I Can't Be that Patient!

Every parent of an almost-four-year-old has probably heard that phrase a million times. Today's refrain came after we had some good news - our shipment will arrive on Wednesday! It's been in the port here in Manila since April 30, and the Customs Bureau and Department of Finance of the Philippines have finally decided to agree with the decision the Department of Foreign Affairs came to four weeks ago: we are, indeed, diplomats accredited to Manila and thus allowed to receive our household effects duty free.

We had expected the shipment tomorrow, actually, but by the time the final OK came, the shipping company was already booked. Boo. So we have to wait to Wednesday for the shipping crew to be free.

I broke the news to William and when we counted out six fingers as the number of days until his Thomas Couple Trains (the battery powered ones) and his toy tools come, he just lost it, crying "I can't be that patient!"

I told myself at work today, when I heard the news of the delay that, what's the difference? I packed out December 27, 2010. Another 6 days on top of 5.5 months isn't that big a deal. But I realized tonight, that such conceptions of time are still beyond Wm's scope - anything that's further away from the day after tomorrow might as well be months or years away.

Plus, if you're only almost-four, and the majority of your toys have been packed up since you were three and a half, that means you've been missing your toys for 1/8 of your entire life! And about 1/4 of the life that he quasi-remembers. No small potatoes.

We're headed to the beach this weekend, so hopefully that will be some distraction while we all try to be a little more patient.