Dear Emma,
Merry Christmas and I hope you are having a lovely Christmas day! I have got you some presents but I was too late to post them before today (sorry! - I went to the PO yesterday but just missed the closing time, will post as soon as the post office opens again in a few days). See below for a photo. I hope you will like them!

I was at church last night and this morning. We had a nice service last night with carols at 8pm and then a midnight communion service starting at 11.30pm. The 11.30pm service is one of my favourite services as it is very quiet and simple and gives more time for reflection. It was a very hot, humid day yesterday but a cool change and then rain came in the evening. It was quite dramatic to see lots of lightning in the sky as I drove back after the late night service.

I am going off to see my friend Alex soon. He is staying at the Aged care facility in Thames street, Box Hill, so close to his house in Station street. It will be good to see Alex again. Spending Christmas together is quite a tradition now (though his sister, Nancy, passed away this year, so we will miss her).

Lulu is fine and I'm looking forward to having a few days off work. It has been a busy year, so good to relax now (and spend some time snoozing with Lulu and reading some books :) ).

Hope you have a great Christmas for the rest of today and wishing you a very happy New Year for 2012!
Lots of love,
Aaron :) xxx 000

Dear Em,
Just writing to wish you a very happy Moon festival!! I hope you having been having a nice day. I took a photo of the moon tonight and also of another creature that was looking at the moon with me (not sure if you can make her out in the second photo!).

Things are OK here. I'm busy with work and study as usual. The Mullum Mullum festival opened last weekend at Yarran Dheran (the nature reserve near me) and I have been helping out with that. There were a few showers but it was a good day.
Wishing you all the best Em and looking forward to catching up sometime.
Love,
Aaron xxxooo

Dear Emma,
Wishing you a very happy birthday today!!!. I hope you have a wonderful and special day. Congratulations on your 16th birthday. You really are a young adult, which is great - good for you!
I have some things for your birthday (nothing special but I hope you like them). I took a photo of them this morning (will insert below). sorry I haven't posted yet. I'll try to do that soon!

Everything is OK here. Work and study are busy as usual. Lulu is fine though she is staying inside more now that we are heading into winter (it is quite cold in the nights). I quite like this weather though where you can dress up and feel warm despite the weather being rough (it probably reminds me of New Zealand :)).
Wishing you a very lovely birthday Miss Em and hope everything is going well for you. Looking forward to catching up at some stage.
With my best thoughts and birthday wishes,
Aaron xxx ooo

Dear Emma,
Hope you are well and sorry that I haven't written for so long. Well, it is my birthday today (44 years old - isn't that terrible!) and it will be your birthday in just a couple of weeks. I hope you are looking forward to it.

I found a praying mantis inside the house other week and I took a photo of it after I had put it outside. It was very beautiful I thought.The photo isn't the best but I hope you like it

I also need to wish you a very belated happy Easter. Sorry this is so late and I hope you had a good time. I did buy you a few, small things for Easter but I'll post those with your birthday presents if that is OK. Sorry about that!

Everything is well here. It has been quite a cold May in Melbourne so far. Lulu is sitting beside me on the sofa right now curdled up in a blanket and I have a blanket over me as well just to keep warm. I was talking to Grandma and Grandpa in NZ on the phone today and they are both well too.
Thinking of you Miss Em and looking forward to when we can catch up. Take care and all the very best.
Lots of love,
Aaron xxxooo

Dear Emma,
I hope you are well and sorry I haven't written for a while! It is Christmas Day now, so wishing you a very happy Christmas!! I hope you are having a lovely day. I have some presents for you (see photo below), so hope you like them! I haven't posted them yet sorry but will do that (I'm ashamed to admit but I hadn't posted your birthday presents yet , so I'll do that at the same time!!!). I hope you like them all in any case .



I was at church this morning and I'm going off to see my friend Alex and his sister, Nancy, straight after this. They are both in Hedley Sutton retirement home at the moment. It will be great to see them. I also spoke to Grandma and Grandpa in New Zealand this morning. They are both fine and are going to have Christmas day with my uncle Colin and aunt Nina.

I also went to a carol service at Edgar's Mission a few weeks ago. Edgar's Mission is a farm sanctuary that looks after farm animals that wouldn't have a home otherwise. I have been doing some volunteer work there some Saturdays and it is a really great place. Working there is very peaceful and therapeutic!

I hope everything is going well for you Miss Em. I'm thinking of you often, so hope you can hear the good thoughts .

Take care Emma and hope we can be in contact some time in the not too distant future!!

Lots of love,
Aaron xxxooo