The Plunge Down Under

Kookaburras, Kangaroos, and Cockatoos Too

If one of our goals last week was to showcase Australian wildlife for our guests while relaxing along the Great Ocean Road, our rental house in Lorne proved to be ideal.  With at least two kangaroos living just below our deck, koalas in the trees behind the house, and a host of birds apparently accustomed to regular feedings off the kitchen sliding glass doors, our cameras were kept busy from dawn to dusk.

My personal favorite were the surprisingly tame kookaburras.  They preened for the camera, allowing me to get very close, and obligingly turning their heads to pose at every possible angle.

The clamorous cockatoos were the first to turn up, up to ten or twelve at a time, begging for handouts.  We did not feed them, fearing that they might be bold enough to come into the kitchen.  They turned up without fail for every meal, however, within seconds of the pantry or refrigerator door being opened.

An Australian King Parrot pair also came to visit once.  Their plumage was stunning in the sunshine. I was nervous about scaring them, so I didn't approach too closely.

One morning I had the camera handy just when the kangaroo below decided to make his way across our lawn.

I have been trying to picture Australians visiting North America and being as enthused over seeing deer, cardinals, and blue jays as we were over the kangaroo and birds pictured above.  Frankly, I just can't see it happening, but never mind, we thoroughly enjoyed sharing our love of Australian wildlife with our equally enthusiastic friends from the Northern Hemisphere.

 

 

 

Tourists in Tasmania

Considering that our Tasmania trip is quite possibly the worst-planned of any taken by our family, we have fared quite well over the past three days. We have no proper map, no gps, only the barest sketch of an itinerary, and yet we have managed to see the capital city of Hobart, the famous convict-era ruins at Port Arthur, spend time in the countryside around Launceston, and today, we completed a four mile hike at Cradle Mountain. For those familiar with my navigational skills, this is a minor miracle, only possible because of good signs and the occasional input from google maps when my phone has a signal.

Originally we thought it would just be four of us on this trip, and I planned accordingly. When we discovered a few weeks ago that Cameron was in fact too young for the youth camp Katie is attending, we had to start from scratch, not a good thing when it is Christmas week in Tasmania. There was no more room on the overnight ferry from Melbourne so we had to purchase plane tickets. None of our accommodations permitted an extra child, and I don't know where we would have ended up without the help of a sympathetic tourist agent who called around for two hours before finding this farm cottage in Paradise, about an hour's drive from Cradle Mountain. Together with an offer to stay overnight at a friend's country house, we cobbled together a plan.

We failed to hire a rental car, however, and for that we have been suffering somewhat with three children crammed in the back of what is for us a tiny car. They have had numerous opportunities to practice restraint and self-control, most of which they have declined, and for their parents it has been a somewhat unwelcome exercise in developing patience. Next time we plan to tour the countryside we will hire a minivan if at all possible.

Backseat bickering and Christmas holiday fatigue aside, we have thoroughly enjoyed our discovery of Tasmania. Who would have thought that here we would be hot and parched after being cold and wet just a few short weeks ago at Ayers Rock? Not that we are complaining of course. We had just pictured Tasmania to be greener, cooler, and more moist.

One funny thing happened today when we arrived at the Cradle Mountain parking lot. As we pulled in I was admiring the hiking gear of a family just exiting their vehicle. With their proper hiking boots, backpacks, clothing and hats I assumed they must be heading out on an overnight trek. Then I realized I recognized the baby being inserted into one of the packs. They were a family we have met through the girls' school, and so we chatted for a few minutes, happy to run into friends even while feeling a bit shabby in our ordinary runners and jeans.

We ended up doing the same hike they were planning to complete, although I am sure at a much slower pace. I was happy for James to be the leader, a role he proudly assumed, as it gave me plenty of time to take pictures and catch my breath on the hills. I also had time to contemplate that after landing in Mebourne just eighteen months ago, knowing not a single soul, here we are in Tasmania staying with friends one night and then the next day running into another family who has reached out to us and welcomed us to this beautiful and generous country.

For our next trip I have committed to better planning. For now, I am grateful for all we have been privileged to enjoy. Pictures to follow in a subsequent post.

Upside Down For Christmas, by Beth

Special thanks to Beth Hayhoe for the text and pictures in today's post. Readers are in for a treat, and more than a laugh or two I suspect.

Apparently, one of the guest privileges at the Wilkin’s Australian home is the honour of adding to Christie’s famous blog documenting life for them since it was turned upside down. I found out about this privilege after I jokingly offered to sneak in a blog post.

