goodbye goodbye

I looked after the boys I have been nannying for the last time today.

It was pretty sad.
I got emotional after they went to bed.

I have had such a wonderful time looking after them and even though they are quite a bit older than babies it was so nice to get some kiddo practice in.

I would pick them up from school every Tuesday and Wednesday, take them home and we'd play in the backyard or do craft. I'd help them with their homework or home reading. I'd cook them dinner, give them a bath and read them stories.

And now it's all over. The next kiddo I pick up from school will be my own.

They are such lovely little boys. I got a special hug goodnight tonight.
I told them to come and visit when the little one arrives.

I'm gonna miss looking after them.

2010 - i am thankful

My year has held a lot of different things. Ups and downs. Blessings and trials.
Sitting here on the last day I am thankful.
Thankful for the chance to live and breathe.
Thankful for the chance to experience new things.
Thankful for the chance to share this year with so many wonderful people.

My year started out at Lennox Head SUFM. We counted down to the new year and then sung and danced around. My year has started this way for the last six years.

My brother, Myl and I went up to the gold coast for the 1st of Janurary. I'm not really sure why. We went to sizzler for lunch and Myl spent the night throwing up seafood salad.

It was a great mission. We saw God working in many ways. I was cooking but ended up getting the same or similar bug to Myl and was out of cooking action for the last few days.

on my last day of prac

My social work prac started on the 20th of Janurary. I was in a hospital. I was apprehensive but determined to learn more about social work and figure out what it really was all on about. It was a really eye opening experience. I learnt a lot about aged care and the social supports available to people but there was just something missing. The social workers were all burnt out to the point where it felt like they just didn't care anymore. The system seems like it it designed to be difficult and if a person is in need they have to ask for help it cannot be forced upon them.

It was a big adjustment. I had to wake up early (7am - early for me) work all day and then often go out at night to bible study etc.

old farts party

Myl started bible college this year. It was something we had been thinking and praying about for ages so he applied and got in. He has loved being there and I have loved him loving it. He makes me so proud. He has all these wonderful friends, he is learning all these new things and everyday he seeks God's will for our lives.

As the semester drew to a close I was unsure of what to do next. I had been to see the Social Work Advisor who told me that because of the subjects I had done or not done so far I would have two and a half years left of study. I was already feeling a bit like social work wasn't the path I was supposed to go down and this was a bit of confusing information.

I drew up lists of what I was supposed to do with my life filled with crazy and not so crazy years. There was one particular plan that involved a baby that I was particularly fond of. It stuck in my head. It was what I wanted to do. But we don't always get what we want.

I knew that there was the possibility we wouldn't be able to have kids. Myl had some health issues as a baby and that was one of the side effects. We decided to explore it and he went to the doctor to find out. The doctor confirmed our suspicions and said we had about a 20% chance of getting pregnant. He told Myl that because we are young to just start trying and see what happens and come back in a year if nothing has happened.

youth camp - a very excited Myl and Rin.

Three months later we were at our church youth camp and found two pink lines on a stick.

I had already decided to not go back to uni for six months and re-asess at the end of that but then my plans were set. In 2011 I'm going to be a mama.

Youth camp was awesome.




In amongst all that we moved house to a bigger place. (such a blessing) We have an extra bedroom/study and lots more space. Just perfect for our little one.

My big brother got engaged around this time too. He got married a few weeks ago. They came back from their honeymoon just in time for Christmas. It is so nice seeing him married. It is so nice to have another sister.

I started nannying and helping out at church with kids ministry and have had such a ball this past six months.

Life feels much more relaxed. I wasn't out being career woman saving the big bucks (which has it's struggles) but it has been a really great six months. I had the time to spend with people and do all the things people wish they could do but can't because of work. I also got to help look after a family with a baby who is just about 9 months older than our little one.

 Ahh yes the little one. The most life changing, awesome, amazingly wonderful news of the year. 2011 will bring her to us and we are looking forward to it so so much.

What a wonderful year 2010 has been. It will forever be etched in our memories as a year we learnt new things and started down a new path of life. It has been a year of massive changes and God has been with us every step of the way.

