I know the main question everyone wants an answer to. Has Kylie had the baby?
No.
Our due date is still ten days away (29th August), so we patiently wait. We still don’t know if we are having a boy or a girl. The anticipation and suspense is excruciating! But we are really excited, and I’m sure it won’t be long.
Chanel’s preferred names for the baby are Ryan or Lucy. Abbie likes Christopher and Shella. Ella has suggested Peter and Barbie doll. Kylie and I really have no idea what we’ll call a little girl. You’d think that after nine months we would have figured it out! If we have a boy he will be Christopher William, after his two grandfathers.
Kylie is doing really well. She is a little sore and uncomfortable. It is very unlikely that we will be doing this again! And the way that Kylie has looked after the family and our home in the past couple of weeks while I have buried myself in uni work has been amazing. I am so grateful for her.
Wednesday was a public holiday in Brisbane for the show. Unfortunately the children were sick, and have been for most of the week. We tried our best to give them a good time but they were more interested in whining and picking on each other and depleting the psychological and physical capacity of Kylie and I. It was tough! Ella was cute though. She was bitten badly by a green ant and was obviously upset by it. As I carried her home on my shoulders she began calmly saying, “Ow… ow… ow… ow… ow” every two seconds. Very funny, but she was in a lot of pain.
It seems that today the children are finally out of the woods with their sickness. Fingers crossed, because it is no fun when they’re they way they have been.
Chanel is having her baptism on the 27th of October. Today she began planning. She is really excited about it. We call her the “events coordinator”. Nobody loves to make arrangements like Chanel. She is always trying to organise play time with friends, and often telling us what she has arranged with other parents without checking with us first! It keeps us on our toes. But we love her enthusiasm and forward thinking. Chanel will be a force to be reckoned with as she gets older!
Chanel has recently done her school spell-a-thon. This year she personally raised over $250! All by herself. We encouraged her to set a goal, but she did the rest. She solicited sponsorships, she followed up to get the money. It has been incredible to watch. When she was at $220 we thought she had exhausted her money raising avenues. But she found a way to reach her goal. Amazing!
Decision time is looming for me. In about 10 weeks I finish my degree. I still cannot decide what to do next year. The Ph.D. is beckoning. It is certainly the harder road to take. Three more years of study. However I believe that it may be the better road. The credibility it offers is immeasurable. My family is still young enough for me to do it, and it will only get harder over time. On the flip-side, work is going really well. I love the job I have, and I have a few bookings coming up for speaking and workshops for parents which really excite me. I think I’ll put this decision off as long as I can.
Once again it has been an enormous week at university. I came home between 9 and 11 pm every night. Long hours, since I am there by 7.30 each morning. On Friday afternoon I decided to have an early mark and left at 4.30pm. I felt like a naughty kid sneaking off. But my productivity has been through the roof, and the long hours are over for now. Lots of work is done, and good progress is being made.
I had one experience this week while I was testing participants for my experiment that was a real highlight. At the completion of the experiment I began to explain to this particular participant what the experiment was really all about and how it was applicable to our lives. As I did so, she began to realise that the things she had said in her responses during the experiment indicated some things about her that she did not like. We were able to talk about it for quite a while and she left feeling like she could be a much better person as a result of doing my study. It felt terrific. I won’t bore you with the details of the study right now. Perhaps in a later blog in a few weeks once I have calculated all of my results. But it was a really great experience.
Our lives continue to show that we are blessed beyond deserving. Our beautiful family is healthy (again) and happy (especially Abbie). We have loads of great things to look forward to in the coming days and weeks, and I’ll update you again next week.
Sunday, 19 August 2007
Sunday, 12 August 2007
Refuel: An Important Lesson
This week has been amazing!
But before I talk about my week, I know that most people checking in on the family are mostly interested in Kylie.
We are still waiting! Kylie hopes that Saturday the 18th will be the day (as it is my dad's birthday). However, the due date is about ten days after that. But boy, is it getting close. Kylie is beginning to feel uncomfortable. The baby is quite active and it is always a thrill to hold Kylie's belly and feel the baby move. This morning Kylie reported her first contractions. So her body is obviously getting things ready. How exciting!
We do not have the slightest clue as to whether the baby is a boy or a girl. We still struggle to decide on a girl's name.
I've averaged 14 hour days (and more) at uni to get work done efficiently. In so doing I have completed ALL assessment for one of my subjects (Educational Psychology). It is only the end of week three, which means that I am ten weeks ahead in that subject. I have also been running experiments all day every day and have over 50 people that I have studied now. I can only see them one at a time, which means that I have spent 50 hours doing one-on-one research. It's going well.
I was telling Mat S. about my experimentation. He was quite funny in his response.
"You're experimenting on real people?"
I have about another 30-40 people to run through my experiment and then it will be time to analyse my results. Most of those will be tested this week, although a few later participants will filter through the following week. I cannot imagine committing to any more testing after that due to baby commitments.
This week will also be another big week from a study perspective. I anticipate one final week of late nights at uni. That will take care of one more major assignment, leaving me with my thesis (which is BIG) and an extra one assignment to have completed my entire degree. Ten weeks until it's finished. I am hoping that I can complete the remainder of that work in the daytime without too much of the pain associated with not being home with the family.
In many ways I'm quite sad that it is nearly over. I have enjoyed the process so much, and feel that the past four or five years being back at school have been wonderful growing and learning opportunities, not just academically, but with my family too.
But the long hours of the past week or two have taken their toll, and I have enjoyed the weekend and the opportunity it has been to refuel and rejuvenate. In fact, doing consistent 14-15 hours a day is not a healthy way to live. It is easy to see what happens if we don't take time to refuel.
I had one of the funniest things I can recall happening to me occur during the week. I was running late for uni on Friday morning. As I got on my little motorbike to ride in I saw that the fuel light was flashing. I knew that I would have enough to get there, and since I was late I decided I would refuel on the way home. By the time I left it was 10pm. I had just completed my essay and it felt fantastic.
As I got onto the bike to come home I remembered the light flashing. I travelled to the end of the road that the university sits on and saw a petrol station. Mentally I mapped the route home and determined that even though I was low on fuel. there were three more petrol stations on the way home. I would stop at another one. The first of these was only around the corner from the one I had just passed, so I kept riding. The second of these was another 3km closer to the city. As I approached that petrol station I noted the high price of fuel. It was at least 3 cents dearer than the others had been. My bike only holds 5 litres, so I was choosing to push through to the third station to save 15 cents!
