Ned: "Daddy, don't eat me, you had lunch already!!!"
Ben and I are joking around in the kitchen and have a mock fight.
Mum to Dad: "I bite your head off!!!"
Ned: "Don't bite daddies head off please"
Ned: "I wanna make babies"
(AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I'm not ready to be a grandmother just YET!!!"
Ned: "That is Jesus, he can fly!!"
(I guess we need to sort out his theology, he seems to mix up superman and the son of God)
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
Easter
I always wondered why it is called "good" Friday. I checked Wikipedia and they say it's from the senses pious, holy of the word "good"... why didn't they then just call it holy Friday??
You know, there are many things that aren't very biblical in the Catholic church, having grown up in a church going Catholic family I should know. BUT despite all those fault I think it is just beautiful how they celebrate our Lord's death and resurrection (and I don't mean the way like in some countries where people inflict severe pain on themselves to please God or to punish themselves for their sins). Somehow when growing up the Holy Week had something awe-inspiring, a sense of something.... holy.
It started with Palm Sunday when we had a procession around our village centre. There aren't so many palm trees in the South of Germany, so instead of palm leaves we would carry pussy willow branches, I didn't really care why but I just loved the pussies... and I thought it's much more fun to be outside instead of sitting inside the church thinking about lunch.
Somehow Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter was special. In my youth group we practised several songs for weeks beforehand to sing together with other "young" people (which were in their late teens or mid/early twenties and I thought them ancient) on Maundy Thursday. It was only us young people and the priest, as the women as well as the men had separate services... that made it somehow special. The songs were all focused on the crucifixion. I can't remember most of them but I remember that often I had tears in my eyes even though I wasn't really a Christian. I thought it aweful what Jesus had to suffer but didn't really make the connection that my own sins had put him there.
I think it was on Good Friday when we had another procession. This time along a "Way of the cross". We'd stop at each station. I can't remember what we did when we stopped though. There was also a service where basically one Gospel account would be read out aloud; the priest read what Jesus said, a person on his right read the narration and another one on his left read all the other lines, like Pilate or the angry mob or the the high priest. As a child this seemed to take forever. During the entire Holy Week the Jesuses on the crosses in the Catholic church would be covered with a cloth but after they'd finished reading about the crucifixion the priest uncovered Jesus again.
Saturday was nothing special really... except in the evening.... after sundown... we went back to church for Easter Vigil.... there would be no electric light in the entire church. Songs weren't accompanied by the organ but everyone got a unlit candle when entering the church. When the liturgy reached the point that Christ has risen a new big Easter candle would be lit in the front from which all our candles would be lit in return. All of a sudden the organ would start playing a song, usually on the line that Jesus has risen from the dead.
We'd be back to church the next morning.... just after the Easter egg hunt that is.
Even though, especially later when I was more a teenager, it was a bit of a pain in the neck to be in church 4 times in one week, it gave you just a sense that something important was being celebrated.
I have come to faith now. I call myself a Christian, a follower and disciple of Christ, the risen Lord, but the awe of Easter is gone. Without the cross my entire faith would be nothing, just another religion preaching good deeds and morals.... but Christianity is so totally not about good deeds and good morals... in fact not even about religion. It is about a relationship and Jesus having done everything for me... (good deeds and good morals are a mere "side product", so to say)... and yet... the reverence is gone, the sense of importance how we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord. We did go to church. We did sing some songs. Half way through the sermon I had to leave because Cedric just got way too loud. So we went to creche. How did my parents do it when we were little I often wonder... there was no creche at our good old 17th century church... neither was there a Sunday school... neither any toilets as a matter of fact... but we went to church as far back as I can remember.
Today at the beginning of the service we watched bits of "The Passion of Christ" in a short video though. It brings tears to my eyes... and hopefully also to my heart. The movie only portraits the physical pain and suffering of Christ, the overwhelming weight and power of the sins of the entire human race is impossible to portrait. Ned sat next me and watched really alert. I wanted to cover his eyes. I did not. He keeps on talking about the cross all day.
