Christmas in New Zealand

Christmas in New Zealand is a very strange experience. As I've mentioned before, the whole shopping frenzy is nearly nonexistent. Christmas is not nearly as commercial and doesn't even really feel like it begins until about a week before. There is the occasional Tim Taylor-like decorated house but very few people put lights up. The Christmas sections in stores are very small and it doesn't start in October. "Merry Christmas" is not considered politically incorrect. In fact, you rarely even hear "Happy Holidays". Kaigan came back and brought with him Mikaylie's friend, Samantha. One night we went to the Festival of Lights in Pukekura Park where thousands of people sang Christmas carols, including those with "Jesus" in them without the squawking of the ACLU. Now don't be mislead. This is not a heavily Christian or religious country. Many people likely did not really know the Jesus of whom they sang, however, it was rather magical hearing the masses sing in unison. There was also an amazing fireworks show.

Christmas day was very low key. We were joined by our neighbor, Natalia, and her daughter, Jordan, for Christmas dinner and then we all went to the beach for a play and to watch the sunset. I love love loved having all my kiddies together and, much to some of their dismay, I made it a photo shoot.

I have to say, to me it really didn't feel like Christmas. We did have a lovely day. It just didn't feel like Christmas. Gazing at our Christmas tree, windows wide open with the sea breeze blowing in and the beautiful ocean in the background just does not bring on the chestnuts-roasting-on-an-open-fire kind of felling. In a way I suppose this was a good thing because I also didn't feel very sad for my family and friends or our "traditional Christmas". Of course I miss them but not any more than any other day. And spending the afternoon on the beach is lovely on any day! I don't think I could have handled my boy not being home, however.

Today was Boxing Day which is about as close as they come here to Black Friday, with lots of big sales. Stores, however have their regular business hours of 9 to 5 and NO ONE lines up at the door at the crack of dawn or earlier. Thursdays are "late days" and  many stores stay open to 9pm. And Sundays most stores close at 3. Grocery stores have longer hours but NONE are 24hour. So today, Mikaylie and I partook, though for only a little while, in the Boxing Day "madness". I have NEVER done Black Friday, but I'm fairly certain that hardcore Black Friday-ers would find Boxing Day quite lame. 

People in New Zealand really love and take advantage of their down time! Many businesses either shut down all together or drop down to minimal hours during the two weeks surrounding Christmas. Much will not pick up again until after the first of the year. This includes medical services. Billy basically has 2 weeks off with the exception of a couple of call days. No surgeries or clinics are scheduled and only emergencies and deliveries carry on as usual. And these 2 weeks do not count against his six weeks of vacation time that he gets per year!

On Christmas eve eve, we left Will and Graham with Natalia and the rest of us drove four and a half hours to Raglan where we went on a horse trek through bush and beach! (Don't worry, the boys were completely uninterested and had a lovely day with Natalia.) Nani got carsick on the curvy roads of NZ and had to sit up front. This put me in the "way back" with Brylie, knees under my chin! The horse ride was absolutely fantastic! We went to the same place Billy and I had gone last year. We frolicked in the surf and ran like the wind on the beach which was definitely the highlight of the day!

Now, not having gotten into the Christmas spirit in the first place, I'm quite ready to get my house back in order and get this tree out! It will have to wait a few more days, however, as I do not wish to waste any time in the last few days of Kaigan's stay on housekeeping. We may go spelunking tomorrow and if so, photos will follow...

Six weeks in a nutshell...

