Maria arrived early this morning, before Michel and the boys woke up. I kept her from sneaking upstairs to awaken her playmates today, so she dozed on the couch and then sat on the stairs until they came down, one by one.
We had planned on seeing Oceans at the local movie theater this morning, but a behavioral meltdown by a certain biological child of mine (who shall remain nameless) prevented us from going. I told Monica, the chaperone, that I didn't feel like it was fair to punish Michel and Maria (and my other child) for one child's errors, and I didn't want to break my word or disappoint them. However, I also felt like his mistakes were significant enough (and hurtful enough to the other kids) that I couldn't reward him with a trip to the movie theater. Monica seconded my opinion that we should stay home and assured me that the girls would understand.
The good news is that we have Oceans at home on DVD, so I sent the offending child to his room and promised an at-home movie experience for the remaining three kids. We popped popcorn (the kids loved the air popper!) and had movie candy and sprawled in the family room to enjoy a home-viewing experience. Much to my relief, both girls showed that they were adaptable to the last-minute change in plans. Added bonus: I could do Spanish subtitles! Everyone who watched the movie seemed to enjoy it, although the documentary-style movie dragged on a tad long for Maria and Michel. Maria fell asleep for the last part, but Michel stayed focused until the end. I was impressed by her knowledge of unusual sea creatures - she was often able to name animals and recite facts about them before the subtitles had a chance to appear.
After the movie, we had errands to run. We stopped at the Nike outlet first, where Monica needed to exchange some items she bought earlier in her stay. All of the kids did really well, browsing, trying on shoes, and posing for pictures. Next, we crossed the parking lot to Costco. All things considered, the Costco trip went well, but I confess: it was exhausting for me to keep track of four kids; explain the contents of every sample to Monica, Maria, and Michel; manage conversations among seven of us in two languages; keep the kids in the same aisle; and still remember the items on my list! It took way longer than I had anticipated, skewing our lunch and afternoon schedule, but everyone rolled with the changes.
We bought gas at Costco before heading home. I was surprised when Maria asked if they should get out of the car while I filled the tank. Monica clarified that in Colombia, vehicles are either powered by gasoline or by natural gas. Because of the risk of explosion (albeit rare), passengers do not remain in the car while fueling with natural gas. I was impressed that Maria was conscientious enough to ask and be prepared to leave the van if necessary. I was also grateful that we did not have to unload four tired, hungry kids at the gas station.
When we finally made it home from our errands, Maria, Michel, and Monica cooked lunch together. They made a variation upon yesterday's eggs, a scrambled egg-style meal. (The boys opted for their old standby sandwiches.) Monica was in charge of the super-finely diced tomatoes. I still think the blender would be easier and have the same effect...although it does make more dishes to clean up. The girls and their chaperone seemed to really enjoy spending time in the kitchen together.
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| Can't see many large chunks of vegetables here! |
The kids all played out front after swimming while waiting for Maria's host mother to pick her up after work. Maria bicycled until she had to leave, but Michel chose to ride the scooter and play basketball and soccer, rather than attempt the bike while Maria was still here. She did practice riding with Mike later in the evening, without the pressure of an audience. Her resilience and perseverance - even after a rather traumatic fall last night - continue to amaze me.
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