Schools out for Summer! (and other adventures/goodbyes)
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To begin, look at where I’m finally sitting down with a quick 30 minutes to myself. Can’t imagine a better place to sit and write about life.
current view
It’s
been so long since I wrote.We’ve been
very busy!First of all, school’s out
for summer!But before we got into our
holidays, we had to say the toughest goodbye yet.I’ve been pre-grieving this goodbye for so
long…..but it didn’t really make it any easier.It actually felt like the longest goodbye
ever.After we got back to Lelluvia,
we had the Robertson’s over for a goodbye dinner and Holly hand-off.(I mentioned before that we now have their 14
year old Staffie as she is too old to make the trip.We are already falling in love and know that
when her time on Earth ends it will be difficult for us as well).
Lainie says goodbye to Holly
Monday
night I had book club at my house, which was lovely as always. I love being a part of a group of smart
women. I feel invigorated every time we
meet. Tuesday night the Australian high commissioner
hosted a goodbye for Lach at her residence.
By Tuesday, I felt really sick.
The head cold I had was killing me….but there is no way I could miss his
event. As she spoke about Lach and
during his speech, I just felt so lucky that I know the Robertsons and that
they’ve chosen me to befriend. They
are such an amazing family….. a rare
find. It was a good time, but I felt
like I just floated through it all- nothing seeming real. I was sad to say goodbye, happy I know them,
physically feeling so sick due to my cold – all surreal.
Liz and Wendy
all laughing
Wednesday after work we headed over to the Holiday Inn for
another farewell. I felt badly because
even though I felt close to this family and even though my girls love their
daughter, I was just so sick and the girls were so distracted that it was the
Robertson’s last night in Suva that we didn’t really do the other family’s
farewell justice. We left early to get
over to the GPH to spend the final night with the Robertsons. The girls played while Anne and I sat with
the adults. I was in a pretty bad mood-
maybe just because they were leaving….but also I cannot remember a recent time
where I felt so bad. My head was killing
me, I couldn’t stop coughing, and I couldn’t breathe properly – all of which
again just made everything seem unreal.
I ended up leaving early because I couldn’t hang anymore. I know that Wendy gets it…even if I am not
the last one hanging for the final goodbye….. I don’t love her any less. I took Lainie and Tahli back with me, Anne,
and the girls for their final sleepover.
The whole way home Tahli cried, saying how much she will miss Fiji and
her teacher, and us, and everyone who has been kind to her. I felt like crying too just listening to her
sobbing in the backseat. When we got
home, Tahli and Zoe fell asleep immediately, while Lainie and Andie had a much
more difficult time. First they wanted
to sleep in the twin bed together, then Andie wanted her own space, then Lainie
wanted to move and Andie wanted her to stay, then Andie wanted to be in my bed,
then Lainie wanted to be with her, etc.
Finally I settled on them moving the mattresses to the floor and
sleeping next to one another, but by this point it was too late. Andie was a complete and utter mess. She was sobbing uncontrollably about everything
and nothing at all. “This is the
worst night of my life. I want to sleep
in your bed. I think Lainie should just
go home. My bed feels like it has stones
in it. The energy in this room is
bouncing all over the place from wall to wall.
I hate it here in Fiji.”, etc.
My poor, sweet, baby – just so overwhelmed with emotion and nowhere to
put it all. She literally cried for two
hours. I just held her and tried not to
cry as well. Lainie fell asleep and
Andie just kept crying. I just kept
telling her, “Andie, I want to hear everything you have to say, but let’s talk
in the morning. Your body needs rest.” She screamed back at me that she didn’t
rest, but eventually she fell asleep through her tears. It was 11:30 p.m. when I finally made my way
to my bed, falling into it exhausted – sick with my own emotions and head
cold.
Last day of school before summer break, and final sleepover morning after
feeling a bit sad on the way to school
The girls woke at the crack of dawn and none of the heavy emotions were there from the night before, although they were bickering- which is so unusual for them.That afternoon was the farewell assembly.Talk about a heartbreaker.Wendy gave me the most beautiful letter and gift, representing our hearts forever connected.My letter to her was almost the exact same as what she wrote me – a nice way to say goodbye.Our families went to lunch together after the assembly and they said their final goodbyes.It was time.They could have played longer as their flight was a few hours away, but I just had to get my girls distracted and not drag the goodbye out any longer.
