I am still adjusting to being in the Southern Hemisphere and having the Christmas holidays coincide with end of school - it makes for an incredibly busy few weeks! We also still had young Ricky with us at the beginning of the month, that sweet boy was carted around to so many activities that I don't think he napped at home once this month. Thankfully he is a flexible baby!
First up was Meggie, Katie and Ellie's Christmas piano recital.
The girls with their teacher, Rachel Thomson.
These photos are from the last week or so of school . . .
Katie and Juliet's last day on Road Patrol.
Josie's last day on Road Patrol.
Josie's class have their day at sailing - Katie with us in the corner because she got out of school early and I was on parent help.
Josie with her great friend Zoe.
An early morning start for Meggie at rowing - at least the water is calm! The rowing shed is in the background.
Josie and some girls from Chapel Choir perform in Midland Park just outside Dugald's office.
The weekend before school got out was the Wellington Christmas Parade - only Josie was in it this year, she was on the Angelina Ballerina float. After the parade finished we had to book it back to Karori for her drama production.
On our way to watch the parade - another nap not in his bed!
Josie in costume before the parade starts.
Ricky tolerating all the noise very well!
I don't have great photos from the drama production but Josie played a blind mouse in James and the Giant Peach and she was fantastic.
Meanwhile it was time to get and decorate the Christmas tree.
We opted for a small tree this year - much more manageable!!
We had also asked our good friend Matt to come over with his good camera and take some photos of all of us with Ricky before he left, so we did that and got some pretty good shots, thanks Matt!
The second week of December began with the little girls' Primary School Prize Giving. This day was quite emotional as it was also the day we were to meet Ricky's new parents. It was a Monday which is the day I swim in the morning with my lovely swimming group and they surprised me with a gift - a large photo frame for 9 photos - to help ease the transition of saying goodbye to Ricky, which was meant to happen on Wednesday. It was such a special thing for them to do and of course I burst into tears. I was tense all day because I was worried about how I would feel about his new family and concerned I might not like them.
Most of my swimming group with Felicity holding Ricky.
Anyway, I was due to meet Michael and Christy in the late afternoon but I had Prize Giving first. Thankfully I was able to see Josie receive the Emma Harding Cup for Excellence in Sport in Year 5. To make it even more fun she was presented with the award by our friend and local council representative Simon Woolf. It is a great achievement and we are so proud of her! Immediately after she won I got a text from Meggie (who had finished school early that day) to say that Michael and Christy were at our house so Ricky and I had to race out of there.
Simon made sure to have her turn and face me - sitting in the top corner by the door - so I could get a photo.
Meeting them was fantastic and immediately my concerns for Ricky were gone - they are a lovely couple and they were so excited to have Ricky come be a part of their family. They are practically newlyweds and have no kids of their own and already they loved him, you could see it in their interactions. Such an answer to prayer! And the feeling was mutual, Ricky was quite taken with them. The girls and Dugald all got to meet Michael and Christy as well and we were thrilled when they asked if they could keep in touch with us, that was one of our biggest wishes.
Christy and Ricky bonding.
Christy looking through the photo album we made for Ricky while Michael tries to burp him.
The court date was set for Tuesday so we continued to prepare our hearts to say goodbye to this little ray of sunshine.
Unfortunately things didn't go to plan, Ricky's birth mom filed a motion that meant Michael and Christy couldn't take him and would have to come back to Wellington the following week for another court appearance, it was devastating for all of us. Having met them and seen the love that Michael and Christy had for Ricky we couldn't imagine them not getting to raise him.
The girls all had their last days of school and the big girls had their Prize Giving as well. Meggie left for a week of rowing camp down south in Nelson the day before school officially ended. The rest of us went to watch Vita Morrison at her Leaver's Ball, she looked beautiful and it was so sweet to watch her and Elliott dance together, but bittersweet too as we know how much Lloyd would have wanted to be there to dance with his youngest daughter.
Ricky getting all cleaned up for another school event.
Josie and some of her chapel choir friends after the Primary Toy Service at St. Mary's.
A celebratory last day of school high tea with friends at Martha's Pantry.
Josie and Ellie both had great reports but Josie got to have her ears pierced as a reward since she had finished Year 5 with high marks.
Vita meeting Bishop Justin Duckworth and his wife as Principal Jennie Williams reads out Vita's school accomplishments.
The girls ready to dance.
Vita and Elliott are a few people behind the girl in bright purple on the right.
