Time Limited

I yearn to sit down and write.  Well, I am right now sitting and typing out.  But this is not what I mean. I want to be able to collect my thoughts and focus on what I want to write, but at this moment, it's not easy.  Johann is making so much noise while having his lunch.  And I am just next to him.

It is the wrong time.  But it is also the few small pockets of time where I can pen down my thoughts.  Thoughts that are random, scattered and perhaps even senseless.

The new school year has started, on 13 September, to be exact.  Johann is now in the Grundschule (primary school) where he will spend his next four years laying his foundation (strong, hopefully) for his German, Math, Science (& music, arts, sports and crafts) so that his grades will be good enough to be accepted by his brothers' school, "mummy, I will try to get 1's so that I can go to gor gors' school."  A 1 is equivalent to A1 or A*.  He said that to me on Monday on our way to school by bike.  I was surprised by his tone of determination, I hadn't set any expectations on him, at least not on his third day of formal school!  I was glad he did.  That's half of the battle won.

Enzian and Ludwig are in grade 5 (same class) and Bart in grade 7.  The three older brothers are now in the same school.  That makes things a little simpler.  Four boys in 2 different schools, I can deal with that, easily!  No more too many parent evenings, class projects, school events to be split by Christophe and I.  Sometimes we even had no choice but to give up on one or two meetings.

I am more than delighted to just fetch Johann back from school at 12.20pm (Mondays to Wednesdays) and 11.20am (Thursdays and Fridays).  And cook lunch and dinner for the whole family.  I am not upset that my morning free time is drastically shortened from 4pm to Johann's dismissal times.  Ok, not yet.  But I know I will find my ways to keeping a balance for my mental frame.

I have aborted Chinese school, for various reasons but this is topic for another day.  All I can say is, I will have no regrets to my decision.

What else?

We spent 5 weeks of our summer holiday in Singapore and KL (1 week).  It was the best holiday ever.  By holiday, I really mean it.  My new definition of holiday is doing nothing, anything related to work (my housewifey chores) and letting myself enjoy the people I love, the food, the going out, the making of nonsensical video, the shopping (of the children's shoes) to the maximum, fullest, completest!

Ok, abrupt end.  The older boys are back.  Need to switch back to mother mode.