So much has gone on since my last post! Mom came for 2 weeks, during which we hosted a Thanksgiving dinner with over 30 people. Our Kiwi guests brought Kiwiana food and we provided our typical Thanksgiving dishes, including a fried turkey. Mom brought us a turkey frier from the States filled with candy for the kids along with many other items we're not able to get here.
Mom and I had lots of fun while she was here. We went on field trips with Graham and Nani, visited art galleries and even went on a road trip to Hawkes Bay where we stayed at a lovely B & B, enjoyed amazing fine dining and went on a wine tour.
Saying "goodbye" to Mom was really hard, especially not having plans to visit again anytime soon. Only counting down til Kaigan comes home made it bearable.
Having had our Thanksgiving celebration, it was time to prepare for Christmas. This is no easy task in the southern hemisphere with it being summer. I mean even in Louisiana cooler temps helped bring on the Christmas spirit. Decorating a Christmas tree when it's 70 degrees outside is just plain weird! The good thing about it not feeling like Christmas in America is not feeling the need to shop like an American. Stuffed stockings and one present under the tree per kid is all we're doing. Having downsized our house and purging all the excess crap we brought, makes minimal gifting even easier.
Another HUGE decision was made since my last post. After much prayer and consideration, Billy and I have decided it would be in their best interest to homeschool the boys. Will has struggled in school in many ways over the last decade. While moving here has taken some of the academic pressure off of him, other problems have intensified. As his peers mature without him and Will being so eager to be liked and fit in, he has been coaxed into more inappropriate behaviors. Basically he's being bullied and he doesn't even know it! Fearing this will only worsen the older he gets and knowing Will needs to learn more life skills that either aren't taught in school or were taught but need to be reviewed over and over, we've decided homeschooling was the best way to address Will's specific needs. At 13, his math skills are barely at a 2nd grade level. While we'll work on the traditional subjects, we'll also work on social skills, life skills and finding Will's fortes and interests that have yet to emerge.
Graham has delays as well, however, his are largely speech and motor delays that, with time and therapy, can be overcome. Graham could have probably stayed in school if they would have placed him in a class that was more appropriate for his level. Having started school a year late and where his birthday falls, he was placed 2 years ahead of where he left in the States. The years he skipped were crucial for handwriting and reading development and being so far behind in those areas, he couldn't possibly move on target with his class. In addition, Graham has also been a target of bullying. Being small, difficult to understand and quite happy to be a loner, he was frequently pushed around. This was aided by the fact that the kids here are much less supervised on the school playground than in the States. On the one hand, this teaches the kids independence and allows them to be kids, it also frees the bullies to bully. Graham began to avoid field trips and days with activities that provided less supervision such as when they'd be outside for long periods. He seemed to feel safer in the classroom where there was closer supervision in a smaller space. With Graham the goal is to catch him up in the next couple of years so that he can return to school more confident and capable and ready to reach his full potential.
I've been writing the application for exemption from school, ordering materials online and we've been preparing a small classroom in the house. I am nervous but the boys and I are excited too. And though Nani is a little jealous of the time I'll be spending with the boys, I think both girls will feel relieved from the responsibility each felt for their brothers at school. I've assured them that when they get home from school, it'll be girl time!
Another big event during the last 6 weeks was Billy and my trip to Australia. Billy had a conference in Melbourne so we left Mikaylie in charge (with the supervision of our wonderful neighbor, Natalia) and off we went. Our first impression was not great. We went to a shopping center/casino across from our hotel the first night in search of dinner and it was packed!!! Wall to wall people, all the restaurants booked and just plain chaos. We didn't realize how comfortable we've become living in small towns. The big city did little for us. We had hoped to do some shopping, as everyone raved about the incredible shopping in Melbourne but even the outlet mall was a huge disappointment with it's ridiculous prices. We did have a couple of lovely dinners and got a lot of walking in along the Yarra River. We also took a tour to see the 12 apostles and another to an animal sanctuary that was really awesome! Mikaylie, by the way, did an amazing job as mini mom, cooking nearly every night and requiring very little help from Natalia.
For now, we're counting down to Kaigan's arrival. He is bringing with him one of Mikaylie's bff's from Somerset. The kids here are on summer holiday now so we'll do some fun things and spend some time at the beach. And I'll be taking heaps of pics while all my kiddos are together!!!

Weekend Getaway

Billy took me away last weekend. We had two days left on our ski passes and, with spring full on, we were running out of time to use them. Our angel of a neighbor Natalia agreed to watch the kids on Saturday while Mikaylie worked, but the rest of the weekend Mikaylie (our angel of a daughter) had kid duty.
Billy and I drove the 4 hours to Mt. Ruapehu and hit the slopes. Well, hitting the slopes is NOT what you want to do during the spring, particularly on a volcanic mountain! You don't want to hit anything! Rocks that were hidden under a thick blanket of snow when we were there in July, were exposed and taunting me. Those rocks were so in my head, there were times I was nearly paralyzed with fear. Headlines of tragedies in the past ran through my head. And when I wasn't worried about the rocks there were the cliffs; shear drop-offs to jagged rocks below. Streams of melted snow ran by, dropping over a waterfall, then disappeared under snow. Another scary thought. Plus there were times that we were literally skiing through a cloud with barely 20 feet of visibility. Oh, and it was hot! People were skiing in tanks and one guy was even wearing a kilt!!! At the base, where you get on the lifts, the temp was 50 degrees. It was cooler up the mountain but certainly not below 40 or so. I was so hot when I removed my helmet, I looked as if I'd just stepped out of the shower! Granted, some of that was probably nerves. I took several spills, wrenching my knee and my hip pretty good.
We did have fun, despite my fears of certain death. The lifts close at 4pm so after a delicious burger dinner out at a pub, we had a quite evening of reading and movies, fireside at a lovely B&B. A well needed getaway for us both.

