Hello!
Amazing as it is, we have managed to put together a Christmas letter this year. Please do not worry or be offended if you didn’t get a Christmas letter from us last year – we didn’t do one and we are really trying to get one out this year.
Where to start…
Thomas, our firstborn turned 12 this year and has reached the end of his primary school eduction. For those of you who have children who have already reached this milestone, you will understand the feelings that go with having a child finish this part of their lives. Exciting, yet scary at how quickly they are growing up.
Thomas has had an action packed 2006 in year 6 at Oxford Falls Grammar School (OFGS). Over the last 12 months he went on a year 6 camp, had a harbour cruise excursion, went to Canberra, and was involved in year 6 stalls and the school talent quest. He was also involved in the J-Rock performance in the backstage crew which saw the school perform at Homebush and at the Sydney Entertainment Centre for the Rock Eisteddfod and was involved in Pastoral care leadership. He also enjoyed his graduation dinner, awards day and the last day of year 6. Thomas was very blessed to have had the wonderful Miss Kylie Jelliffe as his teacher this year. Kylie had the tremendous ability to bring out the very best in all her students, even being thoughtful enough to bless them with little treats like ice blocks on really hot days! Thomas finished the year close to the top of his class (there are 30 in a class and 90 in the year) and received the perpetual Excellence in Technology award for entire Primary School. Needless to say we are extremely proud of him.
This year we enrolled Thomas in the training band program at school in percussion, he also commenced his first year of official drumming lessons. We left it as long as we could before purchasing the mighty drum kit, which only just fits into his room; in fact we had to buy a loft bed with a small desk under it in order to leave enough floor space for the drum kit!!! It is quite something to have someone practising their drums in such close confines to the rest of us; however Bethany, Simon and I have become used to it – although I do make sure that practice is done before Wes comes home from work! Fortunately for us Thomas appears to have a natural ability to play the drums – something our neighbours were thankful for. Thomas heads off to Covenant Christian School for his high school education in the New Year. He is naturally concerned about starting high school but we are confident that once he gets underway all will be well.
Our wonderful Bethany turned 9 last March and she is becoming a most beautiful young lady with a truly beautiful heart and is widely loved by many friends. She has just completed year 3 at school and really loved her teacher Mrs Diana Mulè and her classmates, especially being in the same class with her friend Taylah (they have been in the same class for 4 years now). She had her first ever school overnight camp and really enjoyed herself. Bethany has continued to excel in her schoolwork and has really applied herself to her work and learning. This year we also enrolled her in the training band program at school learning the flute and have watched her go from strength to strength. She also appears to have a natural gifting and her flute teacher is delighted with her progress. She was awarded the term band award for 2 out of 4 terms (Thomas was also awarded one of these) and enjoyed spending her award at the local music shop.
Bethany’s out of school activity that she really enjoyed was going to hip hop classes, which culminated in an end of year concert at the Glen Street Theatre. She did this activity with her friends Izzy and Hannah and the three of them had great fun doing all the “moves”. Thomas and Simon have struggled with listening to the same music over and over while all the “moves” are practiced but they had better get used to it as we are sure that Beth will continue doing some type of dance next year – not sure what however – I think there is some talk of doing tap!
Simon, our youngest will be turning 8 in a few weeks and he has just completed year 2 at school. He also has excelled in his work and learning and had a wonderful teacher, Miss Olivia Judge, who he says was the best part of year 2. Simon has a particular aptitude for maths and enjoyed his extension classes. We have enrolled him in the training band program for next year to learn the alto sax (I really wanted him to do the bass guitar – but no such luck). I suspect that either I am going to have to stagger all the practice times or else take the dog for a walk. (More about the dog later) We look forward to the band that we could have in years to come, but in the meantime practice, practice, practice!
In November Simon had an operation to close up a hole in his eardrum that has been left as a result of grommets and we have only just had the go ahead from the specialist that the operation has been a success and he can go on with life normally. Let us explain … when Simon was 6 months old he had a middle ear infection which resulted in the eardrum bursting. Since that time up to now he has struggled with constant infections, and when he was 18 months old the doctor put in grommets. Last year the left one came out alright and the eardrum healed up by itself. The right one (which has been the problem all along) finally came out, however the hole didn’t close up. In fact he was booked in to have the hole closed up in June by a very simple procedure, but by time the operation was due the hole had opened up considerably and a much more complicated procedure was needed. He was eventually admitted in November for the 2 & ½ hr operation where they cut open behind his ear, peeling it forward to expose the ear canal. They then took some muscle from inside the ear canal and grafted it onto the eardrum, and then finally they sewed the ear back on. Belinda stayed overnight with Simon at the hospital and he had two weeks off school to recover. When he went back he was not allowed to run, play or be involved in any physical activity – which you can imagine was quite an exercise in self control for a young boy of 7. Fortunately he has many great friends who made sure that he wasn’t left out and adapted their games to include him. Yesterday he went in the pool without earplugs and swimming cap for the first time in 5 & ½ years. We have been praying that his hearing will be all normal and so far so good.
