I know it's been a while

The second half of this year has been crazy with ministry stuff. Everything from Holiday Club, 2 camps, Black Stump, national YFC Conference in Melbourne, and a Dancing Girls tour to mention the big ones. Ben has missed 13 days of school and not one for being sick. He'd have liked a few extra days to recover. Poor thing has found Kindergarten exhausting. But it is his last day today, I have promised him 6 weeks off to recover and lots of play time. (Another complaint.) Am I making him grow up too fast? As the eldest I do ask him to help me a lot and expect him to do a lot for himself now that he is at school. The boys play so beautifully together before school, it is often a shame to break up the party to have breakfast and begin the morning rituals of getting ready for school. It will be good just to have a few Pj play days at home, not rushing around so much. Plus being pregnant, I am trying to do only what I must, which is a lot with three hungry, growing and exploring boys. I have many stories of the trouble both Joel and Tobs get up to together. Like sneaking and eating two entire advent calendars by the 6th December and attempting to make two packs of jelly on their own. And where was I while all this was going on...I'd like to say that I took a few minutes to have a lie down or a relaxing bath, but I was putting the bin out and doing the washing. I do want to encourage independence in my children, but sometimes the results are scary. These are some of the 150 Dance Girls from YFC SA who came in September and became part of our family. We enjoyed watching them minister through their dancing and the sharing of their lives. They are currently in the US on tour. Our toilet broke for a couple of weeks until Rich went to the hardware shop bought a 15c rubber ring and fixed it. Who needs 'Hire a Hubby'? Tobs tried to help too as you can see. I do have a picture of Rich in the same position which is how Toby got the idea, but it is Christmas and I'll save embarrassing husband pictures for a later time. Playgroup went to the trains. Cute little steam trains driven by cute little old men who don't look like growing up any time soon. The seats are not the most comfortable so I happily reclined in my picnic chair and let anybody who so desired adopt my children for the day. A couple of mums were happy as some of their children did not want to go on as many rides as they did. Naturally our boys loved it, especially when Grandma Gai arrived for 'Wedding Wednesday' shopping with Aunty Rach and Uncle Grant. The lovely lady behind Joel is Linda, our very valued and enthusiastic Playgroup co-ordinator who does the best job and loves findin things for energetic, crazy boys to do. My boys in their suits, Rich walking Rach down the aisle, and my bridesmaid sisters Erin and Meg (l to r) in the car on their way to photos. It really was such a beautiful day considering there was quite a bit of apprehension leading up to it all from all. And us. What a handsome couple! And Darn it, I had to buy a new dress as my growing body didn't fit the dress I had planned to wear. Which by the way did fit me the week previous.

Happy Birthday Nonna

Hope you have lots of spoiling today.

Peek A Boo

How much fun can one little boy have with a towel?

Wedding Weekend (part II)

I think I've said how hard we were going to find being at this wedding, but it was even harder than we thought. Despite Rich stepping down from his best man role, we were there to be just as supportive and happy for Matt and Kylie. When the bend down and recited vows to the children I lost it. Hence there are no photos of this moment. It was beautiful and perfect for the time and needs of the families but it was hard to be reminded that things will never be as they were. The weather was beautiful and it was a lovely wedding. We know that Matt and Kylie are in this for the long haul and will make he best of things. We wish them all the best.

Wedding Weekend

We started our holiday to Brisbane for the wedding after a Musical rehersal at school on Tuesday. And although planning to leave at lunch, a doctors visit and a few present deliveries on the way held us up til 3 when we eventually left for Nambucca Heads. (The boys thought this was a very funny name for a place.)Richard had a few chest x-rays and blood test to finally diagnose him wil Pleurasy and Pneumonia. For which rest was prescribed, leaving me to drive. I am still recovering. The presents were for two (out of 8 kinder boys) who were having birthdays Ben was going to miss. One was Jayden, his best mate and soccer pal. Both boys were counting down until their reunion.