By this time I was only a kilometre from the city. The expressway is on the western perimeter of the city next to the river. In order to get home I get onto the expressway, go over the bridge (which has no footpath or breakdown lane, not even a shoulder) and take the first exit to drive past the Gabba cricket ground. The petrol station is about a kilometre further down the road.
As I rode past the expensive petrol station I considered what might happen if I didn't get across the bridge. I could not pull over, I could not push my bike across the expressway for 2 kilometres while cars roared past at 10pm on a Friday night. I considered turning back, but changed my mind.
As I merged onto the expressway I looked confidently forward. Until... the bike stalled. Oh no! It revved back to life and I continued. It stalled again! This time I looked for an exit before the bridge. The last chance was coming up in 50 metres on my left. I put my indicator on and turned off the expressway into the city. As I rode down the off-ramp, the bike stopped. Oh no! So here I was, at 10:15 on a Friday night, after a huge day, out of petrol 10 klms from home.
My mobile phone battery was dead too! I sent Kylie a text but was certain she would be in bed. Then I weighed my options. It was at least three kilometres back to the last petrol station I had passed. I had another option in another direction but even further, and up hill. Or I could try and get across the river to my original goal, about 3 klms away. I chose the latter and began to push the bike. It was hard going. It's only a small bike, but as I pushed past parliament house and QUT, then over the "Goodwill" footbridge (past the policemen who thought I looked a little strange), through Southbank, up the hill past the Mater Hospital, down past the Gabba, and into the petrol station, I worked up quite a sweat for a winter's night! Putting the fuel in was a relief. And I considered the importance of taking the time to refuel in so many ways.
That wasn't the end of the adventure however. A fuel tank that runs dry need to be primed to get the fuel back through. I had no idea how to do this and after 5 minutes of burning out the started motor but not having any success I was becoming concerned. When I asked the female attendant if she had any ideas she responded, "I'm a girl". I figured it was a long-shot. Finally, I looked heavenward. I prayed for help. I heard a response. I had a powerfully strong impression to lie the bike on its side. So I did. I pushed the ignition and the 50cc's roared (as much as 50cc's can roar) into life. I was on my way again. I glanced heavenward, laughing with joy and gratitude.
A few notes about the children.
I watched Chanel play netball yesterday morning. She had a great game. As centre, she covers an enormous amount of ground, runs hard, and demonstrates good ball skills. More than anything, she loves playing. It's loads of fun for her. There will only be two more games for the season. Then swimming starts! Chanel loves swimming.
Abbie is growing really nicely. She has been fairly quiet in recent weeks. But she brings joy into our family.
Ella cracks us up. While her speech is improving very slowly, it appears that she has found her voice. She loves to sing at the top of her lungs, and has begun dancing around the house frequently. She has also started waking up early and getting into our bed. Hmmm. When we take her back to bed she wakes up the whole house (at 5.30am). When we leave her there she sleeps but keeps Kylie and I awake.
But our children are healthy, and happy. And we have a lot to be grateful for.
Lastly, I have begun to rethink my plans for 2008. While my focus has been on building my business, I am beginning to lean towards more study. I have determined that I am not going to make any firm decisions. Instead, I'll investigate options more and seek advice from heaven. If I can be inspired to lie my bike on its side, I have faith that I can be advised as to which path to take next year.
But before I talk about my week, I know that most people checking in on the family are mostly interested in Kylie.
We are still waiting! Kylie hopes that Saturday the 18th will be the day (as it is my dad's birthday). However, the due date is about ten days after that. But boy, is it getting close. Kylie is beginning to feel uncomfortable. The baby is quite active and it is always a thrill to hold Kylie's belly and feel the baby move. This morning Kylie reported her first contractions. So her body is obviously getting things ready. How exciting!
We do not have the slightest clue as to whether the baby is a boy or a girl. We still struggle to decide on a girl's name.
I've averaged 14 hour days (and more) at uni to get work done efficiently. In so doing I have completed ALL assessment for one of my subjects (Educational Psychology). It is only the end of week three, which means that I am ten weeks ahead in that subject. I have also been running experiments all day every day and have over 50 people that I have studied now. I can only see them one at a time, which means that I have spent 50 hours doing one-on-one research. It's going well.
I was telling Mat S. about my experimentation. He was quite funny in his response.
"You're experimenting on real people?"
I have about another 30-40 people to run through my experiment and then it will be time to analyse my results. Most of those will be tested this week, although a few later participants will filter through the following week. I cannot imagine committing to any more testing after that due to baby commitments.
This week will also be another big week from a study perspective. I anticipate one final week of late nights at uni. That will take care of one more major assignment, leaving me with my thesis (which is BIG) and an extra one assignment to have completed my entire degree. Ten weeks until it's finished. I am hoping that I can complete the remainder of that work in the daytime without too much of the pain associated with not being home with the family.
In many ways I'm quite sad that it is nearly over. I have enjoyed the process so much, and feel that the past four or five years being back at school have been wonderful growing and learning opportunities, not just academically, but with my family too.
But the long hours of the past week or two have taken their toll, and I have enjoyed the weekend and the opportunity it has been to refuel and rejuvenate. In fact, doing consistent 14-15 hours a day is not a healthy way to live. It is easy to see what happens if we don't take time to refuel.
I had one of the funniest things I can recall happening to me occur during the week. I was running late for uni on Friday morning. As I got on my little motorbike to ride in I saw that the fuel light was flashing. I knew that I would have enough to get there, and since I was late I decided I would refuel on the way home. By the time I left it was 10pm. I had just completed my essay and it felt fantastic.
As I got onto the bike to come home I remembered the light flashing. I travelled to the end of the road that the university sits on and saw a petrol station. Mentally I mapped the route home and determined that even though I was low on fuel. there were three more petrol stations on the way home. I would stop at another one. The first of these was only around the corner from the one I had just passed, so I kept riding. The second of these was another 3km closer to the city. As I approached that petrol station I noted the high price of fuel. It was at least 3 cents dearer than the others had been. My bike only holds 5 litres, so I was choosing to push through to the third station to save 15 cents!
By this time I was only a kilometre from the city. The expressway is on the western perimeter of the city next to the river. In order to get home I get onto the expressway, go over the bridge (which has no footpath or breakdown lane, not even a shoulder) and take the first exit to drive past the Gabba cricket ground. The petrol station is about a kilometre further down the road.
As I rode past the expensive petrol station I considered what might happen if I didn't get across the bridge. I could not pull over, I could not push my bike across the expressway for 2 kilometres while cars roared past at 10pm on a Friday night. I considered turning back, but changed my mind.
