Zoo Day

Last Friday, I got to go to the zoo with Perma-Baby's class. I teach Spanish during that time, but Campbell Clansman agreed to cover my class. (Don't worry...I gave them a test and advised them to limit their Spanish with CC to words like tortilla and taco. )

We had a great day together...we walked and walked, then rested.
My main job was to watch these 3 girls, especially the one on the left. She's no trouble at all. But Turks are not used to seeing Africans. PB's teacher asked me to keep her close by, lest she be photographed, pinched, and kissed all day. I thoroughly enjoyed my job. Everytime she became the center of attention, I tucked her under my arm and pretended she was my baby. No, I didn't mind that at all. (Incidentally, the one on the right has learned if she lets them pinch her cheeks, she sometimes gets candy out of the deal.)

PB was all dressed for the day..shorts and a t-shirt, comfy shoes, sunscreen, and a hat...until she leaned back on the toilet just before we left for school and in the hat went! Miss Middler came to the rescue with one of her hats.

After a long, hot day, we all enjoyed ice cream.

Oh, yea, I took this big boy too. He was still growling like a lion as we drove back to school.

Here's PB's class. Recently she made a book of all the flags from the countries represented in her class. Are you ready for this? USA, Ecuador (Ambassador's daughter), Turkey, Kosovo (another Ambassador's daughter), the Philippines, Malaysia (and man, can her mama cook!), South Africa, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, and Oman. What a privilege to have them all at our school!

Piano Recital

The girls each played a piece they'd been working on for awhile. Twinkle Toes played Red River Valley.

Miss Middler played The Greatest Show on Earth, a fun circus song.

And Firstborn played Light and Blues. She's no doubt surpassed her mama's abilities now.

Thanks, girls, for all the afternoons of practicing, for being a blessing to us by developing the talents God has given you!

Video clips tomorrow if I can load them!

Spring Beauties

Having 4 girls is nice, especially when I get to doll them up!

They work so hard at piano all year, I want to reward them with really making their recital a special event...this year, that meant from 3:30-5:30 we were basically a frenzy of hair rollers, dress pins, and sandals. But we made it to the event, beautiful and ready to perform.

I don't know if this happens to anyone out there, but time and time again I will think of something that we need...many times it's not even a need, but a want...and within a week or so, the need is met supernaturally. This year I happened to note that Firstborn really didn't have a fancy dress for the recital. I had not thought to look for something last year when we were in the US. Shopping for clothes here can be expensive and difficult. She would have been content to wear a normal church dress, but I felt badly because I knew her sisters' dresses would be dressier.

Then I went to our school rummage sale...and this beautiful dress, worn to the winter ball by one of our high school girls when she was in junior high, was up for sale. (I remember thinking years ago when I saw the young lady how pretty her dress was.) And I stopped and thought, "Only God knew I needed a dress for her. And it's blue, her favorite." It fit almost perfectly, I just needed to pin the shoulder. She looked lovely. And grown up.

The roses in our apartment's front lawn have bloomed. We took advantage for a photo shoot on our way to the school.

I knew if I turned just the right way, blocking out potholes, construction trucks, and wild dogs...I could make you think we live in a haven of beauty! Actually, beauty is everywhere, if we just look.

Clogging!

Firstborn continued clogging this year for the 4th semester. Her clogging teacher was also her second grade teacher. I think 'adore' is an appropriate word to describe how she feels about her former teacher.

Any of you Memphis folks recognize these guests? We had the privilege of seeing our dear friends one last time before their daughter moves to another place of service. (This was the pastor who dedicated Firstborn 10 years ago...she's a bit bigger now!)

And finally, here are a couple of fun videos. Firstborn clogging in one of her routines, then her little brother and sister having a hard time not joining in!

Time for Tae Kwon Do!

After a semester of TKD practices, it was time for the belt changing test and ceremony last week!

Twinkle Toes went from a green belt to a blue one.

Those Koreans are so good at TKD. Must be in their genes...

And Miss Middler went from a Green Belt 1st stripe, to a 2nd stripe!

Congratulations! Now you can defend yourselves from your baby brother one day!

Rooftop Renovations

One night a week ago, this little person (pictured below) came to us at 3AM and said, "My bed is dripping." Yawn. Squint. I assumed she had wet her bed. My shift is the 10PM-6AM one. Campbell Clansman gets up with them when they wake up in the morning. I did the math as I glanced at the clock, it was my turn. I took her back up to bed to determine how her "bed was dripping" and realized she was RIGHT! The roof was leaking right on to her face as she slept! Poor baby! I set her up on a make-shift bed in our bedroom, and began rehearsing how I'd explain to our landlord that our baby's bed was dripping. We've had leaks in our little enclosed terrace upstairs since we moved in. But now PB's bed was dripping! The next day, we contacted our landlord, and he agreed not only to fix that spot, but all the leaks! Hurray!

So, after things dried up, the roof guys came. And what they proceeded to do shocked me, even after living here 7 years. They borrowed my ladder, climbed it, then stood on the top rounded part of the step ladder to hoist themselves onto the roof. I watched it all. The ladder was clearly not designed for this type of innovative thinking and began to tremble under them. But, no worries, by that time, they were off the ladder and walking around, not secured to anything, on the top of our 6 story building.

Here's the view down below.

Big Ben had the time of his life, watching these guys up there and pointing out all the helicopters overhead that day.

And I am one happy mama! So far, no drips anywhere! (And I thankfully did not have to call an ambulance for anyone that day.)

Day at the Park: Watermelon

Sweet.


Sticky.

Messy.

And sometimes a lot of trouble. The boy or the watermelon?