Had a rough start to the morning, but just now I am stealing a few minutes to myself and thanking God that the kids still LOVE Veggie Tales Silly Songs. They will watch it totally engrossed for the whole 43 minutes. No mother can ask for more than that.
Can't believe I just wasted 10 minutes of that bliss reading about celebrity gossip. Who really cares about Kate and Jon's latest trouble or so and so's body after baby? I don't know why I bother. Oh well. At least now I am doing something productive (depending on who you ask). ;-)
I ordered Cupcake some new shoes from our favourite Kiwi shoe place. They have a seconds section and you get $40 shoes for $15. The trouble is their sizes are so weird. You have to measure the foot, flat on the ground (yea, real easy for a 2 year old), in millimeters and add 15 mm to the measurement, blah, blah, blah. Needless to say--they are too big. Oh well. She doesn't care. We had to put on the pink pair with some thick socks and she is wearing them with her PJ's. This girl loves shoes!
It's funny because everything costs a lot here. I try to only buy second hand shoes and things, because they don't wear them long anyway. And I am lucky because my Mom mails us lots of great shoes she finds on sale at Babies R Us for $3. But winter shoes here are harder to come by. She loves boots and I was bidding on some on the NZ equivalent of eBay. They went for over $40. Seriously. Second hand--used kiddie shoes. So I went to the store to make sure I knew what they cost new. $65! Even at the discount store (think smaller version of Wal-Mart) they are $35 and not worth $10. We finally found some at the designer store on clearance for what the cheap ones cost. And still less then the 2nd hand ones. Weird.
We do have thrift stores, but the kid's clothes go so fast. They almost never have any shoes and I haven't figured out the schedules yet. Like when do they put out the new donations? Plus since we share a vehicle, it's not like I just go haunt the places until I find something. I so wish we still lived in town, then I could walk. Oh well. Plus, maybe I am wrong on this, but if I can buy a pair of "seconds" (never can find the flaws) for $15 and a used pair is maybe $8-$10, wouldn't you buy the seconds? Then when we are done I either sell them online or pass them on to a friend. I vote for seconds.
Okay, having one of those brain meltdown moments wondering why I am talking about shoes? Ladies' camp meeting tonight. I so can't wait until it is over. I know that camp will be great, but I hate all of the planning. It wouldn't be so painful if I was planning to work alone, I don't play well in groups. It's really hard for me. I used to write 100 page papers in college to get out of group activities.
Say a pray for our friend L. She is the one who doctors keep telling to abort her baby who is not developing properly. His bladder has no opening so they have to drain the urine to keep him from dying and her from becoming sick. His heart is up too high, where his lungs should be and they can't find his lungs. All of the doctors in Auckland have told her to abort that they won't treat her. She finally found one up here who will treat her. She says if she lost the baby or if he is born dead she will understand, but she says she just can't limit what God can do in all of this by carrying him to term. She is praying for a miracle. We are too. She's gotten much further than anyone expected, but the real miracle (so far) seems to be how well she is handling this and how much her faith has increased. They will deliver her at 36 weeks to go further they say is too dangerous. I'm not sure how much longer that is, but we are really praying for a huge miracle! This family has been through so much in the last few years.
They are from Zimbabwe. If you don't know what has been happening there get online and read about it. The white farmers and others continue to be pushed out by militant groups. Many flee to South Africa were about 100 white farmers are still killed each month. Her husband, M, is a lion tamer by profession and they were able to flee to NZ because (believe it or not) he is an essential worker. But their residency here has been plagued with problems, partly because he has been caught up in a scandal with the park he works for. Nothing of his own doing--it is the idiot who started the park. Anyway, last year M was working with a friend and fellow lion tamer when his friend was killed by a rogue tiger. He tried to free his friend, but in the end had to shoot the tiger when help finally came. His friend died. They also lost another baby last year.
So, I just pray that a miracle will come. No more suffering for this family, Lord.
Okay--time to check on the babies. It's too quiet out there.