As I merged onto the expressway I looked confidently forward. Until... the bike stalled. Oh no! It revved back to life and I continued. It stalled again! This time I looked for an exit before the bridge. The last chance was coming up in 50 metres on my left. I put my indicator on and turned off the expressway into the city. As I rode down the off-ramp, the bike stopped. Oh no! So here I was, at 10:15 on a Friday night, after a huge day, out of petrol 10 klms from home.
My mobile phone battery was dead too! I sent Kylie a text but was certain she would be in bed. Then I weighed my options. It was at least three kilometres back to the last petrol station I had passed. I had another option in another direction but even further, and up hill. Or I could try and get across the river to my original goal, about 3 klms away. I chose the latter and began to push the bike. It was hard going. It's only a small bike, but as I pushed past parliament house and QUT, then over the "Goodwill" footbridge (past the policemen who thought I looked a little strange), through Southbank, up the hill past the Mater Hospital, down past the Gabba, and into the petrol station, I worked up quite a sweat for a winter's night! Putting the fuel in was a relief. And I considered the importance of taking the time to refuel in so many ways.
That wasn't the end of the adventure however. A fuel tank that runs dry need to be primed to get the fuel back through. I had no idea how to do this and after 5 minutes of burning out the started motor but not having any success I was becoming concerned. When I asked the female attendant if she had any ideas she responded, "I'm a girl". I figured it was a long-shot. Finally, I looked heavenward. I prayed for help. I heard a response. I had a powerfully strong impression to lie the bike on its side. So I did. I pushed the ignition and the 50cc's roared (as much as 50cc's can roar) into life. I was on my way again. I glanced heavenward, laughing with joy and gratitude.
A few notes about the children.
I watched Chanel play netball yesterday morning. She had a great game. As centre, she covers an enormous amount of ground, runs hard, and demonstrates good ball skills. More than anything, she loves playing. It's loads of fun for her. There will only be two more games for the season. Then swimming starts! Chanel loves swimming.
Abbie is growing really nicely. She has been fairly quiet in recent weeks. But she brings joy into our family.
Ella cracks us up. While her speech is improving very slowly, it appears that she has found her voice. She loves to sing at the top of her lungs, and has begun dancing around the house frequently. She has also started waking up early and getting into our bed. Hmmm. When we take her back to bed she wakes up the whole house (at 5.30am). When we leave her there she sleeps but keeps Kylie and I awake.
But our children are healthy, and happy. And we have a lot to be grateful for.
Lastly, I have begun to rethink my plans for 2008. While my focus has been on building my business, I am beginning to lean towards more study. I have determined that I am not going to make any firm decisions. Instead, I'll investigate options more and seek advice from heaven. If I can be inspired to lie my bike on its side, I have faith that I can be advised as to which path to take next year.
Sunday, 5 August 2007
Not Enough Time
"Time-poor" seems to be the catch-all phrase used to describe the way we live our lives in the 21st century. I'm afraid the description may be aptly applied to our family at the moment. Things are speeding up. I'm glad to know that in a couple of short months it will all be over and I can have a little more control over my time than I do now.
The hours at university have been long and are getting longer. I leave just after 7am and this week I don't anticipate arriving home any night before 9pm. There is so much to try and complete before this baby comes along. And once the baby arrives I will still have way too much to do with my thesis workload mounting and deadlines pressing. It's such an exciting time! The only thing I would change is the long, long hours. Because other than that I am thrilled about things. I love the study, I love the learning, I love the research and the experimenting. I really am having a terrific time. But I struggle, and so does the family, when I am not with them in the morning and evening. So I'm sprinting, and trying not to tire. And the finish line is edging closer!
Kylie is such an incredible support. She has worked and toiled tirelessly beside me, supporting me in my work even when it has not been enough to provide for our family. It has all been worth it as we look back, but there have been some big sacrifices. For now though, even Kylie is beginning to tire. She is not tired of supporting me, rather, she is simply tired. Only two weeks to go until the baby is due, and Kylie is looking toward the bed for rest more frequently. This pregnancy has taken a fairly substantial toll on her physically. So we are really counting the days until the baby. Of course, then we'll wish it had just stayed put for a few more weeks so we could get more sleep, and more study done. I am so grateful to her. I have been so blessed to choose a wife so devoted, supportive, sacrificing and simply incredible.
Another key event in the past week has been quite significant. My little brother, after having a terrible time in Japan on his mission, has returned home. He was only gone about 8 months. Unfortunately after a couple of months he had a rough time with a companion who really sounds as though he should not have been allowed to remain out there (he's still there now, ironically). He had a negative effect on Tim which seemed to take hold and drag him down even further. And Tim didn't seem to come out of it. He has come home for a month to sort things out, and has been told he can return to Japan if he desires. I know how great a mission can be, and I know what it can do for a person. From that point of view I would want nothing more than for Tim to have the same opportunities and blessings. However, I also know that Tim is 23 years old. He makes his own decisions. He will do what he thinks is right, and nobody has to live with that but him. Either way, I love him as my little brother and support him. And ultimately, what I want for him really doesn't matter. It is Tim that makes the ultimate decision in that area.
So, back to my little family for a brief moment... we have had some really funny incidents with Ella Rose recently. She has taken to spontaneously screaming songs, rather than singing. We may be in the car, at the table, or anywhere for that matter. Out of nowhere, Ella will begin to scream at the top of her lungs in tune. It is typically some kind of nursery rhyme or kindergarten song that she has heard. It always makes us laugh, and we sometimes try to join in, which only makes her scream louder! Lots of fun.
Abbie has decided that she doesn't want to be called "Abbie-May" anymore. Instead, she has asked that we call her "Abba Dabba" for some reason that we don't yet understand. She is a real cutie, and is growing up way too fast. Although in some other ways, like at dinner time when she wants us to feed her, we wish she would hurry up and grow a little more.
And Chanel is really trying us in so many ways. Sometimes we are simply thrilled to bits, and in other ways she is beginning to genuinely challenge us. Chanel is motivated to save money, and is doing extremely well with her goals. And she loves to do anything that she knows she can do well with or complete easily. But when confronted with a challenging task, Chanel is avoidant. She simply hates to be challenged. Today I spent two hours working with her, teaching her, and helping her to understand that learning is one of the most difficult things we can do, but we feel terrific when we learn. We talked a lot about how, to learn, we must ask questions. Questions like who, what, where, when, why and how. And then we did some learning. Chanel had a task to write a talk for church about a particular topic.