laying it out and it's not so pretty

I think finding a new church is like starting to date after breaking up with the one you thought was "the one". You still grieve for "the one" and compare every one to "the one", but none will measure up. Can you really develop a relationship with the rebound? You're hurting and sad and not really willing to open yourself up again. And everything is so different, so unfamiliar. The rebound looks different and sounds different and doesn't really feel like it fits. Nothing the rebound does is the way "the one" did it. So what then??
This has really been a crumby week. I don't know why now after 8 months. EIGHT MONTHS! Guess I thought I'd have more than one friend by now. She's a GREAT friend!!! But it's not even fair to her that she's my only friend. Sure, I know several people. Occasionally I'll have coffee or even lunch with someone. And now and then I'll even run into someone I know.
We went to our cellular company, Vodaphone, today to see about getting me an iPhone. Not so I can talk to people here but to keep in better touch with Kaigan and friends and family in the States. I didn't get one. They're $1100!! The guy at Vodaphone even talked me into dropping to a smaller (thankfully cheaper) plan because I'm not nearly using all the minutes I've been paying for per month. We have free calls within our family plan so calls to Billy, Mik and Bry don't use any. Sadly the smallest plan has 100 minutes. Too bad they don't rollover.
Nani and Graham had a program tonight for school. It was a very sad and lonely feeling to walk into a gym full of parents and not recognize anyone! Billy was with me but I searched desperately for my one friend. I sat in the bleachers waiting for the program to begin and, as I scanned the hundreds of unfamiliar faces, I became so homesick for Science Hill and Pulaski County.
I'm really angry right now. Yes, I'll say it. I'm angry at God. Didn't He ask us to do this? Isn't this where He wants us to be? Weren't we obedient despite the risk and ridicule? Didn't we give up everything that was important to us except for Him and each other?
We finally watched our House Hunters International episode today. (Mom sent us a copy.) It was so painful to see our farm, The Viner Farm, the barn I had longed for that Billy finally had built for me just a year and a half before we moved, and my horses. I weep still. I grieve still. I'm so bitter, still.
Billy and the kids are all doing great! And I know there are things that are better for us here but I don't want to talk about that right not. Right now I just want to stamp my feet and beat my pillow and cry for a while...

South Island- day 7 and 8

Today we packed up and headed back north. We drove through some beautiful countryside but the weather was less than desirable. We drove to Lake Pukaki with hopes of seeing Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain, but the clouds prohibited that. So disappointing. We drove on and saw the beautiful stone Church of the Good Shepherd on the Lake Tekapo. On we drove, through freshly snow-powdered mountains, past fields and fields of sheep, over several single-lane bridges until we arrived at Hanmer Springs where there are natural hot springs. We stayed at Heritage Hotel in a great chalet. We quickly unpacked the truck, changed into togs and walked down to the hot springs. It was spitting rain and was a little chilly but the pools were nice. They ranged in temperatures and even had some water slides the kids enjoyed. After sufficiently pruned, we went back to the house, settled the kids with some take away fish and chips and a movie and Billy and I went for a nice dinner alone. I thought the lambs fry served with bacon and mashed potatoes looked good so that's what I ordered. Unfortunately, the waitress had only been in New Zealand for one month from Estonia and didn't know exactly what lambs fry actually is. Uhhh, well,  it's sheep liver! One bit and I was done!
In the morning, on the way to Kaikoura, we came across a herd of alpacas. The alpaca farmer and his wife were there and waved us over so we stopped for photos and a brief education on the animal. The girls LOVED them! They were so cute.
We arrived in Kaikoura for our second attempt to whale watch but sadly, it was quite windy and overcast and there was a "strong sea sick warning" so we opted out. Now that we weren't going to be at sea for several hours, Billy decided we'd catch the ferry back to the North Island that afternoon. We drove to Picton and the kids played at a park until it was time to load the ferry. Three hours on the ferry then 5 hours from Wellington to New Plymouth for a 3am homecoming and sleep in our own beds.
Now we count down to our next big event. My Momma's coming next month!!!!!

South Island- Day 6

Thursday I drove Billy into Queenstown to his conference so that the kids and I could meet him when he was finished.  Thankfully, no one else got Graham's stomach bug!! The kids and I got ready and first stopped to see the Kingston Flier. He was behind a gated fence so Graham and Nani stood at the gate for a photo. the coaches were out and accessible so we were able to get a couple of shots there. We then drove out the 35 minute drive to Queenstown to meet Billy, stopping for photos of the beautiful scenery now and then. We arrived a little bit early so I took the kids to a park on the lakefront until it was time to meet Billy. I quite like Queenstown and hope to go back, maybe on a romantic ski getaway!
We collected Billy and headed to the birthplace of bungee jumping. We watched several brave, or perhaps insane, souls plunge headfirst into the icy river below. The kids (except for Will who was now feeling bad but never really got sick) did the trampoline, harnessed so that they could do flips and BIG jumps. We were shocked that Graham wanted to do this! He couldn't do a flip on his own but the people working there launched him high into the air and helped him do a flip or two. Brylie took a while to get here first flip but once she did she was nonstop! Mikaylie, too, was a flipper but poor Nani struggled. She was determined to do it though and tried and tried. She'd get upside down but was unable to go all the way around. Finally at the very last second, she did it!!! It was somewhat of a face-plant though because it was when the guy was lowering her down from the bungees and she really wasn't supposed to be flipping anymore. I think her satisfaction of her accomplishment kept her from being bothered by her uncomfortable landing.
Mikaylie was torn with indecision about doing a real bungee jump. She stood watching the others, clearly debating in her head. A couple of guys who we had just seen jump were trying to talk her into it but she just couldn't get up her nerve. I think ultimately she just didn't wanna get up there, all strapped in and then not go through with it. Of course for the rest of the day, she regretted NOT doing it!
We went back downtown for a little shopping and dinner again at the Fat Badger. When we got back to the bach, we had a fire on the beach.
Fun fun day!!

