Isn't This a Comforting Thought?

Mt. Maunganui is the nation's 3rd most dangerous beach, based on the number of rescues lifeguards have made. Great.

(Not that I ever go swimming in the ocean, so I suppose this really doesn't affect me personally......)

Letting Go

I'm convinced that parenting is an 18+ year journey in letting go.

This week I've been working on moving Samuel from sleeping in the bassinet in our room to the crib in his own room. We've kept him in our room for a long time because his room is the coldest in the house, so we had to wait until the weather warmed up enough before making the transition.

He's had his naps in his crib this week, but tonight is his first night in his own room. And part of me is a bit sad. No longer will he be sleeping right at my side every night. It sounds a bit dramatic, but it really is the first of many times in his life in which we will have to let go.....someday it will be sending him off to pre-school, then to school, then driving, then the first date...... Some parents are still letting go of their children after they're grown and married, releasing their children and grandchildren to live in foreign lands. Loving and letting go. Simultaneously. It's not necessarily easy. But it's part of life and part of parenting. Truth be told, it's the point of parenting.

Of course, watching our son move up the hall to his own room really isn't a big deal at all. But maybe I'm just a bit more aware of every phase and transition with Samuel, with the lurking thought in the recesses of my mind that this very well may be the last time I get to enjoy each of these precious "baby" phases. So I hold onto every day, every smile and giggle and little cuddle, grateful for yet another day that I get to be a mom.

New Zealand is now a better place

I've been waiting for this day for a long, long time. Since January 27, 2006, to be exact.

I was in the grocery store today, and what did I happen to see in the freezer, but Mint Cookie Crunch ice cream?? Think Mint chocolate chip, but instead of chocolate chips, add crushed Oreos. Like unto Sheridan's Frozen Custard "Grant's Grasshopper". Yum!!

You see, up until today, there was no such thing as mint chocolate chip ice cream in the grocery stores in New Zealand. (Actually, there's only once ice cream parlor in town that sells it.) It just isn't a common flavor here. Which is a great disappointment to all of us Americans who love mint chocolate chip.

Fortunately, there's now one less item on my hypothetical list of things that I can only enjoy in America.

20 Years Ago Today

It's a night I'll remember as long as I live. I was 9 years old, had my pajamas on, and was on my way to bed when the phone rang. Dad answered, and before he even said 5 words, I knew immediately that the news wasn't good, and my life was forver changed. Within moments he gathered my brother and I in the living room to tell us that Mom (who was in the hospital) had gone to be with Jesus.

I could go on and on about the emotions I felt that night and in the days, weeks, and months to follow. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what those would have been. More to the point, today my thoughts haven't been of sadness and mourning, but rather of amazement at the kindness and goodness of my Heavenly Father to carry me through these last 20 years, and to bring me into the broad and spacious place that I'm in today. Let's face it: the story could have easily not turned out as good as it did. I could have easily fallen off the deep end, turned into a dysfunctional person (well, maybe I am a little!), and have ended up with a much different life than the one I have now. I could have run away from God and into a myriad of vices to dull the pain, but for no reason other than His grace, I found myself running to Him in the midst of unbearable grief. He is so kind, so good, so merciful, and so able to care for His children perfectly. And those aren't just nice little cliches. It's the story of my life. I'm grateful; really grateful. And sometimes I catch myself imagining what it will be like when, someday, I'll get to see my mother again, run into her arms, hug her, and catch up on the decades that we missed. Now that's going to be a glorious day!

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming

I know I've posted lots of pictures of Taylor and Samuel recently....but I've got a few more to share. And I do think these are the best yet. Hey, I'm a proud Mama; what can I say?!

Perspective

A good friend sent me a link to this blog yesterday, and I'd highly recommend a read. I do not know these people, and know nothing more about them than what I read in a few posts. But I found it to be an uplifting story; not because of the joys of wonderful events, but because of a heart that's chosen to remain un-offended in the midst of tragic events. But I must also warn you that it's a "tear-jerker"; I'm glad I read it alone at 11pm last night, because I wept as I read it. And I don't mean just a few tears in the eyes. (Which I must confess is more of an indication of my own brokenness and hidden fears than a reflection of a great heart of compassion). But if you have a few quiet moments, I'd encourage you to go have a read. If nothing else, it will provide an eternal perspective, lifting us out of our own myopic existence and allowing us to be perhaps just a little bit more grateful for today.

