For the first time in over a year, we have experienced the heat we grew accustomed to in Queensland. We’re no longer accustomed to it. We had a real heatwave in the past week, with temperatures regularly in the mid 30’s. It was HOT. We spent a lot of time at the beach and in the pool every day.
Monday was supposed to kick off my year at uni. But the children only had one more week of holidays and it was so hot – so I decided to take the week off for the last time. I love the flexibility of being a research student! We played Monopoly. It was not without its challenges, particularly since Chanel is really the only one old enough to play and understand the game. But all in all it went well. The afternoon was spent swimming, trying to keep cool.
Tuesday morning we took on a challenge. The Mt. Keira ring track is a 5km track that circles one of the local “mountains”. Some weeks ago we made a valiant attempt on completing the circumnavigation of the mount as a family, but were unsuccessful. This time we determined that we would conquer or perish! We trekked and trapsed through the heat and humidity with the children doggedly persisting, Annie in a carrier on my back. A 16 year-old from church, Rafael, came along for the fun too, and inspired the children to remain determined. After breaking our previous record and trudging further than we would have thought possible we finally arrived at the half-way mark. The rest of the walk was downhill, and on the western side of the hill, out of the sun. Our only obstacle was fatigue. But in a total of two-and-a-half hours we were back in the car – triumphant. And sweaty. Yuck. All in all, an astonishing success, especially with Abbie and Ella.
Tuesday we had a tennis night with everyone from church. It was mildly fun, though quiet, but one notable event occurred. Someone had brought along their little Maltese dog for a frolic with friends in the field beside the tennis courts. Ella had befriended the dog. I observed her carry the animal thirty or forty metres over the grass. She then dropped the dog on the ground and as it scurried away from her she gave it a great big kick! I immediately told her that was unkind, and asked her why she had kicked the dog. Her response: “But dad, when I kick it, it makes it go faster!”
Wednesday was an exciting day for all of the children. I went to university – but that’s not why things were exciting. They each were ‘promoted’ at swimming. The girls have been working very hard on their swimming and have all advanced in their classes. Chanel was particularly excited as she now moves into the “Kingfisher” squad, training for one hour. Her coach gave her some very specific and positive feedback that helped her understand exactly what she is doing well. She was very inspired by it. Each of the girls is showing renewed enthusiasm and dedication towards their time in the pool.
Thursday was hot! The morning was spent swimming at the beach. Unfortunately it was extremely windy too, so it wasn’t the most pleasant place to be. However, the heat was oppressive (as it was all week). We tried to have a quiet day, and wrapped it up with lots of fun. It was still warm at 6pm, but had cooled enough to be outside. We called some friends, got hold of some large cardboard boxes, and found a great big hill to go grass-sliding. The children thought it was a hoot! They laughed and ran and slid for an hour, and were disappointed when I explained that it was time to go home for dinner.
Thursday night I also had the privilege of sitting in on a discussion with the missionaries and one of the boys who comes to our youth nights at church. His mother is a church member, but not his father. I have spoken to him about learning more from the missionaries, and being baptised. He agreed that he would like to do that because he sees himself as LDS anyway. It was a good experience.
By the end of the week I was exhausted. Because it was so hot we had to keep all the windows open all night. But with the heat was an intense wind. It blew for several nights, and was so strong that all the doors in the house banged and rattled. I was up half-a-dozen times for a few nights in a row, fixing doors and windows, or simply being woken by the noise of the trees thrashing around outside – and no respite from the heat. It was horrible.
Friday I went back to uni for a few hours but was not particularly effective. I completed several odds and ends in preparation for the new year but that was it. We had a very quiet Friday.
Saturday I did a big bike ride before we jumped into the car to go to Gosford. It was hot again. By the time we arrived in Gosford it was over 40 degrees. Ouch. We spent the afternoon in the air conditioning getting hair cuts – long overdue – and then swam in the pool and jumped off the jetty. Fun, and nice to have respite from the heat. The children swam for hours. Mum kept Kylie and I up for hours watching a DVD of her favourite television series about spies in the UK. It was compelling, but far too late for Kylie and I who had slept for several days.
Sunday – day of rest – came fast. The whole reason we were in Gosford was for the baptism of Paris (my sister, Karina’s oldest daughter). Church itself was not as inspiring as I had hoped, but the baptismal service was very special. It was the first time Mat used his priesthood to bless a member of his family in such a special way. The baptism went perfectly, the talks were inspiring, and then Mat confirmed Paris. It was a spiritual experience for all of us, and very emotional for Mat. It was a real privilege to be there for it. And a perfect way to finish the week.
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Getting Started again
I always thought that when you take a break it means things slow down. It didn’t work like that over the Christmas “break” for us. There was far too much that occurred in the past month for me to document, but I will share a few highlights.
We spent Christmas at Gosford, arriving early on the morning of Christmas Eve and staying until Boxing Day. Christmas at mum and dad’s is never quiet, and this was no exception although the morning was relatively relaxed before Karina and her family arrived. We spoke of the first Christmas together, and felt appreciation for the Gift of God’s Son. We ate good food (but not too much), enjoyed being with the family (but not for too long), and opened lots of presents (but not too many, and certainly not as many as previous years – thank goodness). We also spent a lot of time swimming in the pool and jumping off the jetty.
In the week between Boxing Day and the New Year Kylie’s parents flew down to be with us. Her dad had a terrible time of it, bursting his eardrum on the flight to us. He spent more time in bed recovering from the painful experience than he would have liked, but still managed to help us to do an enormous assortment of odd jobs around the house that I have neither the skills, knowledge, or motivation to complete alone. Kylie’s mum didn’t waste any time either, sewing and replacing the curtains throughout almost the entire house. As a result of their work we feel more at home and comfortable here than we ever have. I’m not holding my breath in getting any money from the landlord for materials but at least we have the satisfaction of having things vastly improved throughout the house. Kylie and I have also begun washing the walls throughout the house. Eewww. They’re so dirty. I don’t think they’ve EVER been washed.
We have tried to balance time with the children with our own productivity needs through the Christmas break. We have done a reasonable job, only hearing the “I’m bored” chorus on rare occasions. The kids have been to the beach a lot, begun riding their brand new boogie boards (although they’re all scared of the tiniest waves), played with friends nearly every day, had some (very challenging) family bike rides, hiked around Mt. Keira, and spent several hours on their “craft” activities.
Our family has also expanded over the Christmas season with the addition of two rabbits. They remain un-named to date. But they certainly get a lot of attention. We’ve only had to recapture one rabbit so far. It was a real challenge, but after around 15 minutes we cornered it and I captured it in a washing basket.
Amongst all of this activity Kylie has begun a new business 
venture which looks to be reasonably profitable at this early stage. We hope to see it grow. Kylie is becoming increasingly addicted to her stamping craft, and is riding as much as possible – though nowhere near as much as she would like. She also took great joy from a waxing experience she had with me. A friend loaned a wax pot and strips to her, and my chest and stomach are now a mass of red blotches. She did a great job removing the hair – and laughing at me as I moaned in pain. Kylie has set some really exciting goals for 2009 and we’re anxious to work towards them.
