Feeling a bit sad today – Josh is
happy and content at the embassy in Iraq (seriously, he’s chatting it up in Arabic with the local embassy employees and that’s his version of Disneyland), but my life feels a bit
like groundhog day. Wake up – drive child somewhere. Get home, pick
up other children, drive them somewhere. Kill time with Camille on
base so I don’t have to drive anywhere else for two hours. She sits
at a table and plays with toys while I . . . I don’t know what I do.
I guess this. When I have 3 of the 4 kids back with me we could go
home, but why not kill a bit more time and wait for Calvin to finish
work so I don’t have to drive on base for the 3rd time in
one day?
happy and content at the embassy in Iraq (seriously, he’s chatting it up in Arabic with the local embassy employees and that’s his version of Disneyland), but my life feels a bit
like groundhog day. Wake up – drive child somewhere. Get home, pick
up other children, drive them somewhere. Kill time with Camille on
base so I don’t have to drive anywhere else for two hours. She sits
at a table and plays with toys while I . . . I don’t know what I do.
I guess this. When I have 3 of the 4 kids back with me we could go
home, but why not kill a bit more time and wait for Calvin to finish
work so I don’t have to drive on base for the 3rd time in
one day?
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| Entertainment thanks to Play-Doh and Polly Pockets |
Yes, my child is an actual employee.
He applied for the summer internship work program and was accepted.
They went through classes on resume writing, interviewing, and
workplace ethics. He’s filled out employment forms and tax forms and
will spend the next 9 weeks working with the School Age Care program
at the child care center on base (SAC). And yes, with three boys in
the house I’ve heard more testicle jokes in the past week than I ever
thought possible. Starting with, “Calvin, how’s your SAC today?”
and devolving from there.
He applied for the summer internship work program and was accepted.
They went through classes on resume writing, interviewing, and
workplace ethics. He’s filled out employment forms and tax forms and
will spend the next 9 weeks working with the School Age Care program
at the child care center on base (SAC). And yes, with three boys in
the house I’ve heard more testicle jokes in the past week than I ever
thought possible. Starting with, “Calvin, how’s your SAC today?”
and devolving from there.
I’ve become a non-glorified taxi driver
and keeper of the $$$. “Mom, can I get ________?” and “Can we
________?” are the never-ending refrains. I think I’m most bugged
by the fact that we’ve spent more hours on base this past week than
in the past month, yet Josh isn’t here to eat lunch with, run into,
or drive the kids home at the end of a long day.
and keeper of the $$$. “Mom, can I get ________?” and “Can we
________?” are the never-ending refrains. I think I’m most bugged
by the fact that we’ve spent more hours on base this past week than
in the past month, yet Josh isn’t here to eat lunch with, run into,
or drive the kids home at the end of a long day.
Everyone has been extra-nice and
supportive. “Let me know if you need anything.” “Call me if
there’s anything I can do for you.” “We are always there for you
and the kids.” I joke that it’s survivor’s guilt. Everyone who is
still here or has a husband here is so thankful that it’s not them
this time that they are happy to do whatever they can. We’ve all been
there before. Thankfully, I haven’t needed much and it’s nice to know that people care.
supportive. “Let me know if you need anything.” “Call me if
there’s anything I can do for you.” “We are always there for you
and the kids.” I joke that it’s survivor’s guilt. Everyone who is
still here or has a husband here is so thankful that it’s not them
this time that they are happy to do whatever they can. We’ve all been
there before. Thankfully, I haven’t needed much and it’s nice to know that people care.
We’ve been killing time in the
afternoons in the base movie theater so at least the kids are getting
the most out of our time on base. How to Train Your Dragon 2,
Maleficent, and todays’ showing is Million Dollar Arm. I can
recommend the first 2, especially Maleficent (and now that the movie
is over, I can heartily recommend Million Dollar Arm too. Especially if you’ve ever
been to India or lived in an area with a large Indian population.
It’s funny and cute and sweet).
afternoons in the base movie theater so at least the kids are getting
the most out of our time on base. How to Train Your Dragon 2,
Maleficent, and todays’ showing is Million Dollar Arm. I can
recommend the first 2, especially Maleficent (and now that the movie
is over, I can heartily recommend Million Dollar Arm too. Especially if you’ve ever
been to India or lived in an area with a large Indian population.
It’s funny and cute and sweet).
Bob just leaned over in the theater and
said to me, “Mom, I know you’re not a movie mama, so thank you.
We’ve seen 3 movies in a row!” OK. Now it’s all worth it!
said to me, “Mom, I know you’re not a movie mama, so thank you.
We’ve seen 3 movies in a row!” OK. Now it’s all worth it!
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| Since we had an hour to wait for Calvin, they pooled their savings and bought a lego set |
I’ve got people coming over for Bible
Study at our house tonight and I haven’t figured out what we are
doing. Usually we have a long term plan, but we finished up our
previous study a few weeks ago and then people moved and went on
vacation without deciding what to read/discuss/watch next so I’m
having to wing it. I kind of want to watch one of Rob Bell’s old
Nooma videos because I love them, and they are thought provoking, but
I know he’s currently outside of the circle of accepted beliefs and
practices and I don’t want to freak anybody out. I’m probably going
to go with it because it’s where I felt drawn this morning. (Watched
it, discussed it, all was fine. It’s hard because so many people are
away that the few of us left here kind of sit around and look at each
other with much less to say than usual.)
Study at our house tonight and I haven’t figured out what we are
doing. Usually we have a long term plan, but we finished up our
previous study a few weeks ago and then people moved and went on
vacation without deciding what to read/discuss/watch next so I’m
having to wing it. I kind of want to watch one of Rob Bell’s old
Nooma videos because I love them, and they are thought provoking, but
I know he’s currently outside of the circle of accepted beliefs and
practices and I don’t want to freak anybody out. I’m probably going
to go with it because it’s where I felt drawn this morning. (Watched
it, discussed it, all was fine. It’s hard because so many people are
away that the few of us left here kind of sit around and look at each
other with much less to say than usual.)
My day started with me feeling kind of sad, but ended
well. I guess that’s all I can hope for. I’m trying to switch things
up tomorrow and do a little more driving back and forth so we do a
bit less sitting on base and waiting. One more day and then another weekend. Did I mention that I just took over as the volunteer Children’s Church director at church? (They asked. I figured that was a sign to say yes, since I never would have come up with that idea on my own.) Yes, my life is a bit nuts. (Go ahead and make a SAC joke. You know you want to!)
well. I guess that’s all I can hope for. I’m trying to switch things
up tomorrow and do a little more driving back and forth so we do a
bit less sitting on base and waiting. One more day and then another weekend. Did I mention that I just took over as the volunteer Children’s Church director at church? (They asked. I figured that was a sign to say yes, since I never would have come up with that idea on my own.) Yes, my life is a bit nuts. (Go ahead and make a SAC joke. You know you want to!)