South Island: Days Four and Five

Yesterday we got to sleep in, took our time getting ready for the day then headed from Kingston, where we are staying, to Queenstown. The kids wanted to luge so that’s what we did. We took the gondola up the mountain, then the ski lift to the luge launching area. What fun!!! Graham and Nani road down with us the first couple of times then Nani was ready to go it alone. Graham preferred riding with someone else because it took some strength to pull back on the handle bar to brake. The views over the lake and Queenstown from the lift were awesome!!! After our last trip down the luge track we purchased some of the photos that are shot as you ride up the lift and down the luge. As we walked up to gather together for our walk to the truck, I heard a familiar accent and began chatting with a couple (Ralph and Lynn) from Ohio who were there with their 4 kids. They had come to NZ to scout it out as Ralph has a job offer in Timaru, the town where we stayed at the Longview B&B.  I called Billy over and we were able to share our experiences and insight with them. I gave them our contact info, including our blog, so that they could keep in touch and have a resource here. I’m anxious to hear what they decide. I pray for them clear guidance in their decision and smooth transitions to wherever they should chose to go.  Funny thing is, we unknowingly lived closer to them when we lived in KY than we would if they were to move to Timaru.

Billy took the four younger kids and went to the grocery store before returning to our bach (pronounced “batch” and means a holiday house). Mikaylie and I went shopping in Queenstown!!! We caught all the ski wear sales since ski season is over here so we picked up some ski pants and other gear we’ll be using in winters to come. We had a wonderful dinner of seafood chowder and salads then walked around the pier area at Queenstown Bay before having divine desserts of crème brulee and berry cheesecake! Finally we went back to the Fat Badger for a short wifi time before they closed and Billy came for us. Fun night for Mik and me!!!

Today Billy’s conference started so the kids and I had a lazy day at the bach.  Kingston is situated at the end of Lake Wakatipu and its main claim to fame is the Kingston Flyer, a restored vintage steam train with several coaches. Sadly for Graham, the train lover of the family, the train rides don’t start until November. The train is, however, parked a short walk away so hopefully we can stroll over there tomorrow. Two things kept us away today: 1) Graham seems to have a stomach bug and has spent the day puny and in the toilet and 2) a nice rainstorm kept us indoors this afternoon and brought in some chilly weather.  I say a nice rainstorm because the bach’s water supply is solely rainwater! When we arrived at the bach we all had a good laugh at the sticker on the shower reading, “Conserve tank water: max 3 minute shower”.  So the rain was a good thing. Even 3 minute showers for a family of 7 uses significant water, not to mention the laundry we’re washing.

 I did get my run in but I’m thinking the altitude must be having an effect on me because I struggled to breathe this morning. I had to walk off and on. I returned from my run to find Brylie, Will and Nani at the park. We walked to the lake’s edge and played on the rocky shore. The rocks are different than any rocks I’ve ever seen; so pretty, with layers and striations. Mom would be in heaven!

The rest of the day was spent lazing around the bach, watching the telly and waiting for Billy to return with dinner. Tomorrow, provided the bug doesn’t migrate to another poor soul, we’ll do something more exciting…

South Island: Day Three...

Today we rose to a delicious breakfast made by Anita. I got my run in but instead of sea views, I had sheep views. Rolling hills of sheep, backed by mountain ranges.  We headed out and down the east coast of the South Island to Oamaru to view the nesting grounds of blue penguins. We were not allowed to photograph them because they were in their dark nesting burrow and the flash would disturb them. I did get shots of their boxed nests. I found it interesting that the penguins would choose to return year after year with the traffic of all the visitors that come to see them.

We hit the road again to go down to Moeraki to see the Moeraki boulders which are famous for being naturally round. Billy was determined to see them and we went about 45 minutes out of our way to get to them. We parked and walked out onto the beach and as soon as we passed through the shrubs and dunes, the wind whipped so fiercely, we struggled to walk.  Okay, so where are the rocks? About 400meters down the beach. So we hiked and laughed and when we saw that there was parking just above where the boulders were, we voted that Billy would go back for the truck to pick us up! We took pictures with the boulders and picked up some neat shells then headed to the carpark (parking lot)while Billy hiked the beach to the truck. I prepared sandwiches in the boot (trunk) of the truck, so we ate and set off again, bound for Queenstown.