Our little angel Annie is now walking, running, exploring, and generally getting into everything. She has become remarkably vocal and has a new favourite trick. Our telephone sits in a base unit which has a button that puts the phone onto loudspeaker. Annie reaches up to the button and turns on the loudspeaker so the dial tone reverberates around the kitchen and dining room at full volume. Then she runs away, laughing with delight. She thinks she is so clever! Annie loves walking around the house wearing her sister’s swimming goggles too. It’s so funny. And Annie decided to throw Kylie’s mobile phone in the bath last week. Oh Dear! Mobile phones do not like to swim.
Ella turned five last week. She wanted to have a pool party with her cousins which meant another trip back to Gosford after Kylie’s parents had left. It was a fabulous success. Lollies, water, and cousins. Who needs more? Ella was particularly excited this week because her swimming teacher has put her up a level. She has advanced! Ella was very proud of herself and cannot wait to start in her new classes next week.
In early December I experienced a case of haemorrhoids. This kept me off the bike and in bed for the best part of a week. It was by far the worst I’ve ever had. It gave me lots of time to read, and I completed the Book of Mormon from start to finish in December. It was a powerful, remarkable experience. Thoroughly enjoyable. My veggie patch is growing well, with tomatoes galore (which is handy because they’re around $6 a kg at the shops). The capsicum, pumpkin, chilli, and potato all seem to be going well too. I’ve been on the bike as much as possible since getting better and am saving for a new bike in around four or five months. I’ve started back at uni on a part time basis in the past week and am spending a few hours each day there. I’ll maintain that until the children go back to school in two weeks and then go full-time again.
After several weeks away it felt good to finally be back in church. Sunday feels good when I can be there, focused on what matters most. It was nice to teach a lesson to the young men about the priesthood. Such a simple concept that makes so much difference in our lives. Life is good, and getting better.
Sunday, 30 November 2008
Life
The past two weeks have been remarkably full despite my taking a few days off. Highlights for me have included the commencement of my online data collection for my research project. I am praying that up to 400-500 people will participate. At this stage it is going slowly, but I am optimistic that more people will sign on. Beyond that university has been very slow with little else to do but try to obtain participants.
In the week just gone I ran a workshop for parents on “The Habits of Happy Families”. It went really well, with very positive feedback. I focused on the strengths associated most highly with happiness in personal living: zest, hope, curiosity, gratitude, and love. We discussed ways that families might work as a unit to develop these strengths more abundantly.
Mat drove down for a surf and some Chicko’s. We had some terrific waves, and some terrific food. We love Chicko’s. I’ve joked that if my studies don’t work out I’ll move back to Brisbane and open a Chicko’s store up there. But it’s not very funny. I think if that happened I’d be the most highly qualified chicken shop owner in the country.
The other great pleasure I’ve enjoyed in the past couple of weeks has been riding my bike. I simply cannot get enough. I caught a train to Central (Sydney) one morning with a friend and together we rode back to Wollongong (90 kms). I’ve set a new record for getting to uni. The 10 km trip took 18 minutes 30 on one of my trips this week. It takes almost 15 minutes in the car (and that includes several kms on the freeway) so I was happy with that effort, although I’m anxious to get the time down even more.
I’ve also been blessed with some terrific times with the children and Kylie. Annie Grace, now 15 months old, has finally decided it’s time to walk. She is consistently taking four or five steps and has taken up to ten a couple of times. In the coming weeks before Christmas we are expecting that she will become highly mobile. This may be an issue – she likes to crawl out the door and up the driveway. Once she’s walking Kylie and I might have to start running! Annie is also cutting some serious molars. Her discomfort has seen her recommence her biting habit. There have been a couple of uncomfortable moments in recent days.
Ella Rose has been a little temperamental lately. When she gets tired the tantrums start, and there have been some big ones. However, generally speaking Ella is doing well. Her speech therapist, Alison, is pleased with Ella’s progress as are we. Compared to the therapist in Brisbane, things are going extremely well. Most people can understand Ella most of the time now and Ella is a very enthusiastic communicator, even if her elocution is imperfect. We are also very pleased with her swimming progress. A new teacher seems to have been what was needed. The new teacher is being strict with Ella. She didn’t want to be, but we suggested it was necessary and it is making an enormous difference. Ella has gone from being quite disruptive to a happy participant.
Abbie… this little girl has been a dream in recent weeks. Abbie May is always trying to please us, is quiet and plays well with anyone, and works on any activity quite studiously. She is simply beautiful right now. And Abbie has two wiggly teeth which she anxiously and excitedly wibbles and wobbles all day long.
Chanel participated in her dance concert yesterday. Kylie went along to watch. Chanel is hooked on dancing and struts her stuff around the house all day and night. She wants music on all the time, and is consistently choreographing moves to everything from pop songs, to church songs, and even scripture mastery songs! We get to watch her impromptu “shows” on the lounge room rug several times a week.
Chanel has been a real handful in recent weeks too. Very challenging, and starting to have a lot to say in response to directions, guidance, and comments from Kylie and I. Our nine year-old is growing some attitude and Kylie and I are finding it a new and particularly tiresome challenge. Something new for us to work on…
Lastly my amazing wife, Kylie. I am so impressed with Kylie. While not quite as full-on as me, Kylie has also become really excited about riding a bike. The trip to Bulli and back (from North Wollongong) is about 25 kms and Kylie is riding it a couple of times a week. Her first trip took around an hour and a half, but now it’s down to just under an hour. Her friend, Alissa, is very fit and is studying exercise physiology. Usually when they ride Alissa is not forced to work particularly hard. Kylie was really excited when her last ride to Bulli saw Alissa perspiring. In addition, Kylie’s enthusiasm for riding has led to a couple of her friends buying bikes and doing a regular Tuesday ride. I think there may be up to five or six of them participating in that now.
Kylie went shopping to finalise some Christmas gifts during the past week. After a couple of hours she returned home complaining of tired legs. Apparently she hasn’t had enough shopping practice in the past year! That makes me happy.
And some good news to finish off the week. I have finally had someone called to assist me in serving in the Young Men’s programme at church. He has agreed to teach the Sunday lessons for me, leaving me to concentrate on Tuesday night activities. This is a great burden removed for me. As much as I love teaching, it’s nice to not have to add that to my growing list of responsibilities. It felt great to participate in the class today, rather than having to teach it.
December starts tomorrow, and the countdown to Christmas is on!
In the week just gone I ran a workshop for parents on “The Habits of Happy Families”. It went really well, with very positive feedback. I focused on the strengths associated most highly with happiness in personal living: zest, hope, curiosity, gratitude, and love. We discussed ways that families might work as a unit to develop these strengths more abundantly.
Mat drove down for a surf and some Chicko’s. We had some terrific waves, and some terrific food. We love Chicko’s. I’ve joked that if my studies don’t work out I’ll move back to Brisbane and open a Chicko’s store up there. But it’s not very funny. I think if that happened I’d be the most highly qualified chicken shop owner in the country.
The other great pleasure I’ve enjoyed in the past couple of weeks has been riding my bike. I simply cannot get enough. I caught a train to Central (Sydney) one morning with a friend and together we rode back to Wollongong (90 kms). I’ve set a new record for getting to uni. The 10 km trip took 18 minutes 30 on one of my trips this week. It takes almost 15 minutes in the car (and that includes several kms on the freeway) so I was happy with that effort, although I’m anxious to get the time down even more.
