Competitive father & son on the Gondola luge - I'm sure Neil would like it pointing out that he's winning!
Friday, December 16, 2005
Photos!
Finally got some pictures of the last few months so I'll post them altogether & you can work it out!
Clearly the most exciting picture is the first of Baby Shepherd @ 18 weeks and all functionng well with everything in the correct place - praise the Lord! Also we have both felt it moving around this week - another step towards this feeling 'real'.
My sister, Katy, and her friend stayed for 5 days last week which was lovely. They were pretty travelled out so it's a good job the weather was lousy otherwise I'd have dragged them off to mountains (where they filmed Lion, With & Wardrobe - which we saw this week & thought was great & really bought the book alive though not sure Aslan can ever truly be captured as intended...) or beaches. But really they just needed to chill - they've seen NZ for 5 weeks anyway!
Christmas tree now up and we're coaching ourselves into the festive spirit with candles, cheesy Christmas music & watching Love Actually! It's not that we don't want to be Christmassy it's just a little harder when it's warm & muggy (though still have the grey skies & cloud so that's familiar!) & not dark until 10pm. Plans afoot now for Christmas dinner trying avoid a bbq 'til Boxing Day if we possibly can.
Today it's Matt's birthday so we're out to play tonight - but only after Emma & I have practised being angels for the pageant (I know, why would we need to practise...). You may remember Neil's starring role as Joseph last year? Well this year he has firmly declined - I'm sure it's that he doesn't want to steal the limelight again!
Clearly the most exciting picture is the first of Baby Shepherd @ 18 weeks and all functionng well with everything in the correct place - praise the Lord! Also we have both felt it moving around this week - another step towards this feeling 'real'.
My sister, Katy, and her friend stayed for 5 days last week which was lovely. They were pretty travelled out so it's a good job the weather was lousy otherwise I'd have dragged them off to mountains (where they filmed Lion, With & Wardrobe - which we saw this week & thought was great & really bought the book alive though not sure Aslan can ever truly be captured as intended...) or beaches. But really they just needed to chill - they've seen NZ for 5 weeks anyway!
Christmas tree now up and we're coaching ourselves into the festive spirit with candles, cheesy Christmas music & watching Love Actually! It's not that we don't want to be Christmassy it's just a little harder when it's warm & muggy (though still have the grey skies & cloud so that's familiar!) & not dark until 10pm. Plans afoot now for Christmas dinner trying avoid a bbq 'til Boxing Day if we possibly can.
Today it's Matt's birthday so we're out to play tonight - but only after Emma & I have practised being angels for the pageant (I know, why would we need to practise...). You may remember Neil's starring role as Joseph last year? Well this year he has firmly declined - I'm sure it's that he doesn't want to steal the limelight again!
Friday, December 02, 2005
Fish 'n' chips!
Last weekend we went away to Akaroa for a night & really can't believe we haven't made it there before. We had heard that the drive was very 'wiggly' (perhaps not how it was described!) and it took ages to get there but it only took just under two hours and the drive was one of the best bits! There's no point in my describing the vistas - I'll have to get photos on the blog (I'd just like to say there's a lack of pictures because we don't have a USB port on the pc @ home so can't take them straight from the camera & the software on the computer @ work doesn't yet allow me to put pics on blog, proabaly v. easy to rectify, just haven't done it yet!) - but the water is just an awesome colour & the little harbours delightful. We had a great meal out & then stayed in a b&b with very friendly hosts who, it turned out had lived in Rangiora & worked as dairy farmers with people from church 25 years previously so they wanted an update on developments in and around the place - this place really is a small world.
We then did a walk up a very steep hill which took rather more out of me than expected (I was careful though!) so had to refuel with possibly the best fish and chips I've ever had! Neil used to go to Whitby from Hartlepool for fish'n' chips as a kid nad has decided that this could now take it's place (not that fish anywhere in NZ is poor - as Emma says, it really tastes like fish!).
The sad news of the week is that my step-Nanna died back in Swansea. It's very strange being so far away when things like this happen in your family, though I'm grateful because God has made us really aware of His care when we can't be there (like prompting people to pray even though they don't know of anything going on). It's harder for my step-sister, Katy, who is travelling at the moment here in NZ but she's coming to stay at the end of this week so we can catch up then & share stories & memories together.
Still no sign of the long, hot summer promised - well, not here in Canterbury, the 'land of the endless blue skies' anyway! The rest of the country looks like it's getting a better deal so we'll wait patiently...
