School's back in session but I've already got a sick child home on the couch today.  I've been glad to be a stay at home mum this year, as Simon's missed over 10 days of school already. I don't know what we'd do if I was working mum.  I do love the extra time with Simon and Gracie that school holidays bring, but I'm ready for some headspace too!  Well, I'll blame my lack of blog entries on school holidays and sick days!

We had an enjoyable two weeks of holidays.  Ella, our niece, came to stay for 10 days and she's a real darling.  We both love our auntie- niece quality time and we had some great chats, walks on the beach, movie watching, and the kids enjoyed her too!  We were also able to visit Cat and David and Lulu and James in Lennox which was so lovely to see them and then we had Easter in Toowoomba at D and Eilleen's house.  Again, we had a wonderful visit and I especially enjoyed shelling and eating Macadamia nuts with Simon.  He is pretty good with a maca nut cracker!  Gracie and Evie played so well together I love seeing our kids with their cousins having a ball.  And Millie is.... well she's just dreamy!

I enrolled Si and Gracie and our neighbor, Nyandeng, in a swimming intensive over the holiday- five mornings of swimming lessons and they did great!  Simon advanced a whole level in the week.  I'm hoping they'll continue improving this term as we near leaving for Ethiopia I'm not sure they'll have a chance to swim or have lessons there.  It's been so fun to see Nyandeng at her lessons.  I just wish I could take the other 4 children with me.  Yesterday I had Nyandeng, her cousin Nyandeng, her sister Maleng, and cousin Maleng over in the afternoon.  A delivery man arrived at our door while they were visiting and looked at me and 6 children and said, "You have your hands full!"  I did actually, as the girls love painting - fun but maybe not the best activity with two one and a half year olds involved! I am really dreading leaving them all.  I have come to love these children and Elizabeth and her husband and am praying for another family who can come into their lives and be a support to them.  I can't imagine if we were refugees in Ethiopia, spoke little Amharic and had no community to help us. I'm so thankful we will be walking into a supportive community.  We all need people in our lives!  Elizabeth and her family are real heros in my book.  There's been fighting again in Sudan and most of their family has again fled their homes to Uganda and Kenya.  Elizabeth's father is still in Sudan.  Please pray for them all.

It's been pretty incredible to see gifts of support coming in, often from the least expected people.  I have been inspired and really touched by people's generosity and just knowing they are behind us.  If you are one of these people reading, THANK YOU! I've also appreciated hearing from people who are unable to give financially but still want to wish us well, pray with us or just be a part of our unfolding story.  Thank you also for your encouragement.  It makes me feel like we are not alone in this adventure!

My emotions are still up and down.  I feel like I did my senior year in high school - when I am with people, I feel somewhat distant, telling them I am really struggling with leaving them, but sharing in an almost unemotional way and feeling almost disassociated.  Then when I am alone and think about leaving all these people I love and this life I love, I find my eyes instantly welling up with tears - like now!  I swear I have had more tears the past two months than I have since I was a teenager.  I've been learning about "tapping" and have been trying to take time to be mindful and to pray.

Gracie is struggling with leaving too. In the parking lot of ALDI yesterday, we sat while she cried her eyes out.  She really doesn't want to say goodbye to her friends or to Love heart.  I just let her cry and told her I understood her feelings.  After a few minutes she said she was ready to go into the store. It's so hard being a mom and trying to be okay with their emotions too!  I know my heart will break when we leave and there are many tears from my kids and potentially pleas to stay.  I can hear the internal dialogue already.  :( I probably shouldn't be writing this to all my supporters and potential supporters :) - I feel like I should be strong and sure and confident!  But I know that this goodbye is going to ache. And I guess it's better to be real and ask for your prayers in it!

Well, I better go check on my sick child.  :)  We dodged a bullet actually over the break.  Our "power tower" (a very heavy steel piece of gym equipment) fell over and hit Gracie on the stomach.  We rushed her to the ER (even though she wasn't trapped under it but she was clutching her side and said it had hit her, and we didn't know exactly what had happened and I didn't want to take any chances). Thankfully it must have just clipped her and we had bruising but she was fine.  I am so thankful. When I saw it on the ground next to her and realized it was only inches from hitting her on the head or crushing her.... wow, I felt blessed.  That seems to be Gracie's story- we've found her in so many near miss situations!  :)  I think she takes after me, a little bit accident prone :).

Thanks for your love and prayers!