In January of this year we decided to add a dog to our family of 5 and our cat (Saucer) and we set about on our search. We decided against a puppy due to the fact that we are not home a lot during the day during term time. Our search led us to Monika’s doggy rescue and we adopted a little Maltese cross Scottish terrier (we think) called Buzz (a.k.a. ‘Sniffer’ or ‘Buzzy Boy’). We were told that he was around 5 – 7 years old and he is a delightful little dog. He has the gentlest nature with humans and just loves to lie on his back and have his tummy rubbed. It has taken Buzz a few months for to settle in and not look as though he would happily go home with any visitors that we have. He has an aversion to other dogs and is keen to take them on no matter what size. (Wes took Buzz up to the dog exercising area and Buzz immediately ran off to tackle a Doberman who soon had him on his back surrendering. But he was up straight away and was heading for the German Shepherd training group when Wes decided it was time to come home). His only drawback is his breath due to a mouth full of rotten teeth (which the vet said would cost a mere $500 to have all his teeth removed!!) so we have decided to live with the fish breath that he has although at times it is absolutely disgusting. Our cat, Saucer, has not been impressed with our new addition and they do not get on at all – enough said about that!
Wes has continued in his consulting role at Pronto Software visiting many different clients all over Sydney. He is very rarely found in the office at North Ryde, his travels instead taking him as far as Maitland in the north and Wollongong in the south; however most of his clients are located in the western Sydney area. He is enjoying his work and not having to abide by the deadlines that accountants have so frequently. We laugh at his office which consists of three bags in the back of the car, and at times he does miss not having the same routine that he had at his previous job. In the second half of this year he has been working for Pronto Software in a pre-sales capacity with a new software application called TM1. This effort has resulted in an initial order which will provide about two months full time work for a client based in North Sydney. Wes was the highest revenue earning consultant for 2006 after having only been with the company for 14 months. Wes has continued to sing in the worship team at Church which he really enjoys.
Together we have been continuing to lead On Becoming Childwise parenting courses as an outreach ministry for our Church (Bridgeway Community Church) which we have really enjoyed. We have enjoyed meeting new people and forming friendships with them. It is particularly exciting when parents work hard together in bringing change in their families to transform them from what they currently have to what they would like their family to be like. Parenting is a particularly difficult job and it is wonderful to see parents open to receiving teaching and help.
I have continued to work 4 & ½ days a week (during term time) as a teacher’s aide at OFGS where the children go to school. It is such a great job and has been such a financial blessing to our family as well as such a satisfying job helping children with special needs to learn, and be able to attend a “normal” school. It is such a ministry to the children and their parents. (Wes: As a proud husband I thought it worth including an extract from a note written by Al Boon, the teacher that Belinda worked with in 2006; “You are amazing and worth so much more than your weight in gold. Not only have you done a terrific job with Sam and Eaden, but the whole of 1B have loved you and benefited from your gentleness, love, care and wisdom”) With being wife and mother, doing Childwise, Children’s Church once a month and working, my plate has been very full. I have decided to pull out of the Children’s Church work at Church in 2007 to have a break.
One of Wes’ big projects this year was taking us on a three week camping holiday to Central Australia with our friends Scott and Katrina Lea and their boys, Joshua and Jacob. We had a wonderful time covering around 8,000 km in three weeks and saw many great places including Cobar, Broken Hill, The Flinders Ranges, the Oodnadatta Track, Coward Springs, William Creek, Coober Pedy, Uluru, Kings Canyon, and the Menindee loop, Alice Springs, Woomera, Renmark and Narrandera. Highlights included walking into Wilpena Pound, desert camping in an oasis at Coward Springs, hiking along the cliff top walk at Kings Canyon, sunrise at Ayers Rock and climbing it in the late afternoon, seeing the Breakaways (near Coober Pedy) at dusk and walking on an enormous salt lake near Woomera. What a beautiful country we live in, and what a magnificent God to have created such an incredible planet. We are indeed very blessed.
There is probably much more to say but I think that this letter is long enough! Our best wishes to you and your family for a blessed Christmas and a healthy and safe new year. Our prayer for you this Christmas season is that you may know God more at the end of next year than you already know Him now.
With love,
The Darts of Davidson