I’ve also been blessed with some terrific times with the children and Kylie. Annie Grace, now 15 months old, has finally decided it’s time to walk. She is consistently taking four or five steps and has taken up to ten a couple of times. In the coming weeks before Christmas we are expecting that she will become highly mobile. This may be an issue – she likes to crawl out the door and up the driveway. Once she’s walking Kylie and I might have to start running! Annie is also cutting some serious molars. Her discomfort has seen her recommence her biting habit. There have been a couple of uncomfortable moments in recent days.
Ella Rose has been a little temperamental lately. When she gets tired the tantrums start, and there have been some big ones. However, generally speaking Ella is doing well. Her speech therapist, Alison, is pleased with Ella’s progress as are we. Compared to the therapist in Brisbane, things are going extremely well. Most people can understand Ella most of the time now and Ella is a very enthusiastic communicator, even if her elocution is imperfect. We are also very pleased with her swimming progress. A new teacher seems to have been what was needed. The new teacher is being strict with Ella. She didn’t want to be, but we suggested it was necessary and it is making an enormous difference. Ella has gone from being quite disruptive to a happy participant.
Abbie… this little girl has been a dream in recent weeks. Abbie May is always trying to please us, is quiet and plays well with anyone, and works on any activity quite studiously. She is simply beautiful right now. And Abbie has two wiggly teeth which she anxiously and excitedly wibbles and wobbles all day long.
Chanel participated in her dance concert yesterday. Kylie went along to watch. Chanel is hooked on dancing and struts her stuff around the house all day and night. She wants music on all the time, and is consistently choreographing moves to everything from pop songs, to church songs, and even scripture mastery songs! We get to watch her impromptu “shows” on the lounge room rug several times a week.
Chanel has been a real handful in recent weeks too. Very challenging, and starting to have a lot to say in response to directions, guidance, and comments from Kylie and I. Our nine year-old is growing some attitude and Kylie and I are finding it a new and particularly tiresome challenge. Something new for us to work on…
Lastly my amazing wife, Kylie. I am so impressed with Kylie. While not quite as full-on as me, Kylie has also become really excited about riding a bike. The trip to Bulli and back (from North Wollongong) is about 25 kms and Kylie is riding it a couple of times a week. Her first trip took around an hour and a half, but now it’s down to just under an hour. Her friend, Alissa, is very fit and is studying exercise physiology. Usually when they ride Alissa is not forced to work particularly hard. Kylie was really excited when her last ride to Bulli saw Alissa perspiring. In addition, Kylie’s enthusiasm for riding has led to a couple of her friends buying bikes and doing a regular Tuesday ride. I think there may be up to five or six of them participating in that now.
Kylie went shopping to finalise some Christmas gifts during the past week. After a couple of hours she returned home complaining of tired legs. Apparently she hasn’t had enough shopping practice in the past year! That makes me happy.
And some good news to finish off the week. I have finally had someone called to assist me in serving in the Young Men’s programme at church. He has agreed to teach the Sunday lessons for me, leaving me to concentrate on Tuesday night activities. This is a great burden removed for me. As much as I love teaching, it’s nice to not have to add that to my growing list of responsibilities. It felt great to participate in the class today, rather than having to teach it.
December starts tomorrow, and the countdown to Christmas is on!
Better Late Than Never
I am amazed at the blessings in my life each week as I sit down and contemplate which highlights to write about here. If only there was enough space for all of them.
Our little Annie Grace has gone from being the quietest and most placid baby we’ve ever had to the noisiest. She loves to squeal and does so with alarming consistency, almost constancy. Her big sisters encourage her by squealing back! It’s funny, briefly, but for old folks like me it starts to get a bit much. Fortunately they know how to stop, and why (except Annie, but we forgive her for that). Annie is enjoying walking around the house holding onto chairs, walls and any other support structure. I’d say that by Christmas she’ll be walking without help.
Ella seems to be having some challenges with her breathing. We’ve been instructed to use a Ventalin puffer and have had some reasonable results, though nothing stunning. I’m not sure I like the use of the medication and am interested in finding an alternative to assist her. During the week I attended her swimming lesson. Ella has the ability to do all that she is asked, but only wants to play. We are trying to find a teacher who can work effectively with her, as the one she has just changed over to is not working out either. We’ve been through three teachers this year for her.
Abbie achieved another milestone at school this week. Level 21 on her readers! We are amazed. The target level for the kindergarten children by the end of the year is level 8. Abbie has excelled at school. We’re also feeling very positive about the good experiences Abbie enjoys socially. She misses Brisbane and reminds us of that quite often, yet she seems to be thriving.
Chanel has also had some positive social experiences at school this week. Her chief antagonists appear to have mellowed, and she enjoyed two play-dates with girls during the afternoons. We’re working with her on developing friendships with some very nice girls who come from excellent families and the plan seems to be working out nicely.
Kylie is enjoying my efforts at enhancing her opportunity for outlets too. She’s now riding two or three times each week down by the beach and LOVES it. And every Thursday evening is spent with friends doing girly things that Kylie could never get me to do.
I’ve made some more progress on my data collection, and in the coming weeks things will really get busy for me. I’m preparing to submit my first article, collect data from up to 500 participants (or more if I can get them), and begin my first significant analysis. I’m praying it all works out as I have hoped it will.
During the week I received a phone call from Chanel’s school teacher, Mrs Burton. She is a lovely lady, but has been absent for much of the school year which has obviously disrupted Chanel’s class to a considerable degree. Having just returned from six weeks of long-service leave she wanted to speak with me about the social and academic concerns we’ve had over Chanel. We had a lengthy conversation with wonderful outcomes. Next year we have been assured that Chanel will be in a class where one or two of the girls that would be of benefit for her to be friends with also attend. She will importantly not be in a class with those who have made the year so challenging for her. We look forward to new beginnings. Importantly, when I hung up the phone, I felt calm and peaceful about the future at school for Chanel. We had been contemplating changing her school, but now feel very able to work through the next year with her effectively.
On Friday afternoon I picked up the young men from church and, with about thirty other members, we drove 5 hours south, through Canberra and Cooma, to Australia’s highest peak – Mt. Kosciuszko. We stayed in cabins overnight and early Saturday morning we drove to Charlotte’s Pass and commenced our ascent. The wind was like walls of ice blowing up the mountain at us. There was snow lying across the path in many places (which was wonderful for throwing at those slower than us). We hiked up hill for 9 kms until we reached the peak. It was awesome. We sought shelter from the freezing wind (the temperature accounting for windchill was only about 4 or 5 degrees Celsius) and ate lunch, took photos, and threw more snow. Then a small group of adults including me set off to descend on a longer, more challenging track down the mountain while the majority of the group prepared for their trudge back down the same path they’d walked up.
The new track was far less accessible, with ups and downs, and many more challenges. There were huge snowdrifts we had to cross, several summits to ascend, and scenery that made the initial hike up look rather drab. It was the most exhilarating experience I’ve had for a long time. Two thoughts and feelings were perpetually in my mind as I hike along the ‘main range’ walk. Firstly I experienced wonder and awe and gratitude for such a wonderful world created for us. A prayer of thanks was in my heart. Secondly I wished that Kylie and the children could enjoy this experience with me. It was wonderful to be there. It would have been even more wonderful to be there with them, and to share it with them. I think we will go back in January as a family and do it.
