With Friends at Oxygen 11

Oxygen 11 was a conference for Christian pastors and leaders, held at the end of August in Sydney. Jeff and I had the privilege of a week off work with no kids - thanks to Granny and Gramps! - so we could attend the conference.

This photo was taken at lunch on the first day, with our friends the Ayambos, who minister to a Sudanese congregation in the suburb north of ours. Jeff was one year behind David at Theological College.It was great to discuss the preaching with them each afternoon and in the evenings, and to encourage one another and pray for each other regarding each of our ministry situations, and our marriages.

Cross Country Athletes

(A report by Joshua)

I really wasn't prepared. I never knew this was going to be so tough. I came in 29th place. My friend Sean came 26th and Moss came 39th; he fell on a stick and still was pretty fast.

After the race, I made a new friend, but I don't know his name. I built a rock castle with him while the other races were on.

Me with my friends, Lachlan, Moss and Sean:
At the start line, I thought the race would be longer than it turned out to be:
I ran with all my strength the whole way:
Moss did a very good job and I am proud of him:

Penpals

Abigail received a letter from a friend today. This particular friend lives here in Perth, but we don't see him nearly as often as we did in the past since we moved to a distant suburb. They keep in contact via very occasional play dates and slightly more frequent letters. This is the first of Abi's letters to her penpal that have actually consisted of real words and sentences, though!Translation:

Dear Isaac,
Thank you for that lovely letter. I hope we get to play soon.
[...]
Love from Abi
xoxoxoxoxoxox

Here's the picture she drew for her friend:

Letter to a friend

Dear Lauren
I hope I can come to your house soon.
I am looking forward to you coming to
my house. If it is not raining we can play
on the trampoline. If it is raining we can play
with the doll's house. We can play with the
blocks if you like playing with blocks.
See you soon,
Love, Anna. x x x x x x x o o o o o o o o

[Anna sat next to me while she wrote this and asked for help with the words she had difficulty spelling, such as "forward" and "trampoline". That is why her spelling is so well done.]

Children Desiring God conference

My blogging buddy Amy is at the Children Desiring God conference in Minneapolis this weekend. So far, it looks like a good mix of practical advice and sound theology to train those who work with children in Christian ministry.

Friends play together and help each other

This afternoon, after she woke from her nap, Abigail asked Joshua to help her play with her fischerTip kit, since he has made everything from his kit. He had been making treasure - rings, bangles, a broach - with his left-overs to supplement the pirate-themed articles he had already made according to the kit's instructions. But he was happy to pack his kit away and sit down with Abi to help her make a mirror from her princess-themed kit.I was very impressed with the helpful dialogue which I overheard between the two as I sat and enjoyed the afternoon peace which descends when the majority of our family gives into their need for an afternoon nap.I am so grateful that, by the grace of God, my children are friends.

Abigail is now officially 3

Abigail asked months ago if our neighbours could come to her birthday party. Miss M was duly extended an invitation and Abigail had a great but tiring night.

PS This is my 200th post. I find it interesting that my 100th post was also about a birthday party. How odd. Because I didn't know that I was writing a whole lot of birthday posts. Sorry if they're boring you all.

Abigail's birthday party

Abigail turns 3 this weekend. This morning we had a party to take advantage of Auntie Carla and 2 cousins being in the Big Smoke.

Here's Abigail with her cake. Thanks to Jeff for making green pikelets with chocolate spread and Chocolate Mud Cake and to Mrs T for icing it and adding the pink sprinkles. Here's Abigail blowing out her candles. Thanks to Jeff for lighting the candles.
Kissing cousins!
Abigail with her two bestest friends: E and Cousin Lisa. And here are all the guests. Thanks to Auntie Carla for doing a little dance and making them all sit still and smile for the camera AT THE SAME TIME!

How clever is she?

Yes, a big thank you to everyone who made this party the success it was. I am not a good party mum, I'm afraid. Just not good on the details.

Box craft

A few weeks ago I took the kids for a day at the Tinley School, a friend's homeschool. We did some "Physical Education", playing some simple movement games (hop on one leg, now hop on the other) and then giving them practice throwing and catching. This was wonderful for Anna because she could copy her friend H's catching style and for the first time Anna learnt to catch a ball, drawing it in to her body with her whole lower arms.

Another enjoyable part of our morning was spent letting the kids loose with box craft. The boys decided to build a television.The "mechanicals" inside the TV which make it work were a great challenge to the two boys. They put a lot of effort into joining each "mechanical" with an old strap of leather to let the electricity flow. I might add that both Joshua and D's father's are engineers by trade.