So we talked.
Chanel answered those questions. In so doing she created the material for her talk, and it was written simply and quickly. She felt great at the end. She knew she had accomplished something difficult, and enjoyed reviewing the fruits of her hard work. And she did a terrific job sharing her talk at church.
Nan Coulson had a tough week just gone, spending some time in hospital and having some difficulties which I won't go into here. We're praying for her, and are pleased that she is making a slow but certain recovery.
That's about all. It's late, nearly 9.30pm and I'm due at uni in less than 10 hours. I need sleep.
The hours at university have been long and are getting longer. I leave just after 7am and this week I don't anticipate arriving home any night before 9pm. There is so much to try and complete before this baby comes along. And once the baby arrives I will still have way too much to do with my thesis workload mounting and deadlines pressing. It's such an exciting time! The only thing I would change is the long, long hours. Because other than that I am thrilled about things. I love the study, I love the learning, I love the research and the experimenting. I really am having a terrific time. But I struggle, and so does the family, when I am not with them in the morning and evening. So I'm sprinting, and trying not to tire. And the finish line is edging closer!
Kylie is such an incredible support. She has worked and toiled tirelessly beside me, supporting me in my work even when it has not been enough to provide for our family. It has all been worth it as we look back, but there have been some big sacrifices. For now though, even Kylie is beginning to tire. She is not tired of supporting me, rather, she is simply tired. Only two weeks to go until the baby is due, and Kylie is looking toward the bed for rest more frequently. This pregnancy has taken a fairly substantial toll on her physically. So we are really counting the days until the baby. Of course, then we'll wish it had just stayed put for a few more weeks so we could get more sleep, and more study done. I am so grateful to her. I have been so blessed to choose a wife so devoted, supportive, sacrificing and simply incredible.
Another key event in the past week has been quite significant. My little brother, after having a terrible time in Japan on his mission, has returned home. He was only gone about 8 months. Unfortunately after a couple of months he had a rough time with a companion who really sounds as though he should not have been allowed to remain out there (he's still there now, ironically). He had a negative effect on Tim which seemed to take hold and drag him down even further. And Tim didn't seem to come out of it. He has come home for a month to sort things out, and has been told he can return to Japan if he desires. I know how great a mission can be, and I know what it can do for a person. From that point of view I would want nothing more than for Tim to have the same opportunities and blessings. However, I also know that Tim is 23 years old. He makes his own decisions. He will do what he thinks is right, and nobody has to live with that but him. Either way, I love him as my little brother and support him. And ultimately, what I want for him really doesn't matter. It is Tim that makes the ultimate decision in that area.
So, back to my little family for a brief moment... we have had some really funny incidents with Ella Rose recently. She has taken to spontaneously screaming songs, rather than singing. We may be in the car, at the table, or anywhere for that matter. Out of nowhere, Ella will begin to scream at the top of her lungs in tune. It is typically some kind of nursery rhyme or kindergarten song that she has heard. It always makes us laugh, and we sometimes try to join in, which only makes her scream louder! Lots of fun.
Abbie has decided that she doesn't want to be called "Abbie-May" anymore. Instead, she has asked that we call her "Abba Dabba" for some reason that we don't yet understand. She is a real cutie, and is growing up way too fast. Although in some other ways, like at dinner time when she wants us to feed her, we wish she would hurry up and grow a little more.
And Chanel is really trying us in so many ways. Sometimes we are simply thrilled to bits, and in other ways she is beginning to genuinely challenge us. Chanel is motivated to save money, and is doing extremely well with her goals. And she loves to do anything that she knows she can do well with or complete easily. But when confronted with a challenging task, Chanel is avoidant. She simply hates to be challenged. Today I spent two hours working with her, teaching her, and helping her to understand that learning is one of the most difficult things we can do, but we feel terrific when we learn. We talked a lot about how, to learn, we must ask questions. Questions like who, what, where, when, why and how. And then we did some learning. Chanel had a task to write a talk for church about a particular topic.
So we talked.
Chanel answered those questions. In so doing she created the material for her talk, and it was written simply and quickly. She felt great at the end. She knew she had accomplished something difficult, and enjoyed reviewing the fruits of her hard work. And she did a terrific job sharing her talk at church.
Nan Coulson had a tough week just gone, spending some time in hospital and having some difficulties which I won't go into here. We're praying for her, and are pleased that she is making a slow but certain recovery.
That's about all. It's late, nearly 9.30pm and I'm due at uni in less than 10 hours. I need sleep.
Sunday, 29 July 2007
The Beginning of the End
It is now the beginning of the end. My final semester at university (for now) has begun. In twelve weeks I will graduate with an honours degree in psychological science. For the past five years I have studied, and now there are just months until it finishes. I am SO excited. And I am more motivated than ever to work as hard as I can to finish strong.
I am reasonably pleased with the subjects I am studying, and my thesis is progressing well, although my data collection is an excruciatingly long and tiresome process. I spend one hour with each participant, asking them questions and giving them intelligence tests to complete. I have eight four participants to work through, and I've only done 11.
Kylie is getting really close to having the baby now. We only have three or four weeks left, and it is starting to show. Kylie is feeling uncomfortable, and slowing down. So we are counting the days and have begun serious preparations to ensure everything is ready. Combined with that, I am going to be putting in some extra long hours at uni over the next few weeks so that when the baby arrives I have something of a head start on all of that work. That way, hopefully, I can be more supportive at home. The baby will be born half-way through the semester, so it will be an extremely busy time in every way imaginable.
A few nights ago we decided to have a pizza and movie night with the children. We cooked home made pizza with hot hungarian salami (wow it was good), pineapple, capsicum and onion. Then we watched "Because of Winn-Dixie". It was a movie about a little girl who found a dog and made friends with it. Because of the dog, lots of lonely people were united to form strong friendships, and the little girl learned about her mother (who had left some years earlier). It was a beautiful movie. The kids loved it, as did Kylie. And I think we went through a whole box of tissues towards the end. Really sweet stuff. And good for kids and grown-ups. I give it 8 out of 10.
There are two other things that I've noticed recently too. Last Sunday as we sat in church I looked down the pew to my three little girls. Kylie had spent the morning making them look even more beautiful with hair dryers and brushes and all of that female stuff that I will never understand. I was filled with gratitude, and more than a small portion of pride. And then I noticed something: They are all the absolute image of Kylie. No wonder I feel so lucky. I have the most beautiful family.
