We are finishing up week 5 with Catherin and while in some instances it is getting a lot easier, in others it is 100 times harder.  As with most children the more comfortable they get the more their little natures come out and you’re facing an uphill battle for your sanity.

A couple of weeks ago we were told Catherin had been having some conversations about a “mature” subject. Miss Audrey (Chinese teacher who came with Catherin) told another host mom (her child was also  involved in the conversation) and the host mom told me. I was heartsick.

The very next day in Sunday School we had the teacher separate Catherin and this other little girl because that’s what you do when your child and a friend can’t behave in class. So instead of talking and leaving the class, they wrote notes. Notes that I got from the teacher. Of course they were in Chinese. I took them to school the next day and asked Miss Betty (another Chinese teacher who came with the group) what they said. One was okay, just about the talent show and dresses the night before. The other one, all she would say was “This is bad. Very, very bad.” And she kept both notes saying she would talk to Catherin. She also suggested Catherin stay with us on Sundays.

So last week Catherin went to Sunday School with Mr. FullCup in an adult class.  We finally had a Sunday that was almost without mishap. And really the mishap was so minor as to not even be mentioned.

Monday Catherin had homework she needed the computer for. My computer was down for the count and out of commission. (It is since been revived thankyouverymuch) Mr. FullCup took her to his office at the radio station and she did her homework there.

Tuesday, Catherin told both Mr. FullCup and myself that she had no homework. I thought it a little odd since I had received an email from one of the teachers (American) about homework. I am wondering now if Catherin either really isn’t getting homework or maybe the email was for the host parents of Chinese students in that class. (The email came from the 8th grade teacher.) The email said the first two weeks were to get the students acclimated to the class structure and homework would be starting in earnest.  I will need to check and see. Catherin is not in the 8th grade class so you can see my confusion.

Wednesday Ariana tells Catherin we have AWANA that night. “I don’t like AWANA!” She whined and yelled repeatedly. Not long after she comes out to me and asks if we are going anywhere that night. “Yes, Catherin, we have AWANA.”
“But I can’t go. I have homework from yesterday.”
Apparently she had homework on Tuesday. Since she didn’t do it on Tuesday, claiming she had no homework she thought she would it Wednesday to get out of AWANA. Oh and did I mention she had told both Mr. FullCup and myself on Wednesday afternoon she had no homework? Yeah.  Needless to say we didn’t cancel our plans for the evening. Catherin went to school with homework that was undone.

Thursday was a crazy day. After we dropped Catherin off at school the girls and I headed on a roadtrip to Sams. We spent the morning traveling and shopping. Catherin had piano lessons at 5:30 and at 6 we had a banquet for Mr. FullCup’s work. It was a good thing there wasn’t school on Friday since we didn’t get home from that until 10.

Friday we all slept in. Well all except Mr. FullCup who still had to be at work at 7am.  We took a trip to Target and then to the radio station for lunch…leftovers from the banquet. Yum!!

That was the highlight of my Friday. You know, teenagers have the reputation of thinking their parents are rather ignorant? Catherin has that attitude already and she’s only 11.

“Oh! What is that?”
“That is a rabbit.”
“Oh! I love it.” Pause “That is not a rabbit.”
“Yes, Catherin, that is a rabbit.”
“No, it is NOT a rabbit. It’s too big.”
“Catherin, it is a rabbit.”
“NO IT IS NOT A RABBIT!”
At that point I called Mr. FullCup from the back of the house to tell Catherin it was indeed a rabbit. Funny. She believed him.

I am learning there are basically three character traits that can drive me from cool and collected to angry-angry in 0.003 seconds flat. Lying. Rude. And a “know-it-all” attitude.

What is very sad is Catherin has all of these character traits in spades. You might want to step up the prayers for me. And for her.

Now we’re screaming into 第6周 (week 6)