Survival mode is hard, taxing, draining, and fairly unpleasant. Watching Bear Grylls on Man vs. Wild every week with Sam just makes me flat out tired. Mostly because I felt like that was where my heart and life has been - barely making it with a snake around the corner and having to eat some gross crap to just survive while nearly freezing to death. Okay, so maybe that's a bit dramatic, but the reality is surviving is hard work. Necessary. But hard.
This blog is a chronicle of sorts of our family and while I save these precious bits of life from these last few months for just us I will share that in hard realities and when life seems so unbelievably overwhelming I learned a new peace in God's presence. He spoke and met me in all sorts of ways. Emails and text conversations that refreshed my soul, free coffees at just the right moment, new friends that unexpecedly turn into good friends, sermons on the internet, non Christian friends that minister to my faith and fear, and phone calls from a friend that make me laugh, give me perspective and free me from perfectionism. When our family looks back on this chapter I will forever hold to that God is good and I knew that to the core of my soul even before circumstances changed. Who knew so much learning was going on in survival mode?
Now onto pictures!!! At the same time my head was barely staying above water some pretty fun things were happening. One. We live by the beach! I could stop there and that would be more than enough for me to embrace God's goodness. The beach is a gift, a privilege and blessing that I absolutely love in the midst of our life. Beyond that though Sam and Max and I have had tons of fun the last couple of months. Here are a few pics from the last couple of weeks.
We spent the day at our friend Celeste and Meila's house. The kids LOVE each other and play so well together and Celeste and I have become fast friends. What a blessing she is and a much needed buddy in this season. Ironically, I have once again become friends with someone that is leaving soon. They will most likely be moving by the end of the year. My year has been filled with so many good byes that I am becoming numb to grief and good byes. I realized this when two of our Starbucks girls said they were leaving and I genuinely felt sick to my stomach. I think my life is overwhelmed with change. I had to laugh when I panicked in Starbucks at the thought of them leaving. Too much change and transition you think?! But while Celeste and Meila might be leaving I am treasuring the moments and thanking God that her husband is a pilot and they can fly all around NZ with little expense.
Max LOVES his little friend Meila. Here is his first bath with a friend!
They had SO much fun
They are so good at sharing and taking toys and are constantly hugging and talking to each other
He was pretty happy to have new toys to play with all day
Max and Meila decided climbing and standing was a fun game
He is a little scavenger eating all Meila's snacks
We walked up the Mount with some friends from Playgroup
Papa is one of Max's favorite people. We see them most weekends and love walking on the beach when they come over
Nana always makes him smile
Max is OVER baby food. He is only wanting finger foods, yet I have TONS of baby food in the freezer. The other night he couldn't be bothered letting me feed him, so he just took over
Max is always a little blurry in photos because he is ALWAYS moving and hanging out with Daddy and Meila is pretty much the most exiting thing ever for him
We went to a big good bye party for Auntie Grace while daddy worked last night. My little trooper did awesome and loved being around tons of people and eating all the yummy party food
He loves his Uncle Tom
AND his uncle James!
Momma and Max
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