I've also been spending quite a bit of time working with someone who wants to understand the Gospel better. He is a member of the church and have been for 10 years. He has read the scriptures religously (pardon the pun), but never really learned much. For the past couple of months I have been "coaching" and helping out. I chatted with this person in the last week. What has occurred is wonderful. He used to read a chapter every day, sometimes a couple of chapters, in order to say he had read and to get to the end. I asked if that was working for him.
"No, not really."
I suggested that what mattered more than the outcome he was chasing was the process he went through. I suggested that rather than reading a chapter a day, he read for 20 minutes. He may read one verse, one page or one chapter or more. What mattered was how he understood what he read. I showed him how to question everything, to cross-reference and use additional material to really understand. We talked about the "process".
We spoke a couple of days ago. It has taken him three weeks to get through only two chapters. Yet his understanding has improved markedly. He is feeling like he has learned more in the past three weeks than he has in the past ten years. It feels good to be part of that process, and to have helped in some small way.
Lastly, mum and dad are in QLD this weekend and it has been a real treat to spend some time with them. The girls love them and flock to them. We have enjoyed seeing them, and spent most of the day with dad yesterday. We found an incredible part at Helensvale on the northern tip of the Gold Coast. Abbie and Ella came with dad and I and played for two hours non-stop. They would have played all day if they could. The best thing was the slide. It was big, and steep, and fun. They ran up the stairs and down the slide endlessly. And they slept well last night.
I am reasonably pleased with the subjects I am studying, and my thesis is progressing well, although my data collection is an excruciatingly long and tiresome process. I spend one hour with each participant, asking them questions and giving them intelligence tests to complete. I have eight four participants to work through, and I've only done 11.
Kylie is getting really close to having the baby now. We only have three or four weeks left, and it is starting to show. Kylie is feeling uncomfortable, and slowing down. So we are counting the days and have begun serious preparations to ensure everything is ready. Combined with that, I am going to be putting in some extra long hours at uni over the next few weeks so that when the baby arrives I have something of a head start on all of that work. That way, hopefully, I can be more supportive at home. The baby will be born half-way through the semester, so it will be an extremely busy time in every way imaginable.
A few nights ago we decided to have a pizza and movie night with the children. We cooked home made pizza with hot hungarian salami (wow it was good), pineapple, capsicum and onion. Then we watched "Because of Winn-Dixie". It was a movie about a little girl who found a dog and made friends with it. Because of the dog, lots of lonely people were united to form strong friendships, and the little girl learned about her mother (who had left some years earlier). It was a beautiful movie. The kids loved it, as did Kylie. And I think we went through a whole box of tissues towards the end. Really sweet stuff. And good for kids and grown-ups. I give it 8 out of 10.
There are two other things that I've noticed recently too. Last Sunday as we sat in church I looked down the pew to my three little girls. Kylie had spent the morning making them look even more beautiful with hair dryers and brushes and all of that female stuff that I will never understand. I was filled with gratitude, and more than a small portion of pride. And then I noticed something: They are all the absolute image of Kylie. No wonder I feel so lucky. I have the most beautiful family.
I've also been spending quite a bit of time working with someone who wants to understand the Gospel better. He is a member of the church and have been for 10 years. He has read the scriptures religously (pardon the pun), but never really learned much. For the past couple of months I have been "coaching" and helping out. I chatted with this person in the last week. What has occurred is wonderful. He used to read a chapter every day, sometimes a couple of chapters, in order to say he had read and to get to the end. I asked if that was working for him.
"No, not really."
I suggested that what mattered more than the outcome he was chasing was the process he went through. I suggested that rather than reading a chapter a day, he read for 20 minutes. He may read one verse, one page or one chapter or more. What mattered was how he understood what he read. I showed him how to question everything, to cross-reference and use additional material to really understand. We talked about the "process".
We spoke a couple of days ago. It has taken him three weeks to get through only two chapters. Yet his understanding has improved markedly. He is feeling like he has learned more in the past three weeks than he has in the past ten years. It feels good to be part of that process, and to have helped in some small way.
Lastly, mum and dad are in QLD this weekend and it has been a real treat to spend some time with them. The girls love them and flock to them. We have enjoyed seeing them, and spent most of the day with dad yesterday. We found an incredible part at Helensvale on the northern tip of the Gold Coast. Abbie and Ella came with dad and I and played for two hours non-stop. They would have played all day if they could. The best thing was the slide. It was big, and steep, and fun. They ran up the stairs and down the slide endlessly. And they slept well last night.
Sunday, 15 July 2007
More Than We Deserve
So many things have happened in the past two weeks (since I last wrote) that I'm concerned I'll write a novel if I'm not careful. Just trying to count our family's blessings in the past fortnight has me struggling to keep up with all that we've received.
First off, I've been blessed beyond any deserving with my uni work. In fact, never would I have imagined that things could have gone so well. As I've made clear, Kylie was unwell, in hospital, and I was trying to prepare for exams and look after the children and the house. Things during my exam break were as challenging as I've ever experienced. My preparation was minimal, yet I've received a high distinction for my 4th year multi-variate statistics course. I've never had a mark like that for any statistics, so to get it for my final year was breathtaking.
I also got a high distinction for my Applied Cognitive Psychology. Unbelievable! I managed a distinction for my clinical addiction seminar course too. So all in all, a miraculously successful first semester. Now, only 14 weeks to go and it's over. I'm taking a subject in educational psychology, and a class in health psychology. I have no real interest in either subject, but they're the best two of a really unappealing 5 subjects to choose from. I'll complete them, and my thesis over the next 3 months, and it's over.
During the school holidays I took a lot of time away from studies and work commitments and spent the time with Kylie and the children. Holidays have been challenging over the past couple of years, with "I'm bored" being the familiar mantra from the children. This time, we've visited parks, played with friends, and generally been together. And it's been terrific. The more time we've spent together, the more we've enjoyed it.
Chanel has become a real pro on her scooter, and Abbie and Ella have recently moved from learner status to provisional. They're still a little bit tentative, but they're getting it, and they love it. Seeing their faces as they play and run - the pure and absolute delight - is one of the most fulfilling things I've experienced. They are genuinely committed to being absolutely present in the situation they're in. There are no concerns about bills, dinner, car services, exams or any other interpersonal dilemma's. It's simply fun. Right here. Right now.
Being with the kids so much has been terrific for learning the importance of appreciating the moment. I don't know if I'll ever really see the world through a child's eye again. As we get older the ability to remember what it's really like for them gets harder. But I can't help but become almost entirely immersed as I watch them play, swing, get dizzy, and squeal with the thrill and delight of the moment.