So this day was the day that, in the States, our House Hunters International episode was to finally air. We had hoped that we’d be able to skype Kaigan to watch it that way, as HGTV does not air here. But now we were crossing through the very rural and sparsely populated South Island, which makes eastern Kentucky look like a sprawling metropolis. At show time, we made several attempts to connect with Kaigan but weren’t able to hold a connection for more than a few minutes at a time. When we did have a connection, we could really only hear some of the program and see frozen frames now and then. It’s quite comical when you think about it. Quite remarkable too, really. Here we are, around the other side of the planet, trying , with marginal success, to video call our son in the States! Pulled over on the side of the road, surrounded by the vast expanse of hills and mountains, virtually in the middle of nowhere, we can see real time video of Kaigan in his dorm in Florida! All things considered, NZ has pretty good 3G coverage.

So watching the show was basically a bust but we got to share in some of the excitement via Facebook on Billy’s iPhone.

We reached Queenstown and the Fat Badger for pizza then our next resting place, the bach we'll stay i for the next four night. Quaint little abode facing the lake. We got a chuckle out of the sticker on the shower that read, "conserve water: 3 min shower"! Yeah right!!!

South Island: Day Two...

Today was absolutely gorgeous!!!! The sun was shining. The skies, clear and blue. Very little wind and warm (about 58 degrees). We went to where the Whale Watching tour meets and played on the pebbly beach while we waited to hear if the tour was a go. A helicopter flies out to scout for whales before the boat departs. The views there were amazing. The snow covered mountains of the Kaikoura Range on one side and the crystal blue waters of the South Pacific Ocean on the other. Unfortunately the whale tour was canceled due to the whales being too far offshore. This was particularly disappointing because the weather and seas were perfect and after the rather rough trip on the ferry yesterday, I was a bit apprehensive about going out to sea again. No biggie though, for there were seals to see.
We drove back north, past where we had driven yesterday and saw several seals in the craigy rocks. There was a pool of water in which several seals were splashing and playing and many others were sleeping in the sun. We had been told of a pathway that leads to a waterfall, at the bottom of which is a pool where seal pups gather to play. This was probably the most spectacular thing I have ever seen... ever!!! There must have been at least 20-30 seal pups flipping, diving, play fighting and showing off for the visitors. It was just amazing, especially given the fact that this was not a zoo or an aquarium. This was the wild! Words cannot accurately describe and photos don't do it justice. On the walk back, Mikaylie and I watched a cheeky little pup playing alone in the river then we joined Nani to watch another two playing further down. Near these two, we were able to walk to the edge of the river to take close-ups. These mischievous little seals would pop up through the water and slide up onto the rock on which Mikaylie was standing, scaring her backwards. They were such a tease and you often felt they must be posing.
We dragged ourselves away from the babies only because we knew we were going to eat crayfish, which are spiny lobsters (sadly, they are clawless). We ate at a roadside caravan on the beach. One word... YUM!
Next we began a 3 hour drive to our next farmstay (dare we try again?) The drive was beautiful, a bit twisty, but beautiful! Seaviews, mountains and sheep... lots and lots of sheep!!! We stopped for sandwich fixings before going to the B&B where we are staying the night. We arrived at Longview Farmstay where we were welcomed by Anita and Alan Blakemore and their very cute and tolerant cocker spaniel, Becky. Their home is absolutely beautiful and they views are breathtaking! We sampled olive oil from their olive groves and watched the All Blacks v. Argentina rugby quarter final RWC game. Do visit their website: www.longviewfarmstay.co.nz and visit them in person if you're ever on the South Island. Huge thanks to Anita and Alan for their warm hospitality and cozy accommodations!!!
Grabbing some sleep before another day of driving to our bach in Queenstown.

South Island: Day One...

What a day! We left this morning at about 7:30am, headed for Wellington to catch the InterIsland Ferry for our first visit to the South Island.  The truck was packed with the seven of us, with our luggage on the roof rack, Nintendo’s and cameras charged. Despite the close quarters, the kids were remarkably great. The weather wasn’t the best, patchy rain and lots of wind but we made it to the ferry with time to spare, which meant sitting in the parked truck in line, waiting to load onto the ship. Nani and I had to use the facilities (which is simply called “the toilet” in NZ) so we got out and began the 100m walk to the bathrooms. About 4 steps away from our vehicle the spitting rain began to pour and the wind blowing it sideways, drenched my left side. Brrrrr!!!! At least the rain subsided a little for our return walk. We then rocked the truck, singing to Billy’s iTunes until we parked inside the ferry.

Inside the ship was kinda like a cruise ship, with lounges, a café, a bar and even a movie theater. The wind and waves made the ride Cooks Straight pretty rough! Thankfully we all took anti nausea medicine. The 4 younger kids watched Kungfu Panda 2 while Billy and I napped and Mikaylie read.  Milford Sound was supposed to be beautiful, and it was but the nasty weather put a damper on the photo ops.

We exited the ferry after a 3 hour ride and began our drive to our first night’s stop in Kaikoura where we were had reservations to stay in a cottage on a farm.

