Christmas & New Year

woo, two weeks and a awfull lot has happened. this time two weeks ago i was sat on foxton beach. but i have now just had my first morning of swimming lessons and man they take time to organise and be able to book people onto them; and its only me doing it at Cambridge. anyway im putting that aside as im fed up of it and just need some time off before im back sorting things out tomorrow.

so onto the whats been happening. i will start with admitting that i think i felt homesick for the first time ever (well as far as i know); i only felt the absance of close friends and family who i would normally do and see special things with over christmas, eg sitting in the pub on christmas eve. not going to a social gathering over new years, not having my stocking greeting me outside my door when i arrive home as must had missed santa already. (yes i did still get a stocking, but i think that it must be a new one or that im getting big boy gifts as no chocolate coins :O). having the usual family over christmas lunch. but these moments were few and limited to thinking max 5mins before either fell alseep or had something else to do.

so what did i actually do then?? well it my was first christmas ever with my grandparents whom lived New Zealand and i spent it with them at a big family gathering (my uncle's side) and was interesting to be apart of what feels a different family's christmas and learning their traditions. i am thinking about it sadened that i didnt have a father cooked mince pie, or be txted everytime a new batch is made (normally 3dozen+ made each week, ops). but burnt my nose on christmas day. relaxed boxing day, picked up an boat and put it on the water and had a wiz on that on boxing day. days have kinda murged together but been out few time on the boat one of which i water skiied and stood up on two different journeys however i couldnt do single ski, only double. i worked all last week with fri and sat off which i went up to coromandel town and boarded an boat which i spend the night on as we visited islands and people around the beautiful place, swimming and relaxing, and reading.

so new years i was working both sides of, so in the eve we (shem and i) went to a barbie, which was hosted by his coach and all peeps there were cycling people and talking about the elite nations coming up this weekend that some of them are organising in Te Awamutu. then leaving at 11 ish we headed to karapiro lake and sat on one of the rowing jetty's listening to the music from the campsite, and watched as the fireworks from new years come in from villages, different ski clubs, and cambrisge itself. up and to work the next day!! lol, but on bank holiday pay :)

thats a pretty much an summary of the 2 weeks, although having new traditions and ways to look at christmas it has been making me think, and making me try to understand what christmas is to me as a young western boy but also as a christian; and being a christian the impact that it has, or should have, on how i choose to live my life.