Today - its all about the numbers

Day 6 of the Rescue Efforts
147 confirmed dead
50 + people missing 22 of those are in the Cathedrals tower amongst the ruble
80% of homes have power
65% have water
100% Schools closed
755 buildings are RED Stickered - so will be demolished
909 are YELLOW stickered - fixable
1276 are GREEN - so they are fine
20,000 students helping with clean up
30,000 kilos of packed lunches and teas for rescuers and helpers helicoptered in over the past 2 days
700 army
350 Australian Police arrived a few days ago
7 rescue teams from other countries Japan, China,UK,USA Australia
1,000's of heroes who lifted ruble from the injured and went above and beyond to help strangers in need.

Here is an amazing link to before and after photos - just move the slider across

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4705106/Photos-Before-and-after-the-Christchurch-earthquake

We are still waiting for a miracle that someone will be pulled alive from the ruins. Just a miracle......

Black and White Wednesday

The Cathedral in Christchurch as it stood on Monday. If you think of everything from half way up is gone. Its on the ground and has 22 people underneath. :(

It hit on Tuesday at 12.50pm. The earthquake that has put our country for the first time into a National State of emergency.
Its somber here in New Zealand. We are sitting on 71 dead and still hundreds missing. As I type this they have reported that there is a rescue taking place. under all the ruble someone is alive. We pray for more rescues like this.
We pray for the rescuers, for the families of lost loved ones, for those that are missing for our Nation.

Christchurch 6.3 earthquake

A 3 story building "pancaked" with hundreds inside

It wasn't as big as before but it was shallow and they say the noise was deafening and the shaking was violent. Our garden city has been rocked again just 4 hours ago but this time it wasn't so lucky. There are reports of multiple deaths. They made it through first time with no fatalities.
Your prayers are needed....... :(

Are you on the List?

Amalie wrote a list today.
She told me she wrote everyone she loves on the list (remember she is 4 and gets distracted so the list is short!)
She wrote something at the top which we are still trying to work out!
Milly (our sweet little kitten in Heaven)
Nananan (blame that spelling on me for saying Na Na Nana)
AMama (Me)
Allan (thats our last name so she said if she wrote "Allan" that's everyone in our family. That covers all bases!)

Black and White Wednesday

Ahhhh...new love!!!

Tuesdays around the world

Isn't it funny how when you really look at a photo you notice different things.

1. My husband is quite a bit taller than me
2. I don't drink Champagne yet here I am holding a glass of it - it is full though!
3. I have terrible editing skills as where I have stamped my name was actually the date and I messed it up so it looked like the glass had no base!
4. My teeth are huge.

So it always helps to post the photo you are talking about

So last post I was saying how grey the clouds were - DUH! Helps if you actually post the photo you were talking about!
Love this photo - not sure why. I think because I enjoyed watching the photographer and his interaction with everyone.

A Wellington Wedding

Way back when Greg was a student (first time round when he trained as an outdoor pursuit instrctor) he met Matt. So we are talking about roughly 15 years.
Matt has had a "few" girl friends over the years and then a couple of months ago we got a text saying "What are you doing Feb 12th. Matts getting married" We texted back saying "We are going to matts wedding that day!"
So yesterday we drove down to Wellington and then went to PekaPeka Beach (stinking hot) to watch Matt get married. It was lovely. We all had to hum "here comes the bride" when she walked up the beach. Awesome!
Then it was back to their place for a really relaxed and friendly reception. Just lovely.

Check out those black clouds in the background!! Who knew it would be so hot yet threaten to the rain the whole day!

I quickly made friends with the photographer as he stood by and I whispered "Camera envy" to him - but then I noticed it was a Nikon so we had a little bit of fun poking each other about our cameras. He was great to watch and I marveled at the fact that he had to camera body's with two different lenses and that was it! Cant wait to see his photos. He was very encouraging and even offering little tips for me and admiring my photos on my screen. how sweet!

Black and White Wednesday

School is still 6 months away but Amalie just can't resist practising her hand writing!

Tuesdays around the world

Our summer holiday seems so long ago! Wish we were back there watching the kids learn the knee board.

What are you up to this Tuesday????

Happy Waitangi Day

New Zelanders celebrate Waitangi Day each year on 6 February to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi New Zealand's founding document, on that date in 1840.
So really its a day off - if it wasn't a Sunday, and a chance for politicians to get up try and convince you all to vote for them!
So I decided to do a post on some things that scream classic Kiwi to me! (Did you know us New Zealanders call ourselves Kiwis)

The Kiwi - small bird that only come out at night and does not fly

The Buzzy Bee - our most well known toy - even Prince William has one!

Tomato Sauce bottle

Pineapple lumps

Pavalova

Jandals

And I couldn't leave out the BBQ

The house list

So this the plan. Right a list so that its there in writing so I can tick it off! (Love to tick things off)
We have lived in our house for 2 years and the plan was to get in and fix it up and live happily every after - after being 2-3 years so we can then buy some land. We have have done Zippo to the house. Well not exactly zippo but pretty much. So here is my list. One day I will work out how to put lines through to cross things out and then it will be super fancy!
We have painted the exterior to even out all the colours Not sure why anyone would use so many different shades of yucky brown and green on a house! And removed most of the palm fronds on the palm tree too let in so much light!

So here goes my list:

1. new glass in broken window in kitchen $100
   
2. 3x wooden blinds in lounge $844.20
   
3. 1x ranch slider curtain in lounge
4. 1x curtain for master bedroom
5. 1x wooden blind for master bedroom $172
   
6. 1x wooden blind kitchen $380
   
7. 1x wooden blind dining $522
   
8. Gib for hole in the wall in the lounge
9. carpet in the lounge repaired $115
   
10. carpet in the lounge cleaned $75
    
11. Net curtain for lounge
    
12. rod for shower curtain
    
13. NEW KITCHEN
14. wallpaper for all the house
15. Roof paint
16. fence paint

Black and White Wednesday

So I decided to jump in and join a few more link parties as I love to look and comment on them but have not joined many.
So this is one that I have enjoyed looking at and so I am going to jump on in there too!!
I came across this blog while reading up on International adoptions. With both our two darling children adopted, international adoption is something I have also been interested in. Not to extend our family - more out of interest.

Happy Birthday Communal Global!

I have loved seeing all your photos over the past year! How wonderful to be apart of other families lives in such a great way!