When we came back home he built this... all his own doing, I didn't touch those Legos
That building in the background is the grave apparently.
He got his facts a bit mixed up,
he made seven crosses and I've got no idea where the motorbike comes in, but it made me all gooey inside...
May you have a meaningful, awe-inspiring and convicting Easter... Our Lord has risen, he is truly risen and is alive, AMEN.
You know, there are many things that aren't very biblical in the Catholic church, having grown up in a church going Catholic family I should know. BUT despite all those fault I think it is just beautiful how they celebrate our Lord's death and resurrection (and I don't mean the way like in some countries where people inflict severe pain on themselves to please God or to punish themselves for their sins). Somehow when growing up the Holy Week had something awe-inspiring, a sense of something.... holy.
It started with Palm Sunday when we had a procession around our village centre. There aren't so many palm trees in the South of Germany, so instead of palm leaves we would carry pussy willow branches, I didn't really care why but I just loved the pussies... and I thought it's much more fun to be outside instead of sitting inside the church thinking about lunch.
Somehow Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter was special. In my youth group we practised several songs for weeks beforehand to sing together with other "young" people (which were in their late teens or mid/early twenties and I thought them ancient) on Maundy Thursday. It was only us young people and the priest, as the women as well as the men had separate services... that made it somehow special. The songs were all focused on the crucifixion. I can't remember most of them but I remember that often I had tears in my eyes even though I wasn't really a Christian. I thought it aweful what Jesus had to suffer but didn't really make the connection that my own sins had put him there.
I think it was on Good Friday when we had another procession. This time along a "Way of the cross". We'd stop at each station. I can't remember what we did when we stopped though. There was also a service where basically one Gospel account would be read out aloud; the priest read what Jesus said, a person on his right read the narration and another one on his left read all the other lines, like Pilate or the angry mob or the the high priest. As a child this seemed to take forever. During the entire Holy Week the Jesuses on the crosses in the Catholic church would be covered with a cloth but after they'd finished reading about the crucifixion the priest uncovered Jesus again.
Saturday was nothing special really... except in the evening.... after sundown... we went back to church for Easter Vigil.... there would be no electric light in the entire church. Songs weren't accompanied by the organ but everyone got a unlit candle when entering the church. When the liturgy reached the point that Christ has risen a new big Easter candle would be lit in the front from which all our candles would be lit in return. All of a sudden the organ would start playing a song, usually on the line that Jesus has risen from the dead.
We'd be back to church the next morning.... just after the Easter egg hunt that is.
Even though, especially later when I was more a teenager, it was a bit of a pain in the neck to be in church 4 times in one week, it gave you just a sense that something important was being celebrated.
I have come to faith now. I call myself a Christian, a follower and disciple of Christ, the risen Lord, but the awe of Easter is gone. Without the cross my entire faith would be nothing, just another religion preaching good deeds and morals.... but Christianity is so totally not about good deeds and good morals... in fact not even about religion. It is about a relationship and Jesus having done everything for me... (good deeds and good morals are a mere "side product", so to say)... and yet... the reverence is gone, the sense of importance how we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord. We did go to church. We did sing some songs. Half way through the sermon I had to leave because Cedric just got way too loud. So we went to creche. How did my parents do it when we were little I often wonder... there was no creche at our good old 17th century church... neither was there a Sunday school... neither any toilets as a matter of fact... but we went to church as far back as I can remember.
Today at the beginning of the service we watched bits of "The Passion of Christ" in a short video though. It brings tears to my eyes... and hopefully also to my heart. The movie only portraits the physical pain and suffering of Christ, the overwhelming weight and power of the sins of the entire human race is impossible to portrait. Ned sat next me and watched really alert. I wanted to cover his eyes. I did not. He keeps on talking about the cross all day.
