daddy's home

home safe and sound. tired and worn from all his long travels but home. cail was watching at the door all day today and every time the phone rang "daddy?" i cannot wait to see how she reacts in the morning when he is here.

pictures, stories, and happy faces tomorrow...

p.s.

this is one of those stories that i should not share about myself but.....
i decided to give myself a facial while i was posting the last two entries. i put on a peel off mask. i guess i didn't realize how long it was taking me and by the time i got back to the sink it was way past the peel off stage (maybe chip off with a chisel stage). i had to wet it in order for it to peel. the add on the front of the packet said something like, radiance is just below the surface. i hope i didn't peel all the radiance off because that facial sure went way below the surface....

as cheesy as this is going to be i have decided to say it anyway (kinda like telling those stories that make people question my true hair color.) staying on course with the "going below the surface" theme. i have really had a great time while josh has been away to do some self reflection. it is scary what you can find when you start doing that. i have realized that just below the surface is a fun loving carefree spirit in me that is waiting to be let out. i just need to learn to push aside that top layer of worry. i have taken more time to play with the girls and read an extra book at bedtime. sit down at the table and eat with them or do something silly just to make them laugh. i have learned through the lack of josh's help that if everything is not done by the end of the day it just isn't going to get done. if i am stressed before i even get out of bed in the morning about the amount of things to do that day i just need to cut something out. these are hard concepts for me to learn because apparently i don't like to stop worrying. i feel like i have to get everything done in one day and like my husband i have a hard time saying no even when i really can't.

so i have discovered a little more about my body art (previous post) and i think the picture is turning out to be a bit better.

anyway my advice for the day, slow down and enjoy it...
and beware of facials and blogging at the same time ;)...

day 11

we went to the otara markets today. it is new zealand's largest open air market. i also read one place that is is the worlds largest polynesian markets. i guess auckland has the worlds largest polynesian population so it very well could be. we walked around for about an hr. it was so hot, it felt like cedar point in the middle of summer!!! it was cool to see all the stalls with clothes, jewelry, food, fruit and veggies, toys, handmade crafts, o.k. pretty much anything you could think of. the island music was blaring loud and everyone was having a great time.

our girls really got a lot of attention. they do all the time but there is something about island people, they love children. it is a cool part of their culture. we had to keep stopping so people could admire the girls. cail was even cute enough to bargain a guy into a three dollar hat. she was standing there with me and looking at the hats. we found a pretty pink straw hat and she said she wanted it for thwee dollas . the guys must have heard her say it because we started to walk away and she was still talking about it so i turned and asked the guys how much. he says three dollars. well how could i say no then. they had already worked out a deal. all that was left was for mom to fork up the coin.

it was a great day and we didn't get sunburn!!! way to go mom. i remembered sunscreen, and hats (well i thought i had a hat for averie but it gave me an excuse to buy her a cute new hat!!). this is a big deal you see because i have never really had summer babies before. we have been in a never ending winter and so i know how to bundle a baby with lots of warm layers. but sun gear???? this is all new!!

cute story. tonight when i was putting cail to bed she randomly burst into song as she often does. she sings luuuuub you, peck, lub you neck, uh peck, uh neck... by then i was laughing so hard she started laughing. it was really cool to have her start singing a song we always sing all on her own. it was the cutest version i have ever heard.
i love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck...

we heard from josh and jeff. they were on there way back to png tonight. this is the first leg of the journey. they will be staying overnight in png and then to aussie and home tomorrow. we really cannot wait!!!

off to bed to get some rest for a long long day tomorrow (they fly in at 12:30am that is if the plane is on time.)...

day 10

happy thanksgiving again!!!

we went to the jones' house for a day of fun. we were talking, cooking, playing with the kids (a 3 yr. old, 2 yr. old, 1 yr. old and a 7 month old. wow!!!). we were busy but happy. we ate lots of food and enjoyed the sun. what? yes the sun. on thanksgiving day we had sun and 68*F. it was the hottest weirdest day i have ever had considering it is supposed to be a cold winter day with possible snow showers. it was a fun way to make it through the day.

all the rest of the americans there were ringing home to wish family and friends a happy day but i just couldn't. so, sorry to all who may have wondered where the bowlin's were. i was pretty homesick and really missing josh as well (he comes home midnight tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). i wanted to wish all a great day but i thought i would not be able to do so without a river of tears so i waited until the day after. i think i may have missed a few due to shopping though, so i will have to try tomorrow.

i feel better now and am on the home stretch for josh's return. i think i better clean the house so he doesn't know what it looks like now. i guess it's not too bad after 10 days of being a single mom. maybe i should leave it really messy so he thinks it has just been a crazy time here. no, i guess i want it to be clean that way if he goes away again he won't be afraid to come home :)

on to the cleaning...