The drive down was gorgeous and the clouds began to break. Rolling hills of golf course looking grass, dotted with fluffy sheep. Acres and acres and ACRES of vineyards, with wineries here and there. Snow covered mountains. THEN we reached the east coast.  White waves crashing. Beautiful rock formations. And seals!!! Lots and lots of seals! Mikaylie and I were having fits because of all the photogenic scenes we were driving right by but the sun was quickly going down, we were pretty hungry and we had to find the farm stay. We did stop a couple of times and shot a few out of the window of the moving vehicle but we’re both eager to get more photos tomorrow.

We found the road leading to the farm where we’d stay but headed past to grab a quick bite to eat. We stopped at a little restaurant where we ate burgers and chips (fries) then popped next door to a dairy for ice cream. Now, though dark, we found the farm with no problems. However, there was problem. The gate was closed and adorned with a sign that read “CLOSED No admittance after 5pm”!!! Billy had spoken with the people when making arrangements and though they said they would be away, their staff would be there to receive us. No one came to the gate. Billy shouted “Hello!” Nothing. He was furious, to put it mildly, compounded by the fact that I was adamant he not enter the gate that was so clearly mark not to do so. “Security Systems”, “No Admittance”, etc. He then proceeded to honk the horn to no avail. Words were shouted, tears were shed, calls were made… nothing! The kids and I were NOT entering the forbidden gate. They were, in fact, given the choice: go in gate with Dad or wait with Mom at dairy while Dad goes in gate. There was an emphatic and unanimous “stay with Mom!” “But I already paid for it!” he kept saying. Seething, Billy drove us all back to town where we stopped at the first motel, which thankfully had a “VACANCY” sign lit and checked us in. Two rooms of course to accommodate us; Billy and the 2 boys in one and me and the girls in the other. The girls later told me the farm was scary and they were glad we weren’t staying there.

So here I am, lying in bed at this motel (oddly enough, a Comfort Inn!), recounting and recording the events, not quite yet ready to laugh about it. I’m thinking about how this is different and scarier than in the States for several reasons: First, NZ is NOT like the States in that there is not a Holiday Inn, Days Inn, La Quinta, Hilton or Hampton on every corner of most towns. Here there are B&Bs, baches or maybe a lodge with a few motels thrown in here and there.  Not many places that you can just drive up late at night and find an open office, much less a ready room. Second, today started the kids’ 2 week term break. Not just our kids or our town’s schools’ break. The ENTIRE country’s schools are out!!! This means potentially, everyone is traveling on holiday today! PLUS, the RWC is still going on which has brought lots of additional tourists. Most places are booked solid!!! Finally, when I’m fighting with my husband and I have only one real friend here and I just wanna go home, home still doesn’t feel here. I honestly don’t know WHERE feels like home but it’s not here… not yet.

Anyway… as they say “no worries”. There’ll be no homicide or even divorce. Tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful and we’re scheduled on a whale tour and we’ll take tons of pics and maybe even laugh about tonight, provided Billy hears from the farm people and they say we get our money back!

Spring in NZ

Guess I've gotten really bad about posting and I've had some update requests. This is for you, Aunt Judy!

So it's been nearly 5 weeks since I left Kaigan in Daytona Beach. I've recounted on the calendar 3 times because it doesn't seem possible that it's been that long! He is loving it and must be very busy since we rarely hear from him. (Hint hint, Kai!) One of our infrequent message conversations went as follows: Kaigan: I think I have a fever.
Me: Did you take anything.
Kai: I took Tylenol 2 hours ago.
Me: Do you have any other symptoms?
Then no response for 2 days!
The first weeks after my return were VERY DIFFICULT! I cried daily and it took quite some time before I could go into Kaigan's room without crying. I wonder if it's like this for all mom's sending their firstborn off to school or if it's the distance. When I got off the plane in New Plymouth Mikaylie and I hugged and cried and I begged her not to go so far away from me for school. Of course I don't really mean it... okay, maybe a little. But I came back with a very strong determination to be positive and make NZ home. I have NEVER seen Billy happier than he's been since we got here. He LOVES his job and he's home soooo much, and during the day while the kids are at school, so we get more time together. There is no way I wanna go back to the occasional husband and father we had before. The kids too, are doing fantastic and flourishing.
Since the bookstore job was put off until December, Billy's been urging me, STRONGLY urging me to apply for other jobs. I applied for 2 different positions, getting declined for one and the other, I've heard nothing back yet. Honestly, I didn't really feel strongly drawn to either so I'm not terribly heartbroken. I check listings regularly and maybe something perfect will come along.
I have started running!!! It's strangest thing because I've never been able to really run before and since the kids and Billy all make fun of the way I run, I really kind of avoided it. But something was making me just wanna run! I'd see people running and I would want to too. So one Wednesday I took Charlie and took off running. I ran about 3k along the Coastal Walkway without stopping. I was shocked I could even do it! Then we walked farther down a footpath along a river, down which I'd never been before turning back for home. I guess we went a total of about 8-10k that day. I was so excited I kept telling Billy, "I was like Forrest Gump!" Today was my 5th run and I ran farther than ever, close to 4k then walked back. On the way home I stopped in the city to purchase some better running shoes. I quite love it! Something about running along the ocean's coast, listening to tunes is so invigorating! Billy is ready to sign me up for a marathon! Hmmmm, we'll see about that.
Turns out, we moved in a terrific year. New Zealand is hosting the Rugby World Cup this year and we were able to attend 2 USA games here in our town. The RWC is played only every 4 years and was last held in NZ 15 years ago. The stadium in only about 4 blocks away so we walked to the games and had a blast! Mikaylie and her friends "painted up" so we joined in the team spirit as well. I LOVE RUGBY!!!! Okay, so the guys are tank and many are very cute and they wear shorts, not all padded up like in football. Those guys are as tough as they come, and while I've always been a gridiron football fan, they make NFL players look like sissies! If a player is injured the trainers come out onto the field and tend to them with play continuing around them. If they come off the field due to injury (unless there is blood), they may not return.  Once a player is substituted, they are finished for the game. The first game we attended, the US was defeated by Ireland but the second, USA beat Russia. That night Billy and I went out to a club after the game and celebrated with visiting Americans, which was pretty cool. I really had fun saying, "Oh, we live here."
The weather has turned absolutely gorgeous!!! It's spring now and the days are longer and warmer. Evenings are still quite cool but the only rain we've had lately has been at night. We'll go to bed with starry, cloudless skies, hear pouring rain during the night then wake to another beautiful, sunny day. I'm still looking forward to a little more warmth so that we can enjoy the beach.
The kids have their two week term break after one more week of school and then we will all head down to the South Island. We'll be gone for a week, driving down to see as much of the country as we can along the way. I'll be posting about what we see and learn about our new country soon.