Sunday brought challenges and blessings. I was asked to drive across town to pick up some boys who recently joined the church. They come from a home that is bereft of many of the blessings that we enjoy. Their father is in prison, and their mother uses alcohol to excess. The boys essentially raise themselves. Just before I arrived I received a call that they would not be coming. I felt annoyed. I shouldn’t have, but I did. I went to their home and faced an intimidating woman who refused to share anything with me that might help me understand the family’s situation better. I expressed my desire to help and support her boys and asked if we might work together. She was aggressive and refused to engage in any kind of meaningful discussion, instead telling me her boys didn’t want to go to church anymore. From around the corner came a retort – “Yes we do” – from two of the boys. With her permission I took one of them with me. We were very late. On the way we talked about motorbikes. He loves them. As we hit the highway we found ourselves surrounded by thousands of them – doing a charity ride. We pulled over and he admired them as they roared past. I was glad to have been able to bring him with me.
Church was ok, but being late meant I missed the most important part of the day. The talks and lessons didn’t invigorate me as they normally would. Perhaps my tiredness from the 10 hours of driving and 6 hours of hiking played a part. Tonight I spoke at a young single adult meeting to about 70 young adults at church. I spoke about living what we believe. I compared David who slew Goliath and was full of faith, and then went on to commit adultery with Bath-Sheba and send her husband to be killed, with Joseph of Egypt who refused to lie with Potiphar’s wife and remained faithful all of his days. We talked about living in concordance with our beliefs and replenishing our faith. We talked about being disciples of Jesus, and repenting. We felt the Spirit of the Lord. I finished my week on a high.
Our little Annie Grace has gone from being the quietest and most placid baby we’ve ever had to the noisiest. She loves to squeal and does so with alarming consistency, almost constancy. Her big sisters encourage her by squealing back! It’s funny, briefly, but for old folks like me it starts to get a bit much. Fortunately they know how to stop, and why (except Annie, but we forgive her for that). Annie is enjoying walking around the house holding onto chairs, walls and any other support structure. I’d say that by Christmas she’ll be walking without help.
Ella seems to be having some challenges with her breathing. We’ve been instructed to use a Ventalin puffer and have had some reasonable results, though nothing stunning. I’m not sure I like the use of the medication and am interested in finding an alternative to assist her. During the week I attended her swimming lesson. Ella has the ability to do all that she is asked, but only wants to play. We are trying to find a teacher who can work effectively with her, as the one she has just changed over to is not working out either. We’ve been through three teachers this year for her.
Abbie achieved another milestone at school this week. Level 21 on her readers! We are amazed. The target level for the kindergarten children by the end of the year is level 8. Abbie has excelled at school. We’re also feeling very positive about the good experiences Abbie enjoys socially. She misses Brisbane and reminds us of that quite often, yet she seems to be thriving.
Chanel has also had some positive social experiences at school this week. Her chief antagonists appear to have mellowed, and she enjoyed two play-dates with girls during the afternoons. We’re working with her on developing friendships with some very nice girls who come from excellent families and the plan seems to be working out nicely.
Kylie is enjoying my efforts at enhancing her opportunity for outlets too. She’s now riding two or three times each week down by the beach and LOVES it. And every Thursday evening is spent with friends doing girly things that Kylie could never get me to do.
I’ve made some more progress on my data collection, and in the coming weeks things will really get busy for me. I’m preparing to submit my first article, collect data from up to 500 participants (or more if I can get them), and begin my first significant analysis. I’m praying it all works out as I have hoped it will.
During the week I received a phone call from Chanel’s school teacher, Mrs Burton. She is a lovely lady, but has been absent for much of the school year which has obviously disrupted Chanel’s class to a considerable degree. Having just returned from six weeks of long-service leave she wanted to speak with me about the social and academic concerns we’ve had over Chanel. We had a lengthy conversation with wonderful outcomes. Next year we have been assured that Chanel will be in a class where one or two of the girls that would be of benefit for her to be friends with also attend. She will importantly not be in a class with those who have made the year so challenging for her. We look forward to new beginnings. Importantly, when I hung up the phone, I felt calm and peaceful about the future at school for Chanel. We had been contemplating changing her school, but now feel very able to work through the next year with her effectively.
On Friday afternoon I picked up the young men from church and, with about thirty other members, we drove 5 hours south, through Canberra and Cooma, to Australia’s highest peak – Mt. Kosciuszko. We stayed in cabins overnight and early Saturday morning we drove to Charlotte’s Pass and commenced our ascent. The wind was like walls of ice blowing up the mountain at us. There was snow lying across the path in many places (which was wonderful for throwing at those slower than us). We hiked up hill for 9 kms until we reached the peak. It was awesome. We sought shelter from the freezing wind (the temperature accounting for windchill was only about 4 or 5 degrees Celsius) and ate lunch, took photos, and threw more snow. Then a small group of adults including me set off to descend on a longer, more challenging track down the mountain while the majority of the group prepared for their trudge back down the same path they’d walked up.
The new track was far less accessible, with ups and downs, and many more challenges. There were huge snowdrifts we had to cross, several summits to ascend, and scenery that made the initial hike up look rather drab. It was the most exhilarating experience I’ve had for a long time. Two thoughts and feelings were perpetually in my mind as I hike along the ‘main range’ walk. Firstly I experienced wonder and awe and gratitude for such a wonderful world created for us. A prayer of thanks was in my heart. Secondly I wished that Kylie and the children could enjoy this experience with me. It was wonderful to be there. It would have been even more wonderful to be there with them, and to share it with them. I think we will go back in January as a family and do it.
Sunday brought challenges and blessings. I was asked to drive across town to pick up some boys who recently joined the church. They come from a home that is bereft of many of the blessings that we enjoy. Their father is in prison, and their mother uses alcohol to excess. The boys essentially raise themselves. Just before I arrived I received a call that they would not be coming. I felt annoyed. I shouldn’t have, but I did. I went to their home and faced an intimidating woman who refused to share anything with me that might help me understand the family’s situation better. I expressed my desire to help and support her boys and asked if we might work together. She was aggressive and refused to engage in any kind of meaningful discussion, instead telling me her boys didn’t want to go to church anymore. From around the corner came a retort – “Yes we do” – from two of the boys. With her permission I took one of them with me. We were very late. On the way we talked about motorbikes. He loves them. As we hit the highway we found ourselves surrounded by thousands of them – doing a charity ride. We pulled over and he admired them as they roared past. I was glad to have been able to bring him with me.
Church was ok, but being late meant I missed the most important part of the day. The talks and lessons didn’t invigorate me as they normally would. Perhaps my tiredness from the 10 hours of driving and 6 hours of hiking played a part. Tonight I spoke at a young single adult meeting to about 70 young adults at church. I spoke about living what we believe. I compared David who slew Goliath and was full of faith, and then went on to commit adultery with Bath-Sheba and send her husband to be killed, with Joseph of Egypt who refused to lie with Potiphar’s wife and remained faithful all of his days. We talked about living in concordance with our beliefs and replenishing our faith. We talked about being disciples of Jesus, and repenting. We felt the Spirit of the Lord. I finished my week on a high.
