I have been keeping up a little with the updates here, so that I can start June with a clean slate. I have to say it’s getting a little weird to catalog our life like this. I think it will be healthy for me to slow down on picture taking when we get home. But I know I will enjoy looking back over our time here, probably even next winter.
May 1
Hiromi takes us to the Chinese markets after music class to look for tapioca pearls, because Lewis wants to make bubble tea. Sam and Naomi Heckathorn, friends from Brisbane, come to stay with us as they begin their New Zealand holidays. Their baby is now a year old. They rent a camper van to travel around the South Island.
May 2
After Bible study, Twill and I join the Heckathorns at Orana Wildlife Park, a zoo here in Christchurch. It’s an incredibly personal zoo, where we get to feed most of the animals. We travel from one feeding to another, with the enthusiastic and helpful volunteers. Twill especially loves feeding the giraffes and the pigs.
May 3
The Heckathorns take off for the west coast as we walk the boys to school. Twill and I head to Adventure Park for Nature Play. I finally return Jane’s tea towel from the loaf of bread she made for us back in March. Twill enjoys the slack lines and the trampoline. We meet a mother there from the Philippines and invite her to join us again for Nature Play.
May 4
Chris, Lewis, Stewart, and Wesley leave before daybreak to climb a mountain. They drive out to conquer Peak Hill. The first ones to the top that day out of 45 hikers counted. Twill and I walk to the farmer’s market in the Riccarton Bush. We get an Indian dosa for lunch, that’s like a lentil crepe, and enjoy a hike through the ancient, protected bush.
May 5
Wesley trips and falls into the counter running into the kitchen to help me make dinner before church. His front tooth goes flying. But when he calms down he wants nothing for the pain. Chris is willing to stay home with him from church, but he wants to go, so we stick together.
May 6
After we make a dentist appointment for Wesley, Twill and I walk over to Jessica and Mary’s house. They are decorating Bethan’s beautiful castle birthday cake. Twill and Mary make fruit skewers and we enjoy being helpful with party preparations.
The following afternoon, the dentist x-rays Wesley’s mouth and reassures us that he should have a new tooth there within the year.
May 10
We take Hiromi and Kuni to Nature Play at the mud flats where we met them back in February. It is warm enough that many of the Kiwi kids are swimming in the water. We are not as game. But we are the last ones there, still throwing sand balls into the water and building turtle families in the sand well into the afternoon.
May 11
Lewis sets a personal best at Parkrun, with a time of 23:22. He is taking his training for the regional cross country meet pretty seriously, even running before school one morning with Chris. The rest of the boys go to the toy library with me. Wesley spends some of his birthday money from Grandma and Grandpa on a moon ball and stickers, then treats us to ice cream with the rest of it. Moffat and Stephanie come over for dinner in the evening.
May 12
Chris gets us all out early for a hike along the Crater Rim Trail above Lyttleton Harbor to celebrate Mother’s Day. It is stunning and delightful. I am very thankful for the kids’ hiking stamina. We have had many half day hikes, on the trail for 5 hours. The boys and Chris are more willing to pose for pictures because it’s Mother’s Day. On the third try I get a wallpaper shot. The rain that was predicted starts the instant we start the car. Chris takes us to the Park Ranger, a new outdoorsy cafe, for lunch. At church that evening we hear a particularly encouraging message from Nick about original sin.
May 13
Hiromi and Kuni come to play. We have fun making a parachute out of a sheet that won’t stay on the fort.
That evening we take the kids to the Mark Drama, a gospel play that the university students put on. I’m surprised how eager the kids are to go on a school night after our full weekend. It brings on quite a few questions from the younger two kids. I am thankful to get to share all this life with them.
May 16
Lewis runs in the West Zone Cross Country meet at Halswell Quarry. Chris rides out with Eric to cheer them on. After Bible study Twill and I have lunch at Jessica’s. She makes miso soup and Twill enjoys eating it with chopsticks. He really wants his own, and Lewis does too. Helen joins us too and I am thankful for her perspectives on parenting unique children.
May 17
Naomi and Beatrice take Twill and I to Nature Play at the Ohoka farmer’s market. Twill and I enjoy running the bike track to warm up in the chilly morning air. There are a surprising amount of people from North America there. Abigail is from Kansas, Naomi from Illinois, Agathe and Oonagh from Canada.
