Seeing my sisters...

who both live interstate only happens between once and about three times a year i reckon. And this past weekend I got to spend a little bit of time with them. It's always so wonderful to see them even for a couple of hours. Dee (pictured below) got to come + spend a bit of extra time with us this time round + spent the night. She painted Stass' nails, helped me around the house, entertained the kids + brought up some little pressies for us all. The next day we went down to meet my other sis + Fabs (aka Febs). We met at Tim + El's house first (thanks guys -loved seeing your place!) and then since the rain had cleared up went to a nearby park overlooking the water. It was really great arvo. Here are some snaps from it...

Dee + Zippi...

Brett helped entertain the kids, kicking around the ball + taking them on the park equipment - see Centerpoint tower in the background? i am so not a city chick anymore! lol :)

meng...

the three of us...love you girls so much - miss you xox

the big picnic spread out - thanks dad + mum for setting it up...

a stolen moment between daddy + one of his girls...

And since the girls won't be back in time for my 30th next month, we kinda had an early celebration - thanks mum for the yummy muddy!!!!

The girls + Fabs with our kids...



With mum + dad...

It was only such a short visit (really only a couple of hours with Meng + Fabs) but SO so worth every second :) Brett + I had had a really tough week leading up to it with so little sleep + much stress over some things so (after much prayer + deliberation) we decided to pop Zip onto a little formula bottle at night to help her break the cycle (hopefully) of waking every hour. I know God has granted us the grace to do this. I'm just so glad I've enjoyed these past couple of months with feeding (can you believe she is almost 5 months old??!!!) And I'm hoping the breastfeeding will continue but I/we are ok with it if it doesn't too. Not that I write that for anyone else's sake but for my own records. Ultimately we have to do what we feel is the right thing for our family.

Anyway, on Saturday night (after the big day down in Sydney) I attended a beautiful ladies night at our church called 'Create'. Nomes + Brad + others set it up beautifully - candles in glasses, cherry blossoms on tables...

and a high tea prepared by some of the guys + girls...

One of my mates, Sharon, spoke on God's creativity and on how, like a tapestry, He weaves + works together the bits and pieces (however odd they look) to make something beautiful and extraordinary - even when we can't see the big picture at the time. I missed most of the talk unfortunately because bubba decided she didn't want the bottle from daddy so I had to jet home to feed but made it back in time to enjoy some more creative time with my friends. My Mel came too so that was lovely just to hang out next to each other even for a short time :) Love you sweetie :)

So much seems to be filling my days lately - good precious stuff - but it leaves little time for other things like blogging and even creative things I want to be doing. I think at the moment the Lord is teaching me the difference though between things I WANT to be doing and the stuff I NEED to be doing. And how to do the things I NEED to be doing WITH JOY!

I took the kids last night to watch Brett play basketball in his local comp + we really enjoyed that. Simple pleasures hey :) And afterwards he + I had a nice Thai takeaway (our fave). The kids had already had their safe meal before we left. The kids' behaviour is back to normal now and I've really appreciated their obedience/empathy/compassion/loveliness much more this week after last week! Was a busy day yesterday after cooking for mother's group and burning a pear cake :( but making a nice new rice flakes slice to take instead :)

What else? Seeing the dietician next week for our yearly update + make sure we are travelling well with the low salicylate - additive free diet.

Kids have been learning to label all the continents + the world's oceans.

Brad, our mate, has kindly started giving Liji weekly drum lessons. Stass is loving her keyboard lessons + doing really well too :) Ethi is drawing up a STORM at the moment - so beautiful. And Zippi, well she is almost sitting up on her own (for a little while + then she does that flop forward thing - so cute!)

Some weeks marriages go through harder things than normal but the Lord is Lord of all! We can completly trust Him with EVERYTHING - including the rough stuff - especially the hard stuff - and we can lean on Him for victory :) Praise Him for that!

Bek, I still have half of Ben's (+ the kids') presents here - i haven't forgotten you! I know you know that :)

Kath - my email has been playing up a bit but I read part of your message + will try and email back when it is working fully again!

Anth - thank you my dearest most beautiful friend for your phone message. Will try and call you back sometime this week mate. Love to you!

Other than that, not much more to report i think.

Here's one for my sisters of their cute neice who loves her showers with her daddy...

5 things I am thankful for today:

1. Karen giving me her Avent sterillizer

2. I am so thankful that my life is now hidden with Christ in God. That is an amazing thing that I can't fully get my head around but am thankful for anyway. It speaks of a precious bond + securedness (is that a word???), a sacredness + set-apart-ness that I would not be the same without.

3. Chats with my beautiful mate Loz Boz

4. Finding our washing machine reciept (after we had prayed) that we thought we'd lost

5. That the washing machine is still under warranty!!!

Love and blessings,

Lus x