Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Jonty's sayings

Jonty has been saying so many hilarious and funny things lately that I thought I had better write them down so he can look back and have a laugh.


When I think about what it means, it all sounds very logical and makes perfect sense to think like that when you are only four.

1. If you have curly hair, Jonty says you have circle hair.

2. Mum lives in a two story house in Bridport and Jonty has been telling me that Collette isn't allowed to sell Nan's double decker house.


3. Jonty loves helping me with the laundry, especially putting the powder in the machine and pressing the buttons for me. Everytime he hears me go into the laundry and turn the washing machine on, he comes in and asks if he can have a turn putting the sugar in the machine. I suppose laundry powder does look like sugar....as long as he doesn't try to lick it. ;)


4.  When Hallie has friends over Jonty says, "is her coming to our house", when he can't remember their name.

5. When we visited Collette and Hayden for Toby's blessing, Jonty, Mum and I went to Woollies, in the city near their apartment. It had an escalator leading down to the supermarket. Jonty refers to it as, "Collette's supermarket with the climbing stairs".

Oh how I love having a four year old. Without a doubt he makes me smile every single day.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Easter goodbye

Don't mind me I have plenty of random posts to catch up on. When we moved we didn't have the internet on for nearly 2 months and from then I still haven't caught up. My goal is to do a catch-up post every week and post it retrospectively.

So Easter 2013 here we are. Friday March 29th - Monday April 1st.



Easter is always a lovely time of the year, full of chocolates and holidays and relaxing with family. As per tradition, Easter Bunny didn't forget us again this year. We were a bit worried because it was our first Easter in the new house and we weren't sure if Easter Bunny had been informed of our change of address.

We need not have worried - he left plenty of eggs.









It was fun trying to find hidden eggs amongst the not quite finished deck. We have learned some great balancing skills. And now the deck is finished, it's just not quite as fun. :)







  
We got together on Easter Sunday night with Mum and the Wheelers for some more serious chocolate eating. Obviously a snotty nose doesn't get in the way of a sugar fix.


Glad someone wiped his nose.



A serious comparing eggs chat going on here between Jayme and Georgia. ;)



But Easter isn't all about chocolate. It is more importantly, about remembering and honouring Jesus Christ and how he loves each one of us, enough to give up his life for us. It is something we can remember everyday and let it influence the way we treat ourselves and each other but Easter represents the Saviour's actual sacrifice and I love having a specific time of the year to really ponder its significance.

And what better way to celebrate what Easter is really about, than with a get together at Punchbowl on Good Friday to farewell our nephew Jakob off on his mission to Kobe, Japan. Jakob will spend two years as a missionary for our church, living among the Japanese people and having the time of his life. It didn't seem that long ago that our other nephew Josh was heading off to New Zealand and now he only has 11 months left.


Yep, I think that's an ipad in Jason's apron pocket. 



 Now that Jakob has gone, Nathan is fast taking over as the new favourite. Jonty calls him, "Nathan with the circle hair".
 
The Rowlings and our lot. They love their cousins.





Tammy and Jason with the kids. 

It was a beautiful Autumn day and it was actually quite hot, perfect weather for a run around in the park after lunch.
 

 Flynn will be nearly 4 when Jakob returns.

 
So then on Easter Monday, we headed out to the airport to say goodbye to Jakob.


Some of us were still in our pjs. 


We all had a laugh at Nathan with his Samboy chips at 5.30am. 


Saying goodbye to Mum.  


And Dad.

 I was crying and feeling very proud of Jakob and it was hard to see him say goodbye to the family, just like it was when Josh left and I joked that if I'm this bad with my nephews, I don't want to imagine what I'm going to be like when my own sons go.


Waving goodbye to the plane as it took off into the pre dawn sky, full of anticipation for the two year journey ahead.
 Since Jakob and Josh have left, each week we receive a forwarded email from their parents from each of the boys, talking about the week they have had and their amazing experiences in another country. I love reading them and I love that my own boys have such fine examples and I love hearing them earnestly pray at night for Jakob and Josh out on their missions. I hope that one day, my boys may grow up to be just as amazing as their big cousins.

Read here for some recent missionary news from Jakob.

Hello Japan - a pic from Jakob.
Next week we farewell Josh's brother, Allister off to Brazil. I can't wait to hear all about Brazil and the people there.