Not a whole lot has gone on since my last post. After a crazy weekend like that it is hard to write about every day things. Sure, I have done some fun things since then (I am in NEW ZEALAND), but I don’t know how many of them are story worthy. Let’s see what I come up with.
After the weekend Aaron and I got engaged, I spent A LOT of time on the phone. I talked for hours to several different people. By the end, I was worn out. Even though there were plenty more people I would have loved to talk to, I just decided to put everything on facebook because talking to everyone simply couldn’t happen. I also happened to use a lot of the data usage available for the internet this month and couldn’t use the internet for a while. Oops.
Like before I’ll start with the big things that I have done and then go into more day-by-day details:
I have started babysitting for a family. The couple, Tim and Kelly, have a 4 year old daughter named Ahlia (ahh-leah). Tim is a full time student (trying to fit 3 years of study into 1 year) and works part time at the daycare I work at. Kelly is 37 weeks pregnant and for the past 5 or so weeks has been in and out of the hospital over 7 times often times staying for a few days. Because of all this craziness, they haven’t got to spend a lot of time playing with Ahlia. So, I volunteered to play with Ahlia and watch her when they need a rest, or to study, or Kelly is in the hospital. On Kelly’s last hospital visit (which was just a couple of day ago) they were told that if she doesn’t have the baby by next Thursday, then they will induce her. So, the next time I come babysit there could be a tiny baby around. Ahlia is cute, little, blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl that loves mermaids, Dora, and fairies. She is very sweet and fairly well-behaved, but like all children she’s had to test how much I will let her get away with. Once she realized it wasn’t much, we have had a lot of fun playing and being goofy. The family has a LARGE supply of craft supplies AND that happens to be one of her favorite activities- something I am, of course, all about. Time and Kelly are both SUPER nice and we often have pretty awesome conversations. They also have turned out to be Christians with interesting life stories to share. In the past two weeks I have babysat Ahlia four different times (once for a whole day). I am not getting paid, but I am helping them out. It is also one of those things that I feel like God put me in the right place at the right time to help them out. Only in God’s planning could a girl from America be around them with nothing to do at the time they could really use help. Really, what else do I have to do anyways?
I also have worked on the farm with Aaron some. One day I stomped wool down so that it could be compacted into bales. With my unimaginable abilities for falling, it was interesting trying to walk around on it. I was often grabbing onto a rope above my head for dear life. I have decided that this is an awesome resume builder though- especially if I want to stomp grapes for wine. Selena, do your parents have any openings? I have also helped Aaron fix up and prepare lambing hotels. They are basically little stalls that you put sheep in that won’t take in their lamb at first (so they have no choice). I was in charge of the hammering- a job that I really enjoyed. I did, however, hammer so much my hand was killing me and I often couldn’t move it from the position it was in when it was wrapped around the hammer. I think it also didn’t help that the temperature was right above freezing and there was a steady rain the whole time we were working… Despite the weather and hand cramps, I really enjoyed preparing the lambing hotels with Aaron. It is fun to see Aaron doing the things he is really good at. I am not HORRIBLE at doing those sort of things, but I am certainly not good. It is funny to see how matter-of-fact Aaron is about it all. He tends to think everyone has those abilities (though he is wrong).
I have also had a clumsy streak the past couple of weeks (more than normal… scary I know). I have burned my right hand not once, or even twice, but three different times. All of the burns left nice marks, but one is quite prominent. I have rammed my foot into the fireplace hearth (although it doesn’t have any corners and really doesn’t stick out in the way at all…) making my foot hurt for a couple of days. I hit my head hard on the top of a playhouse when playing with kids at the daycare (and had to sit down and rub my head for a while). I have run into a coffee table at the house I am babysitting at and ran into a wall when trying to find the bathroom early one morning. My favorite of all of these, though, is the fact that I accidentally hit myself in the face with a wooden cutting board (I held it up to smell it… I don’t know why) and bit into an apple slice to have apple juice come out of my nose. All the rest are things that probably have happened to everyone once (probably not in such a short time period though…), but the last two I think really take talent. How many people do you know that have done those?
I think I am done with the big things- now on to specifics:
Tuesday & Wednesday- Called people to tell them about getting engaged. Became worn out LOVED talking to people, though. :D
The beginning of Thursday was spent making things “facebook official” and struggling with technology and then I went to meet a family that I have been babysitting for. Later that night, Aaron and I went to dinner with the Kays, the friends of the family Aaron is working for.
Friday I went to Tim (Aaron’s boss) and Julie’s house. Both of their girls were there along with one of their boyfriends, so we had fun doing random things. I made a self-portrait with pastels that is now proudly displayed on their refrigerator next to Rachel’s. I then attempted to strip flax (a native plant here) down to the fibers. Flax fibers make a strong rope, something that natives often use when making something. Although I wasn’t very good, I did manage to get some and hope to make a bracelet out of it. Later that night Aaron and I drove into Christchurch to go to impromptu comedy show called Scared Scriptless. One of our friends from the church here played the music for the show, so it was fun to see him.
Saturday was our day of rugby. We went to a league game that another one of our friends from church was playing in. A lot of the youth was there to watch Jack and it was nice to visit with everyone while watching the game. We then ate fish and chips and made Oreo balls (slightly altered because of their lack of Oreos…) for that night. That night we watched the All Blacks (the New Zealand rugby team) play the Springboks (team from South Africa) and beat them once again. We went to the Kay’s house (same people from Thursday night) and watched it with them, Tim, Julie, and Rachel. I actually got a chance to ask a lot of questions and feel as though I half way understand the game now…
Sunday was a day of rest. We went to church and then Aaron and I watched TV and hung out. He hasn’t really rested since he got here, so he enjoyed just being able to chill out.
Monday I worked at the daycare and then babysat Ahlia.
Tuesday I worked at the daycare and then went to the farm with Aaron.
Wednesday I slept in and spent time at the place I am staying. I had some really good God moments and started writing a poem (we’ll see how it turns out) and then Aaron picked me up and I helped compact the wool.
Thursday I babysat all day. I went to playcentre with her which is a New Zealand-only organization where parents come in and kind of have play dates with other kids. It is parent run and organized and the idea is that kids learn through play. Parents often stay and play with their kid(s) the other around so they can use those times to teach their children.
Friday I babysat the first half of the day and then helped Aaron work on lambing hotels.
Saturday (today!)- I have done a lot of things online because the internet for the month has finally restarted.
Tomorrow Aaron and I plan on leaving for the southern part of the island in the afternoon. We plan to be back either Wednesday or Thursday with lots of adventures to tell about. I probably could/ should type more, but I am TIRED of typing.
I love you all.
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