The Plunge Down Under

A Weekend To Remember

Twenty years of marriage calls for a special celebration we think, and happily there are any number of spectacular places to choose from in Australia.  Ross and I chose Sydney, partly for practical work-related reasons (he had a meeting there on Friday morning), but also because of its magnificent harbor.  Thanks to top-notch restaurant recommendations, a wonderful babysitter, and non-stop sunshine, we had a marvelous weekend. I took a few photos, of course, and will share some with you.

We stayed at a heritage hotel in Potts Point, about a forty minute stroll through the Botanical Gardens to Circular Quay.  We didn't think we would mind the extra walking required as we planned to eat well, but I did fail to consider the extra number of steps that would be involved.  Sydney, unlike Melbourne, is a hilly city, and therefore has plenty of opportunities for climbing steps.  Sydney also has lots of exercise enthusiasts, and I don't believe we ever climbed stairs without being passed by two or more runners sprinting up and down.  

From the bottom of these stairs, which I counted for my dad's sake (108 exactly), it is a ten minute walk to the Royal Botanic Gardens.  Here we quickly found the flying foxes we remembered from our first visit.  They are a noisy, and a rather smelly, lot if the truth be told.  The sulphur-crested cockatoos also demanded to be noticed with their incessant squawking and swooping.

I prefer the cormorants, and the blossoms of the banksia trees.

The iconic opera house lies at one end of the gardens,  I almost wished I had lugged the heavy tripod to Sydney in order to get a photo of it against the backdrop of the harbor bridge at night, but not on this trip.  

We alternated walking around Circular Quay with riding the ferries---cheap entertainment, which allowed us to splurge on restaurants.

On Saturday morning we took the Watsons Bay ferry and stopped off at Rose Bay to have lunch at Catalina, pictured below.  Both the view and the food were perfect.  I felt somewhat underdressed, which made sense when I read later that Rose Bay is one of the most expensive zip codes in all of Australia.

The next two photos are for my brother Greg, and for any other Patrick O'Brian fans:

From Rose Bay we went by ferry to Watsons Bay and hiked around the lighthouse built there in 1858 after a shipwreck in which all lives but one were lost.

From Watsons Bay, it is a twenty minute ride by bus to the world famous Bondi Beach, a place we felt we had to visit at least once.

We climbed the cliffs at one end of Bondi Beach, and looked for humpback whales.  They can be spotted here from May through September on their journey from Antarctica to the northern coastal waters of Australia where they go to give birth.  No spouts, but we enjoyed looking out to sea and watching the surfers catch the waves.

As the sun slowly disappeared, we reluctantly boarded the bus back to Bondi Junction.  Anticipating a seafood dinner at Fish on the Rocks later in the evening, we walked the remainder of the way to our hotel.  Forty-five minutes later, at the top of the 108 McElhone steps, I decided we would definitely be ordering dessert.  Ross was only to happy to agree.  I lost track of all the different types of seafood we sampled, but the passion fruit mille feuille was the perfect ending to a wonderful day. 

 

 

Loving the Leaves

Beauty in the Rain

One morning last week I walked James to school in the rain.  I didn't really mind as the autumn colors are once again sumptuous this year.  A blue sky makes a gorgeous backdrop for brilliant leaves, of course, but the rain also has its charms.  The reds, yellows, and oranges seem sharper against the dark wet bark of the tree limbs and trunks.

By the time I was back home the rain had stopped.  It occurred to me that the resulting water droplets might be a good photo opportunity.  I ducked inside the house to grab the camera, quickly checked on the two sick children resting on the couch, and went back outdoors.  I had only a few minutes before the rain started up again, but they were a fun few minutes.  See if you can catch the reflections.  

Confession:  I didn't even notice the reflections in the water droplets I was photographing until I was nearly finished.  I love the surprises and little joys that can be discovered even on a rainy day.