Isa Lei song. Farewell hugs
They went to a
party and I stopped by the GPH for the final 30 minutes before the Robertsons
caught their taxi. I was finally starting
to feel better! I actually felt happy
at the GPH saying goodbye. I felt
excited for their next adventure and so blessed to have them as friends. I cannot wait to see them in a year at
Disneyland and know that I’ve made forever friends. I am sure when the school year begins this
grief will hit me all over again, when I realize that our daily lives will be
so different without them and Andie may be struggling to connect with a new
friend…..but for now I just feel grateful.
last bit of Suva sun on Wendy's face
Sota Tale! Love you Wendy!
Peace out Suva!
SO……………….after all of that, I had a work retreat on that
Friday at the Pearl. It was lovely! It was also a final goodbye to a few teachers
and the head of Primary and head of School.
I felt so proud to be a part of the ISS staff and proud of our
school. It was so fun to see the ISS
teachers cut loose. Everyone was dancing
and drinking and just having fun! We
also said farewell to a retiring teacher, Carol, who also happens to be my
office roomie. She’s fabulous and I’ll
miss her dearly.
Carol's name on a pillar - after 30 years of service
lunch at the Pearl
2016 Learning Support Team (minus Torika)
dancing queens!
Saturday morning I finally felt well enough to run again! Not long but, it was a run! Afterwards we walked out past the sea wall.
After the run, the ISS staff and families decorated the
children’s ward and waiting room at the local hospital with a little Christmas
cheer! It felt great to be a part of
something so wonderful! The kids got to
meet the President of Fiji who came along to hand out gifts and sing Christmas
carols. Unfortunately, the kids were so awe-struck at meeting the
President that the greater good of what we did probably slipped right by them,
but hey, that’s understandable. It was
pretty cool!
Passin girls with the President of Fiji!!!
the whole crew
Andie with her teacher for next year, the lovely Ms. Helena!
So cool to hug the President!
When we finished we went to VoliVoli, which recently
reopened after the cyclone destroyed much of it. It was so beautiful! We had great family and friend time surrounded
by natural beauty. We went on an
amazing sunset cruise which may go down as one of my top 5 favorite memories in
Fiji. It was perfect. Drinks, food, family, friends, good music
and phenomenal surroundings- pretty top-notch.
Sorry for the MANY pictures! (Somehow I didn't capture any of Tricia and family who joined us for one night).
nap time on the way up the coast.
lunch overlooking the pool
Shirley Temples!
mangoes on the ocean...
cruise started off right!
Ginger-ale cheers!
Warren and girls playing on sandbar
This is the life!
Tuesday night we went to see Santa and the tree light up. Pretty cool :)
Ater VoliVoli, we had a relaxing few days at home with some
good grandmother time, playdates, and good meals before heading off to Tobeura
Island for a weekend retreat. (We don’t
usually get away this much, but Anne is in town and of course we want to spoil
her!) Tobuera has been everything we
hoped it would be. This is the most
peaceful place. The weather was mostly
nice and when it wasn’t we played loads of games – Scrabble, Connect 4, Blink
and Uno – all of which translates into quality family time – even when the two
youngest players are non-stop cheaters. Andie got to practice with the bubbler in the
water, so she semi-scuba dived! She was
under water for at least four minutes.
She loved it! Also, she got to
sing with the band at dinner time, another highlight! There
is a lot of wildlife here on this remote island in the middle of the South
Pacific. The most interesting is
probably the sea snakes, which have 100 times more venom than any other snake
in the world! The good thing is they
are not aggressive, but a little scary nonetheless. Our first day here we saw five of them…..which
was ok until the one we spotted in our bure!
Zoe was in the bathroom before headed to bed and she screamed, “Sea
snake!”. At first I didn’t believe her
until I walked into the bathroom and there it was! I sprinted to the bar in my pajamas and
brought back one of the staff with me.
He was so calm (considering their bite is lethal). He just casually picked it up by the tail
and carried it out. I know they are
more scared of us then we are of them and the cases of them biting humans is
relatively non-existent….but I still don’t want one in my bathroom! What an adventure!!!
We leave here at 2 today.
It’s 11:30 now. I guess I’ll go
try and soak up some more relaxing family time before Anne leaves us in two
days. I will really miss having her
here. (I don’t know that everyone can
say that about their mother-in-law, but she is truly such a blessing to have in
our family!). I’ve loved having her
with us and I can definitely say we will all greatly miss her when she’s
gone. I wish she was staying
longer!
Hopefully, it won’t be so long until I write the next entry!
The lovely bure
view from restaurant
coconut just chopped from the tree below!
Yes, someone climbed that tree!
There was a lovely couple on their honeymoon there with us. Andie gave them this gift.
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