that people say that doesn't necessarily hold any value in 4th grade. At this school, they include 5th grade in Middle School. So the past few weeks we have been choosing her electives. Our understanding is that it used to be 6-8th grade, but they decided there needed to be a transition year in 5th grade that readied the students for the bigger changes in 6th grade. Instead of having tons of teachers and moving 7 times a day from class to class, she will have 2 different core teachers and a few electives. All I know is that Middle School is something we were not prepared to say in this house for a few years and now it's in our face! In the parent information meeting they counselors discussed the hormonal changes, the sexual maturation, etc and all Curt could do was hold his stomach in writhing pain! He was in deep denial, now he isn't acknowledging it all...why are the parents the last to catch up?
Ellery is just our cool cat. The changes don't get to her too much, she rolls with it all. On a daily basis, she's stubborn and argumentative, but she's always been that way. Sharing a room with Jones has been interesting for her. They are definitely closer now, he doesn't yell at her as much AND he sneaks in her bed almost as fast as we leave the room. We think it's cute, so we pretend it bothers us and he thinks he's getting away with something. He does have a tough time settling down at night, so that struggle continues. Ellery also pretends it bugs her that he gets in her bed, but she loves it! Ellery has an after school activity everyday after school. Three days a week it's swim team and two days of ballet. BUT, the kid wants to learn to play the piano and play baseball and learn a language. Boy, she is going to be our backpacking through Europe child as she tries to find her passion in life. She has such a love for learning, what a wonderful thing to see.
Curt is working through his schedule here. Does he work nights, days or a little both? He makes up his mind and then changes it. All I know, is he needs a schedule as he's grumpy when he's always tired.
Currently we have no visitors lined up, so we are hoping we get some people over here soon. We hope all is well with everyone else these days, we miss hearing from people...
Julie
We have learned a thing or two about Jones these past weeks. He LOVES the color green. We have no idea where this comes from, but a few weeks ago he started saying it and now wants to drink from a green glass, use a green bowl and points out everything green that he sees. Sort of bizarre as his favorite character is Spiderman, followed by Batman, followed by Superman...none wear green. He's going through a brain surge and has learned so much about letters and sounds and writing. I do remember being ever so slightly aware that he seemed behind in all things fine motor, but he has made huge leaps this past month in this area. He is still all entertainment for us. Dancing and singing are his favorite parts of school. About 10 minutes after school starts, free play ends and they get into circle time. He picks the green chair, of course, to pull into the circle. They start the singing with their Good Morning songs and that's when I am "released" to go home. He spots me across the room and gives me a thumbs up that he's good to go! Before this point, he begs me to stay. Wants me to play with him, watch him climb the miniature monkey bars, etc. This 10-15 minutes a day has allowed me to meet a few moms and visit with his little friends. I have also run into a few moms that I knew previously when I was here, so that's a nice surprise.
Aleah is settling into a group of girlfriends. As the newbie she is the novelty thus far and I think it may be disrupting the chemistry of the group. Listening to her discuss what girls aren't getting along and who is popular makes me cringe. The following years are going to be so tumultuous. I did ask her what it means to be popular and how you know if a person is popular and she just looked at me and said, "I don't know, Anna just said she was popular." It's good to know the standard is still the same 25 yrs later...popular is still just a word that people say that doesn't necessarily hold any value in 4th grade. At this school, they include 5th grade in Middle School. So the past few weeks we have been choosing her electives. Our understanding is that it used to be 6-8th grade, but they decided there needed to be a transition year in 5th grade that readied the students for the bigger changes in 6th grade. Instead of having tons of teachers and moving 7 times a day from class to class, she will have 2 different core teachers and a few electives. All I know is that Middle School is something we were not prepared to say in this house for a few years and now it's in our face! In the parent information meeting they counselors discussed the hormonal changes, the sexual maturation, etc and all Curt could do was hold his stomach in writhing pain! He was in deep denial, now he isn't acknowledging it all...why are the parents the last to catch up?
Ellery is just our cool cat. The changes don't get to her too much, she rolls with it all. On a daily basis, she's stubborn and argumentative, but she's always been that way. Sharing a room with Jones has been interesting for her. They are definitely closer now, he doesn't yell at her as much AND he sneaks in her bed almost as fast as we leave the room. We think it's cute, so we pretend it bothers us and he thinks he's getting away with something. He does have a tough time settling down at night, so that struggle continues. Ellery also pretends it bugs her that he gets in her bed, but she loves it! Ellery has an after school activity everyday after school. Three days a week it's swim team and two days of ballet. BUT, the kid wants to learn to play the piano and play baseball and learn a language. Boy, she is going to be our backpacking through Europe child as she tries to find her passion in life. She has such a love for learning, what a wonderful thing to see.
Curt is working through his schedule here. Does he work nights, days or a little both? He makes up his mind and then changes it. All I know, is he needs a schedule as he's grumpy when he's always tired.
Currently we have no visitors lined up, so we are hoping we get some people over here soon. We hope all is well with everyone else these days, we miss hearing from people...
Julie
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