In early September we enjoyed a visit from the Ford family who were on their way back to PNG following furlough. It was great to reconnect with them, remember good times at HUGSR in Memphis, and meet their kids. Ella greatly enjoyed the company of Hannah (4), Caleb (2) and Elizabeth (2 months). She was so curious about baby Elizabeth and so gentle with her, bringing great hopes for her future as a big sister.
Ella enjoys playing with the big kids:
If Ella can stay this excited about a baby in the house, we're in good shape:
Speaking of which, my pregnancy is going well. I'm at 32 weeks and feeling pretty good. At this point our plan and prayer is for a natural labor and delivery. The other day I came across a piece of paper where I had written my weight gain with Ella. Against my better judgment, I did a weight comparison between the two pregnancies. I didn't have a weight recording for me at 31 weeks but had one for 34 weeks with Ella. The result...at 31 weeks with baby boy, I am 8.8 pounds ahead of what I weighed at 34 weeks with Ella. Three weeks behind, and almost 9 pounds ahead. Nice. Good to know that Cadbury's and Arnotts are doing their job. :) At some point in the next few weeks I have hopes to wash the little one's newborn clothes, and somehow make Ella's pink pack-n-play take on a more masculine look.
32 weeks and a serious baby
Many people have asked if we have chosen a name. The answer is no, not yet. But he will be named, fear not. We'd named Ella by the 24th week of the pregnancy, but I think we'll be using all 40 weeks with this little one. We enjoy being able to share the gender with people, but also (at the risk of appearing egocentric...) also enjoy giving people something to anticipate about the birth...learning the name. Its surprisingly hard for many people, but hopefully it helps to know that there just ISN'T a name to share at this point. And by the end of each day, I'm so tired that I don't spend my evenings perusing baby name books like I did with Ella Rhys. Our consideration of names to date has gone something like this..."You like this name?", with responses along the lines of, "No" or "Ugh" or "Are you serious?" or "I like it but don't like the meaning..." Perhaps, if desperate, at 38 weeks or so we'll each make a short list of our top ten names, take the first match and have a couple of weeks to think on it. :)
Ella loves on her brother (the "ball" as she calls it. I think we'll be buying her a ball instead of a baby doll to take to the hospital less she be disappointed)
We've been in Wollongong for eight months now. I'm proud of Jason for his persistence in the work here. He seems to be a church planter at heart! He is patient to his core, genuinely loves and enjoys people, and is passionate in bringing people into a relationship with God. We expected the work and the connections to come slowly. But expecting something, and actually having to endure it, in addition to other frustrations, has been a challenge to us. Jason loves to plug into his areas of interest (things like sustainable living groups, organic and community gardening, food co-ops, rock climbing and so on), and yet at the same time he is able to go out of his comfort zone and explore new interests and ways of connecting with people.
Volunteering to plant trees on National tree day
Part of Jason's work at Bushcare
Hanging out and eating spinach while Dad works in the Unanderra community garden
The past couple of months we have spent a lot of time just walking the streets of our neighborhood. We love talking with the owner of our local convenience/coffee shop. In good nature he calls Jason 'Minister'. Combine Jason's personality, Ella's baby cuteness and my with-child-ness, and we can't walk far without getting into conversations with people. We're getting to know some of the people around here, their situations and struggles, and even their dogs. Jason is out right now at men's group that exists to support each other and offer services to the community. On top of his persistence and patience with 'work', he still gives 100% to our family life. For the past eight months, in addition to transitioning to a new culture himself, he's gone way above and beyond in his roles as a husband (to a pregnant wife with re-entry, nonetheless), and Dad. He'll be embarrassed that I've posted this, but I'm biting the bullet. Consider it a late Australian Father's dad post, Jason.
We're not sure what the next eight months or years will hold for the work here but we will remain prayerful and faithful in spite of the challenges. We're so thankful for the prayers many offer on our behalf, and for the many people who are supporting us.
The next six weeks or so will see more visitors come our way from Canberra and the US. In between those visits, we're taking a few nights to get away as a family before our son joins us. We're heading south a few hours and will stay in a villa within a national park which is on the ocean. We're so looking forward to this time away as a family.
For our Ella followers, here's a little update on what she's up to these days. She is now standing on her own (as in going from sitting position to standing with no assistance)
. . . and learning to climb on things (including her mother's belly) (hmmm....these pictures give away what I'm getting up to most days...laying down on the job!)
She has learned to stack blocks (sometimes block on block, and other times block on head) and other things, and is very into putting lids on things, and placing items in boxes/baskets etc. Her baby signing has just taken off! She can communicate so effectively her wants, needs, likes and dislikes now in a much more pleasing manner. We're also amazed at just how much she notices and remembers. She loves to celebrate her new skills by clapping and squealing in delight.
These are special days for her when she can be the (sole) light of our world and the center of our attention. We're confident that God will increase our love for her and her brother even though its hard to imagine having any more love.
She understands where hats, socks and shoes go and tries to hard to put her crocs on her feet.
And in fact as I was typing this post, she 'put her hat on' and crawled around the house.
She can brush her teeth
And watch your toes . . . Ella will find anyones "little piggies" and then talk in a high pitched voice (this is her "this little piggy..." rendition and is very cute)
Ella's little piggies
She's a great helper for her dad and will be by his side for any project.
Helps with laundry
And practices being a flower girl
She's enjoying her weekly Bible class we do at home, and I'm enjoying teaching her, though I'm NO Miss Toni. We miss her.
Her two "loves" are her baby doll and her teddy bear. She LOVES her bear, but is also seen rocking and patting anything from her wooden blocks (I'm not kidding) to her Little People animals. She's a real nurturer. For a couple of months we've enjoyed her sleeping for 12 hours each night and we've managed to regulate the bedtime and waking time...making each of them a tad later and more pleasant for all of us! 5:30am wake up calls just weren't cutting it for us.
She's getting so big and but still little in so many ways. Here's a reflection of her 'bigness'. Perched on the step between the kitchen and the sunroom where she loves to play and look out at the birds. We're catching a lot of these cheesy grins lately.
And we've promoted her from the babybjorn to the Kathmandu back pack carrier. The transition was rough - she did NOT like getting strapped into the carrier. But once she was up on Dad's back and sure she was headed outside, things were better. Jason got this at a car boot (trunk) sale for $40 (retails for something like $200). Love a good deal.
