Taylor's new friend, Kylie

Taylor goes to the park once a week with her friend Kylie and her mom, (my friend) Isabel, while I lead a worship set at the house of prayer. Thanks, Isabel - you're such a blessing! Anyway, here are a few photos from their adventures at the park.


Taylor and Kylie enjoying a little after-play snack in the tent.

Kylie and Taylor enjoy a little "splash, splash" in the fountain at the park.

Taylor and Kylie having fun on the playground!

Random Thoughts

The crabmeat quiche tonight was absolutely beautiful! The canned crabmeat here in NZ far outdoes the American stuff.....

Class went okay last night. Nothing to complain about, but I must admit that I was happier to step off the stage than I was stepping on to it. And I get to do it all over again tomorrow night, too.

I think we're going to buy a car tomorrow. It looks like we may get the deal of the century - a car worth NZ $13,000 for only NZ $9,500 - which is about US $6000. The best part? It's a beautiful BMW with only 60,000k - which is only about 40,000 miles. Aaron is driving to Auckland tomorrow afternoon with a friend to look at it and hopefully buy it. We'll definitely be posting some pictures if it comes home with Aaron tomorrow.

I'm teaching tomorrow night...

I get to teach Song of Solomon at class tomorrow night! It will be the first week of many in which I'll be teaching line-upon-line through the whole book....I must admit, I'm pretty excited, although somewhat nervous.

If you're going to win something, this is the way to do it

Aaron won a rugby jersey valued at over $100 today - just because we were one of the 1,400 lucky people who signed up for Sky TV. Needless to say, he's pretty excited about that one!

You Know You're In New Zealand When....

.....The menu for dinner is meat pies and spinach-feta "sausage" rolls. I don't think you can get more kiwi than that. (I must confess that the meat pies were courtesy of Countdown, not my own kitchen).



....You go to the grocery store to return a loaf of bread that went prematurely moldy - and the employee at the "customer service" counter requires much convincing to replace it. New Zealand isn't known for its customer service.

I miss home.

enough said.

A few cultural observations.....

Americans have low 'outer walls' and high 'inner walls'.
Kiwis have high 'outer walls' and low 'inner walls'.

Americans take pride in what they have.
Kiwis take pride in getting by despite what they don't have.

And here is a guide to a few Kiwi expressions, for those of you who might just be planning to come down under anytime soon:

Avos - avocados
Barbie - cookout
Cheers - thanks
Chocka - full, overflowing
Cuppa - cup of tea
Entree - appetizer
Fizzy drink - soda pop
Flannel - wash cloth, face cloth
Flat - apartment, rental accommodation that is shared
Good on ya - congradulations, well done, proud of someone
Kanakered - exhausted, tired, lethargic
Lolly - candy
Mate - friend
Pressie - present
Shout - to treat, to buy something for someone, as in "my shout"
Sunnies - sunglasses
Take-aways - food to be taken away and eaten, carry-out
Whinge - complain, whine, moan

Baseball Report

Affeldt did a tremendous job today in a spring training game against the Mariners. He had only one hit and one run scored against him in 6 innings of work....well done, Jeremy. It was so much fun watching the game online....but unfortunately it made me really miss home.

Looking forward to a great season......

Happy birthday....

It's your birthday....happy, happy birthday to you!

Yesterday (the 21st) was Sabrina's birthday. Wish we could have been there to celebrate with you, Sabrina. We love you and miss you.......

The gift of friendship

Andy and Bek came into town today. Bek and I stayed home and had a girls' evening and ate ice cream while the others went out to class. It was so great to sit with her and talk - I forgot how fun it is to sit and have a conversation with a friend who you have history with. We're so grateful for this couple and pray that our paths continue to cross in the months and years to come.....

A great start to a day off

Buttermilk pancakes for breakfast sure are a good way to start the day. But it got even better when Aaron stopped by the store on his way home from the gym, and picked up fresh blueberries and pure Canadian maple syrup to accompany the said pancakes ~ for no other reason than he knew I would love it. Now, you have to understand that 'round these parts of the world, pure maple syrup can easily be put in the same category as liquid gold. I don't even want to know how much that one bottle must have cost. But what I do know is that my husband sure does love me and he knows how to make me happy. Thanks, hon.

One less thing to import

Have I mentioned that I found canned crabmeat at Pack 'n Save? (for those in the dark about this one, refer to previous post titled 'our weekend so far'.) We can now enjoy Joanie's original recipe for the crabmeat quiche ~ no substituting bacon any longer! And the best part is that it's not terribly expensive....NZ $4, which is abot US $2.75, which is about normal. I feel loved. Now, if I could just find a local supplier for Goldfish, then we'd really be doing good.

Speaking of getting things imported, we have a whole suitcase arriving tomorrow. Thanks to Cristina, one of Misty's bridesmaids arriving from KC, (and to Sabrina, of course), we've got the goods coming. Good timing, too...I've almost run out of wipes. And at NZ $7 a package, I'm not in a hurry to go buy some here. Fortunately, it's not just the boring necessities of life arriving tomorrow, either. Sabrina hit the sale at hobby lobby, and sent a fair bit of scrapapbooking paper for Nic and I. Too bad all my other scrapbooking stuff is.....yes, you guessed it.....in Korea.

The Commonwealth Games

The commonwealth games started a few days ago. Now, for those of you reading this blog who aren't a citizen of a commonwealth nation (most of you out there, I'm assuming), and have probably never heard of the commonwealth games, let me take this opportunity to inform you what they are (I'd never heard of them, either, until this past week). The commonwealth games are just like the olympics, except only for nations belonging to the commonwealth. (Hmmm....profound name, I know). It's been pretty fun to watch. Taylor really enjoyed watching the gymnastics yesterday. I wouldn't be surprised if she's a little gymnist or ballerina someday, the way she loves dancing and all......

Speaking of dancing, it reminds me that we have some cute pictures of Taylor in her 'dancing dress' that a good friend from CT bought us last October. And since I'm way overdue for posting pictures (that will be remedied once our container arrives with my camera software CD), I figured this would be a good picture to post (even though it was taken in October!)

A much-overdue update

My apologies for disappearing from the blogging world for a few days. It's been a little crazy around here....

We love care packages!!

The highlight of the day today was the care package that arrived in the mail from Grandpa and Grandma Joanie - complete with goldfish, of course. Perfect timing....our previous supply from Nana has just about run out. Also included were Resee's peanut butter cups and a really cute poncho that Grandma Joanie crocheted for Taylor. Well done. I took photos on my camera, but unfortunately, I can't download any of them to my computer, because the CD to download the camