On My Mind

The past few days my mind has been occupied with the devastation caused by the Earthquake in NZ. I didn't know what would be appropriate to post about it but I didn't feel like it was right to post anything else without addressing it. I guess I didn't know what to say because at the end of the day I feel like my feelings of sadness, loss, and worry are so trivial compared to the emotions, experiences and trauma of the people that are actually THERE are going through.

When Mark and I first landed in NZ it was hard for Mark and I for a couple of years to be so isolated from family some of the hardest times I had experienced at that time. Due largely in part to the people the kindness of the people and the friends that we made our time in NZ really was the happiest time of our lives. NZ became a part of us-we changed for the better. It is hard to be far from people that for so many years treated us as their family knowing we had none of our own nearby. It is hard to see the destruction of a beautiful, historic city where we spent so many happy times raising our children. It is hard to wait to hear about how friends are doing-about their safety, only to hear about all of their loss.

I feel fortunate to not have been there but guilty too. Guilty that I could feel grateful when good friends are suffering. Sad that we can't be there, that we can't do more, that we are so helpless. As I read the stories of survival and of how people help one another it makes me sad because the acts of bravery, selflessness, kindness are all so very Kiwi and what makes NZ such a fantastic genuine place. A country that the people are as beautiful as the landscape. Looking at all the pictures of toppled buildings we once knew so well, I thought I would post pictures of Christchurch the way I remember it. The way that I hope it will be able to be once again. To think of it any other way makes me too sad.

To all our Kiwi friends we are so grateful for your safety and you are continually in our thoughts and our prayers.

V-day #1

We have been doing Valentine-like things this past week.  Tomorrow is Valentine exchange at school and I have put it off until tonight.  Last year I saw these Valentines that I thought were super cute.  I have seen them a lot since then but I have to admit Denae's are the best.  I tried to recreate her classiness but it didn't work :).  I decided to give Ed's more of a comic book feel since that is the face he is making.  He has 4 "awesome faces" as he calls them.  This is awesome face #3 I keep meaning to do a post on the other ones but for now you only get this one.  I really wanted to type, "Happy Valentines Day You Donk!" but I guess that would take away from the meaning of the day-it just sounded sooo eddie.  Anyway in case any of you are looking for a last minute homemade valentine idear...