Smiley Samuel's Silly Sister

We had fun taking photos of Taylor and her little brother this evening. Some turned out cute, others were quite silly ~ see for yourselves. I can just about guarentee you'll laugh out loud!

Smiley Samuel

I have lots of cheesy nicknames for our little Samuel, depending on what mood he is in:

Silly Samuel
Snuggly Samuel
Singing Samuel
Sleepy Samuel
Serious Samuel
Squirmy Samuel
Starving Samuel
Sad Samuel
Story-telling Samuel
Sweet Samuel
Special Samuel

But no question, one of my favorite ~ and most common ~ little names for him is "Smiley Samuel". He is perhaps the happiest baby in the world: he smiles and "talks" to me all day long, with the occasional giggle added in for good measure, only fussing when he's hungry or tired. Otherwise known as an "Angel Baby". He's such a content, laid back, happy little boy with the sweetest, most tender spirit. Seriously, how great is my life when I get to look at this cute little face all day long?!

Class Trip

Today I went with Taylor on her class trip to the Mount. It was great fun ~ but am I sure tired now! We did lots of walking, and I can really tell how out of shape I am. Of course, it doesn't help that I'm also quite anemic at the moment, but excuses aside, it was quite sad to remember the days when I used to run up the mount. Today I was worn out by simply walking around it!

Anyways, no use dwelling on that. Here are some photos of the day's fun:

Obsessed with peanut butter

When I was pregnant with Taylor, I would enjoy peanut butter on toast every morning for breakfast. It was a daily tradition which lasted for many weeks of the pregnancy. When I was pregnant with Samuel, I didn't have the same fettish. But now that I'm nursing.......my obsession is back! I simply can't get enough peanut butter these days (or peanuts, peanut butter cookies, or anything with peanuts in it). I'm eating peanut butter on crackers, on toast, on waffles, even straight out of the container with a spoon. I will eat anything that peanut butter can go on or in or with. One of my favorites is peanut butter on banana ~ I've been enjoying that one every day for weeks now. Strange, huh?

Been a long time in coming...

...but spring is finally here! The cherry blossom trees are blooming, the sun is shining, temperatures are warmer, the flowers are making their appearance. They say we've had the coldest winter in 40 years, or something like that, which makes me all the happier for a change of season. Everything looks a little brighter with the days of winter behind us!

Not that winter was all that bad or anything ~ after all, it did hold one of the most wonderful days of my life as we welcomed little Samuel into the world. It's a winter I'll always remember with the fondest of memories. But life with a baby will be easier and more fun with the long days of spring and summer ahead.

Been a Long Time

Yikes, it's been ages since I've posted! Though none of them qualify as good excuses, I do happen to have a few good reasons.

It's taken me way longer getting back on my feet after Samuel was born than I ever expected it would. I wish someone warned me that it's way harder going from one to two than from none to one! I was in for a bit of a surprise on that one! Of course, it didn't help that I ran into milk supply problems (ended up on a prescription drug to increase supply) and that our whole family got sick for a week (I'm still getting over it). But despite the bumps in the road, we're discovering that Samuel's got the most delightful personality ~ he basically just smiles at me all day long, and only cries if he's hungry. Today he giggled for the first time ~ and not just a little giggle, but a real good belly laugh! After 5 years of parenting, I'm certainly no expert ~ but this one thing I know: one of the best sounds on the earth is the sound of your children laughing. There's just nothing like it.

Taylor continues to adore her little brother ~ she just can't get enough cuddles with him! It's so fun to see her loving on him; she's a great big sister.

I have yet to master the art of snapping the photo when our little guy is smiling, but these ones are cute nonetheless. Enjoy!

Moving

Thankfully, we're not. My parents are, though. Out of the house that I called "home" for my junior and senior year of high school, and the house I have returned "home" to ever since. I think that will be the strangest thing for me. That is, in future months and years, coming home to see my parents in a house I have never lived in, a house that doesn't hold the nostalgic memories of years gone by, perhaps even to a different town than the one I lived in for almost 19 years of my life. "Home" sure will be a lot different from here on out.

And more to the point, this is a huge move for them, too. Of course for the fact that they've lived in that house for 13 years and have a fair bit of family roots to pull up by leaving, but mostly because they have no idea what's next for them. There are lots of options on the table, but no indication from Heaven yet as to which one is right.

So, Dad and Joanie, hope all goes well and may the Lord clearly speak and lead you and guide you as you begin this exciting new season of your lives.

One of the things I hate the most...

