January marked the end of our first year in Australia. The end of a year of endless "firsts". Its so nice to now be doing some things for the second time! I did it! I survived the first year of this process they call re-entry. Re-entry wasn't something I was completely unfamiliar with. I had returned to Australia after a year in Canada. I returned with a weird accent and had grown so much spiritually during that year. I also re-entered western culture after 3.5 years in Japan. So, I bowed when crossing the road and said "sumimasen" when I was sorry. Yet I wasn't "home" in the US, either. I was "the Aussie" who took a job at the Outback hoping for extra tips. I was fairly familiar with feeling like a square peg being pounded into a round hole. I'd looked in the mirror many times realizing I'd become some strange cultural hybrid. But this return to Australia after 10 years abroad was a big one. "You must be excited to be going home" were words that quite honestly made me wince.
Many of the changes and emotional process that have come with re-entry so far, aren't all that different from the ones I've faced when moving from city to city. Others have been so very different, have had a much deeper impact, or required more adjustment. Others probably haven't even surfaced yet.
We were blessed that most of the logistical aspects of our move were very smooth. I'm so thankful because this certainly lessened the waves of re-entry. For example, we found a rental home that suited our needs and though we didn't have quite everything on the realtor's list, we were approved within an hour of handing in our application. Our shipment from the US arrived and was delivered promptly, so we could quickly set about making our house our home (minus the ill-fated wooden snowman . . . but really what place does a snowman have in an Australian Christmas anyhow?)
Some changes were fun and exciting. Like easy access to a huge variety of Arnotts and Cadbury's for example! Shallow, I know! But comfort food is comfort food! The "lolly" and "biscuit" aisles were my place of rest after at least an hour of puzzling over metric conversions and new brands. Grocery shopping was an area where re-entry could easily rear its ugly head. One minute I'd be feeling lost and frustrated. I'd say to myself, "just accept that this is ALL new and unfamiliar..." Yet, the next minute, I'd see a product name that would trigger some marketing jingle I knew from growing up here. It was as though when I tried to disconnect myself to make it easier, something familiar would reel me back in. I had to always stop and think "ok coriander or cilantro.... Where am I??? What do they call it here?" Trivial examples. My point is, I felt like I had each leg in a different world and it was exhausting to say the least.
I'm amazed at the difference a year can make. I can grocery shop in 45 minutes or less and don't feel the need to cry in the process. I've found substitutes for most things I was used to using but can't find here (and was recently blessed by a care package that filled many of those gaps! Thank you Park Avenue church of Christ!) I no longer fear there are funnel webs lurking under my bed. I don't groan as much about hanging clothes out to dry. In fact I almost enjoy it! I usually get in the right side of the car. I can estimate my kids weight in kilos so that I can buy the correct size nappies. I know when to expect bills, the best way to claim on Medicare, and a good place for a haircut. You get the picture. Day to day life requires much less mental energy than it did 12 months ago and I am so thankful.
The more difficult transitions have been relational. Trying to connect with people and enter already existing, tightly knit social circles. For me this was made more difficult by having a 6 month old and finding out at the end of February that I was pregnant. The very thing that I envisioned connecting me (children) kept me more housebound than I anticipated. Everywhere I had lived prior to Wollongong, I had enjoyed a thriving social network. A good balance of people-time and me-time, whenever I needed it. The loss of connection and social network has been hands down my most difficult aspect of re-entry.
There is always two sides to a coin though. This past year I've enjoyed reconnecting with my parents, grandfather, siblings, nieces and nephews. With church, high school and university friends. I'm merging the old Nicole and the "now" Nicole with the experiences of the past ten years. A Brisbane born girl who speaks Japanese with Ibaraki-ben, English with an odd accent, a "yank" for a husband (not really but...), a Texan for a daughter and a Wollongong born son. Who uses nappy and diaper/dummy and pacifier in the same sentence because I forget where I am.
