The Bike

When Nicholas was 3yrs I bought him a bike from good ole trade me for a bargin price. At the start he was very keen and rode the bike but as he got older he lost interest to the point he was not confident to ride.

Nicholas's school had an annual triathalon coming up so we went out on Saturday to get him a new bike. When we walked into the shop Nicholas's eyes were big and excited. The lady pulled a bike out of the display window and asked Nicholas if he wanted to have a ride. I was a little nervous and told her he's not that confident on a bike, just as I said that Nicholas was on the bike riding around the shop I was amazed and I could see that Nicholas was very proud of himself. Although the bike had trainers he was so confident he manged to manoeuvre himself around the bikes and other customers.

Dave walked into the shop and Nicholas was yelling watch me dad watch me. That sold it for Dave and thus Nicholas's new bike was purchased. He rode the bike back to the car through the mall into the elevator.

When we got home I said to Nicholas now you'll be able to do the triathalon at your school. He replied "No I can't the triathalon is on a Sunday and we go to church silly mum" Why don't I read notices properly?????

Dave Graduates

On Friday 20/3/09 Dave graduated with a diploma in Construction Quantity Survey. Its been a long time coming and well deserved. Nicholas, Kate and I went to the town hall to watch Dave graduate. I was well prepared with food, drinks, and quiet entertainment for the kids as graduation does tend to go on for quiet sometime. Still spent most of the time out in the foyer pushing Kate around in the pram popping my head in the door to see if Dave was next.

The ceremony started and as the graduates marched into the hall there was lots of clapping and cheering from me and then I was totally blown away when the carpentry students as they walked/stumbled in. What a bunch of scruffy hobo's they stunk of alcohol and acted like stupid adolescents. These blokes were graduating with other people who had done there masters and post grad dipolmas etc. To top it off when they walked across the stage some were just idiots. What a kick in the guts to those students who had worked hard to have these boys make the graduation a joke. I mean these carpentry students were getting a certificate for passing a pre-trade entry certificate most of them probably don't have an apprenticeship yet. As for the bloke who won the Naylor Love Scholarship (he would have known he was the successful recepient) he couldn't even make the effort to look a little descent. I don't know maybe I'm a snob but I think graduation is a special moment and thus looking respectable is part of it don't you think????

Sleeping with the Saviour

Not so long ago I bought a new picture of the Saviour to put on the mantel piece. I thought, what could I do with the old picture. Nicholas asked if he could have it in his room I said what a great idea. Nicholas takes the picture of Jesus and places it on his bookcase beside his bed. Lately when I've been going in at night to make sure he is tucked in before I go to bed, I've noticed Jesus was not on the bookcase but in bed with Nicholas. When I try to move it Nicholas must sense its being move and slaps his hand on the picture as if to say DON"T TOUCH. I asked him one morning why he sleeps with the picture of Jesus? He replies cause I love him and I sleep better with him there.

On Friday we went to Wanaka for the weekend and when we got to our motel Nicholas was playing on his bed and then a horror look came over his face. Oh no guess what mum?? What I said. I left Jesus at home how am I going to sleep? I told Nicholas that Jesus lives in our hearts and that he is with us always. Nicholas thought about it but I don't think he was convinced. When I opened our bag Jesus's picture was laying right on top of the clothes. Nicholas I said look what I found as I pulled the picture out of the bag a sense of relieve was on Nicholas face and a big smile "give it to me please mum" and he places Jesus under his pillow. Just then Dave walked in and Nicholas said look dad Jesus is with us .......... I looked at Dave and he said he put it in just in case.

1 whole year!!!!

Kate 6/3/08

Yes today our baby Kate is 1 years old. Oh my gosh where has that year gone??? Here is a run down on Kate thus far:

• She is a serious little girl but once she gets to know you she will give you the biggest smile
• She has a real temper and she's a screamer
• She has 6 teeth
• She is walking
• She loves her baby doll
• She great at climbing especially the stairs
• She plays hide n seek
• A real giggle girt
• She says mum, dad, up, gagagag
• She loves playing the piano and dancing
• She loves her food espescially daddy's she is always beside him at meal times
• She still refuses the bottle but loves her sippy straw cup
• She hurts when she bites me at breast feeding time (I'm looking forward to ending that)
• She generally sleeps all night
• She loves her brothers and sister they get big cuddles
• She is absolutely gorgeous and we are very blessed to have her

Watching her grow is so special and I am so looking forward to the up and coming years to watch her grow even more Love you sweetheart hope you have many more special birthdays xxxx