We then did a walk up a very steep hill which took rather more out of me than expected (I was careful though!) so had to refuel with possibly the best fish and chips I've ever had! Neil used to go to Whitby from Hartlepool for fish'n' chips as a kid nad has decided that this could now take it's place (not that fish anywhere in NZ is poor - as Emma says, it really tastes like fish!).
The sad news of the week is that my step-Nanna died back in Swansea. It's very strange being so far away when things like this happen in your family, though I'm grateful because God has made us really aware of His care when we can't be there (like prompting people to pray even though they don't know of anything going on). It's harder for my step-sister, Katy, who is travelling at the moment here in NZ but she's coming to stay at the end of this week so we can catch up then & share stories & memories together.
Still no sign of the long, hot summer promised - well, not here in Canterbury, the 'land of the endless blue skies' anyway! The rest of the country looks like it's getting a better deal so we'll wait patiently...
Thursday, November 24, 2005
New Things
Lots has happened in the month since I last blogged, and as usual I'm hopelessly slow at updating. I've decided it's because the computer is in our 'study' out the back of the garage and on chilled evenings when I've got time to write the last place I want to sit is out there! Our friends are here with a laptop & I've decided that's the way forward...but for now you may have to be content with infrequent blogs.
Anyway, new things - mainly in the form of people. Dan & Emma arrived just over a month ago to join us as part of The Order of Mission. Dan has a transfer from KPMG Leeds to Christchurch for 2 years and Emma (as of today) has a job working in the physio dept of Christchurch hospital. They've found a town house to rent fairly near the city centre (much fun has been had kitting it out!) and it's just great to have friends around. Not that we haven't made friends here who are fantastic - we have & they are a huge blessing - it's just nice to hang out with people we connect with so well & who we have a longer history with. It meant that we had to experience the A&P show again (remember the huge bulls & tractor displays?) - it's one of those things that you have to do if you are new here but we realised why our next door neighbour hasn't been for 30 years! Though on this occasion we did experience our first polo match which was actually good fun - it reminded me of the film 'Pretty Woman' whilst the others got hooked on conversations about Prince Charles!
Matt & Jo have also been staying with us for a couple of weeks; they are travelling round the world to see where God wants them to stop and we are one place on their trip. Not sure how long they're staying - perhaps 'til Feb but new possibilities come up regularly so who knows? It's been very refreshing to have them around as they see things from a new perspective which can be challenging but at least honest!
The other new 'thing' in our life is a tiny Shepherd currently 16 weeks old in my tummy & due to enter the world in May! All going well so far; we've heard the heartbeat & apparantly it's kicking & flipping over (so the starnge noises coming over on the microphone indicate!) & scan is booked for a fortnight. It's bizarre being so far from family at this time but really know it's God's perfect timing. We'll keep you posted on progress though I don't think I can bring myself to pictures of my expanding waistline!
Anyway, new things - mainly in the form of people. Dan & Emma arrived just over a month ago to join us as part of The Order of Mission. Dan has a transfer from KPMG Leeds to Christchurch for 2 years and Emma (as of today) has a job working in the physio dept of Christchurch hospital. They've found a town house to rent fairly near the city centre (much fun has been had kitting it out!) and it's just great to have friends around. Not that we haven't made friends here who are fantastic - we have & they are a huge blessing - it's just nice to hang out with people we connect with so well & who we have a longer history with. It meant that we had to experience the A&P show again (remember the huge bulls & tractor displays?) - it's one of those things that you have to do if you are new here but we realised why our next door neighbour hasn't been for 30 years! Though on this occasion we did experience our first polo match which was actually good fun - it reminded me of the film 'Pretty Woman' whilst the others got hooked on conversations about Prince Charles!
Matt & Jo have also been staying with us for a couple of weeks; they are travelling round the world to see where God wants them to stop and we are one place on their trip. Not sure how long they're staying - perhaps 'til Feb but new possibilities come up regularly so who knows? It's been very refreshing to have them around as they see things from a new perspective which can be challenging but at least honest!
The other new 'thing' in our life is a tiny Shepherd currently 16 weeks old in my tummy & due to enter the world in May! All going well so far; we've heard the heartbeat & apparantly it's kicking & flipping over (so the starnge noises coming over on the microphone indicate!) & scan is booked for a fortnight. It's bizarre being so far from family at this time but really know it's God's perfect timing. We'll keep you posted on progress though I don't think I can bring myself to pictures of my expanding waistline!
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