Nearly a quarter of the year has passed by

We had our first big combined service on Sunday since the big vote - Katarina ran the data projector, Janine did Hannah's hair, Zach almost played a recorder solo but didn't, and Chris spent half of Saturday setting up. (All I did was a dramatized version of the John 12 reading and a little music). The rest of Saturday was spent at the St Stephen's garage sale.

Zach received yet another 'values voucher' on Friday; they catch the kids being good, and their name goes in a draw. He must have been good heaps. Hannah came second in the 'Gleniti Book Idol' for expressive reading! How cool is that?

Katarina is ticking off assessements for NCEA and still hoping to go to Easter Camp. And Janine is keeping her head down and working steadily. Yay for that.

Updates and postings

What a weekend! We've been to the Gleniti fair, the Home Show, the Wine and Food Festival, and run two Congregational meetings after the usual morning worship. Chris and Katarina added in a Craighead harvest festival service at St Mary's, and the two girls managed some baby-sitting for Tracy and Duncan as well. Not much housework or garden work this weekend, although I did manage to get some winter veges in.

It is book week this week at Gleniti, so Zach wants to dress up as Eregon, or his cousin. Hannah is much easier, as Little Red Riding Hood.

Katarina is gradually getting sorted for NCEA - it is as much about educating the parents as anything! Neither of the girls seem to be working as hard as they were last year, which is a bit of a worry.

The big vote on Sunday was a resounding YES! from all four churches - so now we embark on the next part of 'becoming one - together in Christ.

Meandering through March

South Canterbury is a lovely place to spend autumn in; there are lots of trees starting to turn, but the days are mostly still warm enough to enjoy outside.
Janine went to her first school social this week, dragged along by her group of friends. Neither of our girls were much interested last year, nor were their friends. Katarina is still not much interested, but Janine went, and seemed to have a good time. Katarina is having a bit of a growth spurt, her appetite has increased! We went to "Tutu's on tour" on Saturday night which was fab, and she towered over me - wearing my wedding shoes I might add!!! Zach also saw some of the program as he was able to attend a dance workshop they ran. The show was brilliant, well worth going to. They did a whole variety of stuff from medieval to classic through to modern and post-modern; the costumes were wonderful and I am still thinking about all the assumptions and worldviews tied up in each style. There was a fair bit of showing off too incoroporated in the choreography, lots of fun!
Zach also played the intro to "Be the centre" on the recorder for me this week; Chris and I undertook a pulpit swop with St Paul's and as I was playing guitar, it was a bit tricky to do that piece. Hannah, Zach and I have joined the young orchestra; poor Hannah is a bit swamped with all the new music, but she needs a challenge and there isn't really anyone else at her level on recorder. There is one in her class on Saturday, but he is much better, and more Zach's age too. The orchestra now has a whole recorder section which it didn't last year, so it will take people a while to catch up with the implications.
Chris is still working on technology things as well as trying to keep prepared for the raft of meetings this week; the best ones are the ones involving young people, of course!

Better late than never

I apologise for the late posting; we've been without internet access for days now, thanks to our internet provider not doing their job. Poor Chris has been trying to get this sorted for literally months! We are back online now, and hopefully will stay that way!
Zach played cricket today at a Summer Tournament along with Year 5's from other local schools, before the change swept through and the temperature went down, down, down. Hannah went to Girl's Brigade today, which was awesome.
Katarina had a day off on Monday as Craighead had a Teacher Only day, which was just as well as she worked very hard on Saturday at the Summit, running the power point and data projector. She did a great job, and I've had lots of positive comments since then.
Janine did a wonderful job behind the scenes at home, looking after Zach and Hannah, cleaning and baking. So I am very proud of them all.
The Summit went well, with a positive decision to continue working together into the future. All good!

March?

Our readings this week matched the weather - floods! The rain managed to stop in time for church which was a blessing, and we managed a Sunday without too much panic this week. It's the little things that matter - like taking the car out of the garage and lining it up in the drive-way for a quick get-away!
Shadow is wearing a track through the lawn; as she runs, her paws tear up the soft ground. The roses are looking worse for wear after a week of rain, there is a bit of clipping to do this afternoon.
I managed to find Hannah's recorder music book finally; sadly, not in time for her lesson, but at least it is there now. They are not quite sure what to do with her, as nearly all the other students are first years, there has been a bit of a muddle with times as they try to accommodate everyone.
Zachary is enjoying his piano lessons, and is quite happy to practise.
Janine continues to bake during weekends and Katarina is doing a fine job of co-coordinating communications for youth group.
I am busy drying lots of pears which are falling off the neighbour's trees onto our driveway, when I'm not working. Chris and I are trying to visit people, but it is a slow process with all the extra meetings at the moment.