The weekend....

Wow...
What a weekend.

Emotionally, incredibly draining. Perhaps even that is an understatement? I feel like the littlest thing may just leave me in a heap on the floor.

Last year my birthday fell on Easter Sunday - which was amazing! And Jiljane came up to spend it with me. So, only fair that I should fly down to Christchurch to spend Easter with her this year.

I flew down on Good Friday night and left very early on Monday morning.

I don't like making tons of plans when I go away, but do try to have some loose plans with friends that I need to catch up with. I'd organised with most to have dinner on Saturday night, and to have brunch up on the hill that morning. Other than that.... it was a matter of trying to fit everyone in.

Flying in I was amazed at the feeling of coming home. Why did I leave again?
It didn't help that the weather was perfect. The sun shone all weekend, and while it got cooler one night - it really wasn't any worse than up here. The mountains were majestic, the trees a wonderful array of autumn colours, and everything felt crisp and ready for change.

Perhaps that feeling got into my bones?

Change........

Most of my friends down there are pregnant. Waddling around with their big tummies. Quite funny. It's funny how this has changed one particular relationship. Most of the friends I've only known while they've been married - and so our friendship developed around that.
Jacx and I are different.

We both arrived in Christchurch the same week. She from South Africa, and I from San Francisco. This is when God moved in a HUGE way.
We met through a family friend that I was staying with, actually at an auction. he he. We were both looking for beds, although neither of us got one. I did end up buying her a bedside table though. :)
After looking at a hopeless number of houses to move into, God put me into the house on the hill - which was just up the road from her. We quickly became friends.
I'd like to think that she needed me as much as I needed her.
We'd both walk up and down the hill to see each other. I was studying, and became involved in the church with her. While I was going through heartache, it was an amazing time of God growth.
There was Bible school, being part of the praise and worship team, challenged to be a leader... awesome times.

The next year she came back from South Africa, and I was a tutor at a private girls school, and as God would have it - another position opened up for Jacx. We lived in huge old houses which backed onto eachothers back yards.... so we'd pop through a fence to catch up.

The year after this.... I guess God thought we had been here long enough to build up other relationships. :) She moved across town and I moved a couple of blocks from the school into a house with 2 other girls and a guy. 1 of those girls was Danica - in fact, it was her parents house, the other was my friend Jackie... so God was in total control there.
Peter pumpkin and I still keep in touch from time to time as well.
But the relationship that I have with Danica and Jackie is pretty precious....

Anyway.... when Jacx got married (3rd stint as bridesmaid... there's a photo way back somewhere on here) things did change. I guess God knew that would happen - and he moved them 2 blocks away from me! We would have our chick flick dates, and the bond was solid.

Now.... things have changed again. I started this year off by writing her several letters spilling out my heart, and while we will always be close - it does feel like she's crossing into this new phase of her life without me.

I didn't get to spend enough time with her over the weekend - which was partly my fault - but I think I did it to protect myself as well. I don't want to really acknowledge the change.
I think I'll have to write her another letter this week.

I know that there are seasons.... and reasons for things to change..... but I'm not enjoying it.

And at the same time there are just so many other decisions which have to be made. A plan to be formed. I don't feel like I know which of the paths in front of me is the God given one.

I trust that He'll keep slaming doors on me when I choose the wrong one, but I'd quite like to find the right one and continue running the race.
The last few months have felt like way more of a roundabout than a path.

And I may be getting dizzy.

If you've managed to get to the end of this... could you please pray for me. That I wouldn't base my decisions on where my family is at, and learn to trust my heart.

I'm trusting that the desires of my heart are not going to be wasted, and that all the passions I have will be given a chance to grow and be used.
I just need to know where and when to jump.

Be blessed, friends. And really praying that your Easter has been a time of reflection at what has been given. LIFE.

Tons of aroha.
xxxx

* I'm really loving the photo with the black background. Think I may have to get this one framed to put on the wall. :) Actually - think it may have to be for someone else. My walls are filling up. he he.

Story time..

Evie reading me a bedtime story....
So cute, and great reader too!!

The Easter Cake

This gorgeous creation was our dessert on Saturday night with the photo of the decorators above..... we all brought curry and stuffed ourselves. It was lovely. Hilarious conversation - but no game was played. I need to go down again!!!

Christchurch - JJ and CJ

Jiljane and I standing outside CUP. Managed to stop giggling long enough for this shot. :)

This is where I used to go every Saturday morning when I was living down there. If I'd had the week away, all my friends knew they could come and catch up with me there. The view is AMAZING!
It's been sold twice since I left, and is now a tad too commercial for my liking. In fact, if I still lived there I'm sad to say I would have to find another Saturday morning hide out.

Christchurch - Catherine and Kids

I met Catherine back when I was working at briscoes.... ahhh, the days. She has since become a wonderful and ever wise friend.
It was great to see her and the kids. Gorgeous!

