1. I am pretty tall (just over 5’10″), and I read some research a while back that indicated that tall women have more testosterone than shorter women. This is correlated with taller women bearing fewer children.
2. Could be the tall girl hormones, but my current occupation of being a full-time mum is as much a surprise to me as it is a blessing. I know some girls grow up looking forward to having kids, but I just wasn’t one of them.
3. Half the days I wake up shaking my head at the unlikeliness of me being in charge of three small children that day.
4. The other half of the days I’m merely asleep until I’ve emptied the potty my older children use overnight or changed the first poo-scented diaper of the day.
5. This surprise has the useful effect of reminding me that I don’t know what I’m doing. Fortunately I read a lot of research-based books about everything from breastfeeding to child psychology.
6. I’m currently reading How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk. I’m intentionally going through the book very slowly, so that I can apply the principles I read as I read them, and before I move on to the next concept. After several weeks, I think I’m getting the hang of the concepts I learned in chapter one.
7. My favourite parenting book is Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp. It made a huge difference to me to focus on my children’s (and my!) heart issues instead of behaviour. I also feel much less emotional about disciplining my children when I think about my role as being obedient to God in the discipline I provide, rather than just trying to get the kids to do what I want. It was a revelation to me to think of discipline as my children’s will vs God’s will rather than my will.

Spinach alfredo lasagna is in the oven, Ben is home from his field trip (he was away all last week!), and I’m explaining to Nikki and Michael that pirates wear eye patches to make them look dashing while Vi speed crawls across the floor to get into the forbidden bathroom.

If you’d like to share seven random facts about yourself, I’d enjoy reading them. Please post a comment linking to your random facts blog post.

We are so thankful for friends who celebrate life’s milestones with us, through gifts, prayers, letters, e-mails, comments on this blog, and hospitality.

These friendships are priceless, and we love you all so much!

My lovely friend Megan from Little Daily Escape gave me the Honest Scrap Award which entitles you, dear readers, to a list of ten true things about me. As I have written it, the list has sort of become a random jumble of things that are on my mind, but I am sure you will find some facts hidden in there as well.

1) My colleague Andy was a new believer back when we worked together. I so enjoyed working with him. Today his 18-month-old daughter Iona is going in for open heart surgery. Please pray for her right now and throughout the day as you think of this precious red-head!

2) There are many personality tests available, but the one I have found most memorable was one I took as part of a class in Cambridge. The test revealed that people with my unusual (and, frankly, unhelpful!) personality type love to receive invitations and dislike accepting them. Our professor collected the test results and had the class brainstorm possible jobs for people with each personality type. When he read mine out (anonymously), there was a surprised silence in the auditorium. Then a classmate quipped, “the Queen!” Sadly, the ideal role for my personality is already filled.

3) A good thing, then, that I’m outside the job market – at least until something suitable in a monarchy opens up. Just in case, I keep up with my colleagues and classmates via LinkedIn.

4) I dream of one day writing a book that is worth reading.

5) I’ve been breastfeeding every day for the past 1167 days. I know it’s not for everyone (I would never have dreamed that this would be me!) but I credit the forced breaks and breastfeeding hormones with helping me be a kinder, gentler mama than I would otherwise be. I believe God led me down this path because he knew I needed all the help I could get!

6) For a while I told people that my middle name was “Marshmallow“. Thankfully my parents aren’t as silly as I am.

7) I recently sold almost all my Ella’s House cloth nappies and am using the funds for some Sandman night nappies for Nikki and Michael. Nikki rarely wets her pants during the day, but her bed is wet almost every night. I would much rather wash diapers than sheets! And I would like to get Michael in cloth at night, too.

8) I decided to sell the cloth nappies now, during this moving time, because moving and cloth don’t go together well. Also, with two in diapers, I prefer the convenience of disposables during the day. I am debating now between AIO (all in one) cloth nappies or prefolds for Michael and Vi, because I do want to use cloth, but I need something simpler than the assembly that went with my Ella’s House nappies. Any thoughts??

9) Craigslist is big in the US, but Gumtree rules the roost here in Oz. I have been searching for a Like a Bike for Nikki, and I was thrilled when I found one for sale on Gumtree today. It’s brand new, an unwanted prize, and I’m getting a great discount. Hurrah!

10) I feel very blessed to have a precious handful of true friends, and Megan, you are certainly one of them! Thanks for nominating me for this award.

Many thanks to Jen, who thoughtfully included gifts for the older siblings when sending a “welcome baby” gift for Vi. Aren’t these booties adorable?

Vi is working hard to grow into them. Look – here she is now!

Nikki loves her Sassy Frass Hair Band, which many of you, my wonderful readers, have noticed her wearing recently. Hair bands are the only hair accessory Nikki tolerates, and this one is gorgeous, soft, and adjustable! (If you would like to make your own, Jen has posted her original design free for personal use.)

And Michael, well he’s never met a ball he didn’t like, and the set of three Jen knitted have a super-special squish factor that means he can hold more than one in his hand – at the same time!

I can see how these knitted balls will be perfect for traveling, too. They take up little space yet provide instant entertainment, as you can see in this video of Michael-in-action.

Jen also posted about the bundle of gifts here!

From my entire family, Jen, thank you VERY MUCH!

Our day started with a trip to the zoo!

We met Carrie, who has offered to help with Nikki and Michael around the time their younger sibling is born. Carrie taught at Forte School of Music and remembers when Michael was just sitting up. We had a fun time touring the zoo with Carrie and her boyfriend’s family.

After the zoo, we Americans decided to drive down to Fremantle, where a US aircraft carrier and her escort were rumored to be docked. We had seen some of the 5000 sailors in Perth on a weekend pass, so we thought the carrier had to be nearby. None of us had seen an aircraft carrier in person, so it was pretty exciting!

