Clearly, he wasn't clear

Well, today I found out that our security guard who wasn't clear about whether or not we would have school today, really didn't know. And there is no school today or tomorrow--I found the guy who got the memo (if there ever was one). But for the second morning in a row, we rushed about getting ready for the non-existant school! Then to top my morning off, I rode a different bus home so I could stop and get breakfast for myself, since the kids won't eat it. I missed our stop. And when I got to a breakfast place, both kids decided this morning that this is their favorite breakfast food. So no breakfast for me, but at least the kids have found a Chinese breakfast that they both like! We ended up having to walk farther than if we had just walked home from the school.
I think I'll move to Australia! (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day)

No School

Now, normally I would not consider a "no school day" to be blog-worthy, but today is an exception. This morning we got up early and did the normal things. The kids got dressed and Isabella went through her checklist of things to do. I have made her a chart with pictures so that every morning she knows what needs to be done and can do it without being told. She gets to put a stamp on her chart for each activity she completes. She loves it! So we went through the chart and were ready to go to school. My first hint that something wasn't quite right was the fact that there was almost no traffic. I thought that maybe it was Sunday, but then remembered that we had our meeting yesterday so that was out of the question. We got on the bus and went to school. We got there a little earlier than usual but still after the time that the gate should be open. But the gate being open was not really a big deal because over here everyone has there own schedule, opening when they want to not just when the sign says they will. The big deal was that no parents or children were waiting outside. There is always someone there before me. So I called Tim to find out if it was a holiday--something not so easy to know. Holidays are on the lunar calendar, which means that every year a holiday is on a different day according to our calendar. It's a lot of trouble if you ask me, no one knows when their birthday is. How inconvenient! But in the end, Tim didn't know of a holiday. As I was talking to him, though, the normal security guard saw me and came to talk to me. Now before you think that the kindergarten needs a security guard to keep munchkins from rioting, remember they have to employ 1.3 billion people someway! So he tells me that there's no class today. I ask the next logical question (at least you might think that), will there be school tomorrow? You will never guess the answer, so I'll tell. He didn't know, it wasn't too clear--yes, that's a direct translation and nothing lost in it! Now we all know that Tim needs and loves structure and schedule and that I'm less so--quite a bit actually! But this is too far for even me! People can be laid back and free-spirited, but institutions need the "Tim's" of world to keep them together!!!
Well, since all this happened, I've found out that while there is a holiday today (probably equivalent to our Memorial Day), it has nothing to do with the break. In town this week is Expo, and the school let out for that. I'm not really sure why. I don't think that kindergarteners are big into that kind of thing...maybe I'm just under estimating them!

First Day of School

Sorry folks, this was started almost two weeks ago and I am just now getting it finished and published. Please forgive the tardiness
Oh, I'm officially old...my two babies went to school today. As is with everything in my life, it was total chaos. I woke up late, after Lydia only got up once (a big blessing these days). The kids had been up late the night before so they cried a lot first thing this morning. But once they got to school they were ready. I took me well over an hour to get all the paper work done. Mostly because while I can read a little, I can't write anything! I didn't have a translator with me (big mistake!) and so the head teacher had to write everything for me.
So the kids have now completed two weeks of school. The first week, there wasn't much crying, but this second week has been a doozy!!! Elijah is not much of a fan of school. He keeps telling me he wants to go to the homeschool. Some major hurdles that we have had to jump have been the potty issue, my lack of language ability, and candy--lots of candy! As for the potty issue, the second day Elijah's teacher was really upset because he hadn't gone poop the first day he was there. (While in general I am not in favor of discussing "toilet habits," I felt that this was just too funny to pass up!) After reassuring her that he would go when he needed, she wasn't satisfied and was still visibly upset. I then told her that he went at home. Later, though, I found out what the problem is. In China, parents "potty train" their children at about 3 months. Before you say impossible, it almost kind of works (although I do see lots of women walking around with wet shirts.) It's based on our good friend Pavlov and his dogs' principle. Parents have two different whistles, and children "go" according to the whistle. So basically at three years of age the teachers herd 20-30 3 year-olds into the bathroom to do their "business." The foreign child who didn't "go" on command threw a kink in their morning. This second week the teacher seemed to think that Elijah wouldn't be able to use the bathroom in winter. I am sure it had something to do with wearing heavier clothes. Who really knows! The second thing that the whole kindergarten scenario has taught me is that my language is not that good. I can hardly understand the teachers, and as at most schools their are lots of notes for the parents to read--a major challenge for me. And the last is is candy, which the teachers give to our kids with absolutely no discretion! If they cry, they get candy. If they won't eat, they get candy. If they have a fever, they get candy! I have no earthly idea why they keep giving them candy. I specifically tell them not to, and yet I am greeted with sticky faces everyday!
Anyway, these are uncharted territories for us. Hope everyone is doing well!