It's interesting too, because I'm seeing Chanel grow so much. Now that she's nearly eight years old I'm catching tiny glimpses of that childhood eroding. There are only bits here and there, but it's starting. She is becoming increasingly independent in so many areas, and it's hard to let her. But, by golly, I can hardly piggyback her sometimes she's getting so big! And another tooth was lost a few days ago too. Pretty soon they'll all be gone, and adult teeth will be all that's left.
On the final Friday of the holidays I did something I've never done before. I was invited to MC my sister-in-law's wedding. I quite enjoyed the experience, but I won't be considering a career change. The wedding was lovely, and the couple are now back from their honeymoon to Cairns.
After a delightful holiday break, I had the blessing (thanks to Mat) to be able to fly down to Gosford with Chanel and Abbie to witness Jaxson's baptism and give him the Gift of the Holy Ghost. The girls were thrilled to be catching an aeroplane and I was ecstatic to not have to drive for 10 hours through the night to be there. Saturday morning was loads of fun. Dad invited me to help him clear out his storage area under the garage. We got stuck into it, ended up filthy, but got rid of a quarter of a tonne of rubbish. Then it was time to change and take the kids to the chapel for the baptism.
It was a simple service, but spiritual, loving and powerful. Mat spoke briefly. He loves that little boy. It was very moving. And it was clear that it meant a lot to him to see Jaxson baptised. Dad was invited to perform the baptism, which I'm cetain he really enjoyed. Then we returned to the chapel and I was invited to perform the confirmation and give Jaxson the gift of the Holy Ghost. I had been pondering what the Lord wanted Jaxson to be blessed with for some time. I had many thoughts, but nothing really stuck. But that morning on the plane I had felt strongly that he should be blessed with Faith and Courage. I let go of all the other ideas I'd had and focussed there. As I did, other things came to me through inspiration. And I felt the power of the Spirit influence me. I wonder how it happens, especially to someone like me. But we rejoiced in the experience together.
That night we ate food together. I love food. Chinese. Mmmmm. Then we went to bed, ready for a big Sunday. Mum took us to Sydney for a visit to Nan & Pop Bunt's. It's always so much fun visiting them. We enjoyed the visit, ate delicious Corned Beef and Relish sandwiches. Then we had to race back to Gosford for church. After church I had another great highlight. Mat asked me to help him understand the scriptures better. He's been reading his scriptures with reasonable commitment over the past ten years but feels as though he doesn't know anything.
Mat and I spent between two and three hours reviewing study principles and discussing the gospel. It was uplifting and edifying. We talked about the difference between reading to finish and reading to learn. I suggested that if it was better to read one verse and learn from it, than to race through an entire chapter just to say that it was read. Mat has been averaging only a couple of verses a day since then, but he is studying for a full half hour on those verses. And it's made a huge difference, for him and for me.
Monday we flew home. Kylie had spent time with her family from New Zealand following the wedding of her sister, while we'd been in Gosford. Now it was time to reunite. It was great to be together after a weekend apart. First stop - the supermarket for roast chicken, salad and buns. Next stop - Nanny Coulson's. Our flight was to the Gold Coast, so we took advantage of that and ate food with Nan. We had a great visit, as always. Then it was finally time to go home.
I've had a couple of funny experiences this week. Firstly, I was invited to attend an executive meeting for a new organisation for young business people. I decided that I didn't want to be involved any further though, and when I told the fellow in charge he said he was glad because he didn't feel it would be a good fit. I didn't know what to think. Here I was, dumping him, and he turned around and said he wanted to dump me first! I was actually a bit hurt, and began to wonder why he would say that about me. But I got over it pretty quickly. It obviously wasn't something I should be involved in at the moment, or perhaps at all.
I also received feedback on the first draft of my thesis. Mostly good, but there is still a lot of work to do on it. It is an incredibly big project.
Work is going really well, and getting better. I am so grateful for the blessing of this job, and the way it was timed to take over from my TAFE job so perfectly. And Kylie has about 5 weeks to go until we have our baby.
First off, I've been blessed beyond any deserving with my uni work. In fact, never would I have imagined that things could have gone so well. As I've made clear, Kylie was unwell, in hospital, and I was trying to prepare for exams and look after the children and the house. Things during my exam break were as challenging as I've ever experienced. My preparation was minimal, yet I've received a high distinction for my 4th year multi-variate statistics course. I've never had a mark like that for any statistics, so to get it for my final year was breathtaking.
I also got a high distinction for my Applied Cognitive Psychology. Unbelievable! I managed a distinction for my clinical addiction seminar course too. So all in all, a miraculously successful first semester. Now, only 14 weeks to go and it's over. I'm taking a subject in educational psychology, and a class in health psychology. I have no real interest in either subject, but they're the best two of a really unappealing 5 subjects to choose from. I'll complete them, and my thesis over the next 3 months, and it's over.
During the school holidays I took a lot of time away from studies and work commitments and spent the time with Kylie and the children. Holidays have been challenging over the past couple of years, with "I'm bored" being the familiar mantra from the children. This time, we've visited parks, played with friends, and generally been together. And it's been terrific. The more time we've spent together, the more we've enjoyed it.
Chanel has become a real pro on her scooter, and Abbie and Ella have recently moved from learner status to provisional. They're still a little bit tentative, but they're getting it, and they love it. Seeing their faces as they play and run - the pure and absolute delight - is one of the most fulfilling things I've experienced. They are genuinely committed to being absolutely present in the situation they're in. There are no concerns about bills, dinner, car services, exams or any other interpersonal dilemma's. It's simply fun. Right here. Right now.
Being with the kids so much has been terrific for learning the importance of appreciating the moment. I don't know if I'll ever really see the world through a child's eye again. As we get older the ability to remember what it's really like for them gets harder. But I can't help but become almost entirely immersed as I watch them play, swing, get dizzy, and squeal with the thrill and delight of the moment.
It's interesting too, because I'm seeing Chanel grow so much. Now that she's nearly eight years old I'm catching tiny glimpses of that childhood eroding. There are only bits here and there, but it's starting. She is becoming increasingly independent in so many areas, and it's hard to let her. But, by golly, I can hardly piggyback her sometimes she's getting so big! And another tooth was lost a few days ago too. Pretty soon they'll all be gone, and adult teeth will be all that's left.
