Max ...

..slept with us last night. I am not good at teaching children to sleep in their own beds - I think Roger would be better if left to his own devices - at least he would try harder.

He would have turfed Max out last night - but that is only because he didn't have the conversation I had with Max before Roger came to bed.

It seems that Max would like four kids - or at least he definitely wants an even number. Two boys (named Wolf and Fox) and two girls (Pheasant and Finch). It would be weird to call your kids some animal names - like Dog or Horse. Wolf should be the oldest because that way if Max dies there will still be a priesthood holder in the family.

They will have a cool house too - there will be scaffolding around the roof so that you can play on the roof - which will be flat and there will be rope ladders coming off the roof that finish about 2 metres above a foam pit so you can jump into it. Except that when Wolf and Fox and Pheasant and Finch are little they'll make the rope ladder longer.

Also Max is going to make sure that there is always work to do at the house so that the kids learn to work.

If Roger had been there for that conversation he would have tucked him up in bed with us too.

And to top it all off Max saw a snake on the road when he was on the way up to see Robert and Samuel - they weren't home so he ran down to Granny's and phoned us in tears to come get him - but it was ok because Granny gave him Tiny Teddy's while he waited. He broke into tears when he saw me again. It was very traumatic.

He absolutely needed to sleep with us last night. And that's why I am not very good at teaching children to sleep in their own beds.

48 km

Because Max swore he would not be seen in public with them, Jesse and Roger wore lycra to the Pine bike ride. (Roger only wore the pants - but since Tina commented on his 'muscular legs' it may not be the last time!)

It was a long one - 24k each way and Max was the first kid back.

Thomas

A quick Thomas update - he's been going to Melbourne whenever time and funds allow - Kathleen is visiting us this weekend.

The funds are mainly from a labouring job - and the rest of his time is used up around our place - planting a mulberry tree for example.

He is serving as the stake YSA rep and loves it.

Reading and writing fills in the rest of his days - he has a remarkable talent for writing. The script he wrote for the YSA film festival won best screenplay. The film was cute and funny - all about sock puppets.

He also tells great bedtime stories and is in great demand from Max and Louisa.

All of which is to fill in time before he embarks on his honours year at university next year.

The Bovilia's

We spend a lot of time talking and reading about families who have different, often less advantageous, lives than we do. We've been working on this for many years. We spend many Sunday nights talking about war and it's results. We try to understand the causes and the affects on everyday people. Trips to Laos and the middle east have helped too of course.

We often talk about Africa - it features heavily in Jesse's studies and it's a fascinating and though provoking place. But as Louisa said - it's different when someone you know tells you about what happened to them.

The Bovilia family arrived in Brisbane a bit over a week ago. They had spent 6 years in a UN refugee facility in South Africa having left the DRC (the Congo) as refugees. It was pure good fortune that the Department of Immigration put them in a house in our ward until a permanent house is found.

There are 9 people in the family and for many years they were living in one room - not one bedroom - just one room. They joined the church 3 years ago and a member of the church worked to get them a two bedroom flat. They were frequently without food and were always scared to sleep because their flat could be broken into.

When we suggested they go for a walk, Lucie (the Mum) was scared because there was no-one on the streets - which is a bad sign to her.

We took the kids to the park for a play one afternoon - I think they had never been to a park - they didn't know how to swing, or how to play with any of the park swings and climbing stuff. Louisa, Peet and Max demonstrated and they caught on quickly - laughing and screaming with excitement.

The climbing frames were extra hard and they needed help to work out how to climb the tree - but they sure did love it.

But after an hour or so of really hard work playing on the swings they asked 'can we race?' Of course. 'Where can we race?' Anywhere. 'But in South Africa there are many strangers in the park.' It took just a moment for the kids to show them they could race anywhere in the park.

Their family story is so interesting but hopefully from now on it will be less eventful - they will be sent to a permanent house this week which is unlikely to be in our ward - but how lucky are we to have had them in our ward this week.

Lucky

We can't believe our luck - the day before Harry joined us Lindsay Jane's new baby boy arrived. Lindsay is a pro at baby boys and has produced another beauty. We can't wait to see him in person next week.

Harry Thomas Hall

Harry has arrived - we are head over heels. He's peaceful and perfect and we wish he lived next door.

White pages

It's that time of the year again.

Lycra

Becky and Trav had a bike clothes clean out and passed on a heap of lycra to Peet - there was a lot of laughing and teasing going on - until Peet tried on one set and declared them the most comfortable thing he has ever worn. So Roger and Jesse gave it a go and at last Louisa tried a set. The consensus is that Peet is right.

Peet wore a set riding the next day and now says 'don't knock it till you've tried it.'

Fathers Day

We rarely do 'big' presents - our theory is that birthdays and so on are celebrations of the person not a nest feathering exercise. Once in a while though we make an exception - and it's heaps of fun because no-one expects it. So Roger had no clue that we were giving him a swag for Father's Day.

Jesse bought herself a swag too - and set it up on the verandah.

There was also a book, a Perry the Platypus made by Louisa and an episode of Fineas and Ferb (?) from Max. And 7 hour slow cooked lamb for dinner.

Kelvin Grove Spring Concert

Kelvin Grove concerts are always a treat. This time Louisa sat right in front of us - her group performed Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Iron Horse Express.

Peet was far away and so we have no photo - his group performed two pieces - Fanfare for the Fair Plant and Celtic Bridge. Simone is in the same group as Peet and Monica's group opened the night with two beautiful pieces.

Lovely night.

Pine Art Show

Two great things happen when Pine holds an art show - the Pine kids and teachers and some parents spend weeks producing all sorts of amazing art, and lots of old friends turn up for the show.

And as a bonus Mathilda and Patrick brought Toby. Mack was there too - they were highlights.

Jesse works as a teachers aid on Thursdays - which is the main art day. So there was Jesse art work on display too. She loves those little kids.

My favourite piece is a work in progress - lots of kids have already contributed but families are invited to make a junk creature too - eventually it will hang in the library.

Max also had three line drawings in the show - but we have no photographs. Eventually I will scan them.