Mama said...

I knew I would have days like this. Days where the thought of living in a foreign country for the next 3 years doesn't sound as fun and exciting as it did the day before. I knew I'd go through withdrawals of the way it is in the states and start envisioning the PCS home. It just seemed like my 'new life' was out to get me today and it reminded me at all times possible that I had no control over it.

First was the crack of dawn wake up of Alex because we have no curtains to block the sunrise. If the sun is peeking, so is Alex.

Second was the waking of Cade because the walls in the apartment itself aren't very soundproof. Alex wakes up = Cade wakes up. But Cade had a surprise for me first thing in the morning; poop in his pants. This would happen a total of 3 times today.

Now let's remember at this point that Dan has been on TDY since Tuesday and gets home tomorrow. It is Sunday, which means I either succomb to the temptation of avoiding the mass transit to church, or I brave it.

I braved it.

I even thought I'd go early and go to choir!

I guess I tempted the fates of my 'new life' a litte too much with my confidence that she had to rub it in a little.

The 20 minute walk to the train station, which literally is up hill all the way, was filled with whines, shoes falling off, songs to try and counteract the whines, and more whines.

The 30 minute-ish subway ride (for which there is no schedule, the just come every 10-15 minutes, so you never know how long you'll wait for your train) ended up making me spend money on the Sabbath b/c there wasn't enough money on my transit card.

This is also the time where my children become a spectacle, especially since they were dressed in ties and white shirts for church. The Korean people fawn over them and I really try hard to have the kids interact so as not to be rude. I've taught Cade how to say hello in Korean "anyang-ah-sayo" so that makes them all smile. It's still something I haven't quite adjusted to and I never feel like I can drop my gaurd when we're out in public. Someone is constantly trying to get my kid's attention and it's overwhelming.

After one transfer and a bunch more stops we arrived at the stop for church upon which i exited at the wrong point. This put me on the wrong side of the street and about a block further away than i needed to be. (mind you cade is walking this whole time and alex is only in the umbrella stroller once we've finished our subway commute and are back on the surface of Seoul)

We finally make it to church at 11:20. We left at 10:00. We're all sweaty, exhausted and hungry. So i give the kids their favorite snack and head up on the stand to sing with the choir. The boys come and sit a few rows behind me and I figured as long as they were being good, no harm, right? WRONG

THESE cute little snacks

WERE SMASHED EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!

At that point I had to leave the choir practice for which we had worked so hard to get to, clean up the mess and find Alex who had disappeared. He had made it into the elevator. (The church is 4 stories)

The 'peace' continued all through sacrament, and I've never been so glad to drop them off in Primary and Nursery. There was a linger longer after church that I was intending to stay at, but after sitting at the tables for 10 minutes with Cade hitting Alex and Alex being so tired that he's wired (church is from 12-3 and remember we left at 10. This = no nap), we left for the 1 hour+ journey home.

Even at home the chaos and tempers didn't stop until the kids were asleep.

*sigh*

I just keep telling myself that it will get better. I mean, it has to. Right now we have none of our belongings, no car, and no husband and daddy. We've been lucky at the School of Music because he worked 7-4, Mon-Fri. Now it will be tours about every month for a week or so. We all knew it was coming but it still stings once it gets here. We're really in the Army now, and 'mama said there'd be days like this'.

So all of you back in the states, I remember how hard Sundays were even though the drive was only 10 minutes, but enjoy some American things for my sake. Maybe my 'new life' won't pester me so much if you do. :)

2 comments:

Debi said...

All I can say is hang in there! What a day! If it happens though you know it will be on Sunday. Satan doesn't work in very mysterious ways. He tries to make it hard on us especially when we are trying to be good. This too shall pass! But again there will be days like this again and we will remind ourselves that tomorrow will be better. Love Debi

Kami D. said...

Laura...you are a very brave soul. Good Luck!

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