Monday, 3 November 2008
A good friend
In two days from the time I write this it will be the first Tuesday of November. That will be Melbourne Cup day. It was therefore exactly one year ago on Tuesday that I flew to Sydney and drove to Wollongong for an entry interview to see whether I would like to study here. I remember feeling excited, as though I was almost certain this would be where we would end up. And precisely two months later to the day, on January 4, we were moving into our home here.
This time last year I was preparing to sit my final exams as an undergraduate. We were in QLD enjoying the splendour of the jacaranda trees blooming, feeling the heat of Spring. I was just about to sell my moped and buy my motorbike. It seems like yesterday, and yet it seems like it was years ago. Life has changed so much – I have changed so much – in just one short year. The one constant is the steady flow of (generally undeserved) blessings that enter our lives week after week.
The week started with family home evening at Bishop’s place, with 6 missionaries and about 10 of the young adults from church. What a fun night! We had a ball and were sad to have to leave when Annie couldn’t take it anymore. We learnt a new game. We sit in a circle and sing a German sounding song made up of nonsense words while passing cups around the circle. Anyone who passes the cup incorrectly or drops a cup is eliminated. The kids have come home and haven’t stopped playing the game and singing the song all week, though the words make no sense at all. It’s a game of concentration and while I didn’t personally play, was immensely fun to watch.
This week Kylie finally got to spend some time riding her new bike! Annie has gone on the back too, and loved every second of it. In fact it has been so much fun Kylie has determined to ride twice a week now. She rides about 12 kilometres from North Wollongong to Towradgi and back. Annie hangs on in the kiddy carrier behind – silent, but smiling. Kylie also finally ordered and received her stamps. For her birthday Kylie wanted a stack of stamps for her crafts and card making. The package arrived and Kylie is in heaven. It has been a long time since I have seen Kylie so energised and enthusiastic about things. (Perhaps I should spend money on her more often!)
This week was also Kylie’s first week of having Thursday night entirely to herself. I may have mentioned this in my last entry, but in case I didn’t, I suggested to Kylie last week that she take one night a week for herself. Kylie knows she can take time out when she wants to, but never does. So I have scheduled Thursday evenings as her night out. That may be another reason she’s so excited lately. This Thursday just gone Kylie rode bikes and played racquetball with a friend. Kylie is starting to feel like her fitness levels need a boost.
The phone has rung – Kylie is taking over the writing for me for a few minutes…
And here I was thinking he was just feeling guilty about all the things he is now getting into, with his riding and of love of Surfing. I am constantly amazed at my husband’s ability to read my needs and meet them, and he is right I am feeling more energised and ready to get out and active a lot more…
Annie has now had her third swimming lesson and can’t get enough of a good dunk. She spends the whole time she is out of the water screaming at me to put her under and when she is in the water she is fighting to get loose, so she can go under the water!!!!! I didn’t think it was possible to have a child even more strong willed than Ella, but Annie is living proof you can…
Ella had a treat this week too. In addition to her two days at kindy, her swimming lesson and her speech session, all of which are favourites for her, Ella was invited to a Hi-5 concert at the entertainment centre. She had a terrific time in the front row! Besides that, Ella has been her usual gorgeously mischievous self. Abbie continues to blow me away with her reading. Her articulation and expression is beyond her years. It is so enjoyable to listen to her read.
Chanel is preparing for her end of year dance performance which I am looking forward to seeing on stage in a few weeks. We have seen some huge improvements in her dance moves. I actually think she has great potential, though she will probably end dancing at the end of term and increase her time in the pool now that summer is nearly here.
We have made some progress with our rental situation. Our landlord met with us last week to discuss the decision he had made to increase the rent by $50. He actually wanted to sell the house. We explained that we would love to stay in the house for as long as we could, but that we would do whatever needed to be done to help in the sale of the house, should he decide to go that way. We also indicated that we’d happily sign another lease for 12 months if we can come to an agreement about the rent increase. We suggested that $50 per week was a bit more than we could comfortably manage (by about $45!!!) We just got a call yesterday and it seems that we will possibly be able to continue our stay here. The sale is unlikely to go ahead. This week we’ll aim to re-negotiate a weekly rental price. Moving is an unattractive option to us, so hopefully we can work something out.
It’s Justin back again. I’m off the phone.
It’s been a really intense week for me. I’ve marked close to 150 000 words! That includes 60 lab reports of 1500 words each, and 20 reports of 4000 words. I should be finished the last of them in the morning. I’ll get up early. That’s really been my entire week from Monday to Friday.
Yesterday (Sat) I went for an early morning bike ride. I joined up with a few guys from the local cycling club. We did a 60 km trip around Lake Illawarra. It took about 2 hours, and felt fantastic. I love being on the bike. My legs were a little fatigued by the end of it and it didn’t feel so great climbing up our hill to get back home. Wow – hard work.
I took the kids for a bike ride during the afternoon. The training wheels went back on for Ella. She’s very confident with them, but helpless without them. Chanel now has a previously unridden bike she received from her Aunties. Leah and Rachel received bikes a couple of years ago that they never rode. Chanel loves riding her bike with gears and has mastered it almost instantly. Abbie is moved onto Chanel’s bike. No training wheels. And no balance! I spent an hour running on my wobbly legs trying to help her, but we made little progress. I’m hopeful that a few more sessions will be all it takes, but am concerned my hope will be in vain. Abbie is simply not getting it at this point. Next weekend… next weekend. I’m sure if I keep telling myself it will eventually happen.
Today was a great day at church. A wonderful sacrament meeting. Terrific testimonies. I taught the young men about keeping their bodies free from drugs, and how our scriptures and modern prophets have taught these things for 170 years – much longer than science has been saying it. Then I went home teaching, visiting several families from the congregation to see how they’re going. It was a rewarding afternoon. I genuinely felt as though my relationships with several of the families I visited with were deeply enriched. In particular, Gino and Cherie. Gino received a priesthood blessing from me some weeks ago. He is not a member of the church but his wife is. Gino told me how much it meant to him today. It took him a couple of days to get back on his feet following the blessing, but he has been healthy since and credits the blessing. It felt good to be of service. Gino and I have started riding together regularly too, and a good friendship is growing because of the blessing of home teaching.
Kylie and I had the opportunity to spend almost an hour talking yesterday. The children were playing in the yard with the neighbours and everything was quiet. It doesn’t happen often but it was wonderful. We were talking about our future – very much unknown at this point – and our present. We reflected on the immense blessings we enjoy, and particularly how wonderful it is in Wollongong. We miss Brisbane and our good friends there more than words can say. But we have been welcomed here so warmly. We have developed remarkable relationships at church and elsewhere in a short time, and those relationships are treasured. They’re also a LOT of fun. We’re grateful for so many beautiful people who bless and touch our lives.
This time last year I was preparing to sit my final exams as an undergraduate. We were in QLD enjoying the splendour of the jacaranda trees blooming, feeling the heat of Spring. I was just about to sell my moped and buy my motorbike. It seems like yesterday, and yet it seems like it was years ago. Life has changed so much – I have changed so much – in just one short year. The one constant is the steady flow of (generally undeserved) blessings that enter our lives week after week.
