Okay, I survived. I'm alive! Ha ha ha. Now originally, I had hoped and planned to have an absolute blast at home. Make the most of our time alone. Noah's and mine. I didn't want to have any worries. But again. Sometimes you can never tell how things will play out in the end, you know what I mean? Last night turned out better, after I posted my "missing my son post" lol. I had gotten it off my chest, felt much better just saying it and getting it out of my system versus bottling it up. I really don't like things to fester and bottle up anyways. I much prefer get it out and over with. Ha ha ha. So, yeah, I felt much better just typing it all out. After that, I did have myself a cup of hot caramel machiatto. And a toasted English muffin with margarine. I channel surfed for about an hour. Watched TV and found myself dozing off on the couch. I went up stairs and I slept hugging Noah-chan. I did get a pretty good night sleep after all. All the worry must have made me exhausted or, I don't know what. Ha ha ha. I slept like a rock. I woke up at 7:00 am. I am not sure why I woke up so early exactly. I hate mornings with a passion. Could be because I knew I could wake up and get ready to pick up B. So, I woke up. Had yet another hot coffee, checked a emails. Emailed back to everyone. Noboru came home. And in an hour we left.
We arrived 15 minutes early and nearly 80% of the families were already there as well. We all gathered in a circle and asked each other how we all were. Every mother had admitted they cried at some point since they left yesterday, even just a little bit. I admitted, I cried too. Then we all asked. Did you sleep well? How did every one's night go? Everyone said funny stories about how sad or how badly their nights were. I felt so so *so* relieved. Nice to be among friends who admitted they felt the same. Noboru told them all how sad, I was last night. I told them myself how, when Noboru went to work and with Branden gone, my house felt so lonely, so quiet. I was so sad. We were all shaking ours heads in agreement and laughing. These were laughs of relief now, because we knew it was over with. Our kids were coming out of the building at any minute at this point. One older sister, told us all really loudly "my mom was so sad last night without my brother" Ha ha ha. We had all survived. We all stuck it out. Yes, it was hard on all of us. I hoped like heck, it was going to be a piece of cake, and it wasn't! Ugh, just glad it's over with! Ha ha ha! : ) But it was very comforting that we all were feeling pretty much the same thing.
We saw them first walking from the big window upstairs, all us parents were on the outside of the building. I looked at that window hoping to get a glance or glimpse of my son. White shirt, (thinking), "yup I packed that" yellow backpack yup it is him!!! When I saw him from the window on the second floor, I was so happy. I was waving. He waved back. Oh, what utter glee! Insert happy dance! All the other parents were also waving at their kids happily. All the kids were waving back. I was so happy. I was thinking "Hot diggity dog, that's my son"!!! And about 1 minute later they all came out the door. I wanted to do one of those. You know.....one of those slow motion runs of embrace, lol, (hey I never said I wasn't a dork here)! The kind you see in the movies. Ha ha ha. But forget that. The teachers shouted, "all kids must stand in a neat line" (ala Madeleine) "and they will call each child's name one by one and then you come and collect you're kid." Now in a way, I wanted to just grab my kid and run for the hills. Just leave. Screw the waiting in line stuff! LOL just kidding. But, of course I didn't. I was actually on such a natural high by just seeing my son. I didn't mind waiting. So, I waited patiently. Lucky for me, it didn't take too long and he was sorta at the front of the line. Phew! : )
They all got these little paper signs, certificates around their necks. That said, "you did really well on your overnight trip" I will be saving this sign in my yochien artwork box. We can look at this and laugh years from now. "The night mommy nearly didn't survive without him." Meanwhile he was just fine! Ha ha ha! Oh yeah, what a laugh, we'll get out of this in a few years!
I had asked Branden if any of the kids were sad or if anyone cried. He said he thought many of the kids were sad at certain points, but nobody cried at all. I asked Branden. Did you miss me or were you okay? He said, "yes he was most sad when he was on the bus and then again when the teacher all read them their book before bed time." That's when he missed me most, but he also told me, he mostly had fun, fun, fun. And I was really glad! So all in all. What do I think about this? : ) I think the kids absolutely missed their parents for sure, no doubt. I know Branden missed me twice, like he said. But I think it was actually worse for us as parents. It was especially hardest on us moms. It's certainly not a walk in the park, that's for sure. There's a love there. A bond there of course, so no doubt, it's tough. So, one of these days I might have one of my foreign gal pals who goes through this very same thing and I'm just going to say (if she asks of course, though I am no expert but I'll share and say something like this), "just do the best you can, that's all anyone could ever ask, you know : ). Try to have a good night without your kid. Key word being *try* of course. But it's tough. It's tougher then I certainly had hoped. But you will get through it, yes, even if just barely and by the skins of your teeth, you will make it (I was really worried if I was going to make it, myself last night in fact, but I did)". And I'd give her a hug for support. Sigh. It really was hard, you guys! I'm so glad Branden's is over with. Oh man....I am so glad! Ha ha ha! : )
Branden was fourth from the beginning of the line. He ran to me right away and gave me a hug. The relief on all us parents, faces. Man, it looked like we all just got "botox" or something! His teacher told us, Branden did really well. And since we told her we were worried about the food and if he would be able to sleep well. She told us, he ate very good! All the foods, he didn't like, he just didn't eat and all the food he liked, they gave him more of those. Ha ha ha. And she said, he said "the food was delicious/oishii" (sp?) and she said he slept well and basically had a great time. There were no men allowed on the trip. And we only have women teachers at our school anyway except the gym teacher. And he wasn't invited. I asked Branden which teacher washed the kids. B said the lady teachers washed all the boys in the sento, but the lady teachers were all fully dressed! Ha ha ha! We all got into the car, and on the way home we stopped off at Coco's restaurant around 11:00 am for brunch. I had the french toast and some hot coffee. Noboru told me I looked about a million times more relaxed and happy. I said, absolutely. Now things are back to normal, and the way things should be. I can finally exhale. Phew! All is right in the world, once again at our house.
Anyway, I just wanted to post this real quick before I go and thoroughly enjoy my day and weekend with my 2 wonderful sons! Have a great weekend everyone! : )
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