On the final Friday of the holidays I did something I've never done before. I was invited to MC my sister-in-law's wedding. I quite enjoyed the experience, but I won't be considering a career change. The wedding was lovely, and the couple are now back from their honeymoon to Cairns.
After a delightful holiday break, I had the blessing (thanks to Mat) to be able to fly down to Gosford with Chanel and Abbie to witness Jaxson's baptism and give him the Gift of the Holy Ghost. The girls were thrilled to be catching an aeroplane and I was ecstatic to not have to drive for 10 hours through the night to be there. Saturday morning was loads of fun. Dad invited me to help him clear out his storage area under the garage. We got stuck into it, ended up filthy, but got rid of a quarter of a tonne of rubbish. Then it was time to change and take the kids to the chapel for the baptism.
It was a simple service, but spiritual, loving and powerful. Mat spoke briefly. He loves that little boy. It was very moving. And it was clear that it meant a lot to him to see Jaxson baptised. Dad was invited to perform the baptism, which I'm cetain he really enjoyed. Then we returned to the chapel and I was invited to perform the confirmation and give Jaxson the gift of the Holy Ghost. I had been pondering what the Lord wanted Jaxson to be blessed with for some time. I had many thoughts, but nothing really stuck. But that morning on the plane I had felt strongly that he should be blessed with Faith and Courage. I let go of all the other ideas I'd had and focussed there. As I did, other things came to me through inspiration. And I felt the power of the Spirit influence me. I wonder how it happens, especially to someone like me. But we rejoiced in the experience together.
That night we ate food together. I love food. Chinese. Mmmmm. Then we went to bed, ready for a big Sunday. Mum took us to Sydney for a visit to Nan & Pop Bunt's. It's always so much fun visiting them. We enjoyed the visit, ate delicious Corned Beef and Relish sandwiches. Then we had to race back to Gosford for church. After church I had another great highlight. Mat asked me to help him understand the scriptures better. He's been reading his scriptures with reasonable commitment over the past ten years but feels as though he doesn't know anything.
Mat and I spent between two and three hours reviewing study principles and discussing the gospel. It was uplifting and edifying. We talked about the difference between reading to finish and reading to learn. I suggested that if it was better to read one verse and learn from it, than to race through an entire chapter just to say that it was read. Mat has been averaging only a couple of verses a day since then, but he is studying for a full half hour on those verses. And it's made a huge difference, for him and for me.
Monday we flew home. Kylie had spent time with her family from New Zealand following the wedding of her sister, while we'd been in Gosford. Now it was time to reunite. It was great to be together after a weekend apart. First stop - the supermarket for roast chicken, salad and buns. Next stop - Nanny Coulson's. Our flight was to the Gold Coast, so we took advantage of that and ate food with Nan. We had a great visit, as always. Then it was finally time to go home.
I've had a couple of funny experiences this week. Firstly, I was invited to attend an executive meeting for a new organisation for young business people. I decided that I didn't want to be involved any further though, and when I told the fellow in charge he said he was glad because he didn't feel it would be a good fit. I didn't know what to think. Here I was, dumping him, and he turned around and said he wanted to dump me first! I was actually a bit hurt, and began to wonder why he would say that about me. But I got over it pretty quickly. It obviously wasn't something I should be involved in at the moment, or perhaps at all.
I also received feedback on the first draft of my thesis. Mostly good, but there is still a lot of work to do on it. It is an incredibly big project.
Work is going really well, and getting better. I am so grateful for the blessing of this job, and the way it was timed to take over from my TAFE job so perfectly. And Kylie has about 5 weeks to go until we have our baby.
Sunday, 1 July 2007
An Ordinary Family
The new financial year has arrived! This is always an exciting time for us, because it means we can start to look forward to tax returns. Hopefully this year will be no different! We're counting on it. Things will be a little different though. I've had to register for GST, which means that every 3 months I'll be completing a Business Activity Statement (BAS). Not looking forward to it, but if I want to provide for my family, I have to earn the money. And if I earn the money, I have to do the paperwork.
I've had a super week. I completed the first draft of my thesis introduction and gave it to my supervisor to preview and provide direction. She has so much on right now that we won't be meeting for another week! This is wonderful as it forces me to take a break from study. There's little I can do until I receive it back. As a result, I've had nothing to do but spend time with Kylie and the children!
The past two days we've explored parks in Brisbane that we've never been to before. We came across two parks that the kids couldn't get enough of. Places to explore, run, climb! These were not your regular parks with a slide, swings and a basic fort. These were huge wooden structures with mazes and tree-houses, nets, slides, chains and more. We've spent lots of time together and it has been fun plus! And remarkably fulfilling. The kids have been happy, and they've gone to sleep fast at night too.
On the way back home from the park one afternoon we decided to have a look at some car yards as we'll be needing to buy a new car in the coming months to accommodate our enlarged family. I had a serious discussion with the children about being on our best behaviour, not jumping on the car seats and staying where we could see them. As we walked toward the dealership we continued our discussion until Chanel surmised, "So you want us to pretend to be an ordinary family Dad?"
Our ordinary family are doing great! And with another week off this week, we're looking forward to some more great fun together.
Ella is really improving with her speaking. We've begun to understand the occasional full sentence. Pleasingly, Ella is eager to practice and work on it too, there's no despondency.
Abbie is a pleasure and a joy. She has the most delightful personality of any child I've ever known.
Chanel is enjoying the school holidays and getting really big. It's amazing to watch, and see how fast the years are vanishing.
I probably won't be writing next week. There's heaps to do too. Kylie's sister, Estelle, will wed Friday. Saturday we fly to Sydney. We're in Gosford for Jaxson's birthday. He's 8, and will be baptised. I'm taking Chanel and Abbie, while Kylie remains with Ella in Brisbane. Kylie really wanted to be there, but with only 8 weeks to go we didn't feel it was safe for her to be flying, particularly with the challenges we've already faced.
So here's to a week of fun with my extra-ordinary family.
I've had a super week. I completed the first draft of my thesis introduction and gave it to my supervisor to preview and provide direction. She has so much on right now that we won't be meeting for another week! This is wonderful as it forces me to take a break from study. There's little I can do until I receive it back. As a result, I've had nothing to do but spend time with Kylie and the children!
The past two days we've explored parks in Brisbane that we've never been to before. We came across two parks that the kids couldn't get enough of. Places to explore, run, climb! These were not your regular parks with a slide, swings and a basic fort. These were huge wooden structures with mazes and tree-houses, nets, slides, chains and more. We've spent lots of time together and it has been fun plus! And remarkably fulfilling. The kids have been happy, and they've gone to sleep fast at night too.