So 4 hours later and some take away dinner to satisfy the natives and we were in our little beach hut. A quick nap, an early morning swim (carefully avoiding the elderly lady running in only a towel, who by the way was hinting at playing soccer with the boys. Luckily they missed the hint an she ran on) and we were back in the car for some more in car DVDs, take away food and highway driving. At this point I should add two things. Firstly the boys were great travellers and apart from the weariness of the driver and illness of the Dad, we could turn around and do it all again tomorrow. Secondly we are not touching take away food at least until Christmas. We had the best intention to shop and cook and even packed our esky, but we ended up only being in our motel room to cook one meal and have all our breakfasts. We made lunches most of the time too and the boys ate stacks of fruit so it wasn't that bad. It just felt bad when on the way home, and only a few hours from home, knowing the kids wouldn't last, we pulled into the next town hoping for a healthy option. Not wanting anything we'd already had once or twice already and not wanting to pay our last $60 at a salad buffet. With very few healthy options we ended up with Subway and the boys were asleep before finishing their last mouthfuls but it kept them quiet and they slept the last little bit of the trip.

The water was so warm at Nambucca that the boys just couldn't stay dry and were soon only wearing their undies. Speaking of undies, I didn't pack any for Ben. And I didn't pack any socks for Joel. What was I thinking. I did pack lots of long pants and jumpers that we never touched though.

So there was no traffic until about 20Km from home. Sunset from the Bruce.

Our ealry risers allowed us to catch a lot of beautiful sunrises from our balcony and spend many early mornings at the park on the beach across the road.

This is where we stayed from the park.

We found this great little man made lagoon for the children to play in and met the Burstows here for a great day with a BBQ and an ice cream. The last pic here is a group shot of all the kidsof which Joel did not want o participate in and the others looked less than impressed because I was holding their ice cream ransom for the photo.

This is all of the hoiday for now. More on the Wedding next time.

Suitable Bachellors

We found some suits from Myer for less than the price of nice pants and a shirt each and with two weddings this year we bought them. I know Kell will appreciate our bargain hunting. And how cute do they look.

Church News

We have a new Pastor and

we have DA approval. Yah!!

So proud of my Big School Boy

Although the only boy turning 5 in 2007, and therefore the only boy in his age group, Ben won his age race at the athletics carnival and had the sticker and smile to prove it.

All the best Matt, Kylie and merging families

Some of you may remember a blog in memory of a friend who died suddenly in May 2005 at the age of 37. Well in an exciting but somewhat sad way, her husband and Rich's friend, Matt is getting remarried this weekend to a lovely girl, Kylie. We are travelling to Brisbane this week for the wedding and we have mixed feelings about the whole thing. We are taking the children and making a holiday out of it to make it easier. We know this will be a great thing for both Matt's and Josh's future, but we miss Bev and it has been quite hard on Rich to adjust to the idea. Matt will be moving to Brisbane also and we fear the friend we have will forget us or at least find it hard from both sides to see each other. I am going to be taking lots of pics and will post again when we get home. The Pictures here are from a dinner we had together in the holidays to basically meet Kylie and her children Josh and Chloe. Our children loved them and played so well with them. We know Josh is so lucky to have Kylie to be his Mum and to have a lovely big brother and slightly older sister. Kylie is a great Mum and will be a great helper for Matt as his wife. It is great and it is sad.

Whata Choir

The Watoto Village has been created in Uganda to rescue AIDS orphans and provide them with families. The Watoto choir has been formed and travel widely. In July we took our boys and mothers and brother Josh to see them perform at Hillsong Conference in Sydney. As you can see we were in the 'nose bleed' section but had a great time anyway. For more information check out....www.watoto.com

This is just funny

Before you label me with the 'Cruel Mother' title that I use for the people still holding the camera for funny videos as their child falls, the Cheese grater is doing my child no harm. In fact he didn't even notice it was stuck on his hood!

Colourful Memories

Ok. So I went to Colour Conference in March and was asked to share at church a few weeks after about some of my experiences. Some how God gave me these words the morning of, and somehow I lost them on the computer. Thank goodness for sent items and cut/paste. So here it is. Picture me talking to our church and you are one of the wonderful women there listening. I hope it inspires you because no matter where we are in life, we are all women loved by God and His message is the same for all of us.

