So it has taken us over 10 months to actually write an update. Suz started one in about July but never got around to finishing it! College life has been INTERESTING! Many many upsides but also some downsides. January - As you will all know we moved down in January 2011. It was challenging as Suz learnt what it was like to be a solo Mum for 3 weeks while Logan continued working. It was a huge learning thing and Suz now realises in a small way what is like for Mums and Dads who do it full time with more than one child. Not to mention half the challenges were also settling the boys into their new home, and their new surroundings. February - February saw us sending our baby (Elias) off to preschool for the first time in his life and that was hard! He enjoyed going and now every day he asks if it preschool day even in the holidays! February also saw us sending our second school boy to school! We took him for the first four days and each of those days he cried but the Friday we talked him into trying the walking school bus and from that day on he was fine! There were no more problems. He is an intelligent boy and loves learning! Our parent interview in September told us he has a spelling level of a 9 year old!! He has a great imagination and an incredible memory! He loves different languages specifically Maori and he also learnt Spanish off watching Dora the Explorer and Handy Manny. On Febrary 16th we officially started at college, we were called on to the campus with a powhiri by the second year session. Then we were into two days of team building stuff through BMAC (Blue Mountain Adventure Centre) and then we were into the courses! March - In March, The Proclaimers were welcomed into the Central Division. We had a wonderful meeting and we were pretty much the centre of attention. (Pretty much = sitting on the stage in front of a huge amount of people!) April/May - Are pretty much a blur with what seemed like a thousand assignments and preaching sermons etc etc June/July - We celebrated Elias' 3rd birthday with a few of his friends from college. In July we had 2 weeks of holiday. We stayed in Palmerston North for 1 week with family and caught up with a few people - it's a shame we didn't have longer because there were many more people we wanted to catch up with. We do get another 2 weeks in December/January. The second week, not so good! Suz caught the flu, something she had never had in her life before and everyone at college had it a few months previously but The Bathursts didn't catch it! Time to take up the free flu sots now!! August/September - August was a mixed month. Suz had an Uncle pass away and the same day she went up home for the funeral her sister Nicole had her baby Nataliah. So that weekend was a mixed blessing, and can't forget to mention the SNOW!!! Check out the snow pictures and story HERE. October - October we have celebrated our 8th Wedding Anniversary, enjoyed a 3 day visit from Nicole, Ana and baby Nataliah. They also got to share in a very special occasion - Malachi's Junior Soldier Enrolment - SEE HERE Some of the struggles have been:
Please continue praying for us if you do already, we most definitely need them, and please send us messages. We would love to know there are people praying and encouraging us along the way. It is especially helpful when we get a random encouragement and it is at the right time, just when we need it. Be blessed! xo |