What is a birthday without cake?

To be totally honest the answer to this question is my husbands birthday.

eek!

I have a good excuse though. His birthday consisted of.

Myles woke up at 5 30 to go have coffee with his pals
Came back at 8ish
We went for breakfast at Clover cafe
I went to work
Myl went to college to study. (He has a greek exam on Monday)
He did serious study all day. No wives allowed.
I had lunch with our family pastor to discuss theology of childrens ministry. V interesting.
Met up with the study bug for compulsory study break. He insisted it be short :(
Went to the gaia organic baby clothes sale with a friend (Pictures soon!)
Saw Myl again. We had to source a large garbage bin (clean) for youth group.
Dropped Myl at youth
Went babysitting
Went home
Picked Myl up from youth.
Home for some needed sleep.

Can anyone see room in there for cake?
Never fear. One of his lovely college friends baked him one that they enjoyed while studying.

Bless.

But today we are having dinner with my siblings and their personal happinessess.
It was my brothers birthday yesterday too. We like to celebrate.
We are going to have Korean in the city. aaaaand.

CAKE!

unless my brothers sweetheart has baked one. Then we can have...

TWO CAKES!

Good idea? I thought so.





I did have a photo but the cake kinda looks like a big hunk of poo. Its banana with butterscotch icing. I never really aim for those presentation points. So here are some cakes from the hillarious blog Cake Wrecks.

The pursuit of busyness

I have had such a busy ole weekend.

On Friday night I had a lovely birthday celebration with my dear friend Laura.

This is us when we had just finished high school.



We had some pasta at the Italian Forum in Leichhardt and then went to San Churro for some tasty hot choc made with real chocolate beads.

I had the white hot chocolate.

On Saturday Myl and I took some kiddos from church to the UV festival.
That was fun. There were puppets and goats and singing and craft.
We got to ride into the city with the kids on the bus.
It was really nice. They are such lovely kids.

We went home for a short nap before doing some babysitting.
That was fun.
I think Myles may have scared the little babysiteee. Maybe it was his beard.

The next morning we had Sunday school and went to India.
We did bollywood dancing, made naan, learnt about the Toulmin family who translate the Bible and made some elephant masks.

I wish I had taken photos.

Then I had a practice for a kids play that was on this morning. Some lovely ladies asked me to play music for their play about the Little Red Hen. We performed it this morning to a group of very cute and excitable pre-schoolers. 

Hmm there is just so much to write about.

In the midst of all that Myl and I had a home date. We had some good ole devonshire tea.

I did take some pictures of that.

Scones with jam and cream and lemongrass and ginger tea. ( A birthday present from Nic.) Yum!

Needless to say our whole little family is pretty tired after the weekend.

BUT

We get to peek at the little one tomorrow!!!
So exciting.





It would make my day if you voted for my blog. :)

Ikea date and a gift for the bobbin.

Myl and I have decided to do weekly Friday arvo dates.

We went to a marriage course at college the other week and we learnt that it is so important to give time to each other. It's gotten harder this half of the year as Myl is out in the mornings and I'm out in the afternoons but we managed to find a slot to have our "date night" or date afternoon.

So far we had a failed trip to the rocks (it was much too cold so we went to Glebe instead) and a trip to Ikea today.

May not sound like the most exciting thing ever but if you've seen 500 Days of Summer you will know what I mean. The trip is made even more exciting by the ability to not only look and swoon at the children/baby section but to actually be able to consider things there.

So we looked and oohed and ahhed. And we got the little bobbin a present. Its called the Fabler bed canopy and it was $29.99.

Its really cute and has bunting round the top and little coloured beads around on the mesh. They had it on display and I was thinking of tucking the little one into bed at night and closing the little curtains.

Actually the whole Fabler series is pretty cute. They have soft toys and wall stickers and blankets etc.

Might be back.

It was a nice date for Myl and I. We got some Swedish meatballs at the restaurant and Myl ate a hideous $1 hot-dog. (Thank heavens I can't eat them.)

