Sam's been off school since last Tuesday and today and tomorrow are holidays. If you are counting, this is an 11 day stretch in which he will have gone to school just once, so we are all pretty much going crazy here.
For Sam, however, it's been a magical stretch of museums, family outings, surprises, and new video adventures. We've done several park trips, visits to the Astronomy and National Science Museums on successive days, various shopping trips, etc. Today he went to with the neighbors' boys to a climbing wall and then to lunch.
I'm still having trouble finding my feet with the start of the semester. I don't know why, but this term has been off to a rocky beginning. I think it's partly just because I'm teaching a lot more and also because I'm aware of how things I hoped will change probably will not change much. And we're also excited about the trip home. My dad has an image about departing pastors "shooting out the window," a metaphor for unloading as you leave a place. The truth is I really like Taiwan a lot, but there are periods that can seem trying. I know most of it is still situational. Emily was already low on sleep and the babies have been terrible. Now I'm up in the middle of the night. I have a cold. Eli is teething. You add it all together and it doesn't lend itself to reasoned analysis.
Otherwise things are coming. Emily and I are both 95% of the way to projects that should be done but are lingering. I'm hoping that the rest of this week goes a bit more smoothly.
I'll try to post some pictures of our exuberant children soon. The science museum was a little stressful for us, but I got some truly wonderful pictures. I do feel lucky to be around such great activities the little ones.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Blog Break
I just realized that it's been two weeks since I posted last. This is most just a consequence of grading and other business. These are pretty hectic weeks, as we get ready to start the new semester, finish up from the last, continue to move on projects, etc., etc. I'm feeling pretty good about classes this semester, but I also know that I have a way to go in figuring things out.
I also struggle with grading. This semester I graded probably 40% of the papers. I did a good job, I dealt with some hard issues, and I'm fairly glad I did it, but down the road I may have to turn more of it over to a native speaker. This coming semester I have three classes with sizes of 15, 28, and 34, so that's a lot more essays to grade.
Emily seems like she made decent progress this week. She's coming along on her dissertation and I hope she can defend the proposal in the next month or two.
Sam is very cute. We went to a conference at a church today and he had a blast playing with all the new toys in the playroom. Emily also took them all to the park. A tiring Saturday, but better than many others. It was a happy day for me because I saw a lot of familiar faces that I don't often see on campus.
Eva is really walking now. She's also more vocal. She "sings" when I sing and can make more sounds. Eli's talking nearly non-stop, although still mostly his own language. They are both moving really well also. Still toddlers, but much smoother. Eli can open the front door (!) and the kitchen door.
I'm 99% over one of the worst colds I ever had. It's still in my nose, but has vacated sinuses and throat. Weather has been really funny lately. Some very beautiful days interspersed among the cold and damp.
I'll try to post some more fun posts in the week ahead, but it may be next weekend.
I also struggle with grading. This semester I graded probably 40% of the papers. I did a good job, I dealt with some hard issues, and I'm fairly glad I did it, but down the road I may have to turn more of it over to a native speaker. This coming semester I have three classes with sizes of 15, 28, and 34, so that's a lot more essays to grade.
Emily seems like she made decent progress this week. She's coming along on her dissertation and I hope she can defend the proposal in the next month or two.
Sam is very cute. We went to a conference at a church today and he had a blast playing with all the new toys in the playroom. Emily also took them all to the park. A tiring Saturday, but better than many others. It was a happy day for me because I saw a lot of familiar faces that I don't often see on campus.
Eva is really walking now. She's also more vocal. She "sings" when I sing and can make more sounds. Eli's talking nearly non-stop, although still mostly his own language. They are both moving really well also. Still toddlers, but much smoother. Eli can open the front door (!) and the kitchen door.
I'm 99% over one of the worst colds I ever had. It's still in my nose, but has vacated sinuses and throat. Weather has been really funny lately. Some very beautiful days interspersed among the cold and damp.
I'll try to post some more fun posts in the week ahead, but it may be next weekend.
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