Weekend Wrap Up

 It's a beautiful autumn Monday morning, and I have just walked back from dropping off the boys at school.  The experience this morning carried with it an unexpected lump in the throat as I lingered at the gate to wave James off on his first big excursion.  He and all of the preps are headed into the city to visit the Melbourne Museum. He was so excited, so happy, and also a bit apprehensive.  He has grown a ton in the past couple of months, but still he looked so small as he climbed the steps of the big bus, and turned around to give me a smile.

I had the camera with me only because of another project I am working on at the moment.  That you will no doubt hear about in the near future.

I close with a few bits and bobs I have collected over the past couple of weeks.  They don't really merit a post of their own, but I wanted to share them nonetheless.

I love the Aussie propensity for understatement.  Recently I arrived at school to pick James up with my camera around my neck.  A friend noticed it, and introduced me to a parent whom she described as "having a dab hand with a camera."  I spoke with him for some time, and ended up giving him the name of my blog.  Afterward I discovered that he is a talented professional photographer.  I should have known.

I'm not sure how I missed it, but I only just discovered another method of forming nicknames in Australia.  I'll cite a few examples, and you will quickly see the pattern.  Baz for Barry, Kaz for Karin, Gazza for Gary, Shazza for Sharon, Toz for Thomas.  Even James knew about this one before me.

Speaking of James, last week he informed me that his teacher always has extra gray lines at her desk.  I had no idea what he meant.  Gray lines = pencils.  

Last week I watched James exit his classroom at the end of the day.  I waited for him to make eye contact with me, grin, and run flying toward me which is what he usually does.  This time, however, he hesitated and waited until all of the other children had left.  He then went back to his teacher and said something to her.  I assumed that he hadn't seen me and was worried.  Later he told me, however, that he had gone back to whisper "I love you" in her ear.  Don't you just love five-year-old boys?

Profiles, Sixth and Final in the Series

Our first-born son Cameron has the privilege of coming last in this particular series.  I teased the rest of the family that I saved the best for last, and then I had to listen to the predictable chorus of protests.  I do think it is to his advantage, however, as I have practiced on the first few and learned a thing or two.  I also ended up spending longer thinking about him and choosing appropriate photos than I did for anyone else in the series.

I begin with the above picture because I love Cameron's expression in it, and also because it was taken in his very favorite place in the state of Victoria, Hanging Rock Reserve.  Cameron approaches life with exuberance and gusto.  His sunny nature attracts others to him, and has served him well in this adventure of ours.  It is unfathomable to me how he can be so enthusiastic the moment he awakes, often well before 7am, but cheerful he is, often to the dismay of his mother and older sister.

Cameron in August 2010:

Cameron was not at all convinced that going to school would be a good thing in Australia, but Ross and I eventually persuaded him to give it a go.  While he will still tell you today that he prefers learning at home, he heads off with a smile every morning and enjoys most aspects of his day.  Since he is in Year 6 this year, he and his classmates all have leadership positions at school.  This is something Cameron has enjoyed.  The little kids look up to him and often run flying toward him when he arrives.

We have given Cameron extra responsibility at home as well.  While I drive the girls to school each morning, Cameron is in charge of getting James ready for school.  He oversees James eating breakfast, packs both of their lunches, and then has him waiting for me with helmet and bike at the ready so I can walk them to school as soon as I pull back in the driveway.  This is a huge help to me, as I have discovered this week when he has been too sick to do it.

En route to school recently:

Sport is the next thing that comes to mind when I think of Cameron.  Although he is taking a break from team sports at the moment, he has participated in both cricket and basketball during the past two years.  One of his favorite things has been playing backyard cricket with his friend Gus.  Cameron chose the following photo to include in this post, which by the way is the first time he has shown any interest in this blog.  He told me the other day when I suggested that he read what I wrote about his dad that he had now idea how to find my blog, nor had he ever really wanted to read any of my posts. I nearly threatened to send him to bed without dinner, but then recalled that he is a child that lives for the moment.  Reflecting on the past is not nearly so interesting to him.

