December | 2023 | Fords Gone Walkabout

Merry Christmas from the Fords! In lieu of mailing Christmas cards this year, we decided to go paperless. Here are some highlights from 2023.

Visitors & Travels

We kicked off 2023 as Roger & Julie “Papa & Amma” came to visit from mid-December through January for 6 weeks. We enjoyed a staycation in Kerang and Boort as we celebrated Christmas and Liam’s Dedication. It was special that Roger was able to preach at Boort Baptist Church, 30 years since the last time, and to spend quality time together indoors in the air conditioning as most every day hit the upper 30s Celsius (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit).
Cindy & Jim “Nana & Papaw” came to visit from mid-March through April for 6 weeks. We made the most of our time by traveling over 3,200 miles around Australia to the Blue Mountains, Sydney, the Great Ocean Road, the Yarra Valley, Canberra, and Phillip Island as well as day trips around regional Victoria to Echuca and Bendigo. We stayed in cabins at caravan parks and chose small-town bakeries over Macca’s (McDonald’s) to maximize the Aussie road trip experience. It was wonderful to spend Easter together, to share in family traditions, and make great memories.
The four Fords spent our 2023 holiday in Merimbula, New South Wales at the end of September. We took two days to tackle the 10-hour drive there and back and enjoyed seeing the Australian countryside as well as a beautiful beach at our destination.

Steven continues to teach at Kerang Christian College and completed his 13th year of teaching this year. He was the Year 8 Home Group teacher and taught science, digital technology, electives including Broadcast Media, Cooking on a Budget, and “Elementary, Dear Watson,” a Sherlock Holmes elective.
Kirstie spent her time with Adam and Liam as well as 4 hours a week from home completing the building project at Kerang Christian College which wrapped up at the end of the year. After 6 years at the College, she resigned to focus full-time on the boys. She will continue to serve as Board Treasurer.
The weeks were full of activities to keep two very active boys engaged and worn out enough to sleep well at night. Swimming lessons were Mondays–Adam finished the year by swimming on a noodle by himself and looking into the water with goggles aka “gobbles” on, and Liam can kick, blow bubbles, climb out of the pool, and jump back in. We attended playgroup at the church on Tuesdays, Tumble Tots in Cohuna (20 minutes away) on Wednesdays, went to the Community Garden on Saturday mornings, and attended church on Sundays.
Steven serves as an elder and occasionally preaches, Kirstie is on the worship team, Liam loves the toys in the Sunday school room, and Adam loves putting coins in the offering bag and devouring morning tea after the service.

Kirstie & Steven celebrated 7 years of marriage. We went to a nice steakhouse in Bendigo, played virtual golf, and saw a movie, fully maximizing our kid-free time.
Liam turned 1 in mid-July. His name means “strong-willed warrior,” and he has certainly lived up to that name. Our Littlest Man had a rough start with a diagnosis of dairy and soy allergies, monthly sicknesses for the first 6 months, and other tummy issues. Yet he has persevered into a sweet, silly boy who brings joy to everyone he meets. He is walking, singing “EIEIO,” and wakes up saying, “Adoe, Adoe” wanting to play with his brother.
Adam turned 3 at the end of September. He loves seeing his friends, blowing bubbles, and playing with his brother, “Weeum.” He can name pretty much every type of dinosaur and loves to watch Dino Ranch & Paw Patrol. We venture into potty training this summer before starting 3-year-old Kinder (preschool) on Thursdays and Fridays in 2024.
Kerang Christian College celebrated 40 Years of Christian Education in November. It was special to see so many former students and colleagues in one place, particularly for Steven who taught at the school in 2011 and 2012 before returning in 2018.

Kirstie continues to spend time with her Mum Group which includes 6 moms total, each with a 3-year-old and a second between 3 months and 16 months…meaning when everyone’s whole family attends a gathering, there are 12 adults plus 12 kids under 4. It’s awesome.
Steven got to take Adam to his first footy match to see the Richmond Tigers.
Our favorite show of the year was Loki.
Kirstie here: I spent the end of 2022 and half of 2023 in counseling a few times a month, and it was the best thing I could have done for myself and for my family. I hadn’t been to counseling in about 15 years. Needless to say, a lot of life change has happened between then and now–moving overseas, leaving teaching for leadership, leaving leadership for motherhood, and everything in between–which all came to the forefront with the struggles Liam and I had in his first 6 months of life. While we continue to have highs and lows (particularly with a “threenager” and a toddler in the house), I’ve felt lighter, more joyful, and more present in the everyday moments.
Life is better with our boys, and we constantly count our blessings.