Leaving my heart in Daytona Beach

It was truly the hardest thing I've ever had to do... ever! Hugging Kaigan goodbye, curbside at the Orlando International Airport about ripped my heart out. I fought off waves of nausea and cried through security, wondering if it made me look suspicious.  I left my heart in Daytona Beach.

There were many people I wanted to chat with before I left the country. I had over 300 minutes left on my prepaid and had intended to use them all with last minute calls to friends and family I was again leaving. I could not, however, bring myself to talk to anyone.  I called Billy and sobbed through that conversation and pulled myself together enough to call Gram. I fought with all my might not to get upset with her on the phone but she was not fooled. During my layover in Dallas I called a couple of friends, reaching only one. I was really better off not attempting to speak to anyone. For some reason opening my mouth also opened the floodgates of tears. I also called Kaigan one last time before leaving the country. My sweet boy!

On to LA, where it was now too late to call anyone but Billy in NZ.  I boarded my 3rd of four flights and began to weep uncontrollably as the plane lifted off and flew further from the US and my son. What kind of mother leaves her child alone on another continent? Sorrow, guilt, agony and fear consumed me.  "Why, yes, I'd love a cocktail."

Kaigan is fantastic!!! He loves his school and, though nervous, is thrilled to begin his college career. His roommate is one of his oldest friends, with whom he's been in school with since first grade. They share a bathroom with two other boys in the adjoining suite. Kaigan and I really had fun that last week in Florida. Before school stuff started, we went to Universal Studios and shopped the Apple Store where he helped me buy a Mac. He's so proud of me! LOL! We organized his room, shopped for last minute dorm room items and purchased textbooks. There were some very informative seminars for parents and by the end of the week, I knew Kaigan was at the perfect school for him. On the Tuesday night was a banquet for the Honors Program students where they received an iPad 2. Kaigan was beaming with joy with his new toy! I've never seen him smile so much. And we are so very proud of him! Kaigan is one of the 7% of the 1250 incoming freshmen that were selected to be in the Honors Program. All of these students are housed together on a floor specifically for them. He'll be surrounded, supported and challenged by fellow students who are bright, ambitious and driven. 

By Wednesday, I think he was ready for me to leave. The students had more and more activities and I could feel him pulling away. Then God sent me an angel! In the lobby of Kaigan's dorm, I met the mother of another student who was hurting like me. She too, was there without her husband and was staying at the same hotel as I was. We planned to meet Wednesday night for drinks at the hotel. I felt like I had know Julie for ages. We have a lot in common, particularly both being Christians and the shared heartache of leaving our firstborns at school. Thursday I rode into campus with her, sparing Kaigan the trip to retrieve me in the morning, and together we attended several seminars for parents. Thursday afternoon the sun was shining so I bummed a ride back to the hotel (Julie had some things to do with her son) and hit the beach. With the hurricane some distance out off the coast, the winds and waves were insane, and though I was getting sandblasted, I was determined to be on the beach. Friday I spent at the pool, by then the winds were just too much to bare. Julie met me there and together we grieved over leaving our boys.

Then Saturday... the worst day of my life...

Of course I survived. I'm still struggling, crying every other day or so and if I go into Kaigan's room, forget it, it's all over and I'm useless. But Kai is SO HAPPY. He is having a blast and studying what he's dreamed about for ages. I text him via Facebook and Skype or phone. He's gotten a campus job as an assistant to a professor and has his "own desk!" 