The next photo shows Cameron just after losing the grand final in the last ten seconds of the game at the end of his first basketball season.  I tried to coax a smile out of him but failed.  At least his team made it to the grand final, I reminded him to no avail.  During his next season, I don't believe his team won a single game.

The sting of losing all his games in both cricket and basketball last summer was somewhat lessened when he received a coach's award for both sports.  We were of course proud of him and the fact that he persevered under sometimes discouraging circumstances.

Swimming has been another theme of Cameron's life in Australia.  He has participated in squad training at our local swim center since August 2010, and has been rewarded for his efforts by winning events at both his school and interschool swim carnivals.  The past two years he has made it into the district level.  The other day as I dropped him off and sent him shivering to the outdoor pool when it was not even 10 degrees C (less than 50 F), I considered how he was having a true Melbourne experience.  Fanatic does not really begin to describe the attitude toward swimming here.  It is done year round outdoors, often in terrible conditions, and also in freezing cold water.  Better him than me I thought.  I went home to make hot chocolate for when he finished.

Reading and playing the wii also loom large in Cameron's life.  I much prefer the former to the latter, but here are photos of both.

To close I have photos of Cameron exploring nature.   Since our second trip to the Great Barrier Reef his new aspiration is to become a marine biologist.  He would love to work as a diver, he thinks, but would also enjoy the opportunity to teach others about the wonders of the sea.  The final picture depicts Cameron showing James tiny fish at Cowe's Beach on Phillip Island.  I love how the two brothers are absorbed together in discovery mode.

Cameron is the family member that most enjoys photography other than myself.  He wanted to make sure I gave him credit for taking the following photo.

Well that is it for the profiles series.  In the event that you feel I have painted a too sugary portrait of the children, all you need do is apply to any one of my kids for a list of their siblings' faults.  I have no doubt that they will be only to happy to enlighten you.  Like everyone else, we are all of us still works in progress, but it has been an enjoyable exercise to focus on the positive in the past few posts.

Profiles, Fifth in a Series

It seems appropriate to single out Ross for today's post becasue on this day, twenty years ago, Ross and I were married. Two apartments, five houses, four children, and four countries later, we are still together.  This is by God's grace more than anything, I think.  Barely beyond adolescence when we made our vows, we have both grown and matured together.  Recently one of my daughters and I were discussing marriage. She confided in me, "I hope I can find someone who loves me as much as Daddy loves you." "Well, you know exactly what to look for," was my reply.

Ross with all four kids in Pittsburgh in May 2010:

First Sunday down under:

I can't write about Ross without at least mentioning his job.  That is what brought us all to Australia in the first place, and it is what consumes the majority of his time and energy on an average day.  It has been a dream of his for as long as I have known him to be CFO of a medium-sized company, so when this opportunity presented itself, he was intrigued.  It took longer for me to get on board, but you can read about that in in the first few posts I wrote for this blog.  We, the children and I, are all very proud of him and what he has managed to accomplish in the past two years.

Checking out Ross's new office in Melbourne:

When he is not working, Ross has a few favorite pasttimes.  One of them is walking to the grocery store, ideally with one or more of his children.  Working for a food company has meant that Ross has largely taken over the grocery shopping for our family.  He finds it necessary to regularly inspect the shelves and check out the current display of his company's products. A few years ago I realized that I could send him with a list of things we needed.  I love this, as you might imagine, as I have never been a fan of the grocery store.  The only thing that has changed in Australia is that rather than buying a weeks' worth of supplies at a time at our local Giant Eagle, Ross drops into either Coles or Woolies every second day or so, buying just a few things at a time.

Initially Ross lured the children outdoors on walks by promising a visit to Trampoline.  He still loves to go there, but we have drastically cut the number of trips to buy ice cream.

Happily both Ross and I enjoy hiking and nature, and we got to experience both last November on an overnight trip to Phillip Island without the kids.

