Burnaby Village

Colin and Evelyn live in the basement of Colin's parents house, he is one of 6 children and they are all home for Christmas. It is a fun, crazy, busy house where I am happily situated in the study on a mattress with a fish tank full of fish as my roommates. 

The house is always full of people doing different things, fulfilling my personal fantasy of being in a huge family. On my first day everyone congregated in the kitchen making crepes for breakfast. Colin's brothers family are currently living in Australia to study, thankfully their toddler also has an Australian accent or I would feel the odd one out :). We then headed off to soccer, where a lot of the family were in a tournament. (More on that later)

Colin is laid up with an injury, so during a break between games he and I went with extended family to see a little heritage village called Burnaby (http://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca). It's a cute little pioneer museum village, but at this time of year it is set up with amazing Christmas light displays. Because of this there are people doing demonstrations at each house or store, and it was free to wander around in the evening. 

(Eight maids a milkin' - from Partridge in a pear tree)

The highlight was defiantly riding the 101 year old carousel, which has a collection of the most gorgeous working wooden horses I have ever seen. My horse was called Firefly, and looked ready to jump off and gallop away, rather like in Mary Poppins, it was the fastest carousel I have ever experienced. 

Miracle

Its been a few years since I stopped saying 'when'. And its been a while since I stopped saying 'if'.
I don't know if I am finally beginning to trust and know God is in control, or I am just beginning to stop hoping.

Because every time I have been sure that God is saying yes, I've had the rug pulled out from under my feet. I don't understand. And I really want to understand.

A few years ago God brought an amazing woman into my life, who has become as dear as a sister to me. A week ago God gave her an amazing answer to prayer, a prayer I prayed at their wedding.

A tiny little girl, completely perfect and adorable.

I go over after a few days to help out.
I am so grateful that they let me come over, invade their newborn space, to share in the gift. Even just a little taste of the sweetness is a blessing. I am so thankful to them.

How amazing to think you can care so much for someone so tiny and who you just met.

I give the miracle a cuddle. She falls asleep against me, and I drink in her sweet new born scent. Her breaths are tiny, and with a little snuffle she lifts her head close enough for a quick kiss. For a moment I close my eyes, and cry out to God, "Oh, Lord, please."

5K - Done!

I did it! Today was the Color Run, so amazingly fun!

Yes, I just called a 5k run fun. Ok so I didn't run the whole way (Maybe half - hard to tell, took walking breaks). Considering the training I've been doing I really thought I would be able to run a lot more than I did, so was a little disapointed with myslef but my friend was awesome, stayed with me and patiently slowed to a walk when I couldn't go any further :).

At 4 points along the course there were 'colour stations' where you ran through and were pelted with powder colour. I would have loved a few more colour stations, as it would have kept the motivation up a bit - but at the end you all have little packets of colour and can throw them up in the air (or each other, haha), which gave you a few more colours to show off.

 

The end result was very colourful! Colour gets everywhere! My hair had crazy coloured splotches on it - luckily it all came out. Though not all the colour on my body washed off, have a few weird splotches that will take a few more showers to get rid of I think.

Totally going to do it again next year! And I think I might try and sign up for another 5k later in the year to try and keep up my motivation to train. But for now I'm going to have a long soak in the bath - my legs are SORE.

Break

I have 2 weeks off at the moment. It has been so lovely to take a bit of a breather, especially nice to head out of Sydney for a while.
Friends of mine moved to the North Coast about 18 months ago and I've come up to visit them. You know how every now and then you meet people and being around them is like coming home?

I have been reveling tiny knocks on the doors in the morning, hopping in the van on the school run, having long walks and good talks along the river, taking photos at the beach, cuddling with little people in front of the TV and having theological conversations at night.

One day I hope my family home is like this.

Friends

My run of weddings is almost over. Yesterday was the second last one of 7 within 10 months. Janice and I were so excited to be able to witness Lani marry the man of her dreams :).

I praise God constantly for bringing these two amazing girls into my life last year. So blessed by both their friendships.

Give and take

I don't think I'm very good at being a friend. I can do the superficial easily, getting to know people, helping them out, having fun together. But the deep friendship, the being vulnerable in front of someone, the living life together is hard.
I'm good at giving, but very bad at accepting help. And I'm slowly learning that being willing to accept help is as important in building a friendship that is real, as giving help is. I think I realised that the problem is that this means you are not the only one with power in the relationship.

About two years ago I was burnt badly, by someone I thought was a good friend. Someone I trusted and made myself vulnerable in front of, only to have that person make me feel incredibly worthless. I didn't want a friend to have that sort of power to hurt me again. So I stopped going deep in friendships because I was scared.

Scared of allowing someone to hurt me.Scared of being let down. Scared of someone thinking I am a burden. Scared of someone saying I'm not worth their time. Scared of having my feelings of worthlessness confirmed.

A week or so ago I asked a friend for help. They will never know how hard it was for me to ask them. How absolutely terrified I was picking up the phone. But they were so gracious and willing.

