Calm Before the Storm

It's so quiet right now.

But not for long.

Amy and Lena will BURST into the house very soon with excited voices and a slamming of bags, shucking of coats and general mayhem. Erica may or may not wake up before then, most certainly will wake up soon after! She is such a quiet, gentle little soul when it's just the two of us, but her big sisters bring out the BIG VOICE. The one that turns heads and makes my face turn red. If you don't already know what I mean, you soon will.

Once they are all assembled here in the house...

(Erica just woke up, she is now thumping down the stairs like an elephant. Why is it, the smalller they are the LOUDER the thumps? Now, I've thrown in her front of the TV cos I don't have much more time left, and no more quiet)

...once they are all here, and their father too, we will RUSH off to the hospital for their monthly asthma check. New doctor today. I am assuming all will continue their meds, Amy and Erica because they cough a bit if they miss a dose, Lena just because the others are continuing, though I might suggest we take her off for a while to see what happens.

That's at four, and then at five they have a lesson at Keio Academy, while I have a lesson to teach at the hospital. I'm still not sure how, or even if, we are going to be able to pull this off actually, since visit to the hospital usually take at least an hour! Hopefully Papa will drive them to Keio, while I go to work, then he will take Erica home. I will RUSH to Keio after work and pick them up, and race around the office like a headless chicken collecting resources for my class on Friday, finding the folder, and informing anyone who'll listen that A. and L. are NOT going to Keio on Thursday. Ever.

Then back home by 6:30pm for the piano lesson, where will ask Maiko if she will give Lena voice lessons, since she is still averse to the piano. Just in case she wants to become a rock star after all, something she's not sure about anymore as she thinks it might be boring just singing songs all the time.

Then cook dinner, throw everyone in the bath and be in bed by 8:30? Hmm.

If last year Tuesday used to be my 'free day', which ended up being full of stuff some how, then this year it's going to be my absolute frantic day, which I wouldn't dare encumber with any more jobs. Did I say I fit in a baby swimming lesson this morning?

But I'm aiming to keep it this way for now, after all we don't always have a hospital visit, and doing two classes on Tuesday means A. and L. are free Wed. Thurs. and Fri. afternoon, so I can relax when I get home from work on Thurs. and Fri., and we can all take it easy on Wednesday, which I have now designated at Kids' Cooking Day, since they are home early from school that day. We are going to start tomorrow with Spaghetti Bolognese, which they all love - will let you know how it went tomorrow.

postscript;
- hospital: Fail. Decided not to go when everyone didn't get home until 4:15. Re-scheduled for a Friday.
- Keio: Fail. Ended up agreeing to bring them twice a week. How did that happen?
- Work: Fail. One student, talked about my photos, but my heart wasn't in it, it was at home on the computer trying to find a cheaper car hire than $300!
- Music Lesson: Success! Amy played a beautiful song on the piano, three pages of notes swimming all over page, I'm impressed! Teacher agreed to teach Lena recorder and vocal lessons from next month.
- Bedtime: Yeah, right! Although 9pm wasn't too bad considering Kanji and Amy went shopping at 7:30! (I agreed because I was right in the middle of another car rental search...)