Time for an update

In the short time since I have written, it seems that a lot of little things have happened in a ridiculously big way.

Noesheen and I were lucky enough to spend 12 cold glorious days in New Zealand with Nadim. It was a trip that was a bit too short for our liking but was long enough for us to long for the warm temps in Fiji. It was wonderful to be able to be a family living under one roof again and be able to do things together, just the three of us. If anything, the trip has left me pining to be done with this affliction of separation. The frosty mornings of Auckland are looking much more appealing then flip-flop days in Fiji. Alas, I must bear for a little while longer. Its been such an assurance to know that we really are in the hollow of the Lord's hands.

Now that we are back in Fiji, I am working away as usual and Noesheen is at school (preschool) which I think she has a love-hate relationship with. Hats off to this child for being able to spend a very long day at school...8.30am to 5.15pm...if that doesn't prep her for college now, i don't know what will.

Although her ability to get the ball rolling in the morning leaves a lot to be desired for. I can now safely say that she is definitely not a morning person. Well unless of course, it takes a morning person ten Min's to get out of bed after saying morning prayer, or half an hour to brush her teeth after the toothpaste is applied to the toothbrush. Don't mistake the duration of the task with dedication for the role, NOOOOO...We seem to be awake with our eyes wide open, but our minds are far away still in transit from dreamland.

What she lacks in being slightly in-active in the morning, she more than makes up for in the evenings, with non-stop dancing and talking! So much so, that while exiting a store on Saturday "Your little highness" froze at the doorway. What was that she could hear blaring from another store across the street? Music? And music calls for dancing on the spot. So while I ventured on, my child stood there in the middle of the street dancing to her hearts content much to her 17 year-old aunty's embarrassment.

On a more irritating note, the flu season is here, and my darling daughter has welcomed it with open arms. This included two visits to the kind doctor with our teddy-bear in tow. Syringes, cough syrups, anti-biotic, tissue paper have all very politely rendered their services. Thank goodness that phase is almost over, all we have to deal with now is a nagging cough that refuses to leave.

Jodhaa Akbar

For those of you wondering about the strange foreign music I have posted! Its from this Bollywood movie

Its based on real people in India's rich historic past, combined with fantastic costumes and cinematography and even better music. I have my own opinions about the movie which I will share when we meet sometime....hehehe. The main actor in my opinion did a fabulous job but really hats off to all the people behind the scenes who worked on this movie.

still interested? well check out the movie's website here

Oh and if you want to see it...well you can buy the DVD off the net and of course it had subtitles! HOORAY for SUBTITLES!!

These days...I have been thinking

My warmest appreciation for your kind words, I did not realise I was "that" missed! While Noesheen and I spend yet another few months away from Nadim, I cannot help but be grateful for all the small things yet big things I have in my life.

My bosses at PASiFiKA who were more than willing to take me back to work. While most people all over the world are without work to provide for their families, I am grateful to have work. Not just any kind of work, but work that I like...enjoy and am somewhat good at.

I am grateful for my mom and her hospitality! I live with mom and my sisters now, and while its a bit cozy sometimes, the past few weeks has made be grateful for my mom and for all that she continues to do for us. Although her flat is tiny, it really is as big as her heart and there is always space to spare. I am also grateful to have a home in NZ, in the back of my mind I am grateful that we have a roof over our heads and a place to rest our weary heads at night.

On the same note I am glad for my mother's cooking! While I have had a break from cooking I have been privileged to get back on my mum's lunch list. All this work and this woman still goes out to work to earn a living in the morning. I feel glad that I have been given another chance to help influence my younger sisters lives...aka boss them around!! It has made me realise that even within our family I was raised differently than my brothers and sisters. I think that society has a lot to do with this as well.

