Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Woman Versus Tent

You don't have to know me for more than, say, thirty minutes, to figure out that I am NOT mechanically inclined. And being married to a mechanical engineer who has an innate mastery of all things, well, mechanical has only spoiled me out of developing any spark of such ability that may have been latent in my childhood. So, when my kids ask me to do something like erect a tent in their room, it is with considerable gritting of teeth than I bend (literally) to the task at hand.

I have the distinct feeling that a hidden camera recording of me spending half an hour wrestling a pop-up tent into the small space not taken up by their bunk bed and toys might well be posted on America's Funniest Home Videos -- or, I suppose, the 21st-century equivalent, YouTube. It'd be like that Miss South Carolina video that was being bandied about as a shocking example of beauty without brains (apparently I'm deficient in both).

Happily, the tent is NOW up, I'm about to reward myself with chocolate, and all three kids are gleefully romping about. Was it worth it? Well, I'm sitting here in a quiet, peaceful room writing this, am I not?

Oh, and by the way, about the Korean child. We were all set to host a fourth-grader for two months, for reasons of broadening our kids' cultural horizons. And, um, okay, there was money involved. This was through the tutoring center where I work one afternoon a week. But we just found out two days ago that he will NOT be arriving tomorrow after all, since his parents objected to the fact that we had younger children. So, all our painting and remodeling and whatnot need not have happened ... but then again, the girls are excited about their "new" room, and there was major decluttering going on, so that's all good. And we're disappointed, but also, to be very honest, at peace with the fact that it was just not God's timing for us to do this, for reasons we may never know. Maybe when Ian's a little older ...

OK my time is up! I'm being summoned to see something "truly amazing!"

2 comments:

Jenny said...

I'm confused why someone would object to younger children being in your home? Odd.

Ah, well, enjoy the fruits of your labor anyway...the newly painted room sounds nice! Can we see a photo?? ;)

Hannah said...

Apparently they thought a 2-year gap in age between their son and Ian was too great -- he (their child) wouldn't have a playmate. They also thought that since we have two younger children, their child wouldn't get enough attention. They were told by the woman I work for, who also does the matching, that we were a "very nice family" and it was a "very good environment" but apparently they still weren't okay with it. Oh well!