When we came back home he built this... all his own doing, I didn't touch those Legos
That building in the background is the grave apparently.
He got his facts a bit mixed up,
he made seven crosses and I've got no idea where the motorbike comes in, but it made me all gooey inside...
May you have a meaningful, awe-inspiring and convicting Easter... Our Lord has risen, he is truly risen and is alive, AMEN.
Well, one final story which has got absolutely nothing to do with Easter but it was just way too funny.
Oke, so we were in the car on the way home from church and out of the blue Ned asks: "What is sex?" (GEEE!!! Where did he hear that in church??????) I wasn't really sure if he was talking about the German sechs (which is number six) or rather the English word... but he went on talking about numbers, so phew.... we could postpone a talk about sex for when he is a tiny bit older.
And in case you were wondering, NO it isn't a scare on his head, it was actually only a hair-cutting accident with the clippers. I didn't realize it was set on #1 instead of #7... ou well, as my husband says so wisely "There is only two weeks between a good and a bad haircut" or the other way round in our case.
Beautiful kids
You know, I've been blessed with lots of friends with absolutely beautiful kids. I know mine are absolutely stunning as well (I'm allowed to be biased, I'm the mother), especially after just being sick all over himself and daddy, sitting in the laundry sink and having a bath.
But you know... as cute as they are (I really know I'm biased, sorry), sometimes it is just really nice to get some other... uhm... victims before my lens.
Just in the last couple days I was actually missing Logos Hope and the people on board and thought how unfortunate it was that I only really got interested in photography AFTER we left the ship... I mean, it started on the ship, but there were so many missed opportunities and I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, just fiddling around and see what would happen.
Well, I still don't have a clue what I'm doing most of the time but somehow the quality of my photos have somewhat improved, and NOT only thanks to lightroom or photoshop (thank you very much). Fiddling around and see what would happen as well as reading a lot about it has left it's mark. And so here the beautiful kids of my friends come into the picture. I always thought I'd love to be a landscape photographer but somehow my interest has shifted (not only because trying to be a landscape photographer involves getting up much earlier than I am accustomed to in order to catch that beautiful morning light) and I see myself chasing kids with my lens.
It started with my friend Heather and her twins. She asked me if I could take some pics for her for her Christmas presents, and I said "sure" and it was fun, luckily I did think of those balloons.
Then I had the chance of having these three cuties as "victims" (just look at those eyes.. hang on you can't see them, it's black and white... but believe you me, those eyes are BLUE).
Another chance was the twins birthday party. (it was an animal theme)
And just a couple of weeks back I went to one of my favourite beaches with these four girls.
Before those "photoshoots" I'm always a bit... uhm... scared. "What if the kids just don't go along?" "What if they refuse to look at me?" "What if the photos don't turn out okay?" and may more questions starting with what ifs. Many of these questions were actually answered. The girls for example had just plain fun at the beach and I happened to be there. We had a little picnic and they were basically running and climbing and chasing around, now and then I got them herded together on one rock or another and took some snaps... I was so relieved that part worked out well. The photos also looked okay, but I also learned a lot, things I should and will do different next time.
One big thing is light. I thought I'd go in the late afternoon, but often their faces still had those really harsh shadows or they were looking rather towards the light which made them squint. I did bring my reflector (which I got for my birthday) but it was so windy that it was no use... I generally forgot about the wind actually. When I edited the photos at home I realized that on many promissing shoots the girls' hair were just all over the place... oops. I also learned about open shade accidentally, which is a good thing. The photos I took in open shade at the beach just after the sun disappeared behind a hill, turned out the best I think...
anyway, I am waffling.
