Dig

Both our boys like to dig. Other boys throw snowballs when they are in the snow. Ours dig. Other boys build sand castles when they are at the beach. Ours dig. Digging holes, the bigger the better, is a serious occupation. 'Dig' was one of the first words in both their emerging vocabularies.

Which is why I was very keen for us to have a sandpit.

I would have been pretty happy with just about anything, but what we got was the super-deluxe version, designed and built by M's Dad. It sits happily under a tree and is usually occupied from first thing in the morning to sunset, with interruptions for meals, sleep, preschool and other such things.

I really like the sandpit. JMB

Water, water everywhere...

One of the things our boys are enjoying the most about Australia is the water. It's not just the beaches, though they are very well disposed towards them. It's that it's warm enough to play with water, even in winter.

Here they are deeply engrossed in playing boats in an activity that left them both completely saturated, at the beginning of winter. But it's warm, so it's OK.
2yo is particularly taken with water. In the heavy rain we've been having, I frequently find him either out the front under the broken drain pipe that pours water down from the roof, or under the water tank with a broken pipe that pours water down from the tank. It's like torrential rain just doesn't  cut it. He needs more water; he needs to be completely soaking wet in under a minute. I have also found him more than once, casually bouncing on the trampoline oblivious to the rain.

It does make bath time easy: no reluctance whatever to having a shower!  JMB

Up From the Whirlpool

Whirpool, rip tide... at the very least 'very strong current' describes the last six months as we moved to Australia, Mark finished the draft of his thesis and started his new job, we moved countries, churches and houses and 4yo started kindergarten.

Most of the time, it's been brilliant. We're more relaxed, healthier, feel more useful and even laugh from time to time. We went to the beach. Our house is awesome (but that will get a post of its own) and creates a context for our boys to run, jump, dig and then run some more. We are enjoying the privelege of renewing and strengthening old friendships. We get to see family more and that's been great as well. Our church rocks and we feel like we can contribute.

There are lots of things we miss about England, particularly the people we knew and loved. And some other things as well. But for us, it is much easier to live in Australia, socially and physically. So we're glad to be back.

Most of the time we are moving too fast to see it all. But we when we glimpse it, we are grateful to God for getting us 'there and back again' in one piece and helping us to be grateful for his many blessings.

Currently I'm avoiding no less than five jobs I have to do, some of them I should have done yesterday and one is held over from last week.  So, I might be blogging a bit more these days.

;) JMB