all gone and all growing

all four of my children are attending small world Christian kindergarten.

all morning i am alone.

this is not technically true, but it does sound dramatically impressive, doesn't it? if i accompany sebastian, jasper, sela and carys to school then we leave the house at 8.20am and i get back approximately one hour later. if i go with de to pick them up from school then i have to leave the house at 11.20 and come back approximately one hour and 15 mintues later (loading kids in to the car takes time).

the kids are loving being in school almost as much as i am loving having them out of the home.

because they are only gone for a few hours a day it is no BIG THING for my heart. when sebastian goes to full day school next year, that will be a BIG THING. a VERY big thing.

watching the girls go to school was not overly difficult. they had each other and they walked in to the class,  holding hands, after removing and pushing their knapsacks into their cubbies. they smiled and chattered.

they're very montessori at school, when i came back to pick them up, they were playing with bowls placed on a tray, scooping out items and putting them into the next bowl. when they saw me, they put the bowl back in place instead of leaving it on the table.

this skill of putting things back, which seems second nature to them at school, is a skill that apparently cannot be achieved or remembered at their playroom, pokfulam road, hong kong. they look blankly at me when i suggest clearing up.

they love school and their teachers, miss jovina and miss helen. today, miss jovina gave me the good news that carys is talking more, therefore feeling more confident. this made me very pleased. we walked down the steps and sela barked orders on how we needed to walk on the red line and hold the handrail. carys repeated her, as she often does. but, according to her teacher, sela is talking more, thus, i need not worry about anything !!

technically, life is much easier. i know it is for lita, who has admitted she loves the kids being gone more. she is cooking them singapore noodles and other fun stuff, which they love.

it is also easier for me. i know i should feel remorseful, and at times i do dig up a little sorrow when they come home telling me a song they learned or a country (malaysia) they learned about. if they were unhappy, i would be in bits. but they are not. they are very excited about their new world. sebastian loves having "his triplets" at school and bossing them around a bit in his loud, loud voice.  but i am enjoying the quiet and myself right now. later the sorrow will come. but for now, it's all good.

all four children are attending small world Christian kindergarten.

they are growing, and so am i.

Comments

[Boulder]

I meant to ask about this, and I'm so glad to read that things are going well.

One of my best friends from junior high (and the rest of our lives) once said to me that with her last child she marched merrily up to the door, deposited her, and happily danced back to the car. Along the way, she bypassed first-time moms who were teary eyed, spied a mom of mulitple school-aged kids, and declared, "Want to do BREAKFAST!?" with complete glee.

There a milestones to relish and milestones to celebrate - sounds like you are doing both!

Now grab a friend and do BREAKFAST! Those 2 hours will seem very routine at some point along the way - celebrate the newness now.

xoxo

PS - Pictures? Please?

[lyns]

sorrow??? To quote the 80's "don't worry, be happy!!!" Speaking of breakfast....lets do it!!!! I am quite excited for the day (albeit a few years down the road) when all the kiddos are in fully day elementary school (P1 in HK) I CANT WAIT!!!! Not that I don't love and adore my kids and don't want to spend time with them...but because of the world that they will discover and how they will grow into even more amazing kids in the world that is beyond the walls of our flat!!! Its exciting...its amazing...its a chance to recoup some of your sanity....xo lyns

[Tammy]

It seems to me as if everyday that passes, I become much more emotional about the prospect of school. With Brody in private childcare - it's always been more of a "Grandma's House" feel. But I know next fall when B starts public school I will be a mess.

It tugs at the heart strings to see them growing up. But also makes your heart swell with pride to see them becoming so independant and happy.

You rock, Mama Tess.
XOXO

[Joeinvegas]

So, what are you doing with all that alone time now?

[SheilaC]

Congratulations to Miss C. and Miss S. on starting school. What fun they must be having with Master J and their classmates!
Congratulations to you too, Tess, on this big milestone. Sounds like you're feeling less of the bitter and more of the sweet, and that's great.
It's appalling, and wonderful, to see how fast they grow up, isn't it?
Best wishes,

[Mel]

Haven't popped onto your blog for a while but then Tertia was telling me she's told you.... (YAY!!!) and how all us Lordy folks are saying the ame thing. Its God! I agonised so over sending Sofia (my 2 year old) to playgroup and how it has been SO fine. I have 3 hours off 3 times a week! She is actually almost 3 but I cannot cope with her babyhood dissapearing so I am in denial. Your kids are just GORG!
With so many of us around the world praying for Tertia, she's going to be blessed from top to toe. Enjoy your new freedom!
Mel