Now I am worried. While I fancy myself a writer, and have been repeatedly cajoled to restart my annual Christmas Epistle (which took an indefinite hiatus several years ago, with a different good reason for a couple of years followed by sheer laziness), I am worried about posting my thoughts for all the world to see. I have waited until I am no longer jetlagged, and have been well fed on this great Australian Christmas day, so that I don’t write anything I will regret. Unlike when I speak in public, when I am never entirely sure what I am going to say until it pops out of my mouth, thankfully the blog offers the opportunity for revision. I am pretty sure that Christie has ultimate veto authority anyway, so you should be safe reading on if this made it to the blog.

Some might tell you that the real reason I am writing right now is the flurry of clean up activity in the kitchen that I am avoiding. We have eaten a fairly authentic Australian Christmas meal including prawns (don’t call them shrimp here...kind of like Texas, nothing is ‘shrimp’ here), oysters, great steak and various salads all new to me, but delightful to my tastebuds. I think that the real reason for no turkey is the desire to keep the oven use during a typically humid and warm Australian summer day to the minimum. Imagine cooking turkey for the Canada Day weekend, or July 4th?

We survived the plane trip here....though the air, activity and lack of sleep managed to make my curly hair completely straight by the time I arrived. At least I had not pulled it all out. The only thing that looked worse than us near the end of our trip was the state of the onboard Economy class facilities, (they wouldn't let the likes of us into the ones in first class...the tickets are about 5 to 10 times the price).

After 36ish hours of travel time, lost passports in Sydney (yep, my fault, and I did kind of kind of lose it and cry while my dear son was wisely praying instead) and the joy of wearing the same clothes containing inevitable beverage spills for two days without a shower, things have gotten better and better.

In the Los Angeles Airport,  the second of our four stops enroute to Melbourne.

    

We are thoroughly enjoying all the new sights and sounds here. Beyond the expected differences of the Australian accent, people driving on the wrong side of the road, water going down the drain the other way, the lack of snow and heavy coats, we have noticed a few other interesting differences.

Driving on the wrong side of car and road.

During my first trip into a darkened room, I thought that the light switches had been installed by a confused electrical contractor, but soon found that in fact, all the light switches are upside down. People are remarkably friendly and love to tell you about their amazing country, but do not wish to be disturbed as you walk along beside their house or garden. I am so used to stopping to talk to gardeners whose skills with plants amaze (for those of you who don't know me, I am pretty good at helping people stay alive, but plants....not so much), but am met with cold stares here if I try to do the same. We find people tramping around anywhere (including church and nice restaurants) in their thongs. Now before you Canadians or Americans try to picture this, thongs here in Australia, are usually referred to as flip flops where I come from. I still can’t bring myself to call them thongs, since my mind still pictures particularly skimpy underpants.

Probably the most annoying difference between our houses and Australian ones is the miniscule size of the washing machines. This is particularly noticable when two families stay together with four adults and seven children, and go to the beach every day. By the end of the week I was seriously thinking about those tiny camping shammies to replace the large beach towels. Christie and I got lots of exercise each day at the beach house running up and down the stairs to see if the incredibly small, and incredibly slow washing machine was ready to disgorge its three items of clothing for a new load. If I lived here, I might have to break down and get used to smelly, dirty family members. (Editor's note:  Beth didn't say so, but she did the majority of the laundry by far).

I did of course expect to hear the lovely Australian accent which I had previously only heard in movies or a few Aussies I have had the privilege of working with. However, now that I have had a chance to hear it for longer periods, it seems that the biggest difference about this accent is something that would be carefully corrected in Canada by a Speech Therapist. It seems, to my uneducated ears, that the biggest difference is a virtual lack of R’s. Who knew that Ross and Christie in fact live in "Melbun"? Think of the money we could have saved on Meghan, if only we lived here. Think of how much easier kindergarten must be learning only 25 letters! The computer keyboard here intermittantly tries to be Australian, but loses the M instead of the R. It seems to be working now, but I spent one day typing emails desperately thinking of words with no M's. Alas, it seems that Tim Hortons will never make a foray into Australia, because they could never have the annual RRRRoll up the RRRRim contest during the season of Lent.

As a strange difference which may be entirely in my mind, I feel like I am sleeping on the wrong side of the bed. I plan to try the other side to see if it helps, or maybe I should sleep with my head at the other end. It is a hard concept to explain to my children that we are “upside down” compared to our usual understanding and not falling off.