The week started with family home evening at Bishop’s place, with 6 missionaries and about 10 of the young adults from church. What a fun night! We had a ball and were sad to have to leave when Annie couldn’t take it anymore. We learnt a new game. We sit in a circle and sing a German sounding song made up of nonsense words while passing cups around the circle. Anyone who passes the cup incorrectly or drops a cup is eliminated. The kids have come home and haven’t stopped playing the game and singing the song all week, though the words make no sense at all. It’s a game of concentration and while I didn’t personally play, was immensely fun to watch.
This week Kylie finally got to spend some time riding her new bike! Annie has gone on the back too, and loved every second of it. In fact it has been so much fun Kylie has determined to ride twice a week now. She rides about 12 kilometres from North Wollongong to Towradgi and back. Annie hangs on in the kiddy carrier behind – silent, but smiling. Kylie also finally ordered and received her stamps. For her birthday Kylie wanted a stack of stamps for her crafts and card making. The package arrived and Kylie is in heaven. It has been a long time since I have seen Kylie so energised and enthusiastic about things. (Perhaps I should spend money on her more often!)
This week was also Kylie’s first week of having Thursday night entirely to herself. I may have mentioned this in my last entry, but in case I didn’t, I suggested to Kylie last week that she take one night a week for herself. Kylie knows she can take time out when she wants to, but never does. So I have scheduled Thursday evenings as her night out. That may be another reason she’s so excited lately. This Thursday just gone Kylie rode bikes and played racquetball with a friend. Kylie is starting to feel like her fitness levels need a boost.
The phone has rung – Kylie is taking over the writing for me for a few minutes…
And here I was thinking he was just feeling guilty about all the things he is now getting into, with his riding and of love of Surfing. I am constantly amazed at my husband’s ability to read my needs and meet them, and he is right I am feeling more energised and ready to get out and active a lot more…
Annie has now had her third swimming lesson and can’t get enough of a good dunk. She spends the whole time she is out of the water screaming at me to put her under and when she is in the water she is fighting to get loose, so she can go under the water!!!!! I didn’t think it was possible to have a child even more strong willed than Ella, but Annie is living proof you can…
Ella had a treat this week too. In addition to her two days at kindy, her swimming lesson and her speech session, all of which are favourites for her, Ella was invited to a Hi-5 concert at the entertainment centre. She had a terrific time in the front row! Besides that, Ella has been her usual gorgeously mischievous self. Abbie continues to blow me away with her reading. Her articulation and expression is beyond her years. It is so enjoyable to listen to her read.
Chanel is preparing for her end of year dance performance which I am looking forward to seeing on stage in a few weeks. We have seen some huge improvements in her dance moves. I actually think she has great potential, though she will probably end dancing at the end of term and increase her time in the pool now that summer is nearly here.
We have made some progress with our rental situation. Our landlord met with us last week to discuss the decision he had made to increase the rent by $50. He actually wanted to sell the house. We explained that we would love to stay in the house for as long as we could, but that we would do whatever needed to be done to help in the sale of the house, should he decide to go that way. We also indicated that we’d happily sign another lease for 12 months if we can come to an agreement about the rent increase. We suggested that $50 per week was a bit more than we could comfortably manage (by about $45!!!) We just got a call yesterday and it seems that we will possibly be able to continue our stay here. The sale is unlikely to go ahead. This week we’ll aim to re-negotiate a weekly rental price. Moving is an unattractive option to us, so hopefully we can work something out.
It’s Justin back again. I’m off the phone.
It’s been a really intense week for me. I’ve marked close to 150 000 words! That includes 60 lab reports of 1500 words each, and 20 reports of 4000 words. I should be finished the last of them in the morning. I’ll get up early. That’s really been my entire week from Monday to Friday.
Yesterday (Sat) I went for an early morning bike ride. I joined up with a few guys from the local cycling club. We did a 60 km trip around Lake Illawarra. It took about 2 hours, and felt fantastic. I love being on the bike. My legs were a little fatigued by the end of it and it didn’t feel so great climbing up our hill to get back home. Wow – hard work.
I took the kids for a bike ride during the afternoon. The training wheels went back on for Ella. She’s very confident with them, but helpless without them. Chanel now has a previously unridden bike she received from her Aunties. Leah and Rachel received bikes a couple of years ago that they never rode. Chanel loves riding her bike with gears and has mastered it almost instantly. Abbie is moved onto Chanel’s bike. No training wheels. And no balance! I spent an hour running on my wobbly legs trying to help her, but we made little progress. I’m hopeful that a few more sessions will be all it takes, but am concerned my hope will be in vain. Abbie is simply not getting it at this point. Next weekend… next weekend. I’m sure if I keep telling myself it will eventually happen.
Today was a great day at church. A wonderful sacrament meeting. Terrific testimonies. I taught the young men about keeping their bodies free from drugs, and how our scriptures and modern prophets have taught these things for 170 years – much longer than science has been saying it. Then I went home teaching, visiting several families from the congregation to see how they’re going. It was a rewarding afternoon. I genuinely felt as though my relationships with several of the families I visited with were deeply enriched. In particular, Gino and Cherie. Gino received a priesthood blessing from me some weeks ago. He is not a member of the church but his wife is. Gino told me how much it meant to him today. It took him a couple of days to get back on his feet following the blessing, but he has been healthy since and credits the blessing. It felt good to be of service. Gino and I have started riding together regularly too, and a good friendship is growing because of the blessing of home teaching.
Kylie and I had the opportunity to spend almost an hour talking yesterday. The children were playing in the yard with the neighbours and everything was quiet. It doesn’t happen often but it was wonderful. We were talking about our future – very much unknown at this point – and our present. We reflected on the immense blessings we enjoy, and particularly how wonderful it is in Wollongong. We miss Brisbane and our good friends there more than words can say. But we have been welcomed here so warmly. We have developed remarkable relationships at church and elsewhere in a short time, and those relationships are treasured. They’re also a LOT of fun. We’re grateful for so many beautiful people who bless and touch our lives.
The end of October
Exhaustion has taken over my body and I won’t be able to write for long – but it’s predominantly self-inflicted, and it’s a wonderful, satisfied exhaustion and it feels good.
The week began quietly, albeit busily. It was the final week of the university semester so I taught my final classes. My students handed in their assignments in preparation for my horrendous week of marking which commences in the final week of October. I received about 60 x 1500 word lab reports from second year students, and I received about 20 x 4000 word reports from the fourth year students. That is a LOT of marking – and I find marking tiresome, boring, and generally tedious at the best of times.
Tuesday night was Abbie’s birthday party to finalise her 6th birthday celebrations. She had half a dozen friends over for a pizza party after school. The kids made chocolate lolly pizzas, played games, and ate real pizza. Perhaps Ella ate too much because first thing Wednesday morning our little angel was very sick. She stayed that way for the rest of the week.
Kylie picked up her new pushbike on Wednesday. It’s big, red, and shiny – and Kylie is very excited. She’s all ready to go for it now, we just need to get a time when the family can run down to the bikeway and jump on the bikes. Everyone has their bike, we have the bike rack – hopefully it will happen soon.
