We’ve had a wonderful first few days in New Zealand! Steve’s family that we’ve met so far is fantastic. Not that I’m surprised that a man as superb as he is comes from such good stock. (He’ll hate that sentence when he reads this!) We’ll meet more of them at a gathering tomorrow.
We think this season is going to be very good for us. We are getting to practice adapting to a different culture, but not one as radically different as the one we’re going to. Good practice. We are blessed to be staying at Steve’s sister’s batch/cabin which is just a short walk from a beach (we never even got that in Fiji!). There are numerous hiking trails around, too. Basically we’ll be spending a LOT of time outside and it is still summer here. What a wonderful blessing for kids who will be living in the confines of dense urbanization later this year to be able to run free now! We ate cockles at dinner tonight that the kids dug up on the shore this morning. Neat experiences!
Other little things are good, too, like the fact that this morning I hung laundry outside to dry for the first time since Fiji. Good preparation!
We’re looking forward to a visit from good friends from Fiji who will be passing through on Monday. Then it’s back to homeschooling on Tues. We’re getting acclimated now but soon we’ll kick into gear meeting lots of Steve’s friends and visiting different Fellowships on the weekends to share about where we’re headed. It’s been great to have a few days to get over jet lag and relax after packing up house in Phoenix and sad farewells. If you're one of those people, we'll miss you and please stay in touch!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Phoenix Prostitution
Steve and I had the opportunity to attend a meeting today about forced prostitution (they called it 'rape for profit') of teenagers here in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Our fellowship here is partnering with other groups in the area to work to stop this unthinkable trade that is so prolific in the area, as well as to minister to the young girls who are the victims. Very disturbing stuff that it would be much more comfortable to ignore.
It stirred our hearts especially since these are exactly the sort of girls that we are being sent to minister to. I think it gave me just the motivation I need to finish up our packing to get ready to go!
We sat at a table with a couple of men who have started something called Chosenlist.com. Chosen List is a 'clean' alternative to Craig's List. We were horrified to learn that around 50% of the business done over Craig's List is prostitution and pornography based! You can actually solicit a teenager over Craig's List.
We are enjoying a visit from Terry's folks this week! We still have heaps to get done but we think are on target to get it all finished before we fly out on Monday afternoon.
It stirred our hearts especially since these are exactly the sort of girls that we are being sent to minister to. I think it gave me just the motivation I need to finish up our packing to get ready to go!
We sat at a table with a couple of men who have started something called Chosenlist.com. Chosen List is a 'clean' alternative to Craig's List. We were horrified to learn that around 50% of the business done over Craig's List is prostitution and pornography based! You can actually solicit a teenager over Craig's List.
We are enjoying a visit from Terry's folks this week! We still have heaps to get done but we think are on target to get it all finished before we fly out on Monday afternoon.
Monday, January 19, 2009
New Family Photos
Click the title to see some new pictures of our familiy.
P.S. Thank you for taking them, Chris!!!
P.S. Thank you for taking them, Chris!!!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Last weekend a friend came by unexpectedly saying that he had a vehicle we could use until we left. Just that afternoon we had been discussing when to strategically put our van on the market so it would sell before we left, but allowing us to drive it as long as possible so we wouldn't have to rent a car. We put our van on Craig's List on Tuesday, a man called later that evening, came to look at it on Wednesday and said he wanted it. Thursday he brought us the money and we gave him title! How simple was that!
When the van was given to us when the kids and I had newly arrived in the States it was like a big hug from our Father, a reassurance that he indeed cared for us and would provide. It was several months from that point when we finally moved into our own house and since we had just left everything familiar to us we used to joke that the van was our 'home in America!' This week the way the van sold felt like a reassurance also, that we are on the right track and that He is blessing us. We also know that the prayers of many are going before us as well!
Steve has been working very hard to try to get the Harley finished. He's encountered many obstacles in the form of finding the parts necessary to get the bike running and parts not arriving after he's ordered them. Earlier this week he decided that he'd given it a good go but that he just didn't have quite enough time to finish it AND get it sold before we leave. He put it on Ebay and within hours he already had a bid on it for more money than he's put into it! He's had numerous questions from others about it as well so we're hoping it will go for a decent price at the end of the auction. Another blessing!
We've had other little blessings along the way of time with friends and family. Things are moving along well for our departure. Terry's folks arrive on Friday to spend a bit of time with us before we go.
We leave in a little over two weeks................!
When the van was given to us when the kids and I had newly arrived in the States it was like a big hug from our Father, a reassurance that he indeed cared for us and would provide. It was several months from that point when we finally moved into our own house and since we had just left everything familiar to us we used to joke that the van was our 'home in America!' This week the way the van sold felt like a reassurance also, that we are on the right track and that He is blessing us. We also know that the prayers of many are going before us as well!
Steve has been working very hard to try to get the Harley finished. He's encountered many obstacles in the form of finding the parts necessary to get the bike running and parts not arriving after he's ordered them. Earlier this week he decided that he'd given it a good go but that he just didn't have quite enough time to finish it AND get it sold before we leave. He put it on Ebay and within hours he already had a bid on it for more money than he's put into it! He's had numerous questions from others about it as well so we're hoping it will go for a decent price at the end of the auction. Another blessing!
We've had other little blessings along the way of time with friends and family. Things are moving along well for our departure. Terry's folks arrive on Friday to spend a bit of time with us before we go.
We leave in a little over two weeks................!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year!
2008 will always be an amazingly sweet memory for us as we've become a family and had some excellent bonding time. We look forward to 2009 with anticipation! What an adventure it is to serve the King!
We only have 4 1/2 weeks left in the States and a long 'To Do' list to get through before then. We also need to get in as much homeschooling as possible since the months ahead hold interruptions in that department. The kids had some time off of school this week but their parents still had lots to do! We took a day off and went exploring outside of town a bit this week, however.
We only have 4 1/2 weeks left in the States and a long 'To Do' list to get through before then. We also need to get in as much homeschooling as possible since the months ahead hold interruptions in that department. The kids had some time off of school this week but their parents still had lots to do! We took a day off and went exploring outside of town a bit this week, however.
Thank you for your love and friendship in '08! May your New Year be blessed!
Our crazy kids!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Family Nights:
We've had a lot of fun recently on Sunday evenings! Steve's been very intentional in thinking of fun 'family night' activities for us to do. Two weeks ago I made 5 'courses' for our evening meal and Steve hid vouchers all over the house that the kids had to find with clues he gave them to eat each part of the meal. The last course was roasting marshmellows on the grill outside. That evening was a big hit with all of the kids'!Last Sunday night we had a 'green' meal. We decorated the table with everything green, served green food and had everyone wear green shirts as well. Steve and I had fun walking around the grocery store finding green things to eat and anything that wasn't naturally green we turned green with food coloring. The older 3 saw the fun in it immediately. Adam, however, wasn't quite sure if he should eat his meal or not!
P.S. Our garage sale went exceptionally well! We now have a very sparsely furnished house. Everyone's gone into the 'camping out' mode and seem to be enjoying it. The boys in particular think it's a blast to be able to wrestle in the nearly empty living room and Adam's been practicing his amazing back flip on his mattress on the floor of their bedroom! And Steve and I think it's wonderful to have that huge hurdle already behind us in preparing to go! And the date that we're leaving the States is Feb. 2nd.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Tomorrow is G-day here (garage sale!). We've pulled the house apart and are hoping to sell almost everything that we don't absolutely need for the next 7 weeks until we leave, barring some pans, dishes, mattresses, and the kitchen table (we use the table for homeschooling and LIVE around it a lot!). Even in mild Phoenix January isn't a good garage sale month and the closer we get to Christmas could be less than advantageous, so we decided to go ahead and get this done now. It will make getting ready to go less stressful too.
Except for being an awful lot of work, it really hasn't been too bad overall! It's been making us more excited and mentally ready to face the experiences ahead.
There have been moments now and then that weren't too comfortable; the boys deciding what toys to keep, the girls getting rid of some things that made their bedroom feel like a haven to them. I remember hearing quiet grief in Steve's voice after he sold his quad (4-wheeler) in New Zealand before our wedding. Even though it wasn't a car, I think it felt like further severing the link to the past in motor sports that he loved. And he hasn't had to sell the Harley he's rebuilding here yet!
For me it was deciding to sell my guitar. It took me about 24 hours to get the uncomfortable feeling out of my chest after that! I was going to take it with us but when everything we own has to go into suitcases and a guitar counts as a whole suitcase......... On the way to New Zealand we'll get 2 bags at 50 lbs. (100 lbs. total) each. But for flights originating in NZ or Australia the weight allowance is usually 50 lbs. TOTAL. So we may each only get ONE bag on the way to S.E. Asia.
I guess my guitar was a mental link to many wonderful memories of fellowshiping and worshiping through music. And I'm not sure how much involvement I'll get to have in that in S.E. Asia.
But each of these things is a reminder that 'things' are only temporal. It's the experiences and memories associated with the things that make it painful to let go, not the things themselves. We look forward as a family to many rich experiences that will become memories ahead!
And the other thing I'm reminded of is that living for Him is about taking up our cross. And to take up that cross we often have to lay something else down first. But the gain always outweighs the cost!!!
Except for being an awful lot of work, it really hasn't been too bad overall! It's been making us more excited and mentally ready to face the experiences ahead.
There have been moments now and then that weren't too comfortable; the boys deciding what toys to keep, the girls getting rid of some things that made their bedroom feel like a haven to them. I remember hearing quiet grief in Steve's voice after he sold his quad (4-wheeler) in New Zealand before our wedding. Even though it wasn't a car, I think it felt like further severing the link to the past in motor sports that he loved. And he hasn't had to sell the Harley he's rebuilding here yet!
For me it was deciding to sell my guitar. It took me about 24 hours to get the uncomfortable feeling out of my chest after that! I was going to take it with us but when everything we own has to go into suitcases and a guitar counts as a whole suitcase......... On the way to New Zealand we'll get 2 bags at 50 lbs. (100 lbs. total) each. But for flights originating in NZ or Australia the weight allowance is usually 50 lbs. TOTAL. So we may each only get ONE bag on the way to S.E. Asia.
I guess my guitar was a mental link to many wonderful memories of fellowshiping and worshiping through music. And I'm not sure how much involvement I'll get to have in that in S.E. Asia.
But each of these things is a reminder that 'things' are only temporal. It's the experiences and memories associated with the things that make it painful to let go, not the things themselves. We look forward as a family to many rich experiences that will become memories ahead!
And the other thing I'm reminded of is that living for Him is about taking up our cross. And to take up that cross we often have to lay something else down first. But the gain always outweighs the cost!!!
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