As many of you know, Ross and Robert have been friends since they were in their formative years. Unfortunately the formation hasn’t always brought out the best characteristics in either of them. Some might even say that they have a history of goading one another into a quite impressive amount of mischief (an unfortunate fire at the Wilkin’s and a prodigious amount of chocolate consumed at the Hayhoe’s, and entering forbidden classrooms at conferences, to name a few). It seems that in spite of less hair, fancier clothes and more spending money, the years have not changed them completely. They have gained new ways to get into mischief now that they are big boys. They have an astounding ability to be completely oblivious to the goings on around them while gazing intently at their blackberries, and manage to make “joking” comments about household role expectations at times when the ladies are the most tired. However, all in all, it is an amazing friendship that has survived first a distance between two New Brunswick cities, then provinces, then countries in the same continent, then countries across the pond, and now countries in a different hemisphere. It is a joy to see them giggle like little girls over remembered tales of their escapades which have undoubtedly improved over the years.

Ross and Robert circa 1985.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert and Ross holding all the Hayhoe kids' shoes.

Hayhoe kids scampering in the surf

 

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Ross and Robert oblivious to the beautiful women that they brought with them, and to the beautiful surroundings.

The good news is that Christie and I get along quite well too. We have managed to bond over our silly husbands' comments, our love of books, our astounding lack of directional abilities that require a gps to keep us from becoming lost, the love of our children, the desire to be good Moms, and the wish that our kids could forget all of our bad mother moments (I am sure that I have more of them than Christie). I obligingly had one at the house we shared at the beach for the week, so that Cameron no longer thinks that I am “the most amazing adult ever” (this epithet he bestowed on me because of my love of playing outdoor sports with small children and playing in the surf, a love that his parents do not share). Cameron would be truly amazed if he met our friend Ruth who takes our children one night per week. She may well be the most amazing adult ever in both kids and adults eyes. We are both very good at rolling our eyes at our husbands at opportune moments, which of course they never see, since their blackberries seem to be much more beautiful than us.

Beth tossing children into the surf.

Christie and I also share a love of taking photos of our family and the stunning scenery that we see in our travels. It may be difficult to tell in ensuing years whether we were in fact present with our families at home or on vacation, since we are most often found on the wrong end of the camera. Christie has been trying to convince me that I should get a great camera like hers, even to the rare event of letting me use it (she first broke down when she needed a picture of her whole family, and has let me get my grubby hands on it several times since). I currently have a waterproof, drop proof, ice proof and dirt proof camera that the” waterproofness” seems to be wearing off of since its first trip into the surf here. I have been borrowing my children's identical cameras since then, though we have managed to lose Jason's with his floating strap too. While I am certainly tempted by the great photos of she gets on her camera, I am held back for now by my knowledge that it is more likely Christie’s skill and not just the camera, and because of my distinct difficulty with the combination of electronic devices and water; (those who know me may remember that I once leaped into the water at our cottage to rescue my camera that had bounced in....with my blackberry in my pocket.)

I am sneaking this in when Christie isn't looking.

A rare photo with both Christie and I in the same shot....since we had to rope in an unsuspecting stranger to take this.

It has been great to see the younger generation get to know each other too....perhaps in twenty years they will be taking the opportunity to travel to exotic places because of friendships forged here. I think that occasionally Ross and Christie would like to trade for our children, not because of any difference in amount of squabbling, cuteness, or smartness, but for the sole reason that our children have gained the endearing qualities of being able to sleep in if they have stayed up late as well as sleep in the car, skills which theirs have never acquired.

Meghan sleeping in the car after the exausting morning of travelling, fighting with siblings and throwing up over the gaurdrail into the lovely scenery on the Great Ocean Road.

James and Jason and Cameron seem to get along quite well, with Jason reading to James, and them all playing basketball or trying to teach Jason cricket in the yard. (As an aside, I would not recommend trying to learn the rules of cricket after 2 days with no sleep. Cameron was obligingly teaching me about it, but the more he spoke, the less I understood. Thanks to a website Christie has found moderately helpful, I now understand a little more, though am not sure I want to get into any sport that takes the entire day, and stops for tea in the middle). Jason has spent every waking moment that he is not reading, eating, knitting, or playing with his friends, plunking away at the piano. I think we need to get this boy piano lessons.

Jason reading James his current favourite book, "The Lions storyteller Bible"

Jason pretending to be taller than Cameron.

Jason learning the intricacies of Cricket from Cameron.