...is saying goodbye. I've done a fair share of it in my day. My first memorable goodbye was when I brought my dad to the airport in Kansas City after he and I drove halfway across the country for me to begin my new life as a 19 year old "adult" in the midwest. I still remember crying most of the 45 minute drive home. More recently have been the goodbyes on either side of the pacific ocean. And today's goodbye was much the same ~ except this time we're on the western side of the pacific rather than the eastern, and Graeme and Sabrina are headed back on their yellow brick road to Oz. (The Kansas Oz, that is, not the Australian abbreviation). And no matter how much you do it (say goodbye, that is), it never gets easier. I'll admit that I cried like a baby this morning saying goodbye (of course, it doesn't help that my own baby was crying most of last night and therefore I was going on very little sleep). But I think it would be safe to say that even had I the luxury of a 10 hour sleep, the goodbye wouldn't have been any less painful. But fortunately the farewell is behind us, and from here on out it gets a bit easier. Of course, we'll still miss them heaps in the days and weeks and months to come.

But.....

In the midst of it all I lean into sovereignty. I lean into Strength when I am weak. And I believe that not only does He know what is best for Mum and Dad, He knows what is best for me. And for my children. And so I trust. Say yes again. Sign up again for this life that we live that isn't always comfortable or easy, but is right. And I hold close to my heart the promises that He has given and the signs in recent days that have shouted to me from Heaven that He knows, that He cares deeply, and that He has my best in mind.

1st Bath at Home

Samuel had his first bath at home today. And since big sister Taylor wasn't feeling 100% this morning and stayed home from school, she got to be part of the action! Enjoy the pics.

Samuel loved the water!

Nice and cozy!

How in the world did I get such beautiful children?!

Our future all-star, dressed and ready for action!

Samuel John

Seeing as how it's now 4 days later, I suppose this is now "old news" for most of you, but Samuel John Walsh made his entrance into the world on June 24th at 5:03pm, weighing in at a "whopping" 5 lbs. 12 oz., 20 inches long!

I have so much to say, I don't even know where to begin! Everything with the birth went so smoothly with no complications, thank the Lord. The doctor even advised at the end of the surgery (after seeing how my previous scar healed) that the repeat C-section was a good choice (in other words, doing a VBAC could have been a bad one). I was pleased to hear we made a good decisoin on that one! My stay at the hospital was great. The maternity wing is completely new construction, so the facilities were bright and clean and quite pleasant, and (most of) the nurses were fantatic.

We came home from the hospital yesterday and have been settling back into life at home. Aaron has been absolutely amazing, taking care of all the details of life and housework so I can focus on resting and recovering and being a mom. Taylor is an adoring big sister who is nothing but full of love and affection for her little brother. She's been a huge help around the house already. I've actually found myself wondering what I did last time without a 5 year old around the house to help me! And Samuel is doing really well. Although he does have his (brief) moments, for the most part he's quite laid-back, calm, and easy-going. He's feeding great, sleeping good (most of the time), and overall doing just fantastic!

The Lord has been faithful to answer all my prayers related to his birth ~ many of them in ways over and above and beyond what I ever could have imagined. My heart has been so full these last few days as I've felt the heart of God towards me in such real ways. Not to mention the fact that I am loving getting to know our little guy and (as challenging as it can be sometimes), I'm thoroughly enjoying the newborn phase, knowing it will be gone in all but a few short weeks.

A Brief Explanation of New Zealand School

For the sake of my North American readers, I'll give a brief explanation of the way they do school here in New Zealand ~ it is way different than America.

The school year starts in February (late summer here). I guess you could say it's "year-round" school; the school year consists of 4 terms, with a 2 week break in between each term, and a 6 week break over summer (i.e. Christmas).

The confusing part is when kids start school. Rather than having one intake per year as we do in the States (i.e. all 5 yr. olds starting kindergarten in Aug/Sep), most children here start school on the day they turn 5! Hence the reason Taylor started school immediately after finishing pre-school. Now the really confusing part is that depending on when a child's birthday falls during the year, he/she will either attend anywhere from 1-3 terms of "kindergarten" (called "year 0" here), or, they'll skip year 0 and go straight into year 1. Yes, very strange. (Now the really, really confusing part is that often at a school, they will begin a new class every term. So where they get teachers from and what those teachers are doing in the other terms of school when they don't have a class to teach, and what schools do with a classroom sitting empty for half the year waiting for a new class to begin.....it all still remains a mystery to me.) Anyways, fortunately Taylor has a birthday at the right time of year so she will get almost 3 full terms of year 0 before moving onto year 1 next year, which puts her at a big advantage.