Now I have a new opportunity next week. One lady from church asked me if I could take some photos of her foster children and even get paid a little ( I don't know what I think about the getting paid part, I really don't feel like a "real" photographer). This is a totally new step for me, as I don't really know those kids at all. And silly me came up with a silly idea: "What about going to the fire brigade with them?". I'm not the kind of girl just to walk up to the fire station and ask but the foster mum IS that kind of girl... and the fire brigade said they'd be happy for us to take photos with the kids and the engines... geee... what did I get myself into... now I have to get smart about how to take good photos in fire engines.... I mean I could fire my flash, but working properly with a flash is one of those areas I don't have a clue about... ou well, I'll do my best and pray :o))) And to be honest, even though I am a bit scared of this "photoshoot" I'm also excited about the outcome... and just hope and pray that somehow I get a couple of decent shots.
But you know... as cute as they are (I really know I'm biased, sorry), sometimes it is just really nice to get some other... uhm... victims before my lens.
Just in the last couple days I was actually missing Logos Hope and the people on board and thought how unfortunate it was that I only really got interested in photography AFTER we left the ship... I mean, it started on the ship, but there were so many missed opportunities and I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, just fiddling around and see what would happen.
Well, I still don't have a clue what I'm doing most of the time but somehow the quality of my photos have somewhat improved, and NOT only thanks to lightroom or photoshop (thank you very much). Fiddling around and see what would happen as well as reading a lot about it has left it's mark. And so here the beautiful kids of my friends come into the picture. I always thought I'd love to be a landscape photographer but somehow my interest has shifted (not only because trying to be a landscape photographer involves getting up much earlier than I am accustomed to in order to catch that beautiful morning light) and I see myself chasing kids with my lens.
It started with my friend Heather and her twins. She asked me if I could take some pics for her for her Christmas presents, and I said "sure" and it was fun, luckily I did think of those balloons.
Then I had the chance of having these three cuties as "victims" (just look at those eyes.. hang on you can't see them, it's black and white... but believe you me, those eyes are BLUE).
Another chance was the twins birthday party. (it was an animal theme)
And just a couple of weeks back I went to one of my favourite beaches with these four girls.
One big thing is light. I thought I'd go in the late afternoon, but often their faces still had those really harsh shadows or they were looking rather towards the light which made them squint. I did bring my reflector (which I got for my birthday) but it was so windy that it was no use... I generally forgot about the wind actually. When I edited the photos at home I realized that on many promissing shoots the girls' hair were just all over the place... oops. I also learned about open shade accidentally, which is a good thing. The photos I took in open shade at the beach just after the sun disappeared behind a hill, turned out the best I think...
anyway, I am waffling.
Now I have a new opportunity next week. One lady from church asked me if I could take some photos of her foster children and even get paid a little ( I don't know what I think about the getting paid part, I really don't feel like a "real" photographer). This is a totally new step for me, as I don't really know those kids at all. And silly me came up with a silly idea: "What about going to the fire brigade with them?". I'm not the kind of girl just to walk up to the fire station and ask but the foster mum IS that kind of girl... and the fire brigade said they'd be happy for us to take photos with the kids and the engines... geee... what did I get myself into... now I have to get smart about how to take good photos in fire engines.... I mean I could fire my flash, but working properly with a flash is one of those areas I don't have a clue about... ou well, I'll do my best and pray :o))) And to be honest, even though I am a bit scared of this "photoshoot" I'm also excited about the outcome... and just hope and pray that somehow I get a couple of decent shots.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Deep Impact
Christmas must have left a really deep impact on Ned... he talks about it a lot... and he even built his very own Christmas tree the other day
hmmmm.... :o))) Night, night
hmmmm.... :o))) Night, night
Saturday, March 10, 2012
And another one
Mum: "Ned, what did you do at kindy today???"
Ned: "Walk this way (pointing left) and that way (pointing right)"
Ned: "Daddy, eat ploperly!!!" (properly)
Cedric just bit Ned really hard and and I tried to find the bite mark.
Mum: "Ned, I can't see it"
Ned: "It's gone.. it's bitten off"
(I did find the mark a bit late, and Cedric drew blood)
Or how about this one:
Aunty Jill is coming down from Perth for a visit.