It might be tricky to have date night once the little one comes along. Or date afternoon. It might need to be date-while-baby-has-a-nap for a while but that's ok. We're having a pretty good time at the moment.

Hmm... where to next week?

My day.

I have had a really lovely day. The sun was shining and all was well.

I started my morning with Job Number 2 (or is it 1?) looking after kids from my church while their mums have their mothers group.
I recently read an article that was about old fashioned play and how children nowadays have so many toys that it limits their imaginations. Gone are the days when children will be satisfied to play Cowboys and Indians with sticks and things, now they have specially crafted toys to fit with any possible game they play. Even though most children are not allowed to watch the star wars movies, they know all about Luke and Darth Vader and may have light saber toys and Star Wars Lego to play with.

So today I decided to encourage the kids to play not with the toys but with their imaginations. It was fantastic. We had knights being chased by dragons and saving damsels in distress, pirates finding buried treasure, astronauts going to the moon and meeting a funny alien and everything in between. The little kids were so imaginative. They roared with laughter, ran around and didn't get bored one bit.

The best bit however was when we went outside to play with some soccer balls. The game of soccer lasted about five minutes until my brother (who does it with me) got the ball and shoved it up his shirt. He then began to chase the kids around with his crazy "baby" belly. They loved it and also wanted a go. Next minute one four year old had the ball up his top.

"My baby is going to kill everyone." He said.

It was hilarious.

Then after that I got to help my sister-to-be buy her wedding dress. That was absolutely lovely and a pleasure to do. I am so excited about them getting married. They came over for a lovely lunch and have now gone home.

I bought the little one a first present. It is a little orange (non gender specific?) blanket. I think it is lovely. It has bobbles on it. I felt like buying something. I'm just that kinda gal.

Now, onto the picture at the top. This is the album of the basement birds. Myles bought me tickets to go and see their concert. This is very exciting. The Basement birds are a band made up of lots of different male singers from other bands/solo acts who sing in four part harmony. Its really nice. I have such a wonderful husband. This is our 18 month anniversary (which is tomorrow) present.

Lovely day.

I'm about to cook Chicken and Leek stroganoff, watch valentines day and listen to the basement birds cd. (Although not at the same time.)

Heaven.

She had style, she had flair she was there...

Yes I have become a nanny. What better way to prepare for my coming arrival?

This is totally the dream job. Looking after children. I started this week.

I must admit it is such a different world.

When I was a little tacker my Mum stayed home to look after us. Each day I would hang out with my mum. We'd paint or draw or play games or go on picnics. I'm sure we did really boring things like paying the bills but I can only recall happy memories.

Mum went to work on weekends when I got a little older but then we had Dad the schoolteacher with us. We would eat pancakes for breakfast on Saturday mornings, go to violin lessons and play around.

Sometimes, when Mum and Dad had date night we would be looked after by Camille the girl down the street. She was in year 6 when my older sister was in kindy so she must be pretty old by now. Camille was magic. She played the best games with us. We would play make believe shops or doctor surgeries or travel agencies. She made us hot chocolate and then she would march us off to bed shouting "Hop two three four." "About face, turn right, clean your teeth, in your bed, go to sleep!"

When Camille couldn't come we would have another teenager from down the street. She would make us watch tv. I have a distinct memory of standing at the front door watching Mum and Dad go with tears in my eyes on one of these occasions.

Other than Mum and Dads date night however, we usually had the both of them home. Dad being a school teacher was home pretty much the whole time we were and Mum worked part time and was there most of the time too. So its a different world being a nanny to these little children. I feel I have so much responsibility. I cook them dinner, I bring them home from school. It's great. I love the practice that I'm getting. And I'm learning about a new way to grow up.

I can remember in church one week learning about how we can all care for each other as a family. Families are not just Mum, Dad and the kids. I get to be a part of these peoples lives and help them out at the same time. I am rich in time and energy so I can help look after their kids. I get to watch them and see how they do things and learn from that. Its a pretty great thing.

I hope I can learn a thing or two before this little one comes along. And I hope Ill be a good nanny. ;)


Image Credit: Flickr User *clairity*