So there you have it; a completely different way of doing things when it comes to school. But all that aside, Taylor has continued to do very well and is settling in just fine. This past Friday her teacher had an open house for parents to come just before lunch to see what their children have been learning, and then join them for lunch. It was so fun to go and visit Taylor during the day at school. And her teacher is planning on making it a regular thing; I'm looking forward to the opportunity to have consistent insight into Taylor's education and the world she's in for so many hours of the day now. I love her teacher's "open door" policy in which she welcomes parents into the classroom at any time. She's great at what she does (for many reasons), and I'm so thankful that Taylor got such a wonderful teacher for her first year at school!

First Week of School

Taylor has done amazing at school this week ~ even to the point where she's surprised us all at how good she's done. Her teacher had her wisdom teeth taken out yesterday, so Taylor had two different subs yesterday and today, making 3 different teachers for her first 3 days in school. And she took it all in stride and did beautifully regardless! Admittedly, she was slightly more clingy when I dropped her off this morning, but with just a little bit of encouragement, she obediently found her friend and sat next to her for "mat time" first thing in the morning. And by the end of the day today when I picked her up, she was all smiles and reported another great day. What a little trooper! She's done absolutely wonderful in her reading, too ~ honestly, I had no idea she could read as well as she can. It's been a great confidence-booster for her to start off school with immediate success in reading.

Her teacher, by the way, is absolutely wonderful and has gotten rave reviews from other parents; and though Taylor's only had her one day so far, I've been quite impressed with what I've seen already.

I am definitely looking forward to the weekend and having Taylor home for the next couple days ~ I do miss her when she's gone all day for school! I think it will be good for Taylor, too, to have some down time and maybe even a nap or two.....she's definitely been tired after the long days. I can't wait to have cuddles with her in bed in the morning and read stories together ~ now that's the way to start the weekend!

Milestones

The last two days have been pretty big ones around here! Between Taylor's 5th birthday, her pre-school graduation, and the start of school.....she's had a lot going on in her little world! Yesterday we celebrated her birthday as a family.

We had waffles for breakfast, opened presents, and then enjoyed what will be our last lazy weekday morning for a while. It was cold and rainy outside, so the 3 of us got cozy on the couch with blankets and pillows and watched kid's DVDs until it was time to get Taylor ready for her last day of pre-school. And what a full day at pre-school it was! Not only did they celebrate her birthday, but they also had a special little graduation 'ceremony' for Taylor to remember her last year at the pre-school and to honor her on her last day.

Then, this morning, we were up early to get her off to school! I began to get a bit nervous about it all last night, as Taylor started to get a bit teary and anxious about the prospect of starting school. She was still a bit hesitant this morning.....until she got dressed in her uniform. Then suddenly everything changed, and she was confident and ready for her day!

Fortunately there are 2 little girls already in her class that she knew from pre-school, so when we got to her classroom, she immediately found them and was happy as could be. When it came time for me to leave and say goodbye, she said, "Bye, mom! Love you!". No tears, no hesitation; quite happy for me to leave and for her to begin this whole new adventure on her own. I couldn't believe her confidence, and I was so happy that it was such an easy, painless morning. And when I picked her up at the end of the day, she was all smiles and giving a great report from her day! I am so grateful for the pre-school and the preparation they deliberately do to make the transition into school easy on the kids. It seems to have really worked! Of course, it will probably take her a good couple weeks to transition fully, but if the first day is any indication of how the following days will be, we're in for a good ride.

I gotta say, Mama sure is proud of her little girl tonight!

Princess Birthday Party!

Yesterday, Taylor had several little girls from pre-school/school come over for her party. This was really the first time she's had a party with lots of other girls her age....previous years have been the parties with family and her favorite adult friends. And it was a grand success! All the little girls had so much fun ~ we had face painting and games, and because Taylor requested an ince cream cake this year, I had all the girls decorate their own cupcakes to eat with the ice cream. They loved that....what little girl doesn't like having fun with frosting and sprinkles?! Taylor wanted to have a "princess" theme, so several of the girls came dressed up as princesses. Here are a few photos from the day:

The Birthday Princess

Cupcake Decorating

Face Painting Fun

Gorgeous Girls

Duck Duck Goose

Princess Ice Cream Cake

Happy Birthday to Taylor!