Meghan and Sophie have bonded over Sophie’s American Girl dolls, and Calico Critters with their incredible imaginations and great sense of play. They also love exploring, which entertained them for hours at the beach place we rented. They have been seen wearing various costumes that they have devised with their existing clothes, holding pretend GPS's and going to places unknown. Thankfully their joy of exploring did not result in us losing them on a hike when the “exploring” made them get considerably far ahead of us. One day they also spent "cleaning" and "cooking" at the beach house, while pretending they were maids in a castle. If only this could translate into actual cleaning and cooking, Christie and I could sit back and enjoy our cups of coffee while they are still warm, and imagine that we are Queens.

Exploring in character.

Tired explorers:

Plotting the escape of their American Girl Dolls from a WWII orphanage.

Meredith and Katie, in spite of their two year age difference, seem to be getting along well, perhaps because Meredith’s cousin Katie is the same age this Katie. They have a shared disdain for the silly younger ones, while secretly loving them, and an incredible ability in bringing the worst out in their Moms, while still having endearing little girl tendencies at times. They have been seen head to head over an ipod game and trotting off to find wifi access to get their emails. Their knowledge of electronic equipment and reliance on "devices" is surpassed only by their Daddys'. Unfortunately, Meredith has learned that friends, unlike Mothers, are not always “religious” about the sunscreen application, and Meredith has been snapping at us whenever we give her shoulders a loving squeeze for the last few days.

Katie and Meredith sightseeing on Great Ocean Road.

Playing some mind numbing game on Katie's ipod.

All in all, our families have gotten along remarkably well. Well enough, Christie says, that they feel free to fight like siblings at times. While I am sure that we are all secretly looking forward to our times travelling around the country with only our own families during the next week, I am sure we will be equally happy to see one another again near the end of the Hayhoe's Australian journey. On Christmas afternoon we had eight adults and twelve children and teens in this three bedroom house, with almost no fighting, and no serious injuries. A Christmas miracle to be sure.

Robert, Beth, Meredith, Jason and Meghan at Loch Ard Gorge on the Great Ocean Road.

Ross, Christie, Katie, Cameron, Sophie and James at Loch Ard Gorge.

Seven friends aged 5-13.

My new favourite photo of The Three Happy Hayhoe's, taken by photographer extrordinaire Christie Wilkin.

We have enjoyed Aussie twists on food, tried some entirely new things and tried to figure out how to cook what they call bacon (like some combination of "regular bacon" and Canadian back bacon), and add "cream" that is the texture of sour cream at home to our coffee. I have given up and gone to drinking all of my coffee black. Our children had no difficulty in learning to like a favourite treat here called TimTams (nope, not from Tim Horton's). They are a chocolate covered wafer kind of cookie, which occasionally can be seen with a small nibble off opposite corners, dipped in milk and used as a straw. I believe that this is called a Tim Tam Slam. We have had many trips out for ice cream, kind of like when friends come to our cottage during a Canadian summer.

Thankfully I have tried both Vegemite and Marmite on previous occasions from friends of mine, so have not been forced to try this national staple.

One of the best parts of our trip so far has been the incredible number of typical Australian animals that we have seen in the wild. Apparently we have seen more Koalas than many Aussies. At first glance, when a kangaroo sits in your yard, it can be mistaken for a deer; until it starts to hop. I won't include too many pictures of this, because I think Christie has a whole post planned to show just how privileged we have been in this! One of the best quotes I can give you, is after Christie and I scurried across a road after a lumbering Koala and I said excitedly, "I am so excited!", and Christie squealed with the most delight I have ever heard from her, "So am I!"

Truly, we were all very excited to see the Koala's so close! This little fellow was being lured off the road after he got a sore leg after a fall from his eucalyptus tree.

Startlingly cute!

We have also met some incredible Aussie friends of Ross and Christie’s, and want one in particular to come and decorate our house for Christmas if we are having a lot of people over! I also hear that she makes shopping, a dreaded experience for me at the best of times, a much more than tolerable experience. I am looking forward to the rest of the trip, the warmth of the sun and the people, and the variety and beauty of God’s creation that never ceases to amaze me wherever I travel.

Great Ocean Road view.

The ocean never ceases to amaze me.

At least 12 km Rainforest walk with Robert and Beth from Erksine Falls to Allendale near Lorne. We left Ross and Christie with 7 children. They forgave us (I think).

More rainforest. Cool day, but very humid in the dense wood.

 

We crossed the river about 20 or 30 times during our hike.

