Day 3 - Nelson at last

We left Bordertown at about 9.30am – Eb had been awake since 5.45am. She wasn’t too happy about getting in the car. We headed straight to Mt Gambier (about 2 hours) and she fell asleep about 15mins short of our destination! so, we had to wake her. It took her a while for her to feel ok – feeding her did the trick. We did a bit of shopping in Mt. Gambier then headed to our final destination – Nelson (in the very SW corner of Victoria). We were so thrilled when we arrived – the house we’d call home for the next 7 nights was gorgeous – we had distance views of where the Glenelg River meets the ocean and it was so peaceful and tranquil. The owners greeted us. We know Tracey through the adoption process – she and her husband Michael are waiting, waiting, waiting. They are n-next (that’s what I call it) ‘cause there is 1 batch to be allocated in Victoria before them. Tracey made us dinner and we were delighted that Michael could stay too so we had the chance to get to know him better. Tracey had been to stay with us for 3 days back in September 07 and that was when we really got to know her better and she invited us to stay here at Nelson. We feel SO blessed. We’re grateful the travelling is over for now and it’s time to just relax and enjoy our week. Tracey stayed the night with us and we’ll see her, Michael and their son Jameson on Wednesday night.

Now THIS makes shopping fun! (Mt. Gambier)










I love my portable high chair!













Eb making herself at 'home' with a beautiful sunset in the background

Day 2

We had some breakfast and then hit the road again. We went and visited my cousin – Melissa and her husband Todd and their youngest son Lucas in Hopetoun. We had a lovely time and a yummy lunch with them. I hadn’t seen Melissa for quite some time and hadn’t visited Hopetoun since I was a kid myself.

We then went to visit my other cousin Julie who was involved in the running of a school 90 year reunion. She was thrilled to see us – as we were her. Neither Julie nor Melissa had ever met Ebony – so it was a great catch up.

Then it was on the road again – I found that whole part of the journey through the middle of Victoria really depressing. I haven’t travelled that way for many, many years and with the drought, the whole area has a feeling of hopelessness. Many of the country towns look like they are dying. There is no green, no gardens - people don’t seem to care about their homes or properties anymore. Even out on the open road so many trees are dying and limbs are falling off and the dead limbs seem to add to the feeling of desolation. It was awful and not at all a place where you might want to even stop and have a cuppa along the way. Ebony travelled reasonably – she falls asleep and then wakes after about 30-50 minutes and when she wakes it’s like she has a terrible headache or something – she is inconsolable and it’s awful.

We made it to Bordertown at about 6.15pm after setting out at about 10am. Gra’s sister lives in Bordertown but she had forgotten we were coming so we ended up having her lovely home to ourselves for the evening. Eb went off to sleep beautifully and we watched a funny movie (She’s having a baby) and then had a great night’s sleep ourselves. Timing was a bit bizarre as it was the night you turn back the clocks for daylight savings AND we were just into South Australia so time is ½ hour behind Vic time. As a result we had an extra 1.5 hrs sleep (well Eb didn’t understand it all so we didn’t really). Then when we came back over the border next day we lost the ½ hour again!

Breakfast at our Motel in Charlton










and a bath at Aunty Eileen's in Bortertown, South Australia

Our second family holiday - Nelson in SW Victoria

Well – it was time for our second family holiday……we left on Friday 4^th April and drove through Elmore and on to Charlton which was where we decided to stay for the night. We chose a Motel right in town and it was really lovely. It was probably fairly old – but it had been renovated really well. We went for a walk, visited a local park, bought some chips and headed back to our room for a glass of red and some sandwiches (which were meant to be lunch) with chips! Eb went to sleep very well and slept through until about 6am the next morning.

'feeding baby' before we left home

can I help Daddy?

Growing, growing, growing

The changes in Ebony are remarkable. I have the most delightful, happy, funny little girl in my life now. The changes have started to really, really take shape.
Yesterday I put Eb down for her afternoon sleep giggling and then she woke up 2 1/2 hours later...giggling! It is an absolute delight to be with her. I feel so proud, yet it's a funny feeling when you are not the biological parent - I wouldn't even consider taking the credit for who she is becoming. I don't even consider it until someone says something to me. She is just beautiful.
This morning as I fed her her bottle (I ALWAYS hold her) - she grabbed my hand in her little fingers simply because she wants to have that contact... I LOVE IT!
Ebony is also heaps of fun to watch as she sings and dances along to DVD's - she's picking up so many of the words now. She also does 'laps' around the furniture full bore when she particularly loves a song....and she does them full speed of course! I just well up at times when I watch how happy she is and how well she is doing with picking up all kinds of words. She's not into sentences yet - but that will come.

I don't think she's changed much in height....but she's now just over 13kg (and my arms know all about it!). I'm finding it hard to get 2's that fit her - many of the pants seem a bit long and tend to fall of her hips.