Mum: "Aunty Jill will sleep in the red spare room"
Ned: "Onkel Dani's room??" (My brother stayed in this room when he was here for visit)
Mum: "No, Onkel Dani isn't here, Aunty Jill is sleeping there now."
Ned: "Aunty Jill sleeping with Onkel Dani????"
I guess I better shouldn't tell you about that incident when Ned lifted the back of his potential future pre-primary teacher's shirt and inquired what her bra was.... it was SLIGHTLY embarrassing even though he asked in all innocence and we all cracked laughing, inclusive her.
Ned: "Walk this way (pointing left) and that way (pointing right)"
Ned: "Daddy, eat ploperly!!!" (properly)
Cedric just bit Ned really hard and and I tried to find the bite mark.
Mum: "Ned, I can't see it"
Ned: "It's gone.. it's bitten off"
(I did find the mark a bit late, and Cedric drew blood)
Or how about this one:
Aunty Jill is coming down from Perth for a visit.
Mum: "Aunty Jill will sleep in the red spare room"
Ned: "Onkel Dani's room??" (My brother stayed in this room when he was here for visit)
Mum: "No, Onkel Dani isn't here, Aunty Jill is sleeping there now."
Ned: "Aunty Jill sleeping with Onkel Dani????"
I guess I better shouldn't tell you about that incident when Ned lifted the back of his potential future pre-primary teacher's shirt and inquired what her bra was.... it was SLIGHTLY embarrassing even though he asked in all innocence and we all cracked laughing, inclusive her.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
This and That
I bet everyone who has children gets confronted with incredibly funny things your kids say. We are no exception!! And unfortunately it is SO easy to forget the punchlines offspring comes up with. So I thought I'
d share a couple with you.
Dad: "Ned!! Be quiet!!!"
Ned: "But I'm talking!"
Cedric eats his afternoon snack. Ned comes up to him: "Cedric, you need to share" and little fellow even does it (bless him)
Mum: "Ned, how was kindy?? What did you do??"
Ned: "uhm... played.... slept... Mister Russell said I'm naughty"
Mum: "Uhm... MISSES Russell"
Ned: "Mister Russell"
Mum: "MISSES Russell"
Ned: "Mister Russell"
(Mum gives up in frustration)
Mum: " Who are your kindy teachers??"
Ned: "Mister Russell and Misses MarLICK"
(It is still MISSES Russell and Mrs. Marvick)
"I forgot I had to go to the toilet very quick" (luckily he made it just in time)
And while we're talkin' about talkin'.... FINALLY Cedric also decided to use some words: It's MAMA (which mean anything from me to food to whatever) and BYEBYE (which he LOVES saying... unless I try to video it, then -of course- he doesn't)
I guess boys are boys and just don't have to say as much as girls, and rather do.. you know.... boyish things....
d share a couple with you.
Dad: "Ned!! Be quiet!!!"
Ned: "But I'm talking!"
Cedric eats his afternoon snack. Ned comes up to him: "Cedric, you need to share" and little fellow even does it (bless him)
Mum: "Ned, how was kindy?? What did you do??"
Ned: "uhm... played.... slept... Mister Russell said I'm naughty"
Mum: "Uhm... MISSES Russell"
Ned: "Mister Russell"
Mum: "MISSES Russell"
Ned: "Mister Russell"
(Mum gives up in frustration)
Mum: " Who are your kindy teachers??"
Ned: "Mister Russell and Misses MarLICK"
(It is still MISSES Russell and Mrs. Marvick)
"I forgot I had to go to the toilet very quick" (luckily he made it just in time)
And while we're talkin' about talkin'.... FINALLY Cedric also decided to use some words: It's MAMA (which mean anything from me to food to whatever) and BYEBYE (which he LOVES saying... unless I try to video it, then -of course- he doesn't)
I guess boys are boys and just don't have to say as much as girls, and rather do.. you know.... boyish things....
It looks like he's straight of a catwalk in Milan or Paris... maybe he should be the new "face" for HUGGIES????