May 19
Chris takes us all to Halswell Quarry for a hike in the afternoon. Lewis has us all run his cross country course before we hike up along the ridge above the quarry, learning a bit about the history of the quarry and the importance of staying together.
May 22
After music class Hiromi takes me to Japan Mart to buy chopsticks for the kids, and other recommended Japanese food. I am learning to make Yaki Soba and miso soup. She invites me and some friends over to teach me how to make hotpot.
May 23
As we arrive at school Wesley says he is really looking forward to the room 2 assembly in the afternoon. I ask Lewis if it’s something he wants to share with us (room 2 is his class) and he gives a proper invite. So after bible study and lunch at Jessica’s Twill and I attend the assembly. Lewis’ class has prepared some thoughtful dramas about bullying for anti-bullying week. Wesley is proud of the wall of hands. I am very happy that they have the opportunity to attend this school.
After the assembly we have a spontaneous play date in the Ilam Gardens with Jessica’s girls and some new friends who have moved here from the USA. Lev is in Wesley’s class and has taken quite a liking to Wesley. His sister is in Stewart’s class. It’s delightful to see all 9 children taking such good care of each other as they play hide and seek in the gardens on a beautiful day.
May 24
Naomi and Beatrice drive Twill and I to McHughs Forest for Nature play. This time Twill wants to take the little balance bike that Teresa lent us, but he says he won’t ride it. He ends up riding it about half the time and I find it definitely worth it to carry it the other half. He has a great attitude on a long hike/bike through a beautiful pine forest with Agathe and Oonagh again. Friendships start budding among the preschoolers by the end.
After school Wesley and I head to Lev’s house for a play date. His mother is a children’s book author and lends us a book she’s written that’s a compilation of authors sharing their childhood work and aspirations. I am thankful to share it with my boys, who are all aspiring authors at times. Wesley has grown noticeably on our walk home, just from having a friend of his own.
May 25
I finally make it to one of Stephanie’s Centergy dance classes. It combines Yoga and Pilates, putting it all to music in a high energy routine.
May 26
After the sun comes up we drive out to Rakaia Gorge. There’s a beautiful rock beach along the biggest river we’ve seen in New Zealand. All week the boys have been asking to go there because of a picture they saw. We hike the trail along the river all day, sharing a snack at the end of the trail, and finally returning to the beach late afternoon. Shoes and socks come off to enjoy the soft sand. Then we find Burger Wisconsin for a late dinner as the sun sets. I am keenly aware of how much I enjoy the kids, and life, when we get outside. I am thankful for Chris getting us out on hikes faithfully here, and we’re all thankful for the lack of mosquitoes in New Zealand.
May 27
Hiromi teaches me how to make Japanese hotpot. Two friends from bible study are invited too. Naomi, who was born in Australia, grew up in Japan from age 2 to 18, attending public school there. Hiromi can’t get over her perfect Japanese. Stephany has split her life between New Zealand and Taiwan. She took 8 years of Japanese in high school and university and welcomed the chance to revisit it. The kids share the trains surprisingly well while we enjoy a feast. Twill insists on using his own chopsticks that we brought from home. He is quite a sport and really likes Japanese food. I learn to use chopsticks too, rather clumsily. Hiromi’s flatmates are very encouraging and kind.
May 28
Chris starts a science experiment with Wesley for his speech on Friday. He is testing whether food coloring will penetrate egg shells. Three eggs go in each color: raw, hard boiled but peeled, hard boiled with shell on.
May 29
The kids have a day off school for a teacher strike across New Zealand. Wesley has trouble wrestling with the concept. But we enjoy having the kids home. In the morning Stewart plays school with Twill. Twill is very enthused about the science experiments where they see what sinks and floats. The kids are making games and stories and playing really well together under a technology ban, but I wish I could figure out how to get a handle on interruptions.
In the afternoon Wesley, Twill and I head to the Margaret Mahy Playground with Lev and his sister. Lewis and Stewart play test some of Chris’ students apps on campus. They have been doing many after school play testing sessions as the semester winds down.
May 31
Wesley gives does his science experiment speech, cracking the eggs in front of the class to discover the outcome. It looks like food coloring will penetrate the pores in an eggshell. Chris gives his last lecture here at the University of Canterbury. Twill and I stay home for a quiet day, that turns exciting as several men come to the house to install a new hot water cylinder.