I can’t believe a quarter of a year has passed living in a different country and we survived it! Yep, third month today, September 12.
So what’s happened here?
Well, the kids are back in school. That’s the biggest thing.
Riel and I brought the kids to school until their school bus schedule was fixed. (Trivia: The school’s name translated to English is Holy Trinity! –> Those who know will understand the significance of this!)
I wanted to sneak in with them, watch them in their classroom, meet their teacher and classmates, and pretty much do what I used to do back home during the kids’ first day of school. But then, I observed that none were doing that. Parents normally leave once their kids enter the school. Well, I could have proceeded but then, I didn’t want to shame my kids… and my husband.
I knew they would be okay. It’s “me” that I need to fix up.
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I always look forward to afternoons when they come home from school. They have lots of stories to tell. Here are some school-related kid quotes:
KQOTD-1. On their first regular day, as a typical Filipino, I packed rice and meatballs for their lunch. When they came home, Raf (accusingly) told me: Mom, I was so embarrassed to take out my lunch! Me (puzzled): Uh, why? Raf: Because I had rice and my classmates had cheese sandwich!
KQOTD-2. I asked the kids: Hey, isn’t it so nice to have each other as your classmates? Raf (butted in): Noooo! Coz Marco and Gabby are so annoying! (The twins thinks it’s still play school and Raf is already a serious student)
KQOTD-3. Marco and Gabby complained that they are the only ones who don’t understand French in their class. In my mind it couldn’t be because they are all in the welcome class that teaches French to non French-speaking children. So I investigated and found out that the other kids speak Spanish. Then I realized that to them, if it’s not English or Filipino, then it must be French!
KQOTD-4. Raf (who always has ‘food’ in his mind) told me: Mom, I taught some Tagalog words to my teacher. Me: Oh yeah? What did you tell her? Raf: Um… Anong paborito mong pagkain? (And the teacher answered him with chocolates and spaghetti)
KQOTD-5. Everyday we bring the kids to the bus stop and every afternoon, we wait for them. Marco told his Dad secretly: Dad, can you tell Mommy not to be there outside when the school bus drops us off because my classmates’ mommies don’t wait for them. (Yikes, that hurts!)
KQOTD-6. The kids proudly told us: “Mommy, at gym time, we were experts at squatting. We squat the longest and our classmates couldn’t keep up with us. We’re so good!” (Tee hee, coz we ask the kids to squat when they misbehave at home. Apparently it worked to their advantage in school)
KQOTD-7. While on the road going to school for our first Parents-Teacher meeting, Marco (incredulously) said, “Mommy! So many people die here in Canada!” (I was wondering why he said it then I realized that we were passing by a cemetery)
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At the homefront, things are going well.
I’ve never been so domesticated in my life, but I’m in my element. When school started, a routine schedule was inevitable. Breakfast, packed lunch and snacks are prepared the night before. Even the table is set the night before. Mornings are exclusively for reheating food, serving breakfast, and packing their lunch boxes. Nobody likes morning hassles on a school day. The kids wake up at six in the morning, they fix their bed then head to the bathroom for a shower. At 6:20, they are at the table for breakfast. At seven, they’re done dressing up and out of the house by 7:15.
Then peace and quiet. During mid-day you wonder why the house is so quiet, then you remember with a little pang, oh, the kids are in school.
As I am new to this lifestyle, systems keep me sane and keep the household running smoothly.
I keep a menu notebook, outlining the meals served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day of the week as well as the “baon” of the kids for snacks. That way, we have a balance meal of fish, pork, beef, chicken, and vegetables. I am already on my seventh week.
I put little notes whether the boys like the dish or not, or how to improve it further. There are a couple of dishes that we agreed as family that won’t be repeated.
On the right page, I keep a list of stock in my pantry and as I use them, I scratch them out from the list. By this, I have a complete idea of what’s inside my freezer, avoiding double purchases and enabling me to plan the meals ahead based on the cuts of the meat. I employ a first-in, first-out inventory system.
And when you have kids with varied sizes and you are like me who likes to dress them the same, sorting clothes can be a pain. Instead of writing initials on their shirts/pants/jockeys, I put dots. A dot for Raf, my eldest, two dots for Marco, the middle size, and three dots for little Gabby. Just looking at the dots makes it easier for me to sort rather than measuring each shirt size nor memorizing their color coded shirts. And for times when the kid outgrows his shirt, I can just add another dot telling me that that shirt now belongs to the next brother.
And during down time, I have this:
And a way of keeping in touch with family back home: Skype! Bless the one who invented this.
A few weeks ago, my Mom asked me how long had we been gone. I answered with glee, “Almost two months!” Then she said, “Hah? Two months pa lang???” Whoops! (I miss you, Mom. Take care so you’re still strong and healthy when I come back. Enjoy the upcoming grandchild.)
Missing everyone there. Can’t wait to hug you all!
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Some other updates:
> Riel got his drivers license. I still have to take my test. In the meantime, I have a driver at my disposal, which I enjoy.
> We had our first clogged toilet –> and we didn’t have a plunger! Dishwashing liquid and hot water did the job.
> It’s getting cooler in the mornings. Ambient at low 20’s and the children are already asking for the heater. Hahaha…. interesting… hmmmm.
> We now own a vacuum cleaner.
> Riel cooks! He can do it naman pala eh.
> We found a family… I mean, we inserted our family into Tito Phil’s and Tita Mely’s. 🙂
> The kids can count, recite the alphabets, tell the colors and days of the week, and say a few sentences in French. (I asked Raf for a sample sentence. He said “J’ai faim.”)
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Other kid quotes:
KQOTD-8. At the grocery, I take my time checking and comparing items. The kids were bored. Then Gabby asked loudly, “Mommy, are you in love with the grocery?”
KQOTD-9. Our apartment has a fireplace, thus also a chimney. One night we were talking about Christmas. Marco asked, “How can Santa Claus fit in the chimney and how can he get out?” Raf followed: “This is weird. Does Santa Claus have teleporting powers or he has clones? How can he be anywhere and everywhere at the same time?”
KQOTD-10. While eating minced duck at a Chinese restaurant, Marco (innocently) asked: Why is this called ground meat? Is it because it’s not in the air? Raf (authoritatively) answered: Sheesh, Marc. It’s called ground meat because it’s chopped like soil in the ground!
KQOTD-11. The kids observed, “how come they do not have humps on the road here? Only full of stop signs?”
KQOTD-12. And this is my favorite kid quote of the day. Marco: Daddy, I wish I was born during your time so I can marry Mommy. (Riel thinks he’ll still win, lol!)