We fasted as a family today as some of you may have. It has been really neat knowing that my friends all over the world of different faiths and belief systems were fasting with me.
We started fasting around 7:00pm last night. Gordon lasted until 10:45am. Alice made it until 11:30am. Daniel almost cracked at 1:15pm, but Jeff encouraged him to hold on. Daniel ended up breaking his fast around 3:30. Jill made it to 4:30 or 5:00 when I made dinner, and we all ate together. So not quite 24 hours, but we did our best, and we did it together. I felt a lot of peace.
While we were fasting, there was an hour or so where my children were really quiet. For the first time ever, they decided to play a napping game. They got down all of the sleeping bags, closed all of the windows in one of the bedrooms, and laid on the floor in the dark together listening to an audiobook, pretending to nap.
It is certainly safer than this other game, which is their favorite around here. They used to just play it on the couch and cushions, but being home 24/7 has taken pretty much everything to the next level, and now they play the dining room edition of Lava Monster. Do any of your houses also share this problem? Your floor can just randomly turn into lava at times?
Will Jill succeed in bossing her younger siblings?
There was a lot going on here. Did you catch it all? Daniel is on a Google Meet lesson with his teacher and class. Jill is typing word definitions. Alice has a free day with no school assignments, so we were baking muffins. The cat jumped up on the counter to sneak a drink from the faucet, and Gordon decided that he just had to have snacks no matter how high up the snacks were. I seriously doubt this is the "quiet and calm" environment the school told me to create for my children.
On the one hand, Daniel actually designed and created a functioning bow and arrow!! I'm impressed. I thought it wouldn't work. On the other hand, he made his brother bleed, and that shot was a little too close to Gordon's eyeball for me to feel comfortable. Boys!
This week I have learned that poor Alice is the one who has the hardest time. She is so stubborn, so she won't back down, but the boys don't seem to treat her with as much respect as they give Jill, the oldest. So she ends up fighting with Daniel and Gordon quite a lot, which results in a lot of "worst days ever" and "he's not my brother anymore" and "I don't even love him now." And on this particular occasion, a loose tooth, which she actually thought was pretty cool.
March 26
I was too nervous to go to the store and leave the house, so Jeff went for me. He stocked up on yogurt. Here Gordon is trying to convince me that he should be allowed to eat a yogurt. I am trying to convince him that we shouldn't eat them too quickly, because I don't know when we will be able to go to the store to buy yogurt again. He's pretty sure he needs one. I'm pretty sure that he has already had one. Whatever gave him away?? Just my magical mom powers at work, I suppose!
We are watching a lot more TV these days, but we have also discovered that Alice and almost Gordon can play Settlers of Catan without needing help. I guess it is time to purchase the expansion set, so all six of us can play together!
March 27
We started fasting around 7:00pm last night. Gordon lasted until 10:45am. Alice made it until 11:30am. Daniel almost cracked at 1:15pm, but Jeff encouraged him to hold on. Daniel ended up breaking his fast around 3:30. Jill made it to 4:30 or 5:00 when I made dinner, and we all ate together. So not quite 24 hours, but we did our best, and we did it together. I felt a lot of peace.
While we were fasting, there was an hour or so where my children were really quiet. For the first time ever, they decided to play a napping game. They got down all of the sleeping bags, closed all of the windows in one of the bedrooms, and laid on the floor in the dark together listening to an audiobook, pretending to nap.
It's my new favorite game.
Will Alice crack her head open with dangerous jumps?
Will Daniel cancel the game by breaking the one rule Mom made?
Will Gordon become the lava monster??
Tune in NOW!
Seriously though. Some people's children . . . tsk tsk
There have been highs and lows this past week, but I feel like sharing the HIGHS. So, enjoy.
March 24
Anyone recognize what that smartphone game is? My kids cannot leave home and yet they decided that this was a good time to remember that Pokémon Go is a thing and that they just have to play it. Surprisingly, our house was well stocked with Pokémon. It didn't ruin the game by not being able to walk around like I had assumed it would. There were some interesting conversations spurred by this.
A few hours later, Gordon sidled up to me and said in a somewhat whispering voice (I can only assume because perhaps the Pokémon might be listening): "Mom! Mom! There are Pokémon everywhere in our house!! There was one RIGHT THERE. Don't worry. Daniel got it for us."
Then later, Alice came up to me: "Um, Mom, did you know that there are invisible Pokémon all over our house? You don't—you don't think they'll kill us, do you?" Gordon overheard and had to jump in: "No! They won't! Because Jill and Daniel can trap the Pokémon in their phones. Then they will only come out when they need to battle. It's okay."
Thank goodness we have Jill and Daniel, fearless Pokémon trainers, keeping us safe.
Do your cats love you as much as mine love me? Mine bring me gifts of slightly chewed and toyed with live lizards. I used to be a little squeamish about this, making Jeff deal with it or getting the broom. Now? Well, I guess I'm used to it now. Hi, little buddy! Let me just put you outside.
March 25
There was a lot going on here. Did you catch it all? Daniel is on a Google Meet lesson with his teacher and class. Jill is typing word definitions. Alice has a free day with no school assignments, so we were baking muffins. The cat jumped up on the counter to sneak a drink from the faucet, and Gordon decided that he just had to have snacks no matter how high up the snacks were. I seriously doubt this is the "quiet and calm" environment the school told me to create for my children.
On the one hand, Daniel actually designed and created a functioning bow and arrow!! I'm impressed. I thought it wouldn't work. On the other hand, he made his brother bleed, and that shot was a little too close to Gordon's eyeball for me to feel comfortable. Boys!
This week I have learned that poor Alice is the one who has the hardest time. She is so stubborn, so she won't back down, but the boys don't seem to treat her with as much respect as they give Jill, the oldest. So she ends up fighting with Daniel and Gordon quite a lot, which results in a lot of "worst days ever" and "he's not my brother anymore" and "I don't even love him now." And on this particular occasion, a loose tooth, which she actually thought was pretty cool.
March 26
I was too nervous to go to the store and leave the house, so Jeff went for me. He stocked up on yogurt. Here Gordon is trying to convince me that he should be allowed to eat a yogurt. I am trying to convince him that we shouldn't eat them too quickly, because I don't know when we will be able to go to the store to buy yogurt again. He's pretty sure he needs one. I'm pretty sure that he has already had one. Whatever gave him away?? Just my magical mom powers at work, I suppose!
We are watching a lot more TV these days, but we have also discovered that Alice and almost Gordon can play Settlers of Catan without needing help. I guess it is time to purchase the expansion set, so all six of us can play together!
March 27
After our lessons were over on Friday, we headed to the pool. There was no one there but us, and it was so melancholy for me. The kids were having fun being out of the house and in the sun, but I kept thinking of all of the parties I've thrown at that pool. All of the get togethers I've attended. All of the friends I've chatted with there. All of the swimming lessons I've sat through. Being there alone reminded me of when we had first moved to Gabon and we went to the pool alone because we didn't know anyone. Now we're at the pool alone, because we're all afraid that seeing friends could make us sick.
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