Homestay Parenting Experience - Murphy's Law

Sunday, 5:15 pm

Today we pick our last four.  My, my, they are lanky and tall I feel like a midget!

Warren, Jake, Mike and Kevin.  Hah, at last, one of them has  one of my grandson’s name.  I will remember him fast, for sure.

“You can take your luggage to your rooms now.  Freshen up and we will have dinner in about 2 hours.  BTW, would any of you like some water or soda?”

Hubby and I have not even started assembling the ingredients for our standard American  welcome dinner fare when they all came with their gifts.

“Mom, Dad, this is for you.”

“Oh, that’s is so nice of you. Thank you, Warren.”

“Mom, Dad, this is a Chinese saying I wrote myself.  Hope you like it."

 “Of course we will!  What does it say?  I ask as Kevin unrolls a red rice paper and a white one with Chinese characters on it.

“Thank you very much.  This will be nice in a frame.”

Plus chocolates from Jake and cute book markers and envelope openers from Mike.

Monday, 6:15

The hamper that I told them to place their dirty clothes in is still empty.  Hmmmnn, did they take their showers last night?  When they arrived and took off their shoes, I knew that they needed one!   I don’t think I heard the shower run at all!  Boys  boys  boys!

7:15 –

“Good morning! Breakfast is ready” to the two who were up and already playing with their gadgets.

“Knock, knock. Wake up. Wake up!”

Warren tried to open his eyes to look at me.

“Hello!  Good morning. Breakfast is waiting for you!”

“Good morning mom.”

“Good morning mom,” followed Mike.

“We will leave for school at 8:30.”

By 8:05 I decided to look at my printed schedule and to my horror, there glaring back at me, was the printed time we are supposed to be in school: 8:10! Why was I so sure their class starts at 9:00?  That was Mt. SAC, this is SAE!  So I harried them up and I could hear my heart thump thump thumping.  They still have to put their shoes on and one has shoelaces!  Oh, please, hurry up (to myself). 

Jake was still looking for something inside his luggage but I told him: 

“No more time.  Be in the car, NOW!”

Grateful that the traffic lights seemed to be cooperating with me we reached the school at 8:27!  “We’re late.” I told the boys as I was turning the curve to the parking lot.

“OK, as soon as I stop the car you all go out fast, fast, ok?”  And as if on cue, we were inside the gate as the principal was checking on the students walking to their rooms.

“Don’t worry,” Nida, our lead assure me,  “You are not late.  See? They are just getting inside now.”

I am reminded of Murphy’s Law.

“If something, or anything, is bound to happen, it will happen!” Not an exact quote, though.

8:00 pm

I can hear the shower running! What a refreshing music to my ear, LOL!

Aaaaaaahhhhhhh.  I will have a good dream tonight!