In 2010 I'm going to open my arms, mind and heart a little wider so that I can better embrace Year Two back in Australia. To quit stuttering when I'm asked where I'm from, and to not launch into an apology for my accent! To try to remember that my tendency to vacillate between cultures is probably more irritating to others than their generalizations about Australia or America are irritating to me. I'm also going to accept that I might well feel like a global nomad for the rest of my life. I'll find a way to be ok with that. To cherish the past, embrace the present and look forward to the future. And, I can thank God because He has been with me during Year One! He's blessed me with people who've walked a similar road (and survived!) and with a family who has loved me and picked me up too many times to count. "O sewa ni narimashita" for the past, and "Yoroshiku" to them for your help this coming year.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Hello 2010
Christmas 2009 was our first Christmas in Australia since 2001, right before our wedding. Since it was our first year back, and we have a new addition to our family, we decided to travel north to Brisbane to be with my family. The road trip was uneventful. Sadly, Noah is not a huge fan of riding in the car.
We enjoyed the week with my family and friends. (wish I had pictures of everyone...sorry!) Michelle hosted a great Christmas morning breakfast, and Mum pulled off a great Christmas lunch (complete with prawns...mmmmm!) Its a joy to see our kids interact with their four cousins as well as aunts, uncles and grandparents on this side of the world. The kids got quite a bounty of gifts! Sleepless nights and diapers aside, we officially feel like we have kids now with all the toys in the house!
Aussie Christmas with hats from the bonbons
A Daddy's girl for sure
We tried (and failed) to get a picture of all the cousins together (aged 8 weeks 13 years) This was the final trick - bubbles.
Blankets from Clara Mae and her sister
Love my university friends. Catching up with a couple
We left Brisbane on Boxing Day and headed for Camp Challenge in Western Sydney. The drive south was a little tougher. More crying, wrong turns onto expensive toll roads and a royal puke from Noah (all over me). Needless to say we were thankful to arrive and spend the week in one place. We enjoyed some great classes and fellowship with Christians from different parts of Australia.
Jason leading a kids song at Camp (12 young men . . . )
Ella likes Wayne!
Bible class friends
On New Years day we drove back home to Wollongong. Home. The sentiment surprised me, but I am thankful for it. This beautiful beaches and mountains, the friends we have here, our little rental home and even our familiar local Woolworths supermarket all combine to help make this place feel more and more like home. We sure miss our friends and family who live elsewhere, but that will always be the case no matter where we live.
And for those of you wondering what the kids are up to these days, here's a rundown on them (and a little on us):
Ella: is almost 18 months old. She's basically running, loves being outside and loves to climb. This makes her dad super proud. They'll be at the rock climbing gym before I know it. Ella LOVES to go to the park and play on the slides (the "weeeeee" as she calls it), and loves hats of any kind! She is a wonderful communicator with a combination of baby signing, words, pointing and facial expressions. She is also a great helper and can take cloth diapers down the hall to their pails, trash to the trash cans, and hand me burp rags. We're also learning to put toys and books away. The most wonderful part is that she does all of the above JOYFULLY! She also does other things that she shouldn't and does them with GREAT joy and glee. Like pulling Coke cans out of the recycle bin and drinking the last drops of coke. Sigh. She is even pretty good at laughing herself out of the mini temper tantrums she tries to throw at times.
The first thing she does when she wakes up is ask after her brother and the other parent. She adores her brother still and showers him with kisses throughout the day. When he cries in the car, she often reaches her arm into his carseat to hold his hand. She will "gift" Noah with things throughout the day. I find all sorts of things in the pack-n-play where he sleeps, and resting on his belly while he plays under the baby gym (like puzzle pieces and books). Ella begins most days perched on her pink sofa with a cup from her tea set. She holds it by the tiny handle, so daintily and sips it while saying "hot". She still has just six teeth (soon to be outdone by her 10 month old cousin!) but ladies and gentlemen she has hair! Soft, fine and blonde though it may be. Thankfully her mullet survived her aunts in Brisbane!
All this to say Ella is such a joy and continues to amaze us.
Noah: I've lost count of how many weeks he is . . . 11 or 12. He will be three months on the 27th of this month. THREE MONTHS? How is this possible? Once the newborn we hardly knew we had, boy do we know we're alive now. The poor little guy seems to suffer from colic. We're praying that he will outgrow it sooner than later. Very soon would be good. The best money spent recently has been on chiropractic care for the colic, and a baby wrap where he spends large parts of his day. In spite of the colic he is chunking up quite nicely (anyone remember how chunky Ella was?!), feeding great, and delivers some heart melting smiles and coo-ing sounds. He is beginning to enjoy more time playing under the baby gym or swinging in his swing. Thankfully when all else fails, he is always happy to be carried around in the wrap (where he has been for more than four hours today). He won't take a pacifier and is trying his hardest to be a thumbsucker. May that day come quickly also! Oh and he's quite the royal baby. Noah starred TWICE as baby Jesus in two separate Nativity plays/scenes this holiday season. And he was a very quiet, calm and peaceful baby Jesus. Phew.
