Bramley Famli

On Saturday Carli and Jordi competed in the Bryanston Gymnastics Club annual competition. It’s goal is really, I think, to prepare the gymnasts for the regional competition that’s held a few weeks later. So they compete using the same routine as the regional comp, and a selection of gymnasts get selected to go to the regional comp. I posted something about last years regional comp last year.

This year was Carli’s first competition. She’s not competed before. She’s on level 1 and is in the under 6 age group. She was nervous, we (Leish and I) were nervous, and Jordi was amazing. On the way from picking up Wimpy Coffee and toasted sandwiches, Jordi told me she hoped that there wasn’t any thunder while Carli was on the beam. She’d hate Carli to fall. And she’d be prepared to fall 5 times if it meant that Carli didn’t have to fall once. What a beautiful and caring wish for her sister. I just wanted to give her a great big hug. I couldn’t. I was driving : )

Carli was a star. She ended up 2nd overall, and won her floor and bar routines. She placed in the top 3 for beam and vault. She ended up with 5 medals, and while they were presenting to other age groups and levels, Leish and I watched her count those medals 6 or 7 times. Not sure if she was checking just how many, or if they were all still there? But she certainly seemed very proud. Rightly so.

Jordi’s level and age group was hotly contested. There was no clear ‘super-star’ amongst them. Many of the girls got medals for the different disciplines. Jordi ended up 5th overall and came home with 3 medals. She was disappointed as she loves gymnastics, works really hard, and was hoping to have finished higher up in the rankings. A hard lesson about competition, not getting what you hoped for, and not finishing as high up as she did least year, to watch her learn. She wasn’t interested in us trying to console her. It was a tough afternoon of emotion here at home.

All in all, it was a great day for the two of them. This morning everyone was back to counting medals, talking of the regional competition, and practicing their various routines on the furniture around the house. They do spend more time on their hands than on their feet : )

I’ve posted some pics of the competition here.

Carli turned 7 in April. A big day for her. In many ways. She got older. Both physically, and I think in her self as well. It was a different birthday for her. It felt like the first time she’d ‘owned’ the day. Until this one, she’s always seemed fairly neither-here-nor-there about the day and everything that went into it. But this year she planned, plotted, dreamed, asked for, expected from, etc, etc. We worked hard to make it the celebration she wanted. And reflecting back on it, I think she might say it met her image of what her birthday needed to be.

For those with children that cliche about children growing up so quickly was brought home once again for Leish and I. No more 6 year olds in the house. While Jordi pushes the boundaries on the older end, Carli represents the end of each era for us as a family. So there’s always a hint of sadness as she moves into her next world, but it doesn’t take away from the exciting adventures that she allows us to share with her.

She is an amazing human being in our family. She brings so much that we don’t have, and teaches us things we’d not learn easily if she wasn’t here. Her confidence, imagination, sense of humour, adventure, laugh, need for her own space, her skill with any sport of activity that involves a round objective (ball), her gentle spirit and her loving cuddles. The list is long…

I’ve posted some pics of a little piece of her day. Her ‘big’ present was a drum kit for Guitar Hero (Nintendo Wii) and you’ll see us all playing in the pics.

2 Saturday mornings ago I took Carli, Jordi, Brad and Jason (friends) to Peter Bee Pets. I’ve posted about a visit to Pete before. It’s always fun, simply because Pete has some of the kewlest animals in his shop.

If you’ve not been there, and you don’t mind a trek out to Krugersdorp, then load up your kids and take a visit.

The kids got to touch, play with, feel, watch and experience all sorts of things. From Bearded Dragons, to Water Lizards being fed, to Ball Pythons, to a stunning Cockateel, and of course the 3 alligators in their enclosure.

I’ve posted some pics on my Picasa site. Click here if you’d like a look.

It’s no secret in our home at the moment, that Carli’s gymnastics future is hanging in the balance. She’s bored, or not into it, or over it, or something? But she’s certainly thinking about whether she wants to continue to do it or not. Leish got her to commit to the end of the term, and the end of the term, she is here.

If I’m honest I’m hoping this opens a little opportunity for Carli and I to ride bikes together. She certainly enjoys it more than Jordi, and I’m standing in the wings plotting and planning, that should she throw in her gymnastics towel, that I can offer her 2 attractive slots each week to go down to the MTN/Toyota Cycle Park in Bryanston to ride together. Of course it works for me because of my own BMX history, and the thought of having 2 or 3 hours each week focused on riding with one of our daughters, and maybe both from time to time, gets all the right bells and whistles sounding off in me : )

Of course I’ve got to tread carefully here. Nothing worse than living out your parent’s dreams and fantasies when actually you’d rather be doing something else. So I’m trying not to be too enthusiastic, doing less selling of the idea, and jumping at each opportunity Carli gives when she says anything close to, ‘Hey dad, can we go to the bike park?’. Rain, hail, snow or shine, I’m there : )

Last Monday we went together. Carli on her bike, and me on a rented BMX from the park. Wish I could take a camera with us, but I’m still not sure I’m not going to destroy myself in some over-zealous manoeuvre. So the pic included is in the parking lot before we headed out.

Click here for 2 larger pics.

Easter means lots of different things to lots of different people. Easter also means lots of different things to each member of this family. We’re all at different ages, life stages and understanding of who God is and isn’t in our lives. It makes for a rich conversation full of learning and new understanding each time we explore it together.

