dishes

I washed the dishes to music while Clint put the girls in the bath and got them ready for bed.

We had afternoon tea at the home of a very sweet couple.  Their oldest grandchild is Iris' age and they didn't seem to mind that she ran around kind of crazy.  They laughed easily and she put my mind at such ease a number of times throughout our visit.  They sent fruit home with us.

Somewhere along the way - the US to Australia to New Zealand - Evee seems to have picked up a British accent.  We question it and laugh about it almost daily.  Who knows...

and grateful

Can I just say, between comments and facebook (yes, facebook) and emails and messages, you guys are such an encouragement to me (!)?  Really, truly, I'm glad we have moved at this time in history when I can feel connected, even on the other side of the world. 

Today has been better.  It's the little things, isn't it, that make a day feel better or worse?  Amazing.

Things I'm grateful for or just enjoying...
:: our short term apartment.  Super cute and perfect for this time.  Love it and thankful.  It brings much comfort.

 

:: washing dishes by hand.  Yes, I really am.  I think I've wanted to go without a dishwasher for awhile now.  Granted, last night Clint did the dishes and this afternoon Evee did, but tonight I did and I loved that Clint came up beside me after putting Evee to bed and dried while I washed.

 

::  that I blog.  Why I feel especially grateful today is that there are a group of women in Christchurch who get together simply because they blog.  I contacted one of the women back in September and next week some of us will get together with our kids at one of the local libraries (and another time for coffee without kids).  How amazing to be on a group email about getting together (which I always love, but feel so thankful about this one in particular)!?!  I'm glad you blog Emilie :).

:: that there are 3 bins outside our door - the biggest for recycling, the second for trash, and the third for yard clippings and fruit/veg pieces.  Being green seems so easy...
:: the random comments Evee makes about many of you, as if you are so close and in our everyday (like about Ms. Kathy's dog).

 :: talking on skype with my dad today.  It felt so normal. 
:: driving around in the awesome car we are borrowing from friends, stick shift but with my left hand and no power steering.  It was my first time and I was sweating and when we arrived back home Clint said it was like driving with a new teenage driver.  Thanks babe. 
:: we have a few dates on the calendar to hang out with people (and by hang out I mean meet them).  We will slowly get the feel of this city and learn what it's like to live in Christchurch.

 

:: people are easily friendly.  Generally easy to talk with and a number of people we've chatted with are from other countries as well.  It feels really normal.
:: the mountains are amazing and so close.  It is beautiful here.  The stars are unbelievable and you can see the milky way.  So clear.

:: the one photo we have (not sure what I was thinking with not having photos to put up straight away)...thanks Michelle.  I loved finding it and putting it there.

I'll stop there, though the list continues in my head...

Much love to you all.  Thanks again for being who you are. 

short term apartment

...we are moved into our 6 week, short term, furnished Christchurch apartment.  Today.

Tonight I made dinner for our little family of four.  Probably the first time in months. 

Tonight we are quietly together, probably for the first time in months. 

Tonight I sat down at the dinner table and started to say how the girls probably won't know any other life than this one, which is great, but they won't know our lives prior to this and then I couldn't finish because I was in tears and Clint finished it for me. 

Evee asked why I was crying and I think I just miss all of you, and that's what I said.  I already knew that community is who we are, but when I am away from all of you, I really know that we are about community.  All that time of eating and living and being with friends and I didn't cry :).

But friends dropped us off at this apartment today and for that I am thankful.  And there are others here...and I trust that connections will come quickly. 

Food is crazy expensive.  Honestly, I think that is what made me cry as well.  Seriously.  I think what it was is that I am so good at grocery shopping.  I feel that I feed our family healthy and stick to a good budget.  Today I felt stripped of that.  We walked out of the shops with a receipt that was about 3 weeks worth what I spend in the states.  But, I'm learning.  And it's only been 3 days. Grace.  Time.

On a positive note, Evee has been pleasantly surprised.  I'm not sure what she imagined in her mind.  I think possibly complete ruin of the city.

When we walked out of the airport she said, "they've already built it back up".  And when I asked her what she thought of Christchurch the other night, she said that it was funner than she thought it would be.  I think she's excited about going to school again, which is awesome because she will indeed start on her 5th birthday...April 24th. 

And it is nice to be us too :). 

we've arrived

And here we are in Christchurch, NZ (!!!).  Crazy.  Now it all begins (or, better yet, continues)...

It is beautiful.  Clearly I've been here before, but with different eyes this time.  We anticipate exploring today.

Late last night we arrived.  I could tell that Evee become lighter when she realized we would all be in the same room.  I think I felt lighter too, knowing that if anything happened we were all together.  After being told what to do if there was an earthquake, we easily (truly) feel asleep.

There was a 4.1 earthquake last night.  We found that out this morning after sleeping through it, no problems.  I think we'll be fine.  And if and when we do feel them, we'll learn how to cope in that too.

The gift of a having a friend to pick us up, give us their master bedroom to sleep in, with the girls beds all set up...felt more love than I can say.  Her hospitality reminds me a bit of Jayne Bak, which also makes me smile.

Last night as we laid in bed, whispering as to not wake up the girls, we talked about how we felt upon arrival.  The words excited, at peace and good are what came.  That also makes me smile.

Now for immigration, finding long term housing, meeting friends, setting up a house and a church...the journey continues.

My dad sent a sweet prayer today and my friend sent some verses (perfectly timed) 2 days ago - Proverbs 3:21-26.  These truly hold us up.

...thank you friends for being in it all with us.

you are the best thing

There are those days when something is needed.

It used to be around dinner time, as the girls were breaking down and the end of the day was coming closer.  I would put on our "happy song" (feist - 1234), we'd forget our woes and dance the time away till Clint would walk through the door.

Yesterday morning there were tears, break downs.  Evee hurt her thumb and Iris was grumpy, we have been traveling, we are scared of earthquakes, we miss friends, I haven't been around to put the girls to bed for each nap and going to bed.  It all mounted up.  Some of them very small (others very big), but they culminate no less.

We were just us.  Clint put on a song.  It starts off, "it's been a long day" and ends with "you are the best thing ever happened to me".

He points to me, I laugh and love him for it.  The room is lighter and Evee is now dancing and Iris running around.  We are better because of each other.

And we are together and we are fine.

Sometimes it just takes a song.

hands

We seem to be a hand holding family.  

Toward the end of 6 weeks of traveling, 6 months prior to that living with sweet friends and anticipating 6 more weeks of short-term housing, I am grateful for a family intact.

We have had our moments, no doubt, of just about forgetting who we are, us four, and needing to be reminded.  But we have remembered and Clint and I continue to nudge each other in the direction we know...one that brings peace and is authentic to who we are.

And I'm amazed with the coping skills of an almost 5 year old and a 1 year old...their flexibility, vulnerability, and how they constantly remind us, in their own ways, of who they know us to be.  They are apart of this as much as we are.

And I'm glad that they find each other's hands in the back seat of the car in the midst of all this travel and transition.

last week

What we looked at and went to each day last week.  4 days that basically consisted of catching up with Clint's family and going to the beach.

And a bit of sweet, relaxed time with Clint...

This week we are mostly at a conference and on Friday we be in Christchurch.  After months of saying, "in January" to the question of when we'd be headed to New Zealand, it is crazy to say, "on Friday".  But we are very ready to settle in, check things out and get started.