We also love going out for a leisurely dinner together, but I have not taken many photos of this fairly rare occurrence.  Here is one from the other night, just before we went to a Japanese restaurant to mark our upcoming anniversary.

It would be impossible to discuss Ross's pasttimes without mentioning the Great Ocean Road, possibly his favorite place in the whole world. He has been there once or twice, or perhaps a dozen times.

For the final photo of Ross, I have chosen one taken at our church when we celebrated an American Thanksgiving last October. 

Ross was giving out answers here to a trivia quiz, which other than carving one of the three turkeys, was his main contribution to the event.  He provided needed moral support to me, however, even if he and David did sit down to eat while Gillian and I scurried around the kitchen.  I end with this because I remember how much I appreciated his praise for our efforts after it was all over.  There are many things that I love about Ross, and one of them is his unstinting praise and approval of those close to him.

The privilege of spending the past twenty years with a true soulmate is one that I surely cannot fully appreciate.  I can only hope for many, many more years to come.  Happy 20th Anniversary to the love of my life.

 

Profiles, Fourth in a Series

She arrived in Australia very much a young girl, but when we look at her now, we see a young woman. While it is true that all four of our children have changed during the past two years, Katie is the one who, in our eyes at least, has been transformed most dramatically.

Brighton Beach in July 2010, about ten days after our arrival in Melbourne:

First trip to Healesville Sanctuary:

When Ross and I first discussed the possibility of moving our family to Australia, we thought the upheaval would be most distressing for our first-born.  Much to our surprise, Katie was the most excited. Upon hearing the news, Cameron and Sophie both burst into tears. Katie cheered.  

Naturally quiet, Katie does not make new friends easily.  She was quite determined to go to school in Australia, however, and go she went in August of 2010.  With the help of a supportive classroom teacher, and the added blessing of carpooling with the neighbor girl, now Katie's close friend, she survived the initial trial by fire and is thriving in Year 8.  

One year ago in Sydney Harbor:

Katie in July 2011 holding her youngest cousin, and very happy with her new contact lenses.

At the moment, Katie spends a fair amount of time completing homework.  When she is not studying, or practicing the flute, she can usually be found reading or plugged in to her ipod touch.  She enjoys attending youth group every Friday night at the Presbyterian Church in Surrey Hills, and summer camp with Presbyterian Youth Victoria was one of the highlights for her of 2011.  Unfortunately she didn't take any pictures at camp, but I found the following two on facebook:

Last year Katie's youth group hosted an Op Shop Formal.  Op shops are second-hand stores.  We had to visit several, including a Salvos Shop, before finding something that she agreed to wear to the event. 

Just before the formal, dressed in op shop clothes:

I wrote a short post about Katie attending Outdoor Education Camp with her Year 8 class this past March and in that post I promised to include a few photos in the future.  Following are several:  

The girls had to carry all of their gear on their backs for one day.  

 

First day of school, February 2012.

To close, a few photos from recent weeks:

Ross and I are proud of our hard-working, responsible, tender-hearted thirteen-year-old daughter.  We couldn't live without her, and we very much look forward to seeing what God has in store for her future. 

 

Happy Mother's Day

Profiles, Third in a Series

Do you remember the frustrated three-year-old that we dragged from his familiar surroundings, his beloved grandparents, and his very best buddy Sebastian just under two years ago?  

I managed to catch him in a happy moment a couple of weeks after we landed in Melbourne, but those moments were few and far between.

He spent most of his time looking more like this:

James was decidedly not a happy camper for our first few months in Australia, and really, who could blame him?  It is just that his reaction took us a bit by surprise. Uprooting your kids can reveal things to you about them that you have not yet realized.  We now know that James attaches himself deeply to those he loves, and he does not form new attachments easily.  First and foremost in his life is his daddy, as he reminds me from time to time.  If Ross can't be home to tuck him into bed, James will often cry himself to sleep. That was true two years ago, and is still true today.

Here are some pictures of the two of them when they met up in the city for lunch about one year ago.