day 9

thanksgiving feast @ the bowlin's. 1st thanksgiving for 8 out of ten in attendance.

i just realized this fact before dinner tonight. 1st for averie because it is her first year of life but also for all the kiwi's. it made all the old traditions and foods that i am so familiar with seem new and exciting. stringing popcorn with the read girls, cail and joanne. eating sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie as if it were for the first time. it helped the day be as special even so far from home.

menu american and kiwi

becca brought...
turkey(thanks to the great hunter josh!!!! some of the best meat i have ever had by the way)
cranberry sauce
wild rice stuffing
green beans
sweet potatoes
corn bread/ corn bread casserole
pumpkin pie (not the one pictured above i am not that good)

dione brought...
salad greens with red cherry tomatoes (beautiful and festive)
mixed veggies
honey glazed carrots
maori potatoes (purple inside)
pavlova with kiwi fruit
cranberry spice muffins

ryleigh brought..
frozed chocolate dipped bananas (yum yum, averie really liked chewing on them!!!)

if i have forgotten anything, rest assured our tummies didn't miss out. we had fun eating and sharing the things we were most thankful for. oh, we all had fancy glasses to drink out of (picture later) so joanne brought along some sparkling grape juice and we all made up toasts. afterwards all us girls did the dishes, jonathan slept on the couch, and dione looked after the babies. it was just like it would have been back home. all the family hanging out, no hurry to get anywhere and enjoying each others company!!! thanks to my american family for building these traditions into my life, and thanks to my kiwi family for sharing them with me this year.

there were only a few tears today over missed family members (spread out over a couple countries). i was surprisingly able to hold myself together and still have a fun day. thank-you Jesus for the strength of emotions today. now for tomorrow when it really is thanksgiving back home. i will wish them all a happy one, share my happy stories from here and enjoy another yummy meal. this time with americans who have all experienced it before. still just as much fun and hopefully just as much food.

off to take a nap....

day 8

i think today was my breaking point for being without a husband. after a stressful night at youth group, today seemed so long. the girls were great at our global partners meeting. so that was a great time out, but i think i really am feeling the tiredness that being a single parent must bring. my hat is off to those who do this alone.

i value my husband more and more everyday he is away and i pray i will be more patient and kind to him when he gets home. i think as wives and mothers we can easily get frustrated with the lack of things our husbands do. it seems easier somedays to be annoyed at them then be truly thankful for all they do. this time away has taught me to step back, not get stressed if one thing or another doesn't get done, and to appreciate what josh does (and tell him). thanks God for that reminder about what a great man i did marry.

cail and averie seem to be becoming greater friends every day. cail cannot wait to go see awee every morning. tonight in the bath i took averie out first and she was stretching up to see cail over the side of the tub. she screams as loud as she can to get cail's attention and laughs whenever she comes and talks to her. cail loves to play peek-a-boo with averie, talk baby talk to her and kiss her on the head (she also like to steal her toys, hit her, and push her till she topples over-but that's beside the point). they are really becoming the kind of friends they are going to need through the years. once again i think of my little sis and am grateful for our friendship. thank you God for that reminder that i have such sweet babies and for a great relationship with my sister.

i wanted to string popcorn for the tree this week but was not sure how it was going to go with a two year old. i decided i would work on it tonight while i had some friends over. come to find out they had never heard of it let alone treaded popcorn on stings (no cranberries though. someone told me i would be hard pressed to find them this time of year). these 20 something year old ladies where so excited about helping me. it became one of those memory making moments. we even had a hanging ceremony!!!! anyway i think i will try a supervised version of that with cail tomorrow, but now i don't have to stress if it just doesn't work with her!

counting down the days till daddy gets back!!!!!

day 7

well, just one month till christmas!!! we officially have our miss miss twee up in our lounge. i started out trying to make it look organized and beautiful, resorted to having fun, got a funky looking tree. the ornament that i have just spent three days making (sewing by hand) for cail was presented to her with love. she was given the choice as to where she would like to place it on the tree, where did it go? in the very back!!!!!!!!! she was excited because she likes climbing behind the tree but i was a bit sad because no one will ever see it. oh well it is where she wants it.

cail has decided that she wants to go to the airport and find daddy. not in a few days but now. i was given a tip today of making a chart or using the calender and putting a sticker on each day until daddy comes. i hope this will help her to see when daddy is coming and not just hear "in a few days", whatever that might mean to her.

averie loves the christmas tree. she sat in front of it staring at the lights and squeeling away. she was scooting along this evening on her bottom to get closer to the tree. this should be fun (keeping her out of and) watching her explore this new addition.

by for now...