I am grateful for my daughter who doesn't seem to be phased by her changing environments. I thought that moving to New Zealand would be a big adjustment for my very LOCAL child, but she proved me wrong and enjoyed every bit of NZ. This child taught me a thing or two about murmuring...that is never to murmur. She had never lived in conditions colder than 26 degrees Celsius. There were 5 degree nights in NZ and 14 degree days and my little girl took it head on, enjoying the new experience of piling on clothing. Then when I brought her back to Fiji...she quickly adapted right back into it...no tears...no fusses...just making the most of her time where ever she goes. What a blessing! 

I am grateful for a husband who fusses when I don't txt in the morning and email in the evenings. Who continues to remind me of his love for Noesheen and I.

I am grateful for all the extended family I have here in Fiji that make weekends fly by like magic.

Then there is technology, that has the ability to keep people who are far away in different countries still very much in the same place on my computer and in my life!

Most of all I am humbled to be a member of the church and to be taught the saving principles of the gospel. So much so that I am not worried by living away from my husband for months on end because I understand that families can be eternal. I never have to worry about food in the cupboards or clothing because I understand the law of tithing. I am not phased by what is happening around me because I understand the scriptures. In fact, I don't mean to boast but its true, I know that my family will be watched over, protected and shielded as long as I keep the faith and honour my temple covenants. My heart runs over with gratitude for the unfathomable endless mercy the Lord has showered on me. It is truly a privilege to be able to go to the temple, it has always been a place of peace, refuge and pondering for me. 

I suppose this is one of the lessons I have had to learn during this time  between two countries.

The grand update

Its been five months and ten days since I left Fiji to join my husband in our new home in New Zealand. Five months and a few days since I have job searched in  Auckland in vain (thank you fathers of the recession). And it has been 13 days and a few hours since we arrived back in Fiji, nine days since I started work at PASIFIKA COMMUNICATIONS again, nine days since Noesheen started at a new preschool in Fiji and a long 10 days since I have seen my husband....feels like two months already! In a nutshell that is the latest and greatest in my life right now. 

For now I am dusting off the cobwebs .....five months geez and there is so much cobwebs everywhere hehehehe. 

School Time

so did yah miss me?? Our Internet speed at home is really slow (don't ask), which is one of the reasons I have not been updating at often as you or I would have liked. You would think that being a full time stay at home mom, I would have more time on my hands. I wish it were true.

Noesheen started her first day of Preschool today at Tiny Town

It will be for only half a day, while I am at home. Then once I get a job, she will be going full day and then transitions into first grade in August when she turns 5.

I was more nervous then she was I must say!

Getting out of bed - Not a morning person at all, when I finally went to wake her up at 7am, this was her reply, " Mum, I did not sleep well, just give me five more mins then I will get up". So I gave in and retreated to the living room, to wait out the "five more mins" after which i marched into her room, she had a little smurk on her face, her eyes shut tight....."okay okay, I am getting up". Then it was prayer time, she told me, " I will say it in my mind" as knelt on her bed and buried her face in her covers. About ten mins later we were ready to brush our teeth and get ready for breakfast.

Breakfast - For a person who usually loves to take her time having breakfast, this morning, Noesheen did not want any! After a lot of coxing, a few threats ("If you don't eat brekky, we will be late and your teacher will be upset), she managed a few gulps of warm cereal.

The Walk to school - The fastest thing she did this morning was get dressed!!! Then she was ready for a few pictures, before we headed out into the chilly morning to walk to preschool. Tiny Town is just walking distance from our home, which is really nice, it takes us less then five mins to walk to the establisment. As a result we were like the first ones there, talk about eager-beavers.

When we finally got in at 8am, Noesheen as super excited. She hung up her bag on the little silver hooks that lined the classroom, took off her hat and put it into her bag, removed her jumper and handed it to me with the look, "yah i dont think i will need this for the rest of the time here" and made herself at home exploring the classroom.

For a min I just stood there, feeling really quite out of place, like a weed in a flower garden until my child sensing my discomfort turned to me and said, "its okay, you can go now Mum, don't forget to pick me up". With that I turned away and walked out of the classroom and slowly made my way home.