Performance #1
Performance #2
What a blessing to have two beautiful kids. (And a loving, handsome husband!)
Us: We're alive!!! Our days are busy and by night we're often exhausted. We have joy in each day though. We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary (our first in Australia) on January 5th and enjoyed a meal at the only Japanese restaurant in Wollongong. This is the best we could do for an anniversary picture.
Jason is enjoying experimenting with some permaculture gardening in our backyard and continues to be involved in Bushcare and a men's group here in town. Not to mention all he does with the kids and here at home. I'm doing my best to keep the home fires burning! I'm looking forward to getting back to working out at Contours, and also to when MOPS starts up again in February. We're enjoying simple things together like tea and Monk/Heroes or Seinfeld once or twice a week. We both have plans to be involved in some new ministry related events in the first half of this year. More on that to come. All in all we're doing well. Its an intense time in our life but God sustains us and there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not aware of and thankful for this promise in Lamentations 3:22-24:
"Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
He forgives, sustains and renews! Thank you, God!
Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Wrapping up 2009
2009 has been quite a year. Full of many transitions, changes and adjustments. Good times, hard times and surprises.
We were traveling from the first day of the year. Off to Tennessee for a team retreat and a final visit to Memphis. Our years in Memphis were so formative for us as individuals and as a couple that its a place we easily gravitate back to, and a difficult place to say goodbye to. We celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on the 5th and flew out for Australia on the 7th. And so began our new life in Wollongong.
Eleven months ago, we landed in Sydney. We had a few suitcases to our name, and a bunch of boxes still sailing somewhere over the Pacific. No car, no home. Just a dream, each other, enough faith in God to get on that plane, and a lot of people loving and supporting us behind the scenes. Now, we have a place to call home, a set of wheels, some new friends, and sweet connections with old friends and family to go along with the dream and the faith in God that brought us here. Oh yeah, and another child. Oh, how I would have laughed out loud if anyone had told me we'd be four, not three, well before year's end. Blessed. Tired, but so blessed. :)
We're looking forward to 2010. We anticipate that it will be challenging, faith building, exciting and surprising. But for the record, I still hope to be just four, and not five this time next year! How we love our two beautiful kids, but its only fair to play 1-on-1 for at least a while, right?
We hope that you have felt God's peace and presence this year. We love you and thank you for loving our family!
Jason, Nicole, Ella and Noah
(PS. We're hoping to send out a New Year's card/family picture. We'd love to hear from you, too. If you need our address, or want to give us yours, please leave a comment with an email address, or facebook us. I love this time of year for keeping in touch and reconnecting with friends).
We were traveling from the first day of the year. Off to Tennessee for a team retreat and a final visit to Memphis. Our years in Memphis were so formative for us as individuals and as a couple that its a place we easily gravitate back to, and a difficult place to say goodbye to. We celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on the 5th and flew out for Australia on the 7th. And so began our new life in Wollongong.
Eleven months ago, we landed in Sydney. We had a few suitcases to our name, and a bunch of boxes still sailing somewhere over the Pacific. No car, no home. Just a dream, each other, enough faith in God to get on that plane, and a lot of people loving and supporting us behind the scenes. Now, we have a place to call home, a set of wheels, some new friends, and sweet connections with old friends and family to go along with the dream and the faith in God that brought us here. Oh yeah, and another child. Oh, how I would have laughed out loud if anyone had told me we'd be four, not three, well before year's end. Blessed. Tired, but so blessed. :)
We're looking forward to 2010. We anticipate that it will be challenging, faith building, exciting and surprising. But for the record, I still hope to be just four, and not five this time next year! How we love our two beautiful kids, but its only fair to play 1-on-1 for at least a while, right?
We hope that you have felt God's peace and presence this year. We love you and thank you for loving our family!