Loch Ard Gorge on the Great Ocean Road. This spot reminds me of some of the views from New Zealand in the Lord of the Ring movies.

We eleven have shared laughs, meals, ice creams, colds, rooms, likely some bad habits, and much more, and enjoyed almost all of it! We hope you enjoy the pictures!

Sight seeing on Coast near site of one of many shipwrecks off the coast of Australia. We came back later and could see much of what is left of the 120 year old shipwreck at this site.

One view towards ocean in Lorne at the rented Beach House.

If you managed to slog through all of my ramblings, then as they say here down under, "Good on ya". Enjoy it, because now that I have finished writing, posting, and inserting pictures and realize how time consuming it is, it may be my last one ever!

Sunset near Lorne on the Great Ocean Road. Christie and I managed to escape together to take sunset photos. We mistakenly thought the guys would have the kids tucked quietly in bed by the time we returned.....

Now the sunset of this blog post.

 

Signing off from my first ever blog post, This is Beth Hayhoe (known on wii, as “the Mom”)

On Christmas Day

Overwhelmed with gratitude at the end of our first Australian Christmas: for dear friends with whom to spend this special day, for family members who miss us, for nine children who never fought once in spite of spending the day indoors, for delicious food and wonderful presents, for so much more, but most of all for the One who makes life worth living and whose birth it is our privilege to celebrate.  Merry Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Walk Around Cape Woolamai

Most happily, on the second day of our trip to Phillip Island two weekends ago, we woke up to sunshine and blue skies.  The weather was just right for a hike around Cape Woolamai, well known for both its surfing beach, and for the shearwaters that return every year from the Bering Strait to build their nests and raise their young.  This astonishing distance is one of the longest migratory routes of any seabird.

Watching the dozens of birds soar both above and below us was a beautiful experience, although it was tempered somewhat by the reality of the magpies and crows out in force stealing and consuming the large eggs from the shearwater nests.  We encountered wallabies and thousands of butterflies as well, and these in combination with the stunning scenery contributed to what was surely one of the best hikes we have taken in the nearly twenty years that we have been married.

The nest robber, one of many:

 

 

 

 

 

A Day Out on the Great Ocean Road

 

There are few things in Australia that Ross and I enjoy more than a drive along the Great Ocean Road on a beautiful, sunny day.  Tuesday turned out to be one such day, and so we loaded all seven children and four adults into our two vehicles with promises of fish and chips and the potential for a swim at Port Campbell.  Fortunately, the children had forgotten just how far it is from Lorne, where we are staying this week, to Port Campbell.  With new friends to help keep them entertained, complaints about the drive were kept to a minimum, except perhaps from James, who was traded about between cars to give everyone a break from his periodic moaning and groaning.

With spectacular scenery, good company, and nearly perfect weather, the day was considered by all to be a thorough success.  It had an extra special ending, but that I will save for another post.  Pictures are from the drive itself, Port Campbell, and then from Loch Ard Gorge, site of a shipwreck with only two survivors, both of them teenagers, in the 1800s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beth was very excited to come upon this echidna on the walk she took with Katie and Jason in Port Campbell.  Considering that they have only been in Australia for one week, they have seen an incredible amount of wildlife.  More on that later.

 

 

 

 

Photo Shoot at Loch Ard Gorge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James wasn't allowed to go in the farther cave, but he managed to content himself with this one.  Sometimes it's really tough to be the youngest.

 

 

 

 

 

Always willing to pose for the camera, Meredith has quickly won her way into my heart.  Her siblings are pretty special as well, and we are so pleased that the children are having a wonderful time together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Puffing Billy, Round Seven

A ride on Melbourne's favorite steam train, the Puffing Billy, has become an essential part of the itinerary of visitors to our house in Australia. It has thus far not failed to disappoint, and even after seven trips, I still manage to enjoy it. Here are a few pictures from our most recent journey with our friend Beth Hayhoe and her children Meredith, Jason, and Meghan. Husband Rob, a friend of Ross from childhood, was working but will no doubt appear in future posts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's Beginning to Look

not like Christmas exactly, at least not to someone who has spent her first forty years in the northern hemisphere.  Nothing of the bleak midwinter, but perhaps midsummer festival with a Christmas theme?  I will let you decide based on a few pictures I have taken lately.

Here is J with a reindeer hat, eating a Christmas cookie.

