A Friday Fiasco

It's not Friday the 13th, but it's Lola's 13th week, so maybe that has something to do with the craziness around here today.

Today was just one of those days.

Max had a little "graduation" ceremony at his school. Just like this post (and this post + video) last year. Again, much is lost in translation. I thought that maybe Max would be "graduating" since he is moving on to Canadian Academy next year, but he nor the other two who will also be enrolling in the Building Blocks Program received certificates. Only the kids who will be starting Japanese preschool (Japanese schools start in April) and will be leaving in the next two weeks received certificates.

First, I was the only one in jeans. I should have known better. I took a shower and actually blew dry my hair and put a half way decent outfit (read = clean, with no bodily fluids, no sweatpants). Japanese women dress to the nines, all the time. So, I should have just worn nice pants. One of my favorite past times is checking out what people are wearing on the train, I love scoping the shoes! Oh, well.

Second, Max has a bit of a cold and was coughing last night so he probably didn't get a fantastic night sleep. Again, I should have known better. I'm not making excuses, but he's just delicate sometimes.

Many parents showed up and the ceremony started and everything was fine. Max was sitting next to his friends and in the middle of the senseis giving out the certificates and saying something nice about each one of the students, when WHA-BWAM! Max falls back in his chair and hits it head (yes, again). Let me just say. This was it. He cried and cried and cried... while all those other nice parents were trying to film their kids as they received their certificates.

Then, each of the groups of kids had a little song/skit that they performed for the parents. Max was super into this last year and bounced through the whole thing... Today, he recovered a bit and got on his mouse ears, but fell to pieces again. This time we were in the side room where they were getting ready, and this is where we stayed with Lola strapped to me and him sobbing in my arms. *I would have left at this point, but I left my purse with my house keys in the main room next to all the other parents and Max wouldn't let me leave his side*

We got it together again, then he fell apart again and I ushered him out of the room, again. Then I returned FOR... a little speech each parent had to give about the growth of their child this past year and our feelings about Yume Club. I was the only one in the room who couldn't' speak Japanese, luckily a colleague was there to help translate for me, but by this point I had had it, so it was short and sweet and not too heartfelt. I wasn't there to hear most of the other parents, nor could I have understood them. The couple after me were getting all teary eyed, so I know I should have said more - like how lovely we think they are and how we know that Max is so loved, even though we can't communicate too well and how Yume Club is one of the best things about us living here and how they were amazing when Maximo was struggling with transitioning, but... that didn't happen.

Max kept it together for the luncheon that all the parents and kids went to at a nearby restaurant, but I was exhausted at this point. We had a nice lunch then headed home. He continued to be high maintenance all afternoon, so much so, that somehow I didn't feel the GINORMOUS earthquake that hit northeast Japan this afternoon and sent John into two duck and covers with his students at school.

Seeing the tsunamis and earthquake footage in the north of Japan, makes me realize that things could be much worse. But, it's been a tiresome LONG day and I'm ready for bed.

He was ready to perform- but then lost it soon after.

Getting ready for lunch

The Kiddie Meal

Lola's Photo Friday Outtakes: