The special decoration

Each week the same pots and flowers
A tender gesture....that was not wasted on me.
I watched the Movie "The Help " this morning....what a truly great movie I'm also reading the book although have not touched it for days.

Very last entry

Leave for the airport in 1 hour
Feel good and grateful for my blessings.
Still sad but ever so grateful to have had this time.
No not really angry with my man so unreasonable...just anxious.
Luke gave me a blessing. And all will be well.
Will have to have some extra hugs from that little baby ...his crying so got to go.
xxx

Last entry

Have a thousand mixed emotions happy to go home sad to leave family here anxious about Nic and the children relieved that Anthony seems to be doing better...scared to ring up to find if there are any changes in the situation there.
Wishing Tone was here to take me back home..angry that his not....unreasonable I know.....wearing everthing on my sleeve today.....and then you pretend that all is well....so not to worry those you leave behind.
Really have to get a hold of myself at the Airport.
But on a happier note It has been a wonderful stay have enjoyed being here with Our darling Family and the new little baby.... Having gone to Salt Lake City was a huge blessing and seem to solidify our Marriage even more..... Have eaten some wonderful meals and have met some really nice people...seen some great scenery and have fallen in love with Seattles'Trees..... Slept in a very comfortable bed had lots of cuddles with Patch.... Stood in the snow....cooked some dreadful meals. Walked around in the Shopping Centre by myself. Had a few little cries..and many laughs.....and have thoroughly enjoyed being with Naomi.
If I think of anything more I may have time a little later on ...if not this will be my last entry.

So far so good

Just spoke to Nic....Anthony responded well to an IV of antibiotics.... He is now on oral so Nic asked if she could takr him home to Sione's brother's place so she can be with the girls and Naki as well ..... they could see that she is a responsable person...so she was allowed to go home...with the instant ability to go back into Hospital if need be......Also it was little Peni's Birthday yesterday.
This is my last night here and I'm finding my emotions pretty up there.
But I must stay brave.

Little Anthony in Hospital

Poor little darling ..he is in Hospital in Tonga......that in it's self is a little worrying
Nic and Sione and there kids have sure been and going through a trial of fire.....all they can rely on is Faith in Heavenly Father.....So hard for Sione to be in Australia and his family in Tonga
All the children have been ill......they don't know what Anthony has but his temp has been up for 5 days now....we are all praying

The Cheesecake Shop

Oh what a beautiful meal..... Best I have had since being here Shop bought that is.....Debbie's meals have been really delicious..... Not any I have made .... Maybe a Spinach Tart I made was good....although it cost the Earth to make.
Anyway it's called The Cheesecake Shop....the inside of the Restaurant is spectacular and it's huge.....I had a fish dish which was out of this world. The price is good as well...every time they go it's so busy that each time you have to wait at least 30 minutes.

For Nanna

Some special photo's of two precious little men....

We are blessed

With another boy......so we now have 10 boy grandchildren and 7 girls....Adoption has just been granted to Nicolette and Sione...in Tonga.....so welcome little Ha'Noah. Have no idea how to spell it nor have we seen him...he was an abandoned baby and is 6 months old......we love him and he will be as if he were born to them and us....I will have to get another Pandora little boy for my bracelet. Which I proudly wear each day.
Not sure of the travelling arrangements but I know Nic and the three children will be coming home the 21st of March and I think they have to go back for the baby in a month's time.
All to do with an Australian Visa for him.

So far a quiet day

Loads of washing and other things.....the dryer had broken down and as there is not a washing line to be seen here ( wouldn't dry anyway ) the dryeris heavily relied on...it's now fixed and so it's catch up day.....Luke is sick.... With a sore throat...and Manly is looking a little bit off...hopefully little Patch won't get whatever and I don't fancy coming home that long way not feeling the best.
Funny weather ...... snow and then the Sun comes out...well it's a peekaboo type of Sun.
My attempts of cooking have been a bit miserable...if I lived here.I would have to re think my recipes...I am so surprised with such huge shops there is not one sauce type.... like Chicken Sauces or even beef sauces for meals like we get at home...last night I made a stir fry and managed to find one stir fry sauce and that was in the International section.
Now if I were to make anything with Chillies in it there is loads of that.
Must go and do some more housework..... It never really ends does it........

An entry a day I promised myself

Although it's really late I thought I would write a little entry.
We spoke to Nic today....my gosh my admiration for her is enormous..... She is doing it tough.
No electricity at all. The generator has broken down.... No running water....the children have been sick and are sick right now, the food in Tonga is absorbedent....a small packet of Weet Bix is over $4 the price of petrol is nearly $4 a litre....she said that the heat has been dreadful.... And that the last few weeks she has really been doing it tough.
I can't think of to many people who would do what they are doing.
I am trying to imagine ...how hard it is to live without power or running water alone.
And the care of four little children...... Sione's Mother she says has been an angel as have the rest of his family.
Tomorrow they go to Court for the Adoption of this precious child....
We are praying and we have Faith.
They Nic. Sione and their Family could not be doing anything more then what they are.

Why Airports?

I have been pondering that for sometime......I think it is something to do with Authority....I absolutely Hate going through the checks......not that I have anything to worry about..... But .... For some reason....I expect the worse and also if I don't know the way and there is a time schedule.....
I haven't always been this way.....it's only since getting older.
I was pulled over in Honolulu......nearly lost all my make up, because I didn't put it all in a clear plastic bag......luckily I had one in my bag that I had put my ipad in.......thanks to Jeni......I do remember her telling me now about the plastic bags.

Still interesting

I finished watching the whole programme .... Of course
It went on to say the hard job women have in taking care of their children who were born disabled...... Some other Professor did tests on these women and all of them were found lacking in some thing that I cannot name...because I don't know the technical name for it... Part of there finding was that chronic stress which they had was due to not enough ...... For the want of not knowing how to explain properly
Enough release of that stress.......they got these women together regularly ..... where they could talk and laugh as only they could about some of their situations with their children...As one Mother put it "No one else could
ever say what we can, we wouldn't let them".........Anyway it had a remarkable affect for the good.
The conclusion of the programme was that all of us need to feel successful and valued and also be really involved in helping others.
These things actually make a physical change in our bodies
Proven data after 30 years of investigating for several Scientests.
So the Lord knew all along how important it is to lose ones self in helping another... It benefits the giver and the receiver
Ahhh yes The Gospel is true
It's 12.15 am time to sleep thought I would stay up and feed the baby Naomi's expressed milk and let them sleep.

Alone and gob smacked

Everyone is in bed and I thought oh this programme looks imteresting to watch...it's called Stress and how it affects the body....
Half way through it switches to a documentry and data that was and is collected by a Professor in Holland when it was occupied by the Germans during world war two on babies who were carried in the latter part of 1944 during the Dutch Winter.....which I was, and how these babies were stressed during invitro which has altered there cells ...Left imprints.... It's been documented that these children have different reations to some stresses of life more then other babies born elsewhere at the same time.....Now it is something that I have thought about for sometime as I get stessed about strange things ..... like Airports ....... I have always wondered if having been carried during such a savage time in the war.....and my parents living so close to the German Border if all that did'nt affect my Mother and if that may have had an affect on me as a Fetus...
I remember my Mother telling me that while she was in labour she could hear bombs going off around her.
intersting....I will continue watching

Day of relaxation

Today was a day of rest...sitting watching T.V. Holding Patch...the funny little fellow he hates being undressed .... Or having a nappy change.....it's lovely to hear Naomi talking softly to him and he sometimes settles him right down.....I am cuddling him right now...... He loves his Grandma Donald as Manly calls me......he has a huge appetite and Naomi is a big provider..... Although her poor N..... Fair skinned people usually do suffer
It snowed a little today.

Not again !!!!!

Here it was Really early this morning I needed to go to the loo and not wanting to make any noise slipped quietly into my doomed room......and guess what happened ......it blocked ....so here I am with a large plunger .....push and pulling this silly thing making loads of noise.Eventually with a great suction noise it unblocks.....of course I managed to wake those that slept. Haha

Blessed Day

Today Patch was named and blessed
Not often seen here so early after birth apparently.......I feel blessed as it was done because of my return home Monday week........it will be hard to say goodbye.
Very special blessing.....amongst other things it seems that he will have a sense of humour......and be a giant in Stature and in Spiritually.......So glad that I was here.
The girls in this photo is some of Naomi's friends who really love her and she gets on really well with them.....she met them through Volley Ball 6 of them came for the blessing.....this is not there Ward.

Our new little family

I guess the pictures tell there own stories....so very cute.
You really forget how tiny a new baby is .....look closely and you can see little Patch.

Just in case

Any of you are confused about our little man's name it's
Patch Theo Holder

Might sound strange

I was thinking about what I have written about all of us sleeping with earplugs.....Naomi sleeps with them ....because Luke snores.....I slept with them last night because the baby was unsettled....I don't know why Luke sleeps with them probably because I snore.....
Luke and Naomi are very attentive with the baby.....so far they take turns in looking after him
Lukes shift at the moment is till 1.30 am and then Naomi will take over hopefully feed him and hopefully he will go back to sleep...only the second night home and Patch is still a little unsettled....but his better tonight so far.
I felt homesick for Tony tonight
We had a meal dropped off tonight Lovely of course.....I'm surprised that so many things here are Mexican flavoured...I really thought that America was multi cultural and that it wouldn't be hard getting certain sauces....like curries for instance..... But I think I would have to go to a speciality store for that... Even though the Supermarkets are huge.....one brand of Coconut milk and then only two or three cans of it.
Maybe it's only like that here in Seattle.
Manly is sleeping over at Grandma Debbies tonight...he loves her and loves being with her....I think it is good as Naomi can really rest up.
Time for me to go to sleep...no ear plugs as I can't hear the lttle man at all.

The name Theo

Yesterday when Naomi was still in the Hospital and they had decided on the first name....but wouldn't tell me yet.....asked me about different names of family like Grandfathers and surnames of Mothers etc......Patch was going to be Patch Mc Gurk......Mc Gurk is Tomy Mother's maiden name ...... But then I mentioned Theo.....really Theodorus.....this is my Father's Father name.....My Grandfather was a magnificent man ....He was a Chief Policeman and his duty was over a city called Grave..Holland.....which is where I was born.
After he died which was before I was born.....the family found a box .... With many many bits of paper with a record of people that he had helped.....and never required it to be paid back.
My Dad called it ....A magnificent obsession......
Naomi just told me that Luke really loved the name Theo and it was he who really wanted it.
after any other suggestion Luke kept coming back to Theo.
So I feel honored that they named his second name after my Grandfather
Debbie Luke's Mother was just relieved that it wasn't Mc Gurk!!!!!