Books, binders and bee stings

So day one of school came and went this past Tuesday! Check out the story in pictures - especially the big twist at the end!

The day started with all smiles, new books and new clothes. Everyone was so pumped - not a tear in the group ... even from mum!

They walked hand-in-hand all the way from the car to the school - and said hello to the crossing guard.

There were lots of kisses...

... and hugs.

Ella put on lipstick in line (this is my six-year-old grade one daughter here!). And then it happened ...

... a bee stung her on the face! While she stood in line! What?! Must have been the honey-flavored lip balm.

How was yours or your child's first day of school this year?

A picture tells 1000 words...

My two youngest princesses - Ella and Jordy - recently tried buffalo wings for the first time. Ella loved it ... Jordy not so much.

Can you guess who is who?

Confessions of a proud father...

I'm so proud of my daughter ... here's why:



She's good right?

The one about pools, parenting and paternal pride

There's this pool in the complex that we live in that has pretty much become my daughter's home away from home this summer - they're Australian afterall, so they love to swim.

Anyway, since the pool opened Meg has taken them there nearly every day ... and nearly every day they've complained that I've been too busy to go with them. So, this past Friday I finally went with them. When we got there, the complaining started again - this time because I wasn't in the pool with them!

"C'mon Dad! Come in!"
"We want you to play with us Daddy!"
"Why didn't you bwing your bavers Dadda?"

So come Saturday, I decided to take them to the pool again and this time, get in the water.

We walked in the pool gate and they immediately ran to the water, leaving me to pick up towels and hats and goggles and assorted swimming attire. And apparently the 50 meter walk to the seats where I put their stuff was too long for them.

"When are you coming in Dad?"
"Dad! You said you were coming in ... what are you doing?"]
"Come on pwease Dadda"

They went on and on at the top of their little lungs! Just four minutes into the barrage I looked up at the lifeguard on duty who gave me a look that said; "Dude ... get in the water with your kids or shut them up".

Now, this was early morning and it was rather chilly, so I didn't exactly cannonball into the water. Again came the shouting:

"Hurry up Dad!"
"Come play Daddy!"
"Come up this end wiff me Dadda."

When I finally went under and arose from the frozen depths, it was to a chorus of cheering and hooting. I spent the next 50 minutes playing, splashing, being the pool monster, organizing races, giving piggyback rides, throwing beach balls and dragging kids around on noodles.

Then i occurred to me: my kids wanted me in the water because they wanted to show me off. They wanted to proudly display to all the old couples at the pool that their dad wanted to spend time with them and make them laugh!

All this time I'd been putting work ahead of the pool, emails ahead of playing, and meetings ahead of games, but rather than be mad at me or feel jealous of my job, all my three daughters wanted was to love on me and show me off as a fun-loving dad.

What I'm learning is that I recently spent all this time in the woods trying to get my relationship with God right ... but had spent no time in the pool getting my relationship with my girls right. And all they really wanted was an opportunity to show me how much they love to be with me!

So now I'm spending time in the woods and the pool. Anyone know of any other places with a double 'o' in them?

Daddy daughter fun!

Introducing the next great artist...

Okay folks. Self indulgent moment coming. I'm SO proud of my daughter Chelsea that I just have to post this. Forgive me? Good.

So last night Chelsea was honored at the Fourth Annual Madison Public Schools District Art Show at Drew University in Madison. She was the only kid to have two pieces on display - and took a texta to sign autographs as needed. Here are the pics:

Her opus depicting the movement of basketball.

Her certificate.

The girls wanted me to dress up for the occasion so I obliged.

For the record, I was the only one who asked for an autograph. And I will cherish it forever!

She's so proud...

So, I'm driving home from soccer on Saturday morning with Meg and the girls - one of whom (Chelsea) is sporting a shiny new medal from her soccer coach for making it through the season.

As we left the field, I took this photo of Chelsea and she says to me; "Dad, you can put this photo up on your blog!"