Friday was a super day. I went for an early surf with a friend. The weather was perfect, the water was clear and cool, and dolphins were swimming with us as we surfed. A pod of about 10 dolphins swam up and down the beach within a couple of metres of us several times during the morning. It was terrific! And the surf was good too. A brief meeting at uni was scheduled. I discovered that I was marking the lab reports too harshly and had to readjust the few reports I had already marked. Then Kylie and I went to the wedding of some friends from church.
The wedding was held at the top of Bulli pass, a treacherous track winding its way down from the top of the mountain range into suburbia at the bottom. The area in which we live is basically a 40-50klm stretch of land positioned between the escarpment and the ocean. To get into Wollongong means going down one of several steep roads from the top of the escarpment into the developed coastal land below. The scenery was beautiful. We stared across the region with wonder, and gazed at the expansive ocean almost as if we’d never seen it before. The view was as good as any that can be witnessed. And as we stared we saw whales breaching about 1 km off the coast! The bride laughed, commenting that she’d organised that at the last minute.
We had a terrific night. I ate antipasto and prawns, steak (a big one) and delicious vegetables. We spent time with good friends, and danced! Even me – but only with Kylie, and only briefly. Nonetheless, it was good fun. Bedtime arrived later than normal though, around 11pm.
Saturday morning I went surfing again! Twice in two days… but to do so I had to leave home before 5am. That meant not much sleep. I surfed with a friend at Thirroul for an hour before jumping back into the car and driving to pick up some of the Young Men. We had organised a big bike ride – of 50 km for the morning. I was tired at the end of the riding. I had also locked my keys in the car. A call to the NRMA solved that problem, but only my pillow could solve my other problem. After I got home Kylie took the children to a church activity while I cleaned the house. When I was done I laid my head down to rest. Annie awoke within three minutes of my lying down. No sleep for me! But to make amends I got another surf in for the afternoon. The waves were the first ones we’ve had in over six weeks so I was determined to make the most of it.
Sunday was a real thrill. We arrived at church 20 minutes early – which is an accomplishment in and of itself. The children were presenting their Primary presentation in our sacrament meeting. It was wonderful. The girls did a great job with their lines and singing. And the 20-plus children on the stand were terrific. Sunday night we ate a roast dinner with friends… roast is definitely my favourite. And then we fell into bed exhausted after late nights, weddings, dancing, riding, surfing, and serving our way through another stellar week.
The week began quietly, albeit busily. It was the final week of the university semester so I taught my final classes. My students handed in their assignments in preparation for my horrendous week of marking which commences in the final week of October. I received about 60 x 1500 word lab reports from second year students, and I received about 20 x 4000 word reports from the fourth year students. That is a LOT of marking – and I find marking tiresome, boring, and generally tedious at the best of times.
Tuesday night was Abbie’s birthday party to finalise her 6th birthday celebrations. She had half a dozen friends over for a pizza party after school. The kids made chocolate lolly pizzas, played games, and ate real pizza. Perhaps Ella ate too much because first thing Wednesday morning our little angel was very sick. She stayed that way for the rest of the week.
Kylie picked up her new pushbike on Wednesday. It’s big, red, and shiny – and Kylie is very excited. She’s all ready to go for it now, we just need to get a time when the family can run down to the bikeway and jump on the bikes. Everyone has their bike, we have the bike rack – hopefully it will happen soon.
Friday was a super day. I went for an early surf with a friend. The weather was perfect, the water was clear and cool, and dolphins were swimming with us as we surfed. A pod of about 10 dolphins swam up and down the beach within a couple of metres of us several times during the morning. It was terrific! And the surf was good too. A brief meeting at uni was scheduled. I discovered that I was marking the lab reports too harshly and had to readjust the few reports I had already marked. Then Kylie and I went to the wedding of some friends from church.
The wedding was held at the top of Bulli pass, a treacherous track winding its way down from the top of the mountain range into suburbia at the bottom. The area in which we live is basically a 40-50klm stretch of land positioned between the escarpment and the ocean. To get into Wollongong means going down one of several steep roads from the top of the escarpment into the developed coastal land below. The scenery was beautiful. We stared across the region with wonder, and gazed at the expansive ocean almost as if we’d never seen it before. The view was as good as any that can be witnessed. And as we stared we saw whales breaching about 1 km off the coast! The bride laughed, commenting that she’d organised that at the last minute.
We had a terrific night. I ate antipasto and prawns, steak (a big one) and delicious vegetables. We spent time with good friends, and danced! Even me – but only with Kylie, and only briefly. Nonetheless, it was good fun. Bedtime arrived later than normal though, around 11pm.
Saturday morning I went surfing again! Twice in two days… but to do so I had to leave home before 5am. That meant not much sleep. I surfed with a friend at Thirroul for an hour before jumping back into the car and driving to pick up some of the Young Men. We had organised a big bike ride – of 50 km for the morning. I was tired at the end of the riding. I had also locked my keys in the car. A call to the NRMA solved that problem, but only my pillow could solve my other problem. After I got home Kylie took the children to a church activity while I cleaned the house. When I was done I laid my head down to rest. Annie awoke within three minutes of my lying down. No sleep for me! But to make amends I got another surf in for the afternoon. The waves were the first ones we’ve had in over six weeks so I was determined to make the most of it.
Sunday was a real thrill. We arrived at church 20 minutes early – which is an accomplishment in and of itself. The children were presenting their Primary presentation in our sacrament meeting. It was wonderful. The girls did a great job with their lines and singing. And the 20-plus children on the stand were terrific. Sunday night we ate a roast dinner with friends… roast is definitely my favourite. And then we fell into bed exhausted after late nights, weddings, dancing, riding, surfing, and serving our way through another stellar week.
Sunday, 19 October 2008
So Many Birthdays
It’s been three weeks since I last wrote. Things have been generally frantic and exhausting, exhilarating and at times remarkably stressful. That included the two weeks of school holidays for the children, and the week just gone.
The holidays started fairly quietly for the children. I spent a day or two at home during that week, but worked hard at uni too. The week was uneventful. In the second week of the holidays it all started though. Kylie’s friend threw a 30th birthday for her. All of her friends chipped in to put money together so Kylie could buy a bunch of “stamping” products for making cards and other crafts. The generosity was astounding and Kylie is finalising her quite substantial order. She was ecstatic about it. There was a LOT of leftover dessert too, including an entire homemade lemon meringue pie that was too good for words. I ate it for breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and for dessert as well. My body would have preferred that I be more balanced in my approach to food and I felt ill for a couple of days.
Some friends from Brisbane came to stay for three nights with their three children. We had a great week showing them the sights around Wollongong. We had pristine weather for it and enjoyed their company. We ate lots of Chicko’s too which always pleases the family. Our friends were suitably impressed with our favourite chicken shop.
We drove to Gosford on my birthday (Thurs 9th Oct), stopping to see Nan and Pop Bunt. We always enjoy visiting, and came away with an enormous bag of Pop’s home-grown spinach. I love his vegetable garden! Mum and Dad had gone to Coffs Harbour for a few days and the house was essentially ours (except for my little brother Tim who hung around). That evening I had all of my best mates come to mum and dad’s house with their families for a small birthday party. Ben, Jay, Richard, and Ian all came over. We have a great friendship that has lasted over 20 years now, and continues to be a positive influence in my life. I am grateful for good friends.