The Boarders

Now that Stacey has left home and Ben only comes home occasionally we had two empty rooms so Dave and I decided to take on a boarder. Lucky for us Alison from church was looking to board this year and so I offered her the room she accepted and so she has been with us for a week. Also I agreed to look after Andrew and Mary Mitchell boarder whilst they were in Korea so Louisa moved in too. This past week has been awesome I have really enjoyed both girls and we have had some laughs. I played scrabble for the first time and lost. I helped Louisa with her hair and funny they asked me what I wore in the 80's as they were going to a YSA dance 80's theme. That prompted me to get out my photo albums just to see what I did wear in the 80's they had a good laugh at my expense (actually I was laughing just as much). Alison introduced me to Heros which is great although I'm not up with the play with all the characters and I don't really know what its about and now its not on anymore. I have found that I watch less TV and we've had some great conversation, even tonight Dave and I found ourselves bearing our testimonies and telling the girls our life history the good the bad and the ugly it made us realise we were so comfortable with them that we could talk so openly. I'm generally not the shy type anyway but Dave is somewhat reserved. The hardest thing for me this week was establishing boundaries with both girls. Moreso with Louisa as she is the same age as Stacey my mother instincts kicked in a couple of times. One night I was just going off to bed and she wasn't home I asked myself should I text and ask when she was coming home or is that crossing the boundaries. Although I didn't text I did get up during the night to check that she was home just like I use to do with Stacey. Louisa leaves us today but I told her she is welcome back anytime. As for Alison I'm sure we are going to have good times. Dave is just happy to have a BMW parked outside the house

Reflection

I have been thinking about the past 10 years and WOW alot of things have happened. The thought of turning 30 was depressing for me I hated the thought of not being 20 something anymore. However, now that I am 40 the past 10 years have been the most happier times. Here is a quick overview:

1999:

Dave and I celebrate being together for 3 years we bought and sold our first home. We buy our second home at 24 Ryehill Street, Carlton Hill, Dunedin. Dave and I are made redundant from our factory jobs. Dave goes and retrains as a carpenter through the Otago Polytechnic and gets a part time job at Carters. I get two part time jobs: 1) waitress at the Leviathan Hotel 2) Hospital Aide at ODHB. I also decided I wanted to be a Registered Nurse and so I do night classes to complete pre-requiste paper to apply for nursing school. Stacey 9 and Ben 6 were living with their dad in Kurow seeing them monthly and school holidays. I got accepted into nursing school.

2000:

Dave completes his carpentry course and wins a scholarship and gets an apprenticeship with Naylor Love Construction. I begin my nursing training part-time and work part-time. Although studying part-time I still manage to complete and pass 10 papers. Dave renovates Ryehill Street. Reunite with my mother for the first time in 11 years.

2001:

Life for Dave and myself is strained somewhat. Nursing school continues and Dave battles on with his apprenticeship. Meet Phil and Annemarie Amende. Although Dave knew Phil as a buddy from school and I had met Annemarie previous in a musical somehow they had found each other and got married and I happened to see their photograph in a community paper with their brand new son Benjamin. I looked through the phone book and phoned the first Amende phone number which happened to be Daphne and the rest is history........

2002:

Dave and I are introduced to the Book of Mormon and we started investigating the church. I loved everything about the church right up until the part where you had to get married. Being married again was not on my agenda as my first marriage was a disaster. However spending time with Phil and Annemarie in their home always feeling and seeing the love, happiness and peace, I really wanted that for Dave and myself. Watching other church members with that same happiness made me jealous. I decided if accepting Jesus Christ into my life and getting married was all I had to do to get just a little bit of happiness then I had nothing to loose. Dave had his issues with joining but marriage wasn't one of them he was ecstatic when I agreed to be his wife. October 5th we got married and October 6th we were both baptised and became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Nursing School continues and still working 2 part-time jobs.

2003:

OH NO!!! found out I was pregnant (wasn't expecting that). Left one of my jobs as I had to attend nursing school full time. Sold our house and lived with the Amende family until April. Moved into Blackhead Road. Received my first calling as second counsellor in young womens (what a disaster councellor I made) released from the calling. Dave gets a new job as a contracts manager in the office of Naylor Love. Nicholas David Finnie was born 1st October by C sections spent two days in hospital losing valuable nursing school lectures. On the third day returned back to nursing school for Bioscience lecture (crazy I know).

2004

Kate and Craig Jenkins became Nicholas carers whilst I finish my final year at nursing school (thank goodness). Dave renovates the house and we sell it and move to Oakwood Avenue, Mornington. Kate and Craig leave NZ and Nicholas is placed into Montessori. Dave's mother remarries. I graduate with a Bachelors Degree of Nursing. Apply for job in the public hosptital as a new graduate nurse. Dave and I wonder away from church.

2005:

Dave and I back at church. I was accepted onto the new grad programme and started in CCU on the 5th Feb (scarey). Stacey came and lived with us. That was a happy moment for me and to top it off she was baptised and became a member of the church. Started post grad paper pharmacology. Received calling as branch chorister.

2006:

Sold the house and moved in with the Amende family whilst Dave built a brand new house for us in Mosgiel. He started in August and we moved in boxing day awesome effort. Received a calling as music leader in Primary. First Primary presentation.

2007:

Sold my beautiful home and moved back into town 16 Galloway Street, Mornington. Dave received the M/preisthood. We went to the temple and were sealed with Nicholas. Became pregnant. Stacey left school and started an apprenticeship as a pharmacist tech.

2008:

Leon move into our house for a few months. Finished work, Kate Sarah Finnie born 6 March stayed in hospital for two hours went home. Had 14 weeks maternity leave and started back working 2 nights a week, Nicholas started school. Stacey went flatting. Went camping for the first time in a tent and started a family tradition.

2009:

I turned 40 and what this year will bring hopefully many more blessings and happy times watch the space......................