Now I sit here, watching the hands of clock tick..tick...tick, all of a sudden the house is so empty and quiet. It would be perfect painting or sketching time, which I will get to in about a min or so.

Just a little more time will go by and then I will pick myself of this couch, lock the house up again and walk just a little bit down the road to pick Noesheen up. What stories will she tell me today about how her first day was....hmmm, I will let you know soon enough.

Okay as you can see, I only managed to get one pict up.....slack I know. I will try to get more up later, which means I have to resize all the picts before posting.

take care ladies! til the next post

Moving to a new nest in a new tree..

Hello! or as I now should say KIORA!

Nadim suprised us and arrived in Fiji on the 6th, after a wedding, selling our belongings, a few dramas, a reunion and sad good byes we left the islands 10 days later for our new home in Auckland.

The last few days settling into the new nest in our new tree has been....an experience. Luckily Nadim did a wonderful job setting up the nest (will post pictures later), the only things missing was shampoo and a hairbrush (his latest hair do...is the "no hair at all" look, so he did not need shampoo or a hairbrush)

Noesheen is settling in well, she loves the mall! She has asked to go home a few times, but as soon as Nadim mentions the mall....she automatically loves NZ.

The weather is totally different to Fiji, and its a nice different. So now I find my self sleeping -in in the mornings, taking my time with breakfast, cleaning the house on a daily basis (umm sometimes two or three times before I give up trying to clean Noesheens crumb trail) and job hunting. It sure is a lot different from what I have been used to doing in the past, but I know once I get a job ....the leisure life will dissappear.

Time to go, the laundry calls. Here is wishing all of you a WONDERFUL Christmas and a JOLLY New Year!

It's Time.....

I have a very very very good excuse...I hope, for being silent for so long! Its time, yes my friends its time.....

1. Its time for the Mad Rush before Christmas

Its this time every year, we experience a huge influx of ads, campaigns and other advertising material that need to go out, like yesterday! The TV station will tell us..."sorry that program is booked out" and our clients will tell us, "there's one more thing we would like to do". Needless to say, my work keeps me up during my dreams at night.

2. Its time for weird weather

Fiji has now entered its CYCLONE season, which means for the most part that it will be blistering hot in the morning. Then at lunch, the sun will go on vacation and the rain will pour in buckets, as the skies darken.

3. Its time for the cold & flu & fever

Due to the sun/rain weather we have in Suva, the number of cold & flu & fever cases increase. It doesn't help that dengue is around as well. Noesheen was down with the fever for a few days, then with a heart wrenching cough for a few more. She is fine now, and is of course making up for lost time by redoubling her efforts to watch every cartoon, destroy every sign of tidiness and fill up all the silence in between with questions, stories and other fun banter.

4. Its time for my favorite time of year

Growing up I loved Christmas. My parents had several traditions and it was always fun to be a part of that, and watching the joy these selfless acts would bring to the faces of others. Although I sound like a frog drowning, I love Christmas carols!!!

Since BYU Hawaii and Georgia, I fell in love with THANKSGIVING....What a coincidence! So HAPPY THANKSGIVING YA'LL!!! Although we do not celebrate it here in Fiji, around this time of year, I take extra special time to be thankful for all the blessings I have received all year round.

5. Its time for Weddings!

Nadim's Family have two weddings over the next few weeks, so we are going to be all weddinged-out by mid Dec. Nov - Dec is wedding season in Fiji, so there is always a mad rush to .....get married before Christmas.

6. Its time to move!

That's right, sadly enough....well it's a twist of emotions. Noesheen and I join Nadim in New Zealand in the next three weeks. What this means right now, is that I have even more to do at home as well as at work. House items to sell, clothes to sort, car to sell, finances to put in order, clearances to gain, new person to train etc etc  So I am taking one day at a time, and finding that I am running out of days! heehee

I also am trying to spend as much time in the temple (only up the road from my home) as in New Zealand it will be several hours away. Its all these little things about Fiji that I love. 

Don't get me wrong after almost nine months of separation, we are happy that we will be together in a few weeks time!