Our children are bringing us greater joy every day! But let me start with last night. Annie, our 6 week old baby, slept right through the night. She slept from a little after 8pm until just before 6am. Wow! Yet, as we look at her we can’t help feel a little sadness. Already, it would seem, she is out of the newborn stage. Our baby is getting bigger. We keep on asking ourselves why it has to happen.
Annie has been overflowing with smiles in the past week. A couple of weeks ago the smiles were more reflexes due to wind, discomfort, or perhaps feeling good. Now her smiles are purposeful, wide and heart-melting. I’ll try and get a photo and include it in the next blog.
Our little Ella is a bundle of energy. She hates going to bed, and endlessly wants to run, jump, scream and shout. “Play” is her favourite word! She’s also pretty good with “Pleeeeease” when she wants to play and Daddy is too busy. Hard to resist when she pleads with just the right amount of cheeky smile on her face. No one loves cuddles (she calls them “cuggles”) like Ella.
Abbie is the sweetest, most tender girl. She told us this week that because she’s nearly a big girl there won’t be any more sooky whining and whinging. Abbie loves cooking in the kitchen with Kylie, and can crack eggs like a pro. And she and Ella regularly fight over who will set the dinner table.
Chanel is growing so fast! Too fast. She is increasingly adult-like in her words and actions, yet she is so small and immature and young. It is incredible to watch her grow. Loves swimming, reading and doing! In fact, we call her the events co-ordinator. It is remarkable, how efficiently she can arrange who she’s visiting, where and when. Chanel is putting a calendar together with all of her friends’ birthdays just so she can be more organised. I think there’s a Karen Coulson gene in there exerting some influence.
Chanel turns eight on Thursday, and Abbie will be five. Both girls are tremendously excited, and anxious for their big day. Abbie will have a party with friends on the day. Chanel will have her celebration on Saturday the 27th with her baptism and the ensuing gathering of family and friends.
During the week we enjoyed a visit from Mum, Dad, Rachel and Leah. They came up for a holiday at Kingscliffe, and visited our family to celebrate Kylie’s birthday and my birthday. We ate Chinese. Yum. As usual, Mum ordered enough to feed far more of us than necessary, and so we ate Chinese the next day, and the next. Oh, and we ate Cherry Ripe Cheesecake. That was pretty good too.
I have experienced the joy of wonderful relief this week. I finally completed my thesis. It was titled, “An Investigation into the Impact of Praise on Theories of Intelligence and Goal Orientation.” All told, it fills 103 pages. It’s big. I will hand it in today (Monday). It feels so good to have it completed. The feeling is great. I just hope it garners a high grade.
On Saturday, to celebrate the completed milestone of my thesis, I went swimming. I’ve decided to get involved with Squad Swimming again. The only problem is, I haven’t swum for years – and years! In fact, I haven’t done anything for my fitness for longer than I can honestly recall. I couldn’t complete the session, but it felt great to be back in the water. I’m sure that with practice I’ll find my fitness again.
When I returned from swimming, I took to the barbeque. It was cleaning day. Hmmmm. I scrubbed that bbq for nearly four hours. My muscles still have not recovered. They haven’t had such a workout for years. The bbq was a mess, but it came up looking great. I had to throw away all the plates, burners and internal pieces and start again. $350 later the bbq looks like new. I can’t wait to cook on it. And to look at it, there’s no doubt all the hard work was worth it.
Kylie has been frantically working on church assignments. She completed a major event for about 30 or 40 women last week. By all reports it went extremely well. Now it’s preparation time for major events for Abbie and Chanel! I’m sure Kylie will have plenty more to work on when that’s done too. What a talent!
As for me, this Saturday I’ll be presenting a workshop for parents. I start preparing that today, and then practice like crazy all week. It’s for the Australian Family Association Qld State Conference at Parliament House in Brisbane. Then I have another major assignment due the following Wednesday which I really need to finish this week too. After that, exam time, and then… graduation. Lots to do between now and then. But it will be nice to finish!
No comments:
Post a Comment