On the way back home from the park one afternoon we decided to have a look at some car yards as we'll be needing to buy a new car in the coming months to accommodate our enlarged family. I had a serious discussion with the children about being on our best behaviour, not jumping on the car seats and staying where we could see them. As we walked toward the dealership we continued our discussion until Chanel surmised, "So you want us to pretend to be an ordinary family Dad?"
Our ordinary family are doing great! And with another week off this week, we're looking forward to some more great fun together.
Ella is really improving with her speaking. We've begun to understand the occasional full sentence. Pleasingly, Ella is eager to practice and work on it too, there's no despondency.
Abbie is a pleasure and a joy. She has the most delightful personality of any child I've ever known.
Chanel is enjoying the school holidays and getting really big. It's amazing to watch, and see how fast the years are vanishing.
I probably won't be writing next week. There's heaps to do too. Kylie's sister, Estelle, will wed Friday. Saturday we fly to Sydney. We're in Gosford for Jaxson's birthday. He's 8, and will be baptised. I'm taking Chanel and Abbie, while Kylie remains with Ella in Brisbane. Kylie really wanted to be there, but with only 8 weeks to go we didn't feel it was safe for her to be flying, particularly with the challenges we've already faced.
So here's to a week of fun with my extra-ordinary family.
Sunday, 24 June 2007
All is well
Kylie has come home from hospital.
Last Sunday I went with a friend to visit Kylie in the hospital and we gave her a priesthood blessing. By mid afternoon when I spoke with her next, her voice was strong. The doctors suggested that one more night would be necessary to monitor the progress. On Monday, things were so improved that Kylie was told she would be discharged. A short visit to the maternity wing to address some new concerns ensured that all was well, and I brought Kylie home at around 10pm.
It feels terrific to have our home full again.
During the 5 days Kylie was in hospital my exam preparation was heavily interrupted. I was extremely concerned when I awoke on Tuesday morning for my statistics exam. But I had prayed and fasted, Kylie was home, and this was my last exam for the semester. Riding the scooter to uni for an 8am start on one of the coldest winter days I can remember was not the ideal preparation for the exam. I arrived feeling quite good, knowing I only needed two marks to pass the course, and passing the exam would give me a distinction average at mimimum. And I really felt that the exam went well. I was confident when I left the exam room. I get results in a little over a week, but feel that I have nothing to fear. I am almost certain that I passed and passed well.
For the past several days I've given myself something of a break from everything. I've helped around the house, updated my paperwork and files and finances for Happy Families, and generally tidied up. It has been nice, but a little longer to holiday with the kids would be nice. Instead, it's back to it tomorrow. I have a thesis to write.
Kylie has improved enormously since coming out of hospital. The first few days were slow, but by yesterday things were back to normal. We spent the day cooking treats like Rocky Road, cupcakes and chocolate peppermint slice for friends who have been kind enough to offer support and assistance while Kylie hasn't been well. The children were all heavily involved in the cooking, and loved it. Especially Ella, who made the Rocky Road. She couldn't stop eating it!
This morning the children went with Kylie to drop off all the goodies. But they did it in secret, so no one will know that it was us. Abbie couldn't stop smiling about it! They had so much fun, and felt the goodness that comes from service. They also loved sneaking up to the doorsteps, leaving the cards and a goody, and then racing back to the car. One of our family principles is service, and the children enjoyed service this morning.
Chanel played netball again yesterday as she does each Saturday. What a star! Three goals! Chanel is a great competitor, but also knows how to include the girls who don't get the ball so much. Last night we went on a daddy-daughter date. Hot chocolate... with marshmallows. Mmmm. We talked about the challenges of being 7. Lots of kids at school are using inappropriate language and Chanel is distressed by it. She is also teased at times for going to church. It can be really difficult to help a 7 year-old in times like these. But she's a resilient girl. And by the end of the night with dad, she felt good, and equipped to deal with many of the challenges she's facing.
Last Sunday I went with a friend to visit Kylie in the hospital and we gave her a priesthood blessing. By mid afternoon when I spoke with her next, her voice was strong. The doctors suggested that one more night would be necessary to monitor the progress. On Monday, things were so improved that Kylie was told she would be discharged. A short visit to the maternity wing to address some new concerns ensured that all was well, and I brought Kylie home at around 10pm.
It feels terrific to have our home full again.
During the 5 days Kylie was in hospital my exam preparation was heavily interrupted. I was extremely concerned when I awoke on Tuesday morning for my statistics exam. But I had prayed and fasted, Kylie was home, and this was my last exam for the semester. Riding the scooter to uni for an 8am start on one of the coldest winter days I can remember was not the ideal preparation for the exam. I arrived feeling quite good, knowing I only needed two marks to pass the course, and passing the exam would give me a distinction average at mimimum. And I really felt that the exam went well. I was confident when I left the exam room. I get results in a little over a week, but feel that I have nothing to fear. I am almost certain that I passed and passed well.
For the past several days I've given myself something of a break from everything. I've helped around the house, updated my paperwork and files and finances for Happy Families, and generally tidied up. It has been nice, but a little longer to holiday with the kids would be nice. Instead, it's back to it tomorrow. I have a thesis to write.
Kylie has improved enormously since coming out of hospital. The first few days were slow, but by yesterday things were back to normal. We spent the day cooking treats like Rocky Road, cupcakes and chocolate peppermint slice for friends who have been kind enough to offer support and assistance while Kylie hasn't been well. The children were all heavily involved in the cooking, and loved it. Especially Ella, who made the Rocky Road. She couldn't stop eating it!
This morning the children went with Kylie to drop off all the goodies. But they did it in secret, so no one will know that it was us. Abbie couldn't stop smiling about it! They had so much fun, and felt the goodness that comes from service. They also loved sneaking up to the doorsteps, leaving the cards and a goody, and then racing back to the car. One of our family principles is service, and the children enjoyed service this morning.
Chanel played netball again yesterday as she does each Saturday. What a star! Three goals! Chanel is a great competitor, but also knows how to include the girls who don't get the ball so much. Last night we went on a daddy-daughter date. Hot chocolate... with marshmallows. Mmmm. We talked about the challenges of being 7. Lots of kids at school are using inappropriate language and Chanel is distressed by it. She is also teased at times for going to church. It can be really difficult to help a 7 year-old in times like these. But she's a resilient girl. And by the end of the night with dad, she felt good, and equipped to deal with many of the challenges she's facing.
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