Next I have a picture of James with his very first friend, taken in Pittsburgh last July:

After nearly two years in Australia, James still speaks of Sebastian fondly.  It took him almost a year to start playing with children his own age in Australia.  Today he does have a special friend at school.  They wait for each other at the school gate, and sit together under the friendship tree until both are finished eating lunch so they can play soccer together.  It is pure pleasure to watch them interact.

As for school itself, James has not wavered in his enthusiasm for it.  If you ask him what he likes best, his answers are, "First play, second play, sport, and art."  First play and second play are what he calls recess.  He does however take the learning part quite seriously.  I often overhear him repeating to himself what the teacher has taught that day.  He spends literally hours at home in a week practicing his writing, and he begs me for reading lessons.  I think this is rather funny actually.

I spent so many hours trying to teach my first three children to read and write, and I cannot say that they enjoyed the majority of that time.  Sophie loved writing, it is true, but getting the first two kids to practice handwriting was torture.  As for learning to read from our standard resource, "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons," most days I was ready to throw that book at the wall.  It did work, and for that I am grateful, but I was looking forward to having someone else teach James how to read.

Now he has been begging me for more than a year to teach him to read, and I have finally agreed to pull out the dreaded 100 Easy Lessons book.  James loves it.  Once when Katie suggested that it might be best for our family to resume homeschooling during our transition time back to the U.S., James ran screaming from the room in absolute horror, "I will never be homeschooled!"  He doesn't realize that I am doing exactly that, at his request.  

When he is not practicing his letters, or begging to play the wii, James can usually be found outdoors riding his bike.  He brings heaps of joy to our lives, especially when he crawls onto my lap for an extra long cuddle.  He also keeps us humble, but rather than dwell on those moments, I'll share my favorite photos of 2012 of the youngest member of the Wilkin family.

This morning I visited James's classroom for a special session of Mother's Day pampering.  He has been excited about it for weeks.  I received a shoulder massage (from James), had lotion rubbed into my hands (by James), and had my fingernails painted the exact color of my jacket (yes, by James).  All this after he brought home a special present for me yesterday.  He insisted on giving it to me immediately rather than waiting until Sunday.  I love the enthusiasm of five-year-olds, especially five-year-old boys.  My heart is full, and for this, and for him, I am grateful.

 

 

 

 

Profiles, Second in a Series

Tonight I tucked into bed an excited and nervous nine-year-old girl.  Sophie is preparing to play her violin for the entire junior school at a music assembly in the morning after having successfully auditioned earlier in the week.  We are quite proud of her, of course, especially as she did not make it on her first attempt earlier this year.  Her violin teacher, a wonderful woman who has the gift of encouragement, convinced her to try again.

It has been interesting for me to look back through a few pictures and reflect over the changes in our third-born.  I'll start with some photos from 2010.

Singapore in November:

First of many, many sausage rolls:

Here she is about one year ago:

And here she is in February of this year, first day of the new school year:

I remember so well her first day of school.  She told us later how lonely she felt when James and I walked away, but she was very determined that she would like school, and by and large she has.  This year in addition to violin and piano lessons at school, she is participating in string training orchestra and choir. She wanted to add in chess, tennis and also a wind instrument, but our answer was no, no, and no.  So she settled for one hour of swim training per week instead.

Beyond making music and swimming, Sophie's favorite pasttimes include playing with her American girl dolls and Calico Critters.  She is still a great playmate for James, and although he is not quite as willing as he used to be to play house and dolls under her direction, he benefits from her maternal instincts.  She is very diligent in completing her homework each weekday night, and was quite pleased to learn to write in cursive in Term One.  I am pleased that she loves books.  We have been reading through the Little House series together.

I'll close with recent pictures from her House Athletics Day.  I scrambled at the last minute to deck her out in yellow to support her house.  Yellow is not a color we do well in our household, but we pulled together a few things. Unfortunately her house came in dead last, but it was an enjoyable day nonetheless.