the bird

After church today we drove straight over to Mum and Dad's house to get chocolate.  Dad had his 60th birthday on Saturday.  Friday night we celebrated and Dad got a LOT of chocolate.  Anyway, we got there and over in the corner of the room Dad pointed out to us a box with a towel covering it.  He told us to slowly look under the towel.  Inside the box was a beautiful green bird (a rosella I think), with bits of blue in its wings and red above its beak.  Anyway, mum and dad thought that it had broken its back after flying into the window, it had left blood on the ground too.  Little Minol said a prayer for it.  Mum and Dad said they had to wait til 5pm when the vet opened to take it in.  At about quarter to 5 we were about to have our dinner at home.  I asked Minol to say blessing on the food and he started the prayer with "please bless the bird..." and went on a bit, finally blessing the food at the end.  Just as we were about to eat, the phone rang.  Mum let us know that the bird had recovered and had jumped out of the box so they had let it outside where it flew off.  What a wonderful opportunity to teach a 3 year old about prayer.  For him to know that Heavenly Father had listened to his sweet prayers is something pretty special.  I love it how Minol can now say prayers by himself.  He blesses the food all by himself and family prayers we discuss things to pray about first but then he says it all himself.  So SWEET!  Melts my heart!

home again home again jiggity jig...

Aaaaaaah, home SWEET home!  It's just wonderful to be home.  It was quite an adventure getting here but we finally arrived on Friday the 24th of June.  It took us an extra week.  With all the excitement of the volcano we were concerned our flight home would be cancelled but after calling the airlines they told us the flight from Rio to Buenos Aires was still going.  BUT then when we arrived in Argentina we were told that the flight to Australia had been cancelled!  So we were put up in a nice hotel, where we spend 5 nights.  We spent our time eating, having baths (Estella & Minol), and watching tv.  Whoohoo.  Here's a few pics of our time in Argentina.  We then were able to fly from Argentina, going the long way stopping to refuel in Thailand, then on to Brisbane (instead of Sydney as planned).  Then to Sydney where we spent 2 nights and had a bit of fun taking the kids to the wildlife park and aquarium. And FINALLY we had the green light to Hobart!  Aaaaaah, what a week!  Funny how it's been almost 2 weeks back and it feels as if we never left!  So much to blog about though, so many photos... where to begin????  Will think it over and might find some time to record a few happenings.  

Estella... Swim suit model?

Lots to write about.  Last week we spent 3 nights at Illha Grande.  It´s a huge and very beautiful island in Rio.  I would have spent longer there had I known how beautiful it was.  With travelling to and from we really only got 2 full days.  One day we spent looking around the island a little and playing in the pool, the 2nd day we went on a tour of the islands on a lovely boat and went to some lovely swimming spots.  The last place was the blue lagoon but by the time we got there in the afternoon it was a little too cool for swimming.  Anyway, demanding son at the moment so my quiet blogging time has been drawn short.  More pics to come!

black (17th of march)

Brazil here we come!

We're off.  Got the go ahead.  Estella will have surgery on her hip when we get back in 3 months.  It's a relief that we can go now, but I know in the back of my mind I'll be thinking about her surgery, and then she'll need a cast for a while and then a brace.  Time to focus on packing now... summer here we come!

waiting...

waiting for my gums to heal, waiting for visas, waiting for Estella's specialist appointment...

A few weeks ago I had my 4 wisdom teeth removed. Not a nice experience which I'm happy not to have to go through again. Now I'm waiting patiently while the big holes in my gums heal properly. I have to be careful not to get food stuck so it doesn't cause infection. SO ANNOYING!! Anyway, we are now also waiting patiently for our visas to come so we can take the kids back to Brazil to see their Brazilian family. And to top it off we are waiting to find out from Estella's specialist appointment next week what will need to happen to correct Estella's hip dysplasia. We had a big day yesterday, going from the physiotherapist, to the GP, to get an X-ray, and then back to the GP today. So we may or may not make it to Brazil on the 16th of March as planned, it all depends on how urgent Estella needs to be sorted out as once again we'll be spending a whole 3 months in Brazil. So some new adventures are a happening!

Oh, time to go private so if you want to keep squizzing at Essie Adventures leave your email in the comments.

Estella...

talks on the phone, bites, has started water orientation classes, growls, gives kisses (mostly to the soft toys and daddy, but sometimes mummy) and is still my little princess.

Estella fala no telefone, morde, começou aula de orientação na água, grita, da beijos (a maior parte para os bichos de pelúcia e papai, mas algumas vezes pra mamãe) e é minha princesinha.

a gift for grace

cake

birthday

celebrate

from this...

to this...

in a year

My baby turned 1.

The Dark Knight

Still BATMAN. Minol (Big) cut his hand at work on New Year's Eve and we were talking about the Doctors. We asked Minol (Little) if he was going to be a doctor when he grew up. "Nooooooo! I'm goin' to be Batman!!" 'Nuff said.

Estella's First Christmas

Christmas 2010 was small, simple, but wonderful. It was Estalla's first Christmas. It was Minol's first Christmas where he "got it". I got a wooden nativity (especially for the kids to make it easier to explain the birth of Christ), so Minol loved playing with that and also gets the Santa part of Christmas too- he enjoyed opening his AND helping everyone else open gifts. We lost Bink, Nick and the kiddies as they headed back to Brisbane for Christmas but we got Puddy. So we had Christmas lunch at our place with Grandma, Grandpa, Mick, Puddy and US! Big Minol made his yummy scrummy BBQ. Lovely lovely! Christmas Eve was nice too. We shared a traditional dinner at mum and dad's with Piret and Maz and the missionaries. We shared some thoughts on Christ and some music which was a really nice way to celebrate our Saviour's birth. And now it's hello 2011!!

Partners in crime

Lately...

Lately Estella has been sleeping through the night (but is up at 6:30am poop!). Lately two bottom teeth have popped through. Lately Estella has been into EVERYTHING, eating EVERYTHING and ANYthing. She is still commando crawling but pulls herself up on things and has a lovely little sook when she gets stuck. Lately she just LOVES playing with her brother and cracks up at anything he does. We still get comments about how "little" she is. She's just my little dolly and I love her to pieces.

??

The things kids do. Minol styling with daddy's goggles on... decides the Nurofen would make a great prop for his wolverine pose.

sunnies

Ooooh, sunglasses!

Hmmmn, these ones?

Or these ones?

Maybe these ones?

road rage

So... Estella, driving along (in Minol's car). Mmmmn, actually, let's say cruising along...yes, that suits Estella's style of driving. Brrrroommmm, brrrroom.

Beep beep. "Hi mum".

Oooops, think she's speeding a little there.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek. (Brakes). "Excuse me! You're in my way. Get off the road!!"

Beep beeeeeeep!! "COME ON! Stop texting in the middle of the road!"

A few more harsh words... I think Estella was about to get out and bop him one...
"Come on Dad, do something!"

Oooops, Daddy thinks that's enough Estella and tries to get her out of the car. She holds on with her grip of steel. "Nooooooooo Daddy, put me back!"