This Easter was no different. Looking through the filter of Carli, Jordi, Leish and I gave me fresh perspectives and new learnings as I worked hard to embrace how each of us saw it. We had an Easter full of learning this year as we plugged into the events that Ridgeway (a Church based in Rivonia) put on for it’s members and visitors (us).

On Friday we attended their ‘Stations of the Cross’. They did an amazing job setting up stations for people to go through and reflect on, as they thought through Jesus’ death and resurrection over the Easter weekend. Leish took Jordi through, and I took Carli.

I know Leish has some great insights having gone through with Jordi. Mine came about as I ‘translated’ the reflections into language and context that Carli could grasp. Ridgeway did an amazing job providing practical exercises to bring conceptual ideas into a practical physical space.

For example, in the ‘forgiveness’ station they had two bowls, one filled with a bitter paste and the other with chocolate. The reading above the bowls spoke of what happens when we don’t forgive people who have wronged us? So often there is a bitterness that’s created that we walk around with. But when we’re able to truly forgive, the bitterness goes and is replaced by a sweet taste. It made my work of helping Carli understand the impact of forgiveness, or not, very easy, very palpable, and very real.

And on Sunday we joined them for their Sunrise Service. It was held at one of the Church members homes in Bryanston. The most beautiful home at the top of one of the ridges. Facing the sunrise we were treated to a beautiful start to the day, and again, another very physical illustration of something of what it means to say, ‘Christ has Risen’.

From there we went home to find Easter eggs. This year significantly different in that Carli had asked the question the night before as to who is really behind the ‘Easter Bunny’. Leish and I have agreed that when ‘the question’ is asked that we’ll be honest. Along with the shattered illusion of the Easter Bunny went the Tooth Fairy. She didn’t ask about Father Christmas, but I imagine it’s a question that will be asked as December approaches? Perhaps she wont ask it this year for fear of losing some large presents that Father Christmas is known in our home to bring? We’ll see?

I posted some pics to Picasa from the weekend. Click here to see them.

Here’s a great way to get exposure in today’s over advertised world. Create your own event, shoot your own documentary, get the attention of some large News TV Networks, and you’ve done a fantastic job.

On the night of the October 21st the Real Madrid played Champions League match against AC Milan. Heineken convinced several university professors, girlfriends, and several bosses to convince their students, boyfriends and employees to go to a concert on that night. All of them couldnt say no and had to go to the classical concert.
But…

Well worth a watch if you have 5 minutes.

Direct link to YouTube

Over the weekend we had a little fun with my MacBook’s iCam (the little camera on the top of the laptop). And when I say we, it was Carli, Jordi, Em (a friend of Jordi’s), Leish and I.

I’ve posted some of the pics to Picasa.

Have a look if you’d like to see them.

The girl’s school (Grayston Prep) has a reading drive this year. Simply trying to increase the amount of time all the children read and are read to. It’s linked to some convincing research, so you know that Leish and I are fully behind it.

One of the initiatives has been to invite parents, during school, to read to small groups of children. Yesterday was my second stint with Jordi’s class. I got to read 3 chapters of ‘ The Witches’ by Roald Dahl. I’m ashamed to say I’ve not read one of his books before. And wow, it’s a great read. (I know, a very very sad boy am I)

These opportunities for parents didn’t exist when I was at school. And they’re magical. I couldn’t imagine a better place to be, as Jordi snuggled up next to me while I read, with a smile on her face, that said at least, that she was happy that her dad was there.

I’m lying on the grass watching three little girls laughing their heads off, in what are the last few moments of our long weekend getaway at Sparkling Waters Hotel (Sprinker Waters to Carli). Jordi, Carli and a new friend (we think is called Lauren) are on a see-saw. Jordi has just tumbled off and it is hilarious. It’s been a weekend full of these kinds of moments, and I’m very aware, as I write this, of how grateful I am to be having it.

Leish is with her mom, grabbing some time out. I miss her. The girls miss her, but it’s good to miss and be missed from time to time.

I’ve often read that it’s healthy for couples to go away with their kids on their own from time to time. It is a different dynamic and I can appreciate why it’s healthy. I wondered if single parents wish for a weekend with another ‘parent’ in the same sort of way?

The age of the girls has been great. They’ve been interested in so many different things this weekend. From wanting to sign the drinks invoice to finding much amusement switching an old lamp on and off. There are many highlights when I think about this weekend. Memories I’ll treasure for a long time, and stories I’m sure we’ll be telling and re-telling for months to come.

Click here for a few pics of the weekend.

Jordi competed in her school’s (Grayston Prep) Public Speaking Festival yesterday. Round one happened last week and 3 children from each class in Grade 4 and 5 were selected to go through to yesterday’s round.

Jordi put massive prep into her speech. She built it largely on her own. She wouldn’t take much, if any, advice from mom and dad. And she said it so many times in practice, that all of us at home know it off by heart : )

At yesterday’s festival three children were chosen for ‘speeches with potential’. Jordi was one of those three. She’s thrilled. We’re all thrilled. You’re amazing Jordi. Fantastically so.

Here’s her speech at the Festival. As you’ll see from the shakes in the clip, Leish was extremely nervous : )