Can't believe I just wasted 10 minutes of that bliss reading about celebrity gossip. Who really cares about Kate and Jon's latest trouble or so and so's body after baby? I don't know why I bother. Oh well. At least now I am doing something productive (depending on who you ask). ;-)
I ordered Cupcake some new shoes from our favourite Kiwi shoe place. They have a seconds section and you get $40 shoes for $15. The trouble is their sizes are so weird. You have to measure the foot, flat on the ground (yea, real easy for a 2 year old), in millimeters and add 15 mm to the measurement, blah, blah, blah. Needless to say--they are too big. Oh well. She doesn't care. We had to put on the pink pair with some thick socks and she is wearing them with her PJ's. This girl loves shoes!
It's funny because everything costs a lot here. I try to only buy second hand shoes and things, because they don't wear them long anyway. And I am lucky because my Mom mails us lots of great shoes she finds on sale at Babies R Us for $3. But winter shoes here are harder to come by. She loves boots and I was bidding on some on the NZ equivalent of eBay. They went for over $40. Seriously. Second hand--used kiddie shoes. So I went to the store to make sure I knew what they cost new. $65! Even at the discount store (think smaller version of Wal-Mart) they are $35 and not worth $10. We finally found some at the designer store on clearance for what the cheap ones cost. And still less then the 2nd hand ones. Weird.
We do have thrift stores, but the kid's clothes go so fast. They almost never have any shoes and I haven't figured out the schedules yet. Like when do they put out the new donations? Plus since we share a vehicle, it's not like I just go haunt the places until I find something. I so wish we still lived in town, then I could walk. Oh well. Plus, maybe I am wrong on this, but if I can buy a pair of "seconds" (never can find the flaws) for $15 and a used pair is maybe $8-$10, wouldn't you buy the seconds? Then when we are done I either sell them online or pass them on to a friend. I vote for seconds.
Okay, having one of those brain meltdown moments wondering why I am talking about shoes? Ladies' camp meeting tonight. I so can't wait until it is over. I know that camp will be great, but I hate all of the planning. It wouldn't be so painful if I was planning to work alone, I don't play well in groups. It's really hard for me. I used to write 100 page papers in college to get out of group activities.
Say a pray for our friend L. She is the one who doctors keep telling to abort her baby who is not developing properly. His bladder has no opening so they have to drain the urine to keep him from dying and her from becoming sick. His heart is up too high, where his lungs should be and they can't find his lungs. All of the doctors in Auckland have told her to abort that they won't treat her. She finally found one up here who will treat her. She says if she lost the baby or if he is born dead she will understand, but she says she just can't limit what God can do in all of this by carrying him to term. She is praying for a miracle. We are too. She's gotten much further than anyone expected, but the real miracle (so far) seems to be how well she is handling this and how much her faith has increased. They will deliver her at 36 weeks to go further they say is too dangerous. I'm not sure how much longer that is, but we are really praying for a huge miracle! This family has been through so much in the last few years.
They are from Zimbabwe. If you don't know what has been happening there get online and read about it. The white farmers and others continue to be pushed out by militant groups. Many flee to South Africa were about 100 white farmers are still killed each month. Her husband, M, is a lion tamer by profession and they were able to flee to NZ because (believe it or not) he is an essential worker. But their residency here has been plagued with problems, partly because he has been caught up in a scandal with the park he works for. Nothing of his own doing--it is the idiot who started the park. Anyway, last year M was working with a friend and fellow lion tamer when his friend was killed by a rogue tiger. He tried to free his friend, but in the end had to shoot the tiger when help finally came. His friend died. They also lost another baby last year.
So, I just pray that a miracle will come. No more suffering for this family, Lord.
Okay--time to check on the babies. It's too quiet out there.
BIG prayers for your friend L and her lil baby!! God bless her!
ReplyDeleteAnd really, right in the middle of that tear-jerking story you have to tell me lion tamers are essential workers... lol! Maybe that's just God's favour there, you know. One of those odd circumstances, I hope, that saves this baby. :)
Hm, I know NZ is more expensive than Oz for lots of things but the US always seems incredibly cheap. Maybe because they don't import these things? I know if I get shoes for under $20~ I think I've got a real bargain. Our local thrifty's are pretty awful; I've pretty much given up buying stuff unless absolutely desperate.
ReplyDeleteGot some gorgeous looking kiddos there, mama. ☺