CYCLONE ULUI MARCH 2010

Well we survived our first ever cyclone in the tropics. Cyclone Ului hit us around 1-00am Sunday 21 st March, 2010. The winds were amazing and it felt like the roof was going to blow off. Kev and I laid in bed holding hands and prayed but that was just when fear kicked in. We did the preparations we were told to do, but I really had a peace that we would be okay. Great big God!

Driving around on the Sunday it was hard to believe that winds could pull down so many of our beautiful old trees. There were so many boats that had sunk or washed up on the rocks.

We were without power for 4 days, that's right 4 days. No fridge, no hot water and for the girls none of the luxuries they are used to, Television. For the first day you would have thought we cut of Alyse"s right arm.hehe We had some great fun times at night time playing chinese whispers, I spy and Freeze. We laughed heaps and I thought we should do that once a week, but Kev wasn't that keen. :)

We had cheers and yelling when the power finally went back on. We lost alot of our food in the fridges and freezers but it could have been so much worse so we were very thankful that's all we lost.

As a family we experienced 4 star camping in our home for 4 days, kev loved it and was a little sad when we packed it all up back into the garage. I was not so sad to have the modern amenities all back and in working order. :)

So we survived Cyclone Ului and our first summer in the tropics!

Henshaws Big Move

Well at the time I am writing this we have been living in the Whitsundays for 4 months. Can't believe how time has passed so quickly. It has been an amazing journey for us as a family to leave all that we have known and loved and move 1200 kilometers away. We love living here and yes we miss our family, friends and NBC Church, but not the whole big city thing. This move has taken us completely out of our comfort zone but that has been an amazing opportunity to grow in our faith and be completely in the hands of our amazing great big God!!! He hasn't let us done not once!

The girls are loving their new school. It is only a small school of 350 from Prep to Yr 12. Alyse has a friend that has moved into our neighborhood which is great for her. She went for her first play date yesterday and had lots of fun!

Kevin is still working as a paramedic and it is a much quieter time for him up here which is great compared to the madness of Brisbane.

I have just commenced work as a Seniors Coordinator for an organisation that helps seniors and adults with Disabilities stay in there homes in the community as long as possible before needing full-time care. Huge adjustment!!! Hope it will all go well!!

Can't believe our little girl turns 7 today.Wahoo Alyse!!! 7 years ago today I work up early round 5-ooam to find my waters had broken, 18 days early, that's our girl! Unlike me my bags weren't packed nor was I ready to go to Hospital. In the middle of constractions I was ironing clothes while Kevin was looking for names for a boy over the internet . He was yelling them out to me as I packed. We had our girls name picked a couple of months before...

The day went well and I can honestly say the delivery went really well. Not to painful really except for those last couple of pushes. I think I had prayed so hard that I could get through it I was exspecting so much worse.

Alyse has given us so much joy and challenges as parents. She has alot of strong character trates that will be great for her when she is an adult. For now though not so great. God has created her just perfect so our hope as parents is that we don't stuff that up! LOL LOL LOL LOL.

I've never seen her sooooo excited before. We gave her her big pressie early as Daddy is away for her birthday working at Airlie Beach, the Whitsundays. A nintendo DS you would have thought we gave her a milllion dollars. She loves it and plays with it every day.

It's the first time Kev's been away for her birthday, a little sad for him and her. We will make the best of today, church, lunch at her fav restaurant and then a play centre for the arvo with yummy cake!

We love you Alyse, you are more precious than Rubies!!!!!

Well it's been a huge week for Kevin this week. His big boy has become a man and moved out of home to live with his friends. What a huge change! I can't believe he's only paying $70 a week, for food, board and electricity...How cheap is that! It's a big change and we wish him all the very best.

Alyse spoke to him on the phone and she thought that meant she wouldn't see him again. Yes there where tears, not only from Alyse, daddy too... Anthony reassured her, Alyse told him she loved him and he said "I love you too leesy". Gotta love big brothers.

Kimberley doesn't seem to be missing him too much, I can't understand it really.Ohhhh, hang on a minute, yes I do, I was having a momentary lack of memory it's all coming back to me now. I too had a big bro and I remember too well.

The good thing is hopefully in a few more years they to will learn to appreciate each other as adults, and become friends.

Gotta love Family!

Southbank and CIty Cats

The girls had a great day out with DADDY. They started with a surprise City Cat ride, then off to Southbank Movies to see Monsters VS Aliens, which they loved. They then had lunch at daddy's favourite chippy shop and took in the sites of Southbank. It was then time to go home on the city cat and Daddy had 2 tired little girls.

The girls really love this special time with their dad. Once a week they go out for some quality one on one time with their DAD. Kev loves it too. Smoothies and sushi are the order of the day at the moment.

Good on ya KEV! xx

SING LOUD AND PROUD

Alyse joined the school choir for Preps to Yr 3's at the beginning of term 1. They had there first performance and she was sooo excited. There was about 50 kids in the choir and they sang"On top of Spaghetti" and "I'm a real cool cat". She sang her little heart out, It was a very proud moment. She loves to sing and perform, we will have to wait and see what she does with that.

While the kids sat through parade Alyse was smiling and laughing so much it was infectious. I was laughing with her so much I was crying. She was sitting on stage giving me the "I Love You Signal" we have. It was very special.

NEEDLES!

Brooke had her 4 year old needles today. She was so brave. I didn't tell her it was coming and the doctor was so good. He hates giving needles to kids, but he made up a story for her. He told her that the school said she wouldn't be able to come next year if she didn't have them.(He was happy to blame the school).

She cried with the first and the second went on forever and of course she cried however I think the 2 jelly beans helped. Alyse and Brooke are sooooo different in nature. I remember we told Alyse about the needles the day before just to get her used to it, cause we new she would have, how can I so this, a fit. We even bribed her with getting her ears pierced if she was a very brave girl. No tears from Alyse! She wanted those earings sooooo badly. Thank goodness for the gel they put on to stop the OUCH! Funny how you can see parts of Kev and My personalities in our gorgeous girls.

I love our girls to bits !!!!!!