It made me realise that I had been putting a barrier in front of being able to accept one of the beautiful things of life. Friendship is a risk, but the rewards are amazing.

(Image credit)

Cow Cake

I feel a little like a fraud posting this cake because I didn't actually make the cake (insert gasp here). I have a good reason - I had made the batter and the cake was in the oven when I realised the element in my oven had broken. So I had to run out to Woolies to grab a slab cake to decorate for my friends birthday (the same one whose part I went to last week).

But I did decorate it, which is why I'm showing you.

And yes, those are suppose to be cows. And it's because Alannah loves cows :)

Masterchef final

Because of our 'close, personal' connection with Kate, our Bible study got together for a Masterchef night to watch the final. As soon as we found out Kate was in the final I organised for us to get together at one of our friends place.

They borrowed a projector from work so we could watch it on the big screen :). There was so much good food and lots of nerve wracking suspension. I have been experimenting with making sugar flowers a bit lately, these are some for my first attempts; little cherry blossom cup cakes. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out.

Because channel 10 decided to put another show on to break the final up into two different parts (agh!) we had a gingerbread house making activity - in honour of the gingerbread house Kate had to make that secured a place for her in the final. It was lots of fun - icing and marshmallows and choc chips flying everywhere.

My house had a little encouragement for Kate on the side :)

Then at the end Kate did it - she won! We couldn't quite believe it, lots of cheers and squeals could be heard. We were so happy for her, and can't wait to see what she does next.

We're going to the Zoo

I have been wanting to go to the zoo for ages, and finally got around to it today with my friend Felicity and her two boys. We had lots of adventures - including her oldest loosing his first tooth at the free flight bird show!

(How many zoo's around the world can claim this kind of view?)

The main reason I was dying to visit the zoo was the baby elephants - soo adorable! One baby elephant would be cute enough - but 3 was gorgeousness overload :)!

I was surprised how much we were able to cram into a few hours - especially considering the heat; all in all a great day!

Wishes

I wish that we could all get along.
I wish that there weren’t so many choices.
I wish I had never found out that people I admire believe in a philosophy

that fills me with horror.

I wish that caring didn't mean taking everything to heart.

I wish different opinions didn't cause divisions.

I wish I didn’t toss and turn at night, feeling sick over things that have

nothing to do with me.
I wish I didn’t feel so much.

Photo by Molly Orangette
On a happier note, don't you just love polaroids? They make even the most simple picture magical.

Not your average wake up call

Home again all safe. Now working on an assignment.

Thought I would pop over and show how God was watching over friends of mine.

Danny and Helena use to go to our church (and were my youth group leaders, way back when) and are now studing at Moore theological collage.

Last night at 1:30 a garbage truck plowed into their house, missing their little boys bed by 3 meters. Thankfully all the family and the truck driver are safe. They are now staying with family.

News story avaliable here.

Meeting Menzies

Little mother, friend of mine.
Once were school girls,
now both grown up

We who shared hopes and dreams,
read books, copied notes
survived the playground.

Now, there is a little boy
with eyes of brown
and rosebud lips.

You've stepped over a line I
didn't know existed -
I can not cross

No matter how I adore him,
cuddle and kiss him.
He is not mine.

You share a moment with him
we share the room,
but different worlds.

The first steps you took ahead of me,
didn't seem
to take you far

I use to think I'd understand
but I don't, can't.
Motherhood changes it.

You have left your school days
so far behind.
I can't seem to catch up.

Of Babies and Sunburn

I spent the last week child minding at the Quizworx retreat. 2 almost four year olds and 3 baby/toddlers; I was in my element :). I'm a little unsettled by how happy and content I am when lugging around a baby on my hip.

I also experience for the first time in my life the sleep deprivation that comes from a 10 month old deciding to wake at 2 am and cry for an hour for no apparent reason. But the next morning he crawls up to me and grins, and I reach down for a cuddle and forget to be mad.

I managed to go the whole week without getting sun burnt, despite the numerous trips to the beach, the pool and the park. But I managed to spoil it by getting so sun burnt on the way home I can bearly move. Which wouldn't be so bad, but we have Sunday School dedication today and all the teachers will be prayed for at the front of the church. So I will have to stand in front of the whole congregation looking like a big, red lobster.

One day I will remember to put on sunscreen every single day no matter what and never get burnt again.

New little Man (edited to add photo)

Praise God, another new little life came into the world yesterday.
Benjamin Emmanuel, brother to Elijah.
I spent the night/morning with Elijah yesterday while his Mum and Dad were at the hospital. We made cards for the new baby, played drums and made little cakes. Elijah informed me that he wanted a boy baby called Esther.

Then I got to go and visit the little sweetheart today - and he is beautiful!

Priase God for little Miracles

Announcing the Birth of little Esther Grace, born on 23rd December 2007.
The daughter of friends of mine, who have waited patiently through many heart breaking years for this day.
Mother and daughter are doing well, the family is enjoying their early Christmas gift.

(Sorry, no photos yet because Esther decided to come into the world the day I left for a week at my parents! But that will be my first stop when I get home.)