Christchurch - Andy

Andy and I.... catching up at CUP on the hill. Candice was off at a rehearsal, so I was thrilled that Andy came anyway. We were up there for about 3 hours, and talked about way too much girly stuff for him. But it allowed him to put off building the new wood shed. :)

very early this morning...

What a day!

I went and met up with a friend from High School who I haven't seen since '92. I know.... how many years is that?! Thanks to the wonder of facebook we've been back in touch. She mentioned that they were going for a balloon ride for their 10th anniversary, so I asked if I could come and take photos. :)

It was gorgeous!!

I haven't been around a balloon in so long. How I miss it!
The pilot even rocognised me, which was a bit bizarre. Very good memory.

So, I snapped away, and hopefully she is happy with what I managed to grab.
It was all in an effort to begin my road into portrait photography, and just capturing the moment. We'll see where this journey leads me.

Fun stuff though!

a while.....

Life has been crazy busy, and there is so much to catch up on......

My friend Jilyjane from Christchurch came up to visit a couple of weeks ago. It was so nice to catch up with her! We went and stayed at a little township in the Coromandel and explored by day - which even included some lovely lazing in the sun at Hot Water Beach.

We had two days up there, which was perfect.

Now we're busy plotting where we can run away to next...... Australia is looking good. :)

back in the land of reality......

~
The weekend was super lovely!

We visited several vineyards to eat scrumptious food, and drink fabulous wine in incredible settings. It really was all about eating, drinking and laughing all weekend.

We wandered the town center in search of all things girly. :) And while we were all fairly restrained in purchasing - I had great fun looking at things.

I did manage to order something for mum, which we saw when we were last there a few years ago - not bad planning for September.

Oh - and other big news... my brother got engaged last week. They had originally thought about having the wedding in Rarotonga in August - but it sounds like it will be closer to home in Septmeber, which still doesn't leave them much time to plan a wedding.

I'll be back to post photos later....

Peace and Joy!

xxxx

darling danica.....

~

The weekend was a girly one!

Danica had her hair and makeup appointment, and we picked out jewelery for her to wear on the big day. Can't believe it's only 2 1/2 weeks away.

I got to try on my dress - but alas, it didn't fit. Have to go back down on the 28th for the hens party and dress fitting again. Should be all good for the big day. Still need to find some shoes though! The ones I bought have been declared too "day wear" by the make up artíst. hehehe.

Doesn't Danica scrub up beautifully!

a sailing we will go.....

A friend (Colin) had his 30th birthday, back in November with a trip sailing around the Tauranga harbour. It was a stunning night catching up with old friends from uni days.











Si, who I hadn't seen in 10 years when I left for the States and he continued with his degree before taking off himself. It was so good to see him, and I know for me, it hardly felt like it had been that long - though we've been terrible at keeping in touch. And crazily enough, he's the one who is probably the closest to where I'm living now, but do you think we've caught up again since that night. Nope! hehehehe


Rhonda.... who has got to be one of the greatest people out there. Just super outgoing and caring. You need someone like her in your life. I actually saw her the following weekend as well, which was pretty impressive. It had been a few years since I caught up with her while she was down in Christchurch. She'd gone to live in England for a while, and got back last year, and seems to have gone into settle down mode - having just moved into a house of her own with her partner "G". We decided over the weekend that we really needed to set aside one weekend that we would all get together. It's too easy for the years to slip by, and for us not to see eachother at all - unless there's a wedding or something.
So... this year, Rhonda and G have said we can all crash there for a midwinter Christmas.... which reminds me, I need to email everyone now. :)


And then... the other 2 party girls; Tammy and Nicole. They stoped in the other day on their way back North after New Years.... and I realised again just how real and lovely they are. I hadn't spent alot of time with them, though we did catch up over in England many years ago. Since then Tammy and I have fired a few emails to eachother, but never caught up. Both of them are actually great at making that extra effort at keeping in touch and actually seeing other people. Very special.

We were trying to figure out how to make friends - since they've both moved North after being over in the UK for a few years, and not being in a big city. Tammy came out with the great facts of the different age groups - how are 20 year olds we're more social. Our world revolves around our friends. In your 30's you're generally settling down, married, starting families and your world revolves around that. In your 40's more of the same... the friends that you have are generally through your kids, and in your 50's you go back to being social and finding friends outside of everything else.

We just laughed, and promised we would share any secrets we found as we looked for friends - single or married. It was all kind of funny, but nice to talk about how we were in similar situations, and to just know we're not alone.

There we go... who would have thought I would be able to sit here and do such a catch up session of sorts.

(I've hurt my hand and am not much use out on the farm, so have been able to sit for an extended period of time without feeling the need to go out and help! :) )


I wish I had my book of quotes... I feel like some wisdom is needed, but I am lacking.

for now... Ciao is all I have.

xx