People, Packing, Papers and Pandemonium

     The people are the children living in my home... right now.  Have I mentioned that in 14 days I am going to pick up another child?  In China!!!  I think I mentioned it briefly on another post somewhere.

     In the meantime, the other "people" have to get an education.  I sent the smallest of the three off to his first day of Kindergarten.  Of course when he got off the bus, I attacked the poor fellow. " How was your day?  Was it fun?  Did you eat your snack?  Did you like your teacher?  Did you get to play on the playground?  Did you know anyone in your class besides Michael?"  He walks by me one the driveway like he's so cool.  He's got this little smirk on his face because he knows he has information I want.  

   Over the course of the next several HOURS, I get a few questions answered, but they make no sense to me.  I have to piece the puzzle together.  "Jackson, why didn't you eat all your cheese?

  His reply, "Because the teacher clapped her hands."  

Me:  "Did you play outside?"

Jackson:  "No."

Me: "Why?"

J:   "Because we had a sheezhule."  ( I translated this into schedule.) 

Me:  "Did you learn anything?"

J:  "No."

Me:  "Well, what did you do?"

J:  "Nothing."

Me:  "You really didn't play outside today?

J:  "No."

Me: " Can I call your teacher and ask her?"

J:  "Yeah."

Now, I'm not a rocket scientist but what kindergarten teacher wouldn't give a recess?  Is she the Kindergarten Nazi???  I mean it's 87 degrees and beautiful.  A letter was sent home saying they would go out if it was above 20 degrees, so dress for the weather.  But, they don't go out when it's sunny and 87???  

Please... read on.

     I have been married 12 years in October.  I am married to an extreme extrovert.  And, if they (whoever 'they' are) say woman speak an average of 20,000 words per day, my husband (God love him) speaks 19,999.  HOWEVER, if he walks in the door after some sort of big meeting or something really important.  I'll barrage him with questions. 

How was the meeting with Jim?  What did he say?  Why?  How's the family?  What did he say about...?  When did he say he'd let you know?, etc, etc, etc....  

Now, I get SOME answers.  But, what I find is, over the coarse of the next MONTH,  my dear husband saying periodically,  "Did I tell you about Jim's dad's brother's wife's cousin?  

Me:  No

DH: (dear husband) (gasp) I can't BELIEVE I didn't tell you that?

A few days later...

DH:  Did I tell you that when I met with Jim last week that Susie's expecting her 10th child???

Me:  Thinking in my head.... No!!  How in the world could you forget that!!!???  I never heard about 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9.

A week later.  Comes in.  Drops his bag on the floor.  Opens eyes wide.  Stares at me like he has something huge to tell me and he wants me to die in anticipation.  (Which I do, but I act like I don't care.)

I CAN NOT BELIEVE I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THIS!!  Jim and Susie are moving to the Rain

 Forest to be missionaries!!!  Can you believe that?

Me:  I just stare at him.  With my eyes open wide.  A puzzled look on my face.  I don't even know how to talk to him.   How can he forget these things??

(BTW, that was a fictional story.)

     I in no way want to make fun of my wonderful husband, because he really is wonderful.  Men and woman just communicate differently.

     Tomorrow morning, I'll ask Jackson if he went outside and he will probably look at me like I am an idiot and say, "Yes." 

     And then I will say something like, " Well, yesterday you said you didn't."  To which he will reply, "Ohhhh... I just didn't go down the slide."

Meanwhile, the girls stay home with me for their education.  I know.  Scary!  I spend a lot of the day listening to 40,000 + 40,000 words.  (Hey, they said 20,000 was an average!)  ISN'T THERE A HAPPY MEDIUM???

After the educational portion of our day, I spent from 3pm until 10pm doing paperwork for the adoption and for the Kindergartener.   Throw in laundry, dinner, a clogged toilet, 5 neighborhood kids in my house working on a play (I don't ask) and there you have it... pandemonium.

Did I mention I am going to China??  In 14 days!!!  

And, SOMEONE, tell me the adoption paperwork ends.

Just for fun... a picture of the packing... if that's what you want to call it.  That's all for Emme.  The mess drives Paul crazy! (It's in the basement.  He doesn't have to look!)  Plus, I gotta get him back for taking MONTHS to tell stories.

P.S  The story about The Beacon... it's gonna have to wait.