One year and counting...

It's hard to believe that one year ago, today, our little family landed in Perth, Australia.  This first year seems to have lasted a long time.  I think most of that is due to the fact that the first several months were devoted to settling in.  We've had some fun adventures since arriving here, and most of them have made it onto the blog.  Today I thought I'd look back at a time when putting up a blog post wasn't really an option, and the thought of being settled in seemed like a far distant dream.

We moved into our apartment in October of last year, after having spent a few weeks in the Rented and Borrowed Houses, respectively.  Moving into our apartment was a bit of a shock for all of us.  Our furnishings were still wending their way to Australia on a ship.  Some families at church kindly lent us some kitchen equipment, and some air mattresses and sleeping bags.  But other than that it was really just us, our luggage, and the table and chairs that we'd purchased.    It's fun now to look back at some of the pictures I took during that time.  There were times during those few weeks when it felt like our things would never arrive.  And now here I sit in my little home, surrounded by my little creature comforts.  Spencer lounges on the couch with a book, the boys are sleeping snugly in comfortable beds, my tea kettle is whistling on the stove.  It's home.

In parenting, as in show business, the Show Must Go On.  So we baked cookies.

I'd packed my picnic quilt to fold up and make a bed for Peter in one of our large suitcases (which he used while we stayed in the Rented House).  I'm so glad I did, because in the apartment it doubled as a rug for the boys to play on.

One of the families lent us some toys for the boys to play with.  The play food was a favourite.

Eliot giving lunch to his little buddies.

Peter slept in a borrowed Pack n Play in a room with Spencer and me.  

Eliot and Peter enjoyed waking up with the sun, at 4:30 am.

Eliot slept in a Pack n Play in his own room, but enjoyed coming into our room for a snuggle in the morning.

When it came to making the best of our situation, the Boys are the ones who take home First Prize.