It has been, sometimes, a relaxing and fun thing to have just Alex and me at home the last month.
From my perspective, that is: I can't speak for Alex.
And now we have Sophie back, just in time for her birthday today.
Yesterday Tim Smith (my brother in law) gave up a day's shed / office / mancave building to keep me company on the 10ish hours of driving to Opotiki-ish and back, where Sophie nearly knocked me over when I first arrived with the extreme velocity and therefore force of of a welcome hug.
We had a tour of the place Sophie has been living for the last month (Kahunui); a presentation from her house of 7; then a ceremony with the staff and all 26 girls in the intake, the first for the year.
Each girl was presented with her silver hawk (Kahunui is the big hawk) to wear on her school uniform, and had some words spoken about her, describing her Kanunui journey and encouraging her onward, by one of her staff House Leaders.
Sophie was described as seeming quiet, and nice, with a lovely smile - but that was all until her strength became obvious. "Who would have thought the quiet girl at the back would have turned out to be such a leader?"
At the end of the ceremony the award for the intake was presented - donated by a 100-year old benefactor as Kahunui was being built. The Glad (for Gladys) Thomas award, represented by a lovely commissioned sculpture, kept always at the centre itself. The girl's silver hawk is also replaced by a gold hawk.
The award is voted for by the girls themselves and the staff, for the girl who "has accepted her own challenges, has empathy, is understanding and supportive of her peers. She is helpful, puts the needs of others first, gives emotional comfort, encourages positively and stretches the hand of friendship to many."
Kind of a mouthful :-)
The award was presented to Sophie, apparently by an unusual and overwhelming majority.
A wonderful way to be encouraged the day before you turn 14.
Sophie loved her time at Kahunui, and is having withdrawal pains ...
I'm so glad for her.
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Wow. 'Congratulations' is too twee a word for this news. 'Awe-some' is better but also too trivialised these days to be much use. Does it help to know there is a tear in the eye for such a fitting blessing for all of you?
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