That wasn't typical boyish I suppose... but dumping all of mum's cushions and pillow on the floor and jumping into the pile most certainly qualifies as "boyish" (even though girls like doing that just as much.... I have certain recollections of my own innocent past)
(I hope you don't mind naked boys in their undies/nappies)
Ou yeah.. and I had my birthday just lately.... I started my eighth year of being 25 and I had a really wonderful day... the day was warm and sunny (definitely not what I'd usually have for my birthday) and in the afternoon I had a bunch of friends and their offspring over (and the offspring behaved marvellous... I was amazed).
In the evening Ben took me to the movies as a surprise. We watched "This means war"... and I cried of laughter... almost wetting my pants.
That wasn't typical boyish I suppose... but dumping all of mum's cushions and pillow on the floor and jumping into the pile most certainly qualifies as "boyish" (even though girls like doing that just as much.... I have certain recollections of my own innocent past)
(I hope you don't mind naked boys in their undies/nappies)
Ou yeah.. and I had my birthday just lately.... I started my eighth year of being 25 and I had a really wonderful day... the day was warm and sunny (definitely not what I'd usually have for my birthday) and in the afternoon I had a bunch of friends and their offspring over (and the offspring behaved marvellous... I was amazed).
In the evening Ben took me to the movies as a surprise. We watched "This means war"... and I cried of laughter... almost wetting my pants.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Kindy
Ned truly loves kindergarten.
Yesterday I had a chance to see what kindy was like.The teachers encourage the parents to sign up as parental help once or twice each term. So yesterday was my first time in an Australian kindergarten (and it is quite different form my own kindergarten experience 25 years ago). I took my camera along of course, which was fun... some of the kids really wanted me to take a photo of them but some of the parents don't want photos of their kids on the web (understandable) so I only use photos of Ned and of his friend C. whose mum is my friend and okay with it :o)
They experienced what happens to red if you mix it with a different colour
I really enjoyed experiencing what they actually do at kindy... I even had to help with crafts, which is a little nightmare of mine... to do crafts with kids that is, because I'm slightly pedantic when it comes to gluey fingers and children covered in paint, but I think I survived that part just fine.
Although red is Ned's favourite colour I'm looking forward to "yellow" day at kindy. We struggle with the colour yellow.
If you ask: "What colour is the lemon?" more likely than not the answer is "blue" with a minor percentage of "green" but as good as never "yellow"
sigh
BUT
He slowly recognizes letters which is REALLY exciting!!! Every time he sees a "N" or "e" or "d" he gets totally excited.
Yesterday I had a chance to see what kindy was like.The teachers encourage the parents to sign up as parental help once or twice each term. So yesterday was my first time in an Australian kindergarten (and it is quite different form my own kindergarten experience 25 years ago). I took my camera along of course, which was fun... some of the kids really wanted me to take a photo of them but some of the parents don't want photos of their kids on the web (understandable) so I only use photos of Ned and of his friend C. whose mum is my friend and okay with it :o)
That's Ned's friend.
You might notice that she isn't wearing uniform: It was RED day at kindy.
Everything was kind of red-related: the cloth, the stories, the crafts, even the food
Even the playdough was red... no idea why it was on his nose though.
They experienced what happens to red if you mix it with a different colour
I really enjoyed experiencing what they actually do at kindy... I even had to help with crafts, which is a little nightmare of mine... to do crafts with kids that is, because I'm slightly pedantic when it comes to gluey fingers and children covered in paint, but I think I survived that part just fine.
Although red is Ned's favourite colour I'm looking forward to "yellow" day at kindy. We struggle with the colour yellow.
If you ask: "What colour is the lemon?" more likely than not the answer is "blue" with a minor percentage of "green" but as good as never "yellow"
sigh
BUT
He slowly recognizes letters which is REALLY exciting!!! Every time he sees a "N" or "e" or "d" he gets totally excited.
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