We have encountered a few houses with outdoor lighting, but precious few in comparison to what we see in Pittsburgh.  However, it simply does not make as much sense here, given that the daylight lasts until nine o'clock.  I have found that I enjoy our Christmas tree the most in the early morning sunshine as opposed to the late afternoon darkness, a gloom that descends all too early in our North American winters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do hope to post here again soon, but for now I will wish my readers a very happy Christmas, whether it be a cold or a warm one, one celebrated indoors in front of a fire, or outdoors around the barbeque.

Phillip Island Getaway

This will come as no surprise, but within ten minutes of our arrival on Phillip Island last Saturday, the skies opened up with not only a torrential downpour, but hail, thunder, and lightning for good measure.  The sunshine and heat that had accompanied us to our destination were not destined to last.  Fortunately, we brought with us umbrellas, sweaters, and jackets, and by the end of our two days away, we were glad for all three.

For this lovely little interlude in the busy Christmas season we can thank my parents who presented us with a voucher to a bed and breakfast in Cowes last Christmas.  It took me this long to sort out the details, most critically whom would be willing to look after our four children, no small task.  The combined efforts of two families, with additional help from a third, were most appreciated.

We made a dash for the car just after I took the photo above, and we couldn't help but be curious if the dozens of surfers made it to cover before the hailstorm hit.  Such is the passion for surfing that we watched several don their gear and race down to the beach just ahead of the storm.

After a lazy nap taken when we were meant to be hiking (rain can have its advantages), we did a little exploring of the small island.  Following a gravel roadway from the back of the parking lot at the tourist destination known as the Nobbies proved a delightful experience as we came across several wallabies along the beautiful coastline.

Ross also spotted several baby penguins anxiously awaiting the arrival of their parents later in the evening.  I heard their distinctive cries as I got out of the car to photograph the wallabies, and ended shooting dozens of pictures of them as well.

The rain returned soon after this late afternoon drive that I am tempted to describe as magical.  We did encounter a couple of other people out enjoying the scenery on this one lane road, but otherwise were alone with the wind and the wildlife.  As for the rain, it didn't really interfere as we had planned a quiet, leisurely dinner, something of a rare commodity these days.

A Teenager in our Midst

Just a little more than thirteen years ago, we welcomed our first born into our lives.  Her arrival had been much-anticipated, and I recall spending hours in the rocking chair in her nursery, imagining what it would be like to rock a newborn baby.  In spite of these hours of contemplation, however, I was completely unprepared for the emotions of those first few days in the hospital.  Overwhelmed by love as I cuddled her and allowed the nurses to take care of us, I went so far as to feel sorry for any future offspring.  I was convinced that nothing ever could match the joy of that moment.

Birthdays are a natural time to look back and remember.  Our children love to hear the stories of their births, each one with its unique moments, anxieties, and joys.  Turning thirteen is a particular milestone, and I think I have been especially reminded of the time surrounding Katie's birth because we have received many knowing comments and looks as friends and acquaintances have either congratulated us, or sympathized with us, perhaps depending on just how they were feeling at that moment about their own teenagers.  We are now part of a special club, similar to the one you join when you become a parent, a club for which nothing can prepare you, not for the highs nor the lows. 

For my part, I am grateful for those parents who have assured us that the teen years can be wonderful.  I have no doubt they will pose more challenges than we would willingly take on if it were left completely up to us.  I have always enjoyed teen-agers, however, going back to the brief time that I was a high school Spanish teacher.  I remember loving their enthusiasm and zest for life, and while I agreed with Ross that they could be quite self-centered and frequently immature, I found the majority of my students to be interesting, eager to please, and even touching at times in their need for affirmation and acceptance.

Now we have a teen of our own, and as we thank God for her and daily pray for wisdom and guidance as her parents, we also rejoice to see her grow and mature.  To celebrate this milestone, I took her and a few of her friends from school into the city to do a little shopping and to enjoy the wonderful English custom of afternoon tea.  I was thrilled when Katie decided this was how she wanted to commemorate her birthday, as I quickly learned to love this ritual a decade ago when we lived in the United Kingdom.  We went by tram, of course, as there is a stop just a short walk from our house, and spent an hour or so exploring Melbourne's arcades and viewing the Christmas display windows at Myer before indulging in the three course afternoon tea served at the Collins Kitchen.

As far as I could tell the girls all had a wonderful time.  The only source of disagreement stemmed from deciding which of the delicacies were the best.  Opinions varied from the egg salad sandwiches to the pistachio cake, or my personal favorite, the clotted cream.  It was a pleasure to watch the girls using their best manners to carefully divide the cakes and serve each other, and they left me in no doubt as to their gratitude for this experience.