As soon as daddy walks in the door at night time - she says 'lay down'...she wants him to do this so she can 'walk' on him. They have a wonderful time playing together when he gets home. She sure knows she can boss him around!

The cleaning teeth episodes are getting a bit easier now thank goodness. We took Eb to the Dentist a few weeks ago and found that her top jaw is definitely small than her bottom jaw which means, at this stage, that she will need to have surgery in her early teens. Not something to look forward to. Other than that her teeth are fine from what the Dentist could see. Ebony wouldn't let her look in her mouth of course! Just a tip for those still to go to the Dentist....if you can, take a long a sibling/friend/relative that is just a bit older so they can go on first and will be able to show how it's done and make your child a bit more relaxed. I wish I'd know before we went as I could easily have taken someone along that would have helped.

Food is becoming a little more of an issue...but that's life with a 2yo! She will still eat most things, but is getting a little more fussy. Thankfully her little body still has plenty of reserve so if she doesn't eat a meal I don't worry (although I have a pet hate wasting food!).

Our girl is still extremely active - people who meet her and here she still sleeps so well know why after they've spent a bit of time with her - she never stops!
People also remark on how she 'invites people into her world' - it's so gorgeous and I can see what they mean. As soon as people are around she wants them to be part of her fun - she will grab them by the hand and drag them where she wants to go. I will have to watch that, but I know as she gets older I will be able to explain. At this point in time it's just gorgeous.

I forgot to mention that we celebrated my birthday in early March and I've included a few photo's from our 'photo shoot'. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful birthday. I was taken out for morning tea...that really ended up as lunch, then my wonderful husband took me out for dinner. I got a slow cooker that I had wanted for ages...and some of the girls put in and bought me a massage voucher which I'm still to use but can't wait to use!

Well, it's starting to turn chilly here now, we've had our first few snow falls on the peaks - the winter clothes are unpacked and the summer clothes are packed away. We seemed to miss Autumn somewhere...but it could still happen! Today looks like being spectacular here - not a cloud in the sky. We are headed off on a holiday for 10 days and we are both very excited....Eb doesn't have a clue! We are heading down to the very SW tip of Victoria so it will most likely be chilly there...but we simply don't care!

Love is truly an amazing thing - it's a gift and a blessing. I watch this little person grow and feel so privileged to have her in my life - to be able to have a glimpse into her world. She is adorable and she's ours! I just watch on in awe and love almost every moment. I savour each change now rather than dreading it.

I've already experienced so many 'firsts' but with those experiences come the 'lasts' too and the sad thing about lasts is that we often don't know when they happen. I watch closely and hope I don't miss it altogether.....what a journey - what a life - what a daughter......


Mummy's birthday



the Suixi girls weekend


water baby


at nana and pa's in Lakes Entrance

Jim, Kate and Eliza's visit

We've just been lucky enough to have another of the Suixi girls...Eliza, stay with her mummy and daddy (and her mummy's mummy and daddy) in Bright. We were lucky enough to have Kate, her mum Ruth and Eliza join us at Church on Sunday, then Jim and Kate's dad George came over the hill and we all went out and had lunch then came back to our place so the girls could play. Monday Eb and I took the journey over the mountain to Bright and spent the afternoon with them and the girls had a wonderful play (especially with the golf set!) (and Eb had a wonderful sleep while mummy, Kate and Eliza walked into Bright). Jim looked after Eb when she woke up and he did extremely well as Eb was really happy when we got back.
Then on Wednesday night Jim, Kate and Eliza came for dinner. It was a lovely night....Eb didn't go to bed until 9.30 but she had such a wonderful time. Kate's dad gave the two little girls a pretend microphone and they had so much fun 'singing'! It was a great night and another great time spent with one of the other little miracles from China!


serious Eb with Jim


happy Eliza with mummy


two happy girls


watching the Wiggles together


playing


eating


playing


Ebby enjoying one of Jim's gluten free chockie biscuits

'Seeya' for now friends......

Well, they're gone. It's been a sad few days for me - but I've come to realize that the only reason I'm sad is because this precious family were such good friends. If I didn't feel sad, then it was just another relationship....no real meaning.....that wasn't the case here.

Paul, Katrina, Elijah, Jo and Autumn-Grace are now enjoying some R+R in Bangkok before heading to Cambodia. We spent quite of bit of Thursday with them - in the end we had a quiet couple of hours with a beautiful bottle of 1987 Shiraz and had a good time - prayed and then we left.

I cried all the way home. I cried when Ebony's first words on Friday morning were 'Auty" (Autumn)....and I've cried a few times when I've looked around and seen the things they have given us and the things they have asked us to look after for them....and then there is the sweet little hair clip of Autumn's that she left on Thursday morning and I meant to return. It's all a bit of a funny feeling - but I know we'll see them again. People come in and out of our lives and we have to appreciate whatever time we have with people we love - we did that and we were blessed to have a few months where we knew what lay ahead...some people don't have that warning.