It made me think: I wonder if she's proud of me and my blog, or just herself. Either way, I love her and loved the smile on her face as she proudly showed-off her medal (which is yet to come off her neck!).

What was the last medal you got?

It's WAAAAYYY too early, girl!

Imagine the scene: a happy family are shopping through a mall when the daughter finds the wedding dress she's been searching for. She happily tries it on and it's a perfect fit! The family smile and take photos...

That's sweet right? Except for the fact that the young girl is my daughter. And she's FIVE!

Ella has been planning her wedding since she was about three. That was when she first met her future-husband, Noah. Noah was also three at the time, and happily agreed.

Before we moved from Australia, they had  planned the place of the wedding (the grass in Noah's backyard), where they would live (with Noah's parents, our good friends Sam and Steve), and Ella even knows her last name will change (to Goodwin).

So I guess it was only natural that she would pick a dress.

I gotta admit, she look unbelievably gorgeous in it! It fit perfectly and I don't think I've ever seen her this happy before. The smile was infectious! Like an infectious disease ... of some sort ... that people catch.

So we tried the dress on after telling the lady in the store it was "for a wedding" (hey it wasn't a lie). We took photos. Then Jordyn had to come  in and try something on also. We found her a  little bridesmaid dress. She too looked adorable. Man, I got some good lookin' kids!

After a few spins, cuddles and snapshots we went through a valley of tears and tantrums as we asked Ella to take the dress off. Then, as we walked out of the shop (Ella's bottom lip had dropped so far that it was outside the shop three seconds before she was), she stumbled on the most fitting accessory - the suit she expects Noah to wear.

 Is that adorable or what!

Well travelled

Moving across the world definitely took its toll on Meg and I. We were sick, tired and cranky for the best part of a month. The kids however, took all of 12 minutes to acclimatize to life in the US … even less to fit in at Liquid.

After just one service, Chelsea had already made a handful of friends and was selling pet rocks to guests as they left church. Two for a dollar! In that same service, Jordy had a fight with the pastor’s son over a toy (the now infamous Del who she is dating). Ella (who always has a sparkle in her eye) meanwhile had swapped dresses with another girl during her first trip to Liquid Kids.

So you can imagine that it was with no surprise to me when I read Mike Leahy’s blog and found this interesting picture of Jordy during a recent Liquid Kids coloring activity.

While all the other kids a nicely sitting on the carpet drawing and coloring, Jordy has decided to take the group by storm and plonk herself smack bang in the middle of the paper and set up camp. There she sat, “drawing” her pictures and coloring.

So, why put this on the blog? Just to mention and thank the fine folk at Liquid Kids, lead brilliantly by Bobby from the office, for all their help in making the girls feel at home. A special shout out too to Karen and the guys at Liqiud Melbourne, and Lukas at Life Community Church, for setting a foundation for them at church.

One day, when they are all reaching their full potential (or sending me to the funny farm), I’ll know who to thank.

No longer interested...

Jordyn Adamson may only be four years old, but she already knows exactly how to handle her Dad!

Two weeks ago, after a day playing with Del Lucas (four year old son of Tim and Colleen Lucas), Jordy walked into the kitchen where I was eating, took me by the hand into the family room and asked me to sit down on the couch. She had this concerned look on her face which made me wonder if she'd taken the car out the night before, crashed it, and now had to break the news to me.

So she takes my face in her hands and says: "Daddy, I need to talk to you."

By now I was intrigued, and duly asked: "What is is baby?"

"Daddy ... um ... don't be sad, okay. I love you ... but you're not my boyfriend anymore."

Snap. I winced in emotional pain as my heart broke inside my chest. I tried to be strong, but the suddenness and severity of the break-up obviously showed on my face.

"Who is your boyfriend now?" I asked through tear-filled eyes.

"Del," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

As my bottom lip started to protrude Jordy sensed her father's pain and so, without missing a beat, added:

"He's my new boyfriend Dad, but don't worry - I'm still going to marry you!"

You gotta love kids, yeah!