 

 

Happy Independence Day!

Mercy is falling, is falling, is falling
Mercy it falls, like the sweet spring rain.
Mercy is falling, is falling, all over me.

 

Hey-O, I receive your mercy
Hey-O, I receive your grace
Hey-O, and I will dance forevermore!

I really feel like that right now. Mercy is falling, all over me!

Out of the blue I have received several very generous offers.

On Saturday we went along to a birthday party for a 2-year-old, and a couple of the ladies from our small group and I were all speculating that I’m probably having a girl this time (due to food preferences and because my bump isn’t very pointy – it was me and and couple doctors – we were extremely scientific!). And right then Carolyn offered me the girl clothes she’s been saving just in case they had another one.

Last Friday Katharine from the coffee morning I attend with a different group of women, also from church, gifted me 2-year-old boy clothing her son had just outgrown.

Also last week, on Tuesday at music class, the other mums were asking if I would be back next term. I mentioned my pregnancy as part of the discussion. Carrie, who teaches the class, came up to me afterward and asked if I could use any help entertaining Nikki and Michael or taking care of them around the time of the birth. I think Carrie is fantastic, and she just loves Nikki and Michael. I almost burst into tears because she would be my top choice, and I didn’t even have to ask.

Being pregnant while settling into a new country can be difficult, but I feel that God is very much preparing the way before us. This morning midwife Vanessa came to the house again. I and the baby are well and healthy. Praise God!

Our sincerest thanks to each and every one of you who take the time to include us in your lives.

Just for you, some recent pictures.

Here you can see Nikki giving a hand-puppet cow some numnums while reading a book about things to do in Western Australia. (I believe she’s perusing the jewlery section here.)

Ben and I feel that we are meant to put down roots here in Perth. For us that means focusing on relationships.

I have learned much about friendship from living outside my home culture. And I have some sweeping generalizations to sum up what I have learned:

• It is normal to form a large, less-intimate group of friends in America, but it can be difficult to take those relationships to a deeper level.
• It is the norm in Europe to have a moderately-sized circle of friendships that are actively cultivated through reciprocity.

Although I gave generalizations above, I have a number of American and European friends who follow the reciprocity model, and it is now the model I choose as I seek to be more deliberate in forming new relationships. Here are a few pointers if you would like to give it a try.

• If you want to develop a friendship, invite the person or couple/family to dinner at your house. Always ask about food allergies and preferences.
• After you have had your friend over, do not issue another invitation until he has hosted you at his house.
• If you are asked to dinner, always ask what you can contribute to the meal. Also bring a gift such as a bottle of wine or chocolates, even if you are urged not to bring anything.

As we left Cairo, I heard so many times that people wished they’d gotten to know me sooner so we could have spent more time together. So I am not going to wait until the house is perfect or I feel like I know my way around – this time I’m going to be bold, jump right in, and work out the details later!

I came to Egypt as a very new mum – Nikki was only five weeks old when we moved here. And I have felt so comfortable raising my little ones in this developing country! One reason for my blissful attitude is the strong sense of community among expat mums here. Following is a ‘credits’ list of some fellow mums who have come through for me in big and small ways. Each of these friendships has helped me become a better person and mother.

Julie taught me to navigate Maadi and introduced me to her jeweler
Anja and I had fun at Mums ‘n’ Tots, the Euro Deli, and beyond
Lita and I met at the BioShop and have been hanging out ever since
Ute introduced me to Ferber, and she is so fun to be with
Despina makes life more beautiful, and she introduced us to her furniture maker
Jill says “three kids makes or breaks you – if you make it, you can go for four!’
Nadia thinks of me almost as a daughter
Claire , along with Nerida and Melinda makes Baby Ambrosia, the most delicious baby food on the planet
Melinda must pick up my children whenever she sees them
Nerida put us on to churches in the area we stayed in London while awaiting Michael’s birth
Irena combines patience and long-suffering with a great sense of humor
Barbara and I share Nadia’s time, and she helped me find beautiful playroom carpets
Aroma invited me to give my first babywearing demonstration to a group
Ruth runs Pop-In-And-Sing, where Nikki learned the motions and words to ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’
Barb helped me find Freedom in Christ and develop my spiritual gift
Aileen always had the best toys ready for Nikki when we went to her house
Irene struggled to breathe the Cairo air, yet led a successful WHO breastfeeding campaign here
Lisa and I enjoyed chatting while finding the best-shaded roads to walk down
Margaret provided information on Perth churches
Lise let me borrow some cute maternity clothes
Maya painted me wearing Nikki in a front cross carry
Michelle and I were pregnant at the same time; she also gave me Woolite pet stain remover and two nursing bras
Jacqui is a fellow lactivist and so warm and friendly
Timothia is a joy to me and a prayer warrior
Mihela is my newest friend- I ran across the sanctuary/tent to meet her at church because she wears Hannah in an Ergo

How have you been a friend today?

My friend Lorraine is new here to Maadi , and when I was showing her around town she was excited to pick up seeds at the BioShop – the closest thing we have to a health food store – to use in her homemade bread. I was impressed to discover that she was raised on a farm in Northern Ireland, and she knows
how to make bread from scratch. I expressed my admiration, and this weekend when she and Matt had us over for a barbeque, she presented me with “Ma Beacom’s Irish Soda / Wheaten Bread” recipe.

This evening I had the oven on to vertically roast a chicken a la Megan . I tentatively pulled out the bread recipe Lorraine had given me. We had all the necessary ingredients. So I quickly mixed them together, frightened that I would mix too much, something Lorraine had warned me about. I put the loaf pan in the oven. Thirty-five minutes later, this is what emerged.

Ben says, “Mmmmm… Practice loaves.”