Friday we let the kids play with their cousins. Then some friends from Wollongong came to join us in Gosford for a couple of days. We ate good food, stayed up too late talking, visited Terrigal Haven, ate more good food, and enjoyed being in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. As a bonus, on Sunday afternoon before coming home we got to visit with Nanna Coulson on her 80th birthday. It was great to be there, and we would have loved to stay longer. Unfortunately it was a long drive home and the children were starting school the next day. We ruefully rushed out with full bellies and regret for not being able to enjoy our family longer.
The children’s return to school and my return to uni went quite smoothly. I have made significant progress on my writing and on my PhD research. I’ll be running the first round of data collection in the coming weeks and things are really beginning to move very fast.
Annie had her first ever swimming lesson. We get the lesson for about $3 because the three other children are swimming. She loved it, and laughed her way through the 30 minutes. I also got back into the pool. A gym membership was my birthday present and I’m looking forward to improving my health and fitness. My first swimming session caused me considerable tiredness and soreness. There’s plenty of room for improvement.
We received some disappointing news this week too. Our landlord has indicated that as of Jan 1 2009 when our lease expires he would like us to increase our weekly rental by $50. That is a surprising jump – and quite unreasonable. So now we find ourselves attempting to renegotiate our lease or needing to move out. We really don’t want to go through the pain of a move, however his request is entirely unreasonable. Even if it were well within our reach – which it is not – we would still be reluctant to pay so much more. We already pay a fair price for the home, and he assured us when we moved in that we could stay for up to three years without undue increases or discomfort. We have some big decisions in front of us.
Yesterday was Chanel and Abbie’s birthday. Chanel turned nine and Abbie reached her sixth birthday. Chanel had a huge weekend beginning on Friday night with her friend’s 9th birthday party. Then at 8am Saturday morning we had Chanel’s birthday party with a breakfast and bike ride at North Wollongong. Chanel and her friends rode several kilometers north (with me and another father) and returned for a huge fruit platter of mangoes, pineapple, strawberries, and more. Then I cooked bacon and egg rolls on the BBQ while they swam at the beach. That evening Chanel went to another friend’s birthday party! Too much fun. (Abbie will have her birthday party on Tuesday night). I should also add that we got Chanel a little mini ipod (shuffle) for her birthday and she hasn’t taken it out of her ears since we gave it to her. She walks around singing and dancing and strutting all day long.
Lastly, during the last couple of weeks I came across a t-shirt. Someone was wearing a shirt that said “This is the life I have chosen.” At times I often feel like I need to apologise for or justify the life I live, particularly in light of our financial circumstances. But reading that shirt resonated with me. I feel grateful that I can live the life I choose. While there are certain aspects of my circumstances that I would appreciate changing I feel blessed and thankful that I can live the life I do. I feel a profound sense of accomplishment as I reflect on my life and say “This is the life I have chosen.”
The holidays started fairly quietly for the children. I spent a day or two at home during that week, but worked hard at uni too. The week was uneventful. In the second week of the holidays it all started though. Kylie’s friend threw a 30th birthday for her. All of her friends chipped in to put money together so Kylie could buy a bunch of “stamping” products for making cards and other crafts. The generosity was astounding and Kylie is finalising her quite substantial order. She was ecstatic about it. There was a LOT of leftover dessert too, including an entire homemade lemon meringue pie that was too good for words. I ate it for breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and for dessert as well. My body would have preferred that I be more balanced in my approach to food and I felt ill for a couple of days.
Some friends from Brisbane came to stay for three nights with their three children. We had a great week showing them the sights around Wollongong. We had pristine weather for it and enjoyed their company. We ate lots of Chicko’s too which always pleases the family. Our friends were suitably impressed with our favourite chicken shop.
We drove to Gosford on my birthday (Thurs 9th Oct), stopping to see Nan and Pop Bunt. We always enjoy visiting, and came away with an enormous bag of Pop’s home-grown spinach. I love his vegetable garden! Mum and Dad had gone to Coffs Harbour for a few days and the house was essentially ours (except for my little brother Tim who hung around). That evening I had all of my best mates come to mum and dad’s house with their families for a small birthday party. Ben, Jay, Richard, and Ian all came over. We have a great friendship that has lasted over 20 years now, and continues to be a positive influence in my life. I am grateful for good friends.
Friday we let the kids play with their cousins. Then some friends from Wollongong came to join us in Gosford for a couple of days. We ate good food, stayed up too late talking, visited Terrigal Haven, ate more good food, and enjoyed being in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. As a bonus, on Sunday afternoon before coming home we got to visit with Nanna Coulson on her 80th birthday. It was great to be there, and we would have loved to stay longer. Unfortunately it was a long drive home and the children were starting school the next day. We ruefully rushed out with full bellies and regret for not being able to enjoy our family longer.
The children’s return to school and my return to uni went quite smoothly. I have made significant progress on my writing and on my PhD research. I’ll be running the first round of data collection in the coming weeks and things are really beginning to move very fast.
Annie had her first ever swimming lesson. We get the lesson for about $3 because the three other children are swimming. She loved it, and laughed her way through the 30 minutes. I also got back into the pool. A gym membership was my birthday present and I’m looking forward to improving my health and fitness. My first swimming session caused me considerable tiredness and soreness. There’s plenty of room for improvement.
We received some disappointing news this week too. Our landlord has indicated that as of Jan 1 2009 when our lease expires he would like us to increase our weekly rental by $50. That is a surprising jump – and quite unreasonable. So now we find ourselves attempting to renegotiate our lease or needing to move out. We really don’t want to go through the pain of a move, however his request is entirely unreasonable. Even if it were well within our reach – which it is not – we would still be reluctant to pay so much more. We already pay a fair price for the home, and he assured us when we moved in that we could stay for up to three years without undue increases or discomfort. We have some big decisions in front of us.
Yesterday was Chanel and Abbie’s birthday. Chanel turned nine and Abbie reached her sixth birthday. Chanel had a huge weekend beginning on Friday night with her friend’s 9th birthday party. Then at 8am Saturday morning we had Chanel’s birthday party with a breakfast and bike ride at North Wollongong. Chanel and her friends rode several kilometers north (with me and another father) and returned for a huge fruit platter of mangoes, pineapple, strawberries, and more. Then I cooked bacon and egg rolls on the BBQ while they swam at the beach. That evening Chanel went to another friend’s birthday party! Too much fun. (Abbie will have her birthday party on Tuesday night). I should also add that we got Chanel a little mini ipod (shuffle) for her birthday and she hasn’t taken it out of her ears since we gave it to her. She walks around singing and dancing and strutting all day long.
Lastly, during the last couple of weeks I came across a t-shirt. Someone was wearing a shirt that said “This is the life I have chosen.” At times I often feel like I need to apologise for or justify the life I live, particularly in light of our financial circumstances. But reading that shirt resonated with me. I feel grateful that I can live the life I choose. While there are certain aspects of my circumstances that I would appreciate changing I feel blessed and thankful that I can live the life I do. I feel a profound sense of accomplishment as I reflect on my life and say “This is the life I have chosen.”
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