So - it's 'seeya' to the Gliddon family. We look forward to the next time we hear your voices or the next time we are looking at you face to face.

Here are some photo's of our last day......


Auty and Ebby



Elijah and Ebby



Auty, Ebby & Lijah (sadly Jo wasn't here until just before we left)



Lijah, Ebby and Auty in the spa bath


serious Katrina


melancholy Paul


and a beautiful sleeping angel after all the 'seeya's'

Easter

Well for the first time in a number of years we drove 'away' from Mt. Beauty for the weekend - usually we're driving here and so are our friends - but they had to go to WA so we decided to head to mum and dad's in Lakes Entrance. We left Thursday night and made it in record time (even over Mt. Hotham) and we arrived safely at about 10.30pm. The first attempt to travel with Eb at night and it worked a treat (although we didn't get to eat because EVERYTHING between Mt. Beauty and Lakes Entrance was CLOSED!). Luckily I had some potato chips in the car and Gra and I ate them.

Friday was a day of rest, then Saturday we went into Bairnsdale for some retails therapy (mainly because it's cool and I found that NONE of Eb's shoes fitted with sox!). It was lovely - then mum and dad treated us to lunch at the local pub which was beautiful (thanks Ma and Pa! xxx). Home late and to bed late for Eb, but she was well and truly ready.

Sunday we headed to Church and then home. Eb had a big sleep and then my brother and his wife and Eb's two 'little' cousins Beccy and Lizzie arrived - so Eb had an absolute ball playing with them.

Sadly Monday was home day and we left about midday. It was a great 3 nights and we're all really glad we did it.

Coming home was a little interesting with the weather turning really bad over Mt. Hotham and visibility reduced to about 2 feet in front of us for some time. It was a slower trip home!


Times enjoyed with Nana and Pa



Then with Daddy and Mummy



Now for some up-to-date photo's for the 'gallery'



and...precious cousins having fun together

Playschool concert

I couldn't wait! I organised tickets way back in January and, knowing how much Ebb loves Playschool I knew it would be a blast.... was I disappointed? .... not by the concert at all. Eb started off brilliantly she was dancing with her buddy Autumn-Grace before it even started. Then it got crowded and she couldn't dance much, but she happily watched the concert until the two 'characters' started chasing each other around the stage. All of a sudden I see the bottom lip drop and she comes flying into my arms. She spent the rest of the concert in my arms (hey! any chance for a hug is a good chance!...I made the most of it). She was ok while she was in my arms and got back into the swing toward the end. I'm sure the next one will be better :)

Our mates.....

Our dear friends 'The Gliddons' are soon to leave and we've had some wonderful times with them over the last year or so. When we first met them I didn't really want to get to know them well because I knew they would be leaving to live in Cambodia before long. Little did I know that God had other plans and we became good friends.

Eb has come to particularly love this family and, at the moment, almost every time we hop in the car she starts saying....Lijah, Jhoe, Auty, Trina, Paul...it brings tears to my eyes. However! when God calls - who can argue. Yes, I'll miss them ALL terribly in different ways...and sometimes I wonder how it has happened that the one family we become so close to are leaving...seems to be what happens to me here in Mt. Beauty! but life goes on and hopefully we'll be able to visit them later this year or early next year God willing. They are heading to Cambodia with "Interserve" a missionary organisation and I've set up a blog especially for their journey....www.gliddonspace.blogspot.com if you feel to follow too.


Commissioning service at Kiewa Valley Christian Centre

(From Ebby)
.....gee it's only 12 days until you all go ... I'm going to miss you all bery much.
Elijah (Lijah), you have been so sweet to me - loving me and looking out for me even when it's been hard for you - you are special to me - tank shoe for caring for me :)


Elijah and Ebby

Josiah (Jhoe), you are always fun to play with too. You're quiet - but I love the fun I have with you.


Jo and Eb

Autumn-Grace (Auty) - tanks for being my first 'Aussie' friend. I'll miss our fun times together like swimming and 'pay sool' (playschool) and I can't wait to see you in 'bodia (Cambodia).


Autumn-Grace and Ebby

Paul and Katrina (Trina) - you are the best! you have taught my mummy not to worry so much about the food I eat (yeah!) and you're always good fun to be with. I even really like you now after you tried to put me in that cot when my mummy was gone. You both get good kisses from me now!


Fun at Mt. Beauty Holiday Park

From me again ...... bless you all and know you have left a beautiful fingerprint on my life, on Graham's and, of course, on our beautiful Ebby's. We'll never be the same for the blessing of knowing you. God speed - happy travels - safe journey and fruitful ministry. WE LOVE YOU!