Iron Lady

Just came back from the movie Iron Lady about Margaret Thatcher. The movie was excellent and it was also fun to go out with girlfriends without the kiddos. That being said, it was stirring to see elder Thatcher reflect on her life, family, and career... I find myself reflecting on my relationship with my children and husband, my decaying body, and what kind of impact am I having during this relatively short life on planet earth? I guess it can be somewhat unsettling... In this uneasiness I am thankful to cling to the hope of eternity with Christ with a new body and a renewed mind - that this life isn't the end of the story... Anyway - pretty pensive post-film - thank you Meryl Streep for a great depiction of MT.



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Kid-Friendly

It's hard to believe we've been here for over 2 months - wowsers.... I think the biggest surprise for me is how kid-friendly Wellington is. When I was here in 1998 I remember a large counter-culture scene that was into alternative music and piercings and tattoos. The really, really cool thing is that they all have babies and toddlers now. Everywhere you walk you see tattooed mommies and daddies toting their babies in their ergo baby carrier or pushing their toddlers in phil & ted strollers. The dads are especially so involved with the children. Jason and I noticed that usually on Saturday mornings dads are running their kids around outside likely giving mommy a much needed break. As I'm sure everyone already was aware, 10-16 October was International Baby Wearing week. There was a walk from a park about 1/2 mile from our house to a very family-friendly pub in the city. All this being said, one of my biggest fears about the move to NZ was that I would be an isolated stay-at-home-mama. It is really crazy to see how that deep fear was really unfounded.

One of the coolest discoveries we've found is the fluffy. A fluffy is a little coffee cup and saucer filled with the froth and topped with chocolate sprinkles. It is served with 2 little marshmallows (or chocolate fish) on the side. Charlie and I can drink our coffees together - it is THE CUTEST thing ever. This NEEDS to catch on in the US.

This video was taken at Chocolate Fish - a really cute cafe located near Sir Peter Jackson's studios - this cafe is where all the LOTR cast and crew would hang out...

Bliss!

We are almost completely out of groceries so treated ourselves to yummy breakfast before church. Here is my flat white (latte more or less) in a bowl. First one since high school caribou days.









I braved the roads on our drive to church today. I was a little gun-shy after our teeny-tiny (as Charlie would put it) accident in Australia. I sort of knocked the passenger mirror clean off the rental car when I hit a road barrier on the drive to the Canberra Zoo.  That being said, the ride to church was smooth and I'm feeling increasingly confident. (here is Charlie near the giraffes at the Canberra zoo).