Bramley Famli

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.

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.

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.

What a wonderful sign I got to see over the weekend, as I drove to a party that Carli (and the family) were invited to.  I’ve seen Leish’s signs that read ‘To Let’. They’re in our garage, in her boot, and I’ve been with her to stick them up. But this was the first one I’ve seen that said “Let By”.

Of course it’s not the first spot Leish has rented out, she’s been a machine for a year now with Aim High Properties. She tells us all about them (and some of her stories are amazing), but we’ve not been treated to a visit to a post-rented spot. Not until Saturday.

Go Leisha, Go Leisha, Go Leisha, Go, Go!

Want to see the pic in a larger format? Click here.

3 weeks away! We’ve not done that together as a family. We do try and go away a lot, but we’ve never gone for this long. We’ve always talked about it, dreamed about, intended to do it, but this was the first time we’ve done it. And it was the most wonderful time ever.

We took a two week booking from some friends who changed their holiday plans and spent that part of the holiday in Plettenberg Bay. We’ve not been there before and it was wonderful The beaches were great, the weather rocked and I think, bar two days, we visited the beach every day.

While Jordi pushed herself further than she ever has, the waves were still a little too daunting to fully master feeling comfortable with a ‘complete’ swimming experience. Carli took a few days to warm up to the sea, but once she did, we couldn’t keep her out of the water.

The girls got ‘tattoos’ on one of the days. A little more complex and involved than the ones you get from the vending machines in Spur, and they were very proud of them, while they lasted. See the pics for more detail.

One of my favourite memories of the holiday was on our last day in Plett. Leish and I started a ‘happy experience’ thing each morning. We’d ask each other for something that would make a happy on each day. Our last day was to swim together in the sea. It ended up being the worst day of weather we had, but we still managed to make it down to the beach in the afternoon. As I played at the back-line, I waved for Leish to come in. She hates water temp that isn’t fairly close to bath heat, and so I expected her to answer with a ‘no’. But to the amazement of me, and the girls, she got up, and did a ‘baywatch’ as she ran across the beach, and glided through the waves to the back-line. We didn’t stay long, but it was a memory I will remember. It was a ‘happy’.

From Plett we moved onto Franschhoek to a friends wedding at Rickety Bridge (see the previous post). We got to visit with our friends Tracy and Cade, and in general had a really relaxing end, with some unique experiences, before heading back to Jozi, via Bloem.

So another 11 months to the next one of these. Work work work for 3 weeks of complete relaxation and fun. Yes please.

Click here to see some pics.

Harley D got married. For those that know him, it’s for real, we were there, and we saw it with our own two eyes. He’s married Charmaine. We only met her the night before, and over the time we spent with her, they look like they’re in looooove.

The Wedding was at Rickety Bridge and as weddings go, it was a goodie. Lotsa fun, short ceremony, horse drawn carriage entry, dancing, entertaining speeches and an amazing MC (me : )

It was a new family experience for us, as Jordi stayed awake and involved for the entire evening and so Leish and my dancing was curtailed as Jordi took us out for a spin and a spin and another spin on the dance floor. It was wonderful. I did get to dance with Leish, and it confirmed what we know…. that we love dancing together. I love dancing with Leish. One of my most favourite things to do with her.

To see some pics of the wedding, click here.

I have some more pics and will upload, but this pic was taken this morning by a friend. It’s Carli, Emily and Jordi. The beauty of the pic is the poster in the background. Julie didn’t compose the pic knowing it was there, and only saw it afterwards. What a beautiful caption on an exciting day.

Jordi moved to Grade 4 and Carli started Grade 1. All sorts of emotions were flying around this morning. Mostly nervousness. Leish did an amazing job prepping all of us for today. It was a day that worked so smoothly, kept emotions in check, and included us having to jump-start Leish’s car after standing for 3 weeks while we’re away.

Click here to see the full image.

A couple of posts back I wrote briefly of the ‘little pink things’ that Carli and I got from Pete at Peter Bee Pets in Krugersdorp. Going with Carli (or Jordi) to visit Pete is always a treat. He has the best Pet Shop with the most interesting stuff (animals) that I’ve ever seen. And he’s always so good with the girls. Let’s them hold, touch, feed, play, etc with whatever catches their eye. And there’s lots to catch their eye. There’s nothing Pete has that’s normal or usual.

Our last trip was mid-December and I got some pics of Carli with some of the amazing creatures that Pete has in his shop.

Click here to see the pics.

A touch late posting this entry : ) Halloween has come and gone, but I only updated the photos yesterday.

I had to work on the evening, but the girls went, and they had a blast. Although I do believe that the person who had arranged it got some of the timing wrong and so they only caught the end of the community event. Never-the-less, the girls went to town.

Leish also got involved and scary. The pic I’ve used in the entry has a funny story to it. Leish sent it to me via her phone. I replied ‘why is Carli the only one smiling?” Apparently when Carli saw it, she asked why Leish was smiling? : )

Click here for more pics.

This is a great read (look) at what the world would look like if the internet disappeared today. A photo contest by the readers of Cracked.com. Some really fun stuff to think about how much the world has changed : )

While there’s a lot that’s funny, there is a reality check and reminder at how much has changed in our lives in such a short time. How much we take for granted because of the internet, and how much we wouldn’t have in our world if it never existed. Certainly we could do without some of it, but also how much we can do, how many people we’re in touch with, how many connections we have (meaningful and meaningless) because of the networked world we now live in.

It’s probably too large to think about, so for now, take a look and smile for a little while : )

And to be honest I don’t get the winner? If you could help me with that I’d be grateful…..