So I'm counting down til he comes home for Christmas and already dread his leaving then. For now, I've got the distraction of Rugby World Cup and have applied for a couple of jobs. Bookstore may still happen but she's put me off til December and Billy's tired of me moping around the house. So I'll get a job and start a farm fund for land and my horse-to-be.

Whirlwind Trip

What a whirlwind of a month we’ve had!!! Kaigan and I traveled 31 hours from New Plymouth, New Zealand to Louisville, Kentucky, which included a delay in LA, resulting in a missed flight in Dallas, putting us in Louisville four hours later than planned, causing us to miss our ride with Jenn to her house. The airline put us up in a hotel and Jenn got us in the morning and took us to the car dealership where we purchased Kaigan’s car. Sheeewwwww!!!


We visited with Grammy, Jenn and Sam for three days which included manicures, shopping, games and eating. Saying “goodbye” all over again, especially to Grammy was extremely hard.

Saturday night, Kaigan and I drove down to Somerset where we spent the next five days seeing as many friends as we could. I also went to see my babies, Bella and Soochie. These five days were extremely difficult; like opening the wound all over again. I’ve said before, I really like New Zealand and have no regrets about moving there. However, six months is not long enough to call it home. We lived in our Kentucky community for over 12 years, longer than I lived in any one community before. Kentucky was and still is home to me and returning after only 6 months was so very painful. My wounds from our departure in February had only just begun to heal. Visiting so soon just reopened them. Hopefully, upon my return, I’ll be able to start to make New Plymouth home.

In addition to the emotional difficulties of the visit, Somerset/Science Hill visiting was also challenging because of the high concentration of close friends there and so little time to see them all. Our culture socializes and visits typically over meals. Well, there are just so many feasible meals in a day and I was utilizing them all! Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you want to look at it), my jet lagged stomach was not up for large, frequent and American-style dining. And Kaigan’s appetite was worse than mine! In short, 5 days is too little time to see all the people I’ve come to love in the last 12 years. To those I didn’t get to see, know you’re loved just the same. And to all of you, well it’ll be some time before I head that way again. But please, feel free to come see us!!!

Next stop, one quick night at Mom’s then to Billy’s sister in the morning for a day of jet skiing on Lake Pontchartrain with her, her husband and his daughter. We then crossed the lake for an amazing dinner at Drago’s. Sunday afternoon, we headed to a New Orleans Zephyr’s baseball game with some dear friends. We spent one night with them then to New Orleans with Mom to the WWII museum and the Riverwalk. We played tourist but the Crescent City is home too. We ate good and remembered the effects of 100% humidity in 95+ degree temps. Wow!
Two more nights at Mom’s, visiting, packing and eating, then to Denham Springs/Baton Rouge to visit more friends and have lunch with my Dad and his wife. We ate at my favorite, Mike Anderson’s Seafood, where 20 years ago Billy and I meet and the rest, well, the rest is history.

Finally on Friday night, I met up with some high school classmates with whom I’ve been in touch with on Facebook for dinner and lots of laughs.

Saturday was spent with Mom again, packing, eating, football! and eating (did I say that?)

What had I taken for granted in the US? Besides being near friends and family, I took for granted how cheap things are here!!! When I first set foot in Walmart upon our return, I was stunned by the low prices! I’d forgotten how cheap things are! Crayola’s for $.97, 5-packs of tee shirts for $9.97, jumbo shampoo for $4.44! Suddenly I had a realization: This is precisely why we had collected so much crap over the decades. Everything is so cheap. If you like it, you buy it. If you think you might use it, you buy it. If you have one but you like this one better, you buy it. If you have on that works fine, but you think it might break one day, you buy it. If you’re on the fence whether or not you like it, you buy it cause it’s just too cheap not to. This condition plagued us when we lived here. We were blessed to have a good income and didn’t have to worry too much so if we wanted something we pretty much just bought it. We’re not showy people, didn’t drive fancy cars. We had a large house because we have a large family. But we were definitely comfortable and well, probably rather spoiled. Now, in NZ, NOTHING is cheap. We buy what we need. Nothing makes you say “I’ll pass” like sticker shock. I’m quite disappointed in myself at how fast I fell right back into old patterns of thinking. While I did shop to bring back things that we either can’t get or are too expensive in NZ, I continually caught myself almost binge buying; rationalizing why I should buy certain things. I REALLY tried to stick to my list. Actually, for the most part I did. Ok, almost. (It’s not my fault that my Kindle crashed after putting like 20 new books on it and had to buy a new one!)

So now Kaigan and I are in Daytona Beach, my most dreaded part of this trip. Thankfully he is so excited. I know he’s nervous too but seeing his excitement in his future ahead of him makes it a little easier to watch him fly out of our nest. We’ve had fun and it will continue this week. But as he gets busy with the school orientations and activities, I know I’ll feel him pulling away. My heart is breaking but I could not be more proud of him and the man he’s become. Please pray that I have the strength to board that plane on Saturday.