Treading Rougher Waters

Yes, we are revisiting the grieving times of the early days when Penny first arrived home. She's been crabbier, moodier and whining more, again. I can't blame it completely on the hormones. I think it's more about hitting that middle stage of culture shock when you get angry about all of the things you miss and that you don't like and can't change about your new world. I usually had that in the middle of each year I was in Japan. And then I was an adult vs. an impulsive teenager. So, although I understand what she's going through to a small degree it still is wearing to have your teenage daughter growling and yelling at you, "Mom, don't teach me!" and "Mom no love me!" This after a full day of preschoolers sucking the life out of me. I'm definitely feeling stressed. It didn't help that once again she failed to pass on a note from her teacher about the school changing the rehearsal for the talent show. I found this out this morning just before going to work. Somehow I had to suddenly try to get a hold of all of the friends that I had rearranged schedules with in order to pick her up after her supposed rehearsal for today. So, that's why she called me at work yesterday afternoon asking me to bring her her instrument! I'm just trusting that someday there will be better communication and less demanding to go back to Udon.