Traffic

Yesterday, I read to the boys about Jesus’ resurrection. I told them a story they had heard before but it seemed to me that something dawned on the 4 year old Alec and his big green eyes got bigger and rounder as he realized that Jesus went through the ‘cross’ for HIM. ‘You mean, Jesus KNOWS ME and wanted to save Me so that I could be in Heaven? With God?’ Now, I’m not sure that I always grasp the brevity of what he realized at a ripe age of four but in that moment. He was in awe and he understood.
Later he told me that he would always love Jesus for what He did. My scales were unbalanced for a second as I thought he just forgot about our earlier convo and moved on to playdough. He was still digesting it and absorbing it and when he brought it up again, I was tipped. I try to make the Holy Trinity real to Alec and Elias (at 2 yrs, I’m a little limited) but at 4, Alec seems to be ready for more. I talk to Alec about following the Holy Spirit with Jesus as his guide, God as his Father and Heaven as his destination.
I pray that he makes good and solid decisions in his life that will lead him closer to Heaven rather than farther. I should expect some sidesteps but I know that God will not let him go. God hasn’t let me go and I think, sometimes, I’ve tried to pry my hand from his loving grip but, as I hold my boys arms or hands when we cross traffic, so God held mine and got me safely across. He may not have bellowed “Quickly, quickly, go, go go, the traffic won’t always wait for us” and then “Look out for that Taxi, that guy (moron)-my thoughts, unexpressed-doesn’t even see you, you’re too little, don’t pry loose, you need me to get you across” Well, maybe My Heavenly Father has said that.

baking and your furniture...

Today is the day everything goes out in the sun to bake. You name it, the pillows, the blankets that haven't been washed already, the throw pillows, the kitchen chairs and living room furniture. The bed matresses even go out for a sun bath. You've heard of bed bugs? Well, multiply by one thousand and voila! you have Fiji! kinda;) We have to bake everything to make sure we sleep with out the dreaded creatures, make sure we don't sit on them when we eat our breaky, or sit on them when we drive our cars. We open all the doors to get to sun to fade the upholstry a bit more! If you took a drive around, you would see everyones houses on their front lawn or hanging from trees. Then you bring it all in by about 430pm so that the nightime creepies don't leech onto them for a free ride into insectopia!(in the house) That's how we get cochroaches and moths. There is absolutely nothing to do. We are bored, the kids are bored. The first time in 2 years that we will be able to go to a resort as a family for a week and Gerry can't get the time off. This is where we were going http://www.nukubati.com/ Some things are perhaps, better left to the imagination??? (not in this case!;) The owners were even going to 'comp' the whole vacation for us! Obviously, too good to be true! So, here, I am baking my furniture while the boys watch Bugs Bunny and eat sausage rolls for lunch.

why.

I don’t know why people feel the desire to leave ‘home’. I left Yellowknife over 2 years ago. I traded in a world of comfort and security, service and infrastructure, proper medical and dental care, and the warmth and love of family and friends. I won’t forget to mention familiarity, as I have been yearning for this very thing for sometime. Of course, I miss my family and cherished friends but I am mostly missing the familiarity of my life before Fiji.
Why we left? Well, it was not for financial gain, we knew this ahead of time. It was not “to get away” as both Gerry and I love Yellowknife. It was not even to “broaden our horizons” since I had the pleasure of an airline career for over 11 years and managed to see a few corners of Gods’ green earth. (We won’t get into the airline career vs. a ‘layoff’ career…as they are actually one in the same, another time I will tell that story)

It was mostly for our children, to teach them that they could be adventurous, even if they are old and tired and had 3 kids. You aren’t too old to branch out and try something new and wonderful. It was a leap of Faith that shows me some things I already knew (but obviously need the reminder) the whole “Lily of the Valley”, and not to worry thing. I am constantly reminded how God cares for those “Lilys” most everyday. It was to teach/show our boys to listen for opportunity when it knocks, pray about it and then trust in the Holy Spirit to lead you in the right direction. It was to find that I really am a Mom. It was to experience an adventure with my husband. Gerry might differ on some of the reasons why but the basic essence of this was for our kids. On this we agree.

We now sit here, some time later and still wonder all the ‘whys’ of this move but it came up and we paid attention to it, prayed about it then left. Fairly simple in truth. Not so easily done when push came to shove and then to the u-haul. We don’t feel like we left YK properly. Not even sure how you can leave a place you love properly but at times we think about people we never got to say goodbye to. There were a lot. In a way, it seemed like a kind of death. A death of life as we knew it and that is what we mourned for a time. But the new life was born and with it a whole new entity. This life we have born here in Fiji has now blossomed into a real child that will be due in October of this year. A new adventure, a new journey, another reason to think of the Lily of the Valley.

Big Whoop, a Prince.

This afternoon, the Man, himself, Prince Charles dropped by for a 2 day visit. Not to my house mind you but to Fiji. We got to see him off the place and took a few off-in-the-distant pics of him. The boys, I think were expecting 'Alladin', not Prince Charles. (you know, the flying carpet, not the 737, the jewels and the crown, not a rattan fedora...) The modern day Prince I s'pose and the boys basicallt said "BIG WHOOP Mom"
Both towns of Nadi and Lautoka were parked on the side of the road to witness him deplane, as it was, all you could really see was his plane land, the Police band play, and a man in a dark suit with a hat. Occassionally the man would wave his hat and the crowd would cheer! I guess that was Prince Charles. It was more exciting when Brittany Spears came through and Mel Gibson, although, they can't draw the crowds that a Prince can. All very exiting for this little would-be nation!
So, that's today in Fiji. A few cyclones in the area, not in the neighbourhood though. I know we would all welcome an end to this heaviness we are getting in our air. So, just be done with it. Come in, blow out the heavy air, and begone with you. Ms Cyclone, if you could blow in some Northen Hemisphere air too, that would be nice. Thankyou.

Doo-doo

I don't know if you have red ants where you are but there is a reason why they are also called "Fire ants" They are brutal. Anyway, They are always showing up underneath a big pile of Doogy poo. Why would any creature choose to hide out under that? We have a big dog. A big black German Shephard dog named Tiger. He makes big poops, so you can imagine the ant nests that we trod upon. We wear barefeet most days and dodging these kind of landmines can become a matter of life and death (well, almost) The biggest problem is that I lent out my shovel ages ago and haven't been able to scoop any of Tigers' problems up. I know, do not a borrower or a lender be...but, I have a dog, this is Fiji, everything breaks. Or you can't get it. I need my shovel back this is the moral of the story, to not lend your shovel if you have a big dog or red ants. Or both.
gotta roll.

eau de toilet

As I fished my glasses from out of the toilet, I made a 'mental note to self' remove glasses before casting myself into the toilet to vomit.

yup.

I'm pregnant. What else is there to add to that. Third time lucky? Third time's the charm? Now for sure it's time to settle down and get real. Not exactly sure where we will end up at this point but Australia is still on the dockets and I'm liking the coolness of Scotland. Of coarse Canada is at the top of the list but if we go back then there we will stay. Are we ready to settle down to soccer practise and skating lessons? Commuting and fast paced traffic? selection? infrastructure? medical and dental confidence and assurance in their practise? Or do I really just like buying my fruits and veggies from the side of the road? Stay tuned, maybe someone will give me a kick in the can to help me/us decide which direction to go in?! (this may or may not have been done before and it may or may not have helped.) ;)