If you know me and you know that I wrote 53 pages of message notes while I was at Colour, you’ll realise that what I’m going to share with you this morning and the time it’ll take me is solely from God. You know I’ve been to Colour 5 times now and come back from each Colour with different feelings. The first time I was shocked but loved being in the house of God and feeling treasured, valued and princessy. At the time I needed to know that God was my Dad and loved me regardless. That I had an inheritance and a future in Him. I bought the shirt and came back with a halo only I could see. But it was only a matter of time before the princess faded back to a Cinderella in the kitchen. Because that was only part of my description as I learned at Colour 2. Colour 2 was all about being a Warrior. The first part to the ‘Warrior, Princess, Daughter’ logo that was on my shirt. I was more at ease with the princess bit and the daughter bit but the warrior bit demanded some action from my end as Colour started to touch on. I was both broken and started healing at this colour. It was an emotionally exhausting but freeing time for me. And a real turning point in my life. Colour 3 was about working together as women to do a job. Support the men in their roles and encourage the women in theirs. There was a real sense of urgency. As women we do need to be princesses, but feisty ones, with swords and armed with the Word of God against attack. Redefining a Woman’s role in God. Undoing damage and lies from the enemy and unravelling God’s Truth. A lot of damage has been done to the role of a woman and I believe the enemy is using lies to inhibit us and render us less effective if not ineffective. As a young woman I for years have used the excuses that because my parents divorced, or confusion from the media or not having older women constantly mentoring me, meant that I didn’t know how to be the best wife, mum and friend. But you know what. That is a lie. If I was the only woman I knew, I could know my role in God and be effective as a wife, mum and friend. So this year I have been seeking God and coming to terms with who I am. Getting comfortable with me, liking me, and loving where God has me in life. I’ve stopped caring what other girls think and therefore feeling free to be who God has designed me to be. I have been known to go to Colour each year, flat and deflated expecting to be pumped up with God’s love and goodness enough to last me through to the next Colour. But each year Colour has inflated me less and less with the encouragement to take responsibility when I get home for my own inflation. And I know how to but sometimes I believe the lies that God is scary when you’ve been naughty, or He’s busy, or I’m too busy, or whatever the excuse. But what I learned was the truth I had confused for a twisted lie from the enemy. It was holding me back and making me feel inadequate and self-centred. I know now that life is simple. God is theree ready and loves me. All I have to do is lean into Him. I love that picture of squishing into His tummy and Him putting His arm around me. He doesn’t care about my past, just that I am there in His arms wanting to spend time with Him. So when Colour came around I was going to be ready. Ready for whatever, but not needing inflating. This year was even less girly and smushy as seemed to be the pattern. But when I came back a bit cranky, I was not very popular with the men in my life who had worked really hard to make me feel like a princess before I left and cleaned the house spotlessly for my return. And I mean shock factor of 10 ½. I was cranky because the message I kept hearing this year was so simple. I had paid good money to be told something I should have known. Things like. As women our role is different to that off Men. That God has made me unique with a unique purpose. That being a mum is a purpose of its own. That God is there and available for me, actually waiting for me to talk. That I can do things now, before I get rich and my kids grow up. That the Bible is a timeless and relevant answer and one of the ways God uses to communicate and encourage us. That being willing is all we need to be. God will meet us where we’re at and blow us away with His Power. That women are our own worst enemies and we need to be responsible for changing that. That staying close to God is the only way to tell the lies from the truth. That being useless and ineffective is not who I am but what I become if I do nothing. So now I press send on and encouraging email just in case it can be used by God rather than expecting it to do nothing so not send it all. I now feel encouraged just to do what I can do. If we all play our part as a member of the sisterhood, Great things can be done. I am still refining what that is for me. For you it could be to support the Wototo Children’s homes in Uganda for Aids victims, for which there will be a brunch box near the front door to place the money you pledged at Colour and an account will be opened with the plan to fundraise more funds in the near future. I know this touched many of us. You know alone, we are little, together we are a lot and with God we are a life force.

Good, Gooder, Goodest

Let's start with an early morning sunrise.

A little bag packing. A short plane trip to Brisbane. A wonderful weekend with friends.

And some mothers Day spoiling at the Vineyards. Who could ask for more?