Jason, Nicole, Ella and Noah
(PS. We're hoping to send out a New Year's card/family picture. We'd love to hear from you, too. If you need our address, or want to give us yours, please leave a comment with an email address, or facebook us. I love this time of year for keeping in touch and reconnecting with friends).
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Noah Kai
God has blessed our family with a son, and brother for Ella Rhys. We welcomed him into this world at 12:59am on October 27th and named him Noah Kai. Noah means peacemaker, and Kai means "ocean" (Hawaiian) or "rejoice" (Finnish). He was born 7lbs 2oz and gives us many reasons to rejoice and thank God.
Noah's birth brings us to the end of the fastest 8 months of our life! Since learning we were pregnant in early March it seems like the days and weeks quickly rolled into months. We prayed many prayers since learning we would be having another child. Prayers for his development, for my energy levels, for emotional strength, special times with Ella, her adjustment, our adjustment and so on. We prayed that Noah might be born naturally rather than via c-section and thank God for answering this prayer specifically. While the natural birth experience was quite different to my expectations, we are thankful for this experience, thankful that Ella can jump all over me, and thankful that God watched over both of us during the labor and delivery.
Having my kids so close together, on two different continents and under two very different medical systems found us navigating some unchartered waters. I found myself grieving some losses but celebrating some gains. I grieved the personal care I experienced during Ella's birth under the care of one specific (and wonderful) OB. But here, for example, I've "gained" and been blessed by three home visits from midwives in just 11 days of being home with Noah. Not to mention that financial issues related to having a baby are essentially a non-issue for us since I am an Australia citizen. Ella - you were worth every US penny though!
Throughout the pregnancy and now with a newborn we are navigating some different practises. Lets just say its easy to feel very "out-of-it" even though this is my second child in 15 months.
Regardless, Noah is healthy, handsome and content. We hardly know there is a newborn in the house. This has helped greatly with Ella's adjustment. Our arms still have plenty of room for her. And she loves and adores her brother. She likes to greet him each morning with a hug and a kiss. She seemed to miss me greatly while I was in the hospital and likes to ask after me all the time now that I am home...always wanting to check on my whereabouts. I love her sweet nature. Hopefully her brother will always appreciate her caring and watchful eye for him.
God is good. We have experienced his rich love and faithfulness through the arrival of Noah Kai. We pray that God will be honoured as we seek as a family to love and know Him and serve others. Rejoice and thank God with us.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Family Vacation
We're thankful for the opportunity to take a short family vacation recently. We spent three nights in a self contained villa within the Murramarang National Park about three hours south of Wollongong.
The villas were a very short walk from a beautiful beach and hiking trails. The abundance of wildlife was amazing. Kookaburras, beautiful parrots, dolphins, baby ducks, rabbits and kangaroos. The kangaroos were awesome. Very tame but they were not fed by humans (unlike the ones within the wildlife parks). A couple of times they were even right outside our door.
The weather was perfect and we enjoyed daily hikes along the coastline to a beautiful picnic spot - a rock ledge right on the ocean's edge.
We spent over an hour there one day just letting Ella throw seashells into a rock pool. She had an absolute blast throwing the shells, retrieving the ones she could reach and directing us to get more for her when she was done. What a joy having a child who loves the outdoors so much.
34 weeks pregnant . . .
One of Ella's most recent favorite books. Reading on the drive home . . .
We're so thankful for this time of renewal!
The villas were a very short walk from a beautiful beach and hiking trails. The abundance of wildlife was amazing. Kookaburras, beautiful parrots, dolphins, baby ducks, rabbits and kangaroos. The kangaroos were awesome. Very tame but they were not fed by humans (unlike the ones within the wildlife parks). A couple of times they were even right outside our door.
The weather was perfect and we enjoyed daily hikes along the coastline to a beautiful picnic spot - a rock ledge right on the ocean's edge.
We spent over an hour there one day just letting Ella throw seashells into a rock pool. She had an absolute blast throwing the shells, retrieving the ones she could reach and directing us to get more for her when she was done. What a joy having a child who loves the outdoors so much.
34 weeks pregnant . . .
One of Ella's most recent favorite books. Reading on the drive home . . .
We're so thankful for this time of renewal!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Recent Happenings . . . with lots of pictures
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.
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.
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