The Guest Him(Her)self

Remember this looks smaller now that it's all curled up!

House Guests

So, you need a tetnus shot to go to the doctor...

We have decided that the time has come to send our children to Chinese kindergarten. This is a huge thing for us because we had always planned to homeschool the kids no matter where we lived. But now we are in a situation where our children can't speak the language, so they can't make friends. So we have found the kindergarten we want to send them to. It's the nicest one I've been to over here. A friend and I went to the school yesterday to settle the terms (not very good, I might add). The kids seem happy and well-behaved, not something I had ever seen at a school here. I was told that I had to get a health check-up for the kids if they were to be admitted. Let the chaos begin!!!

So my friend comes this morning to help me again. I can do a lot of things in Chinese, but not enough to do technical things. We left to go to the doctor about 9:30 and finally got back around 11:00. We get to the hospital, and have a hard time finding out where to go to get the checkup done. People keep telling us to go to the door, really vague directions. We finally find the check-up room. There are really no such thing as a waiting room and exam room...it's all one thing. So there are tons of kids and parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles...I guess who ever can come will. The kids are all screaming. The adults are all pointing at our kids saying how lovely they are. Counting all three of them. We tell the lady at the desk what we need. She writes out several pages of information. Then we take those to another part of the building and pay then we can come back. So the doctor weighs them. They have a free weight scale with a little metal folding chair on it. They have painted the chair green over the nasty rust. Afterwards the doctor check their heart, throat, and for some reason down Elijah's pants. While he's checking Isabella, Elijah is busy playing with the scale chair. Another little girl is also playing there. Elijah accidentally smashed her hand in the evil chair of weight. So I am sure that if she hadn't had her tetnus shot (which I'm sure she had not) she needs one now. Anyway, the rest of our doctor visit went without any major upset (save giving blood!!!) and now I have to go back to collect the results. All of which I will not understand. Oh, the frustrations of being illiterate.

Lydia and the Introvert!

Here's Lydia learning to sit. She can prop herself up for a bit, but if she tries to get something with her hands down she goes!

On the first night of our training, we had a dinner/meet and greet. Isabella grabbed everyone she could and pulled them over to hear her sing. If only she weren't so shy!!!

Baby Bruiser!

Just a quick fornote to let you all know that Lydia is OK, I repeat she is OK! It's been several days since the incident, and there have been no problems.

One crazy day. I had been keeping Lydia home because she had a cold. I had to go to the grocery store and the chaos began. I put Lydia in the cart with one of the baby seats. As I was looking for the juice, a random child ran up on the other side of me and slapped Lydia in the face. I totally freaked out! So I got in a hurry, and Lydia was crying. I rushed through the check out and was trying to get her in her stroller. As I put her down, I dropped my wallet. When I bent down to pick up my wallet, she tipped out of the stroller and did a flip out of the stroller and onto the floor. She screamed. I screamed. Instantly several people came rushing to see if she was alright. I eventually got all my things together and got out of the store. All I could think of was Isabella falling and that Lydia was so much smaller. But in the end, I think I was the one who ended up scarred. Lydia didn't even bruise. This was over a week ago, and she is still fine. But, I can promise you this, I belt her into the stroller now every time, no matter what I drop on the floor!

Oh, and the pictures are of her AFTER the fall...so you can all see with your own eyes that there is no damage.

The truth about Karma (and other traveling blunders)

As some of you know, a lot of Chinese are Buddhists. I learned a valuable lesson about Karma the other day. Karma is the idea that if you do good things, the universe will reward you back with goodness. But the interesting thing is that “good deeds” are in the eye the beholder. I noticed a Buddhist monk in a building I was going into. He stood there and watched me wrestle three kids and stroller through the heavy doors. Maybe he felt he had already done his good deed for the day or maybe he felt that helping the foreigner doesn’t add to ones’ Karma. What ever the reason, it got me to thinking about the things we think are helpful.
Case in point, making huge blunderous assumptions! I was traveling through the Hong Kong airport. As I was ordering my lunch, I noticed that next to me were two Asians arguing with the lady taking their order. They were trying to use Chinese currency (which is not the same as Hong Kong). I felt that with my language ability I could help the situation. So I translated into Chinese that they couldn’t use Chinese currency they had to use Hong Kong currency. Of course, I was very proud of my helpfulness. But, I was met with two blank stares, and the lady informed me that they were Japanese and not Chinese. That’s worse than calling a Southerner a Yankee! So instead of helping the situation, I offended everyone involved. It makes me so thankful that I don’t have to depend on Karma!