A break well deserved

This week has been the most tiring of the year for me.  I have organised 15 exams and started 13 of them!  I did not have a day off this week and that was the most difficult thing for me.  It made me realise how much I appreciate my day off and how important it is to Naomi and I to have time to spend together.  Although she enjoyed hanging out in daddy's office a few times that day!  It has been an interesting experience and I feel on top of things but I feel I'v earned my break.  The disconcerting thing is I have another week like this after break and I do not have a break at the end!!
And so, break is here.  We are off to Calapan tomorrow morning, then on to the beach on Monday and back to Manila on Thursday.  We have been having odd weather with La Nina, though so it is not as hot and sunny as it usually is.  This is generally a good thing, as hot season is not the most pleasant time of the year, but I like beach weather for the beach - not cool winds and overcast skies!!  We are so difficult to please, aren't we?

earthquakes

This afternoon I watched the news with the kids to see what the latest in Japan was.  (We discussed earthquake drills too!) When we were sitting down to eat, we were talking about what we had seen and Josh said, "We watch the news (actually we hardly ever watch the news but...) so we can pray".
How cool is that.  We did pray too.

sister friends

Rose and Naomi have coined the phrase "sister friends".  It's pretty cool to see their bond of sisterhood grow - the bad as well as the good.  I never had that blessing and it is something I sometimes envy when my friends talk about their sisters.
It seems a little sad that Josh will not have that bond with a brother but he made me laugh today when we were eating our lunch together and Rose and Naomi were playing.  He said, "That's a funny game they're playing - too much talking!"

Kindergarten Chapel

Josh was taking part in his class chapel today on the topic of 'goodness'.  He had to learn a verse from Titus 3:14 and the other day at dinner, Steve asked if he had anything else to do, like a skit.  He said, "No, well yes, but I'm just a little flower!"  The rest of us cracked up and he got a little affronted, "What's so funny?!"  For me, the idea of Josh as a little flower was just too funny.

Happy Birthday, Mum

It's my mum's 60th birthday today. My brothers did a great job of celebrating mum over the weekend and I wanted to post the script I wrote to the video I made for her :

It’s not unusual to hear people say I don’t feel old enough to have a daughter do such and such but I can say I don’t think I am old enough to have a mother who turns 60… but you have sympathy from your granddaughter as Rose does not get why 60 is such a big deal.

And, honestly, when I think about the average 60 year old of a generation ago, life and expectation has moved on.  I mean you are not even allowed to retire at 60 anymore!

Reflecting as a mother, I want to honour you for the way you helped to shape me, and continue to support and love me. I recognize the amazing self-sacrifice and hidden pouring out of yourself into the life of dad, Tim, Sam and I that I never realized you made.

I respect the difficult decisions you have made for our family to function the best you knew how.  For the love and prayer you have used as the foundation of our family.

I admire the way you have pursued dreams and been willing to make significant changes to achieve them.

And I am delighted that you get to see and be involved in the next generation of our family through 5 wonderful grandchildren.

I hope we bring you joy as you celebrate 60 fun, and agonizing, high, and low, easy, and difficult, joyful, and tearful years living God’s purpose for you.

Sirens

It makes me smile how sirens in this country are less likely to be for an emergency and more likely to be for a politician!  This morning the kids were all excited as a fire engine came wailing near our house, but as I watched out the window, it was followed by a convoy of cars with balloons and people waving out of open windows and a truck with a marching band playing in its bed.