How are the girls?

Everyone is worried about our girls. Our friends and family ask, "How are the girls settling in?" while our Kiwi friends ask "Are you all sorted with the children?" but the question is the same.  If Bernadette notices a change, she's not letting on. Actually, much has changed for her. Since she vetoed the baby food here, she's eating mostly big girl food now, and seems quite pleased with the switch as it suits her independent streak. We're giving cloth "nappies" our first try, but her only complaint is that it takes a bit longer to change her and she hates to lie still for a nanosecond longer than necessary.  There are many new faces in her world - and many old faces not quite as present as they used to be. Plus she is trying some new things out; she's tried to take her first steps (unsuccessfully) and is working on some new words (aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhppph!  for apple). And she's taking her daily bath in a large Rubbermaid bin.  But she's taking everything in stride and appears very happily adjusted to her new life here.

photo top: saying goodbye to our daily Mass community at Our Lady of Fatima, Hopewell
above: getting ready to go through Security at the Pittsburgh Airport 

Maria is openly thrilled with life in New Zealand.  It's a bit early to say for sure whether she's just pleased with the novelty of it all - at some point she'll probably start asking to visit with her family back home and may take it quite hard when we can't comply. She's slowly adjusting to the food and is totally adjusted to the time and climate difference. There's so much going on for her all the time (consequently she goes to bed quite early and fast, thus thrilling her parents as well). There are many many high school and college aged girls to show off for - girls who wear fancy earrings and brightly colored shoes. We thought she'd be more aware of or curious about the different accent, lingo, plants, birds, landscape, etc... but she's taking it all as a matter of course. We've been watching her closely but her behavior is no worse than at home (and sadly, no better either) so we can only assume that she's okay with all the change and chaos we've had for the past month.  She enjoys talking to her grandparents via video chat and asking them "Do you miss me?" and showing them the seashells she's collecting for them. Her one complaint is that there are too many "Scary Men" in New Zealand. Chief among these would be our dynamic Fr. Mike, who has a booming voice and a personality to match. He's tried sweets, trips to the sheepfold, horse-feedings, piggyback rides - all to no avail. She did paint him a picture this morning, so perhaps we're getting somewhere.

Maria and Fr. Mike finding fruit  for the sheep                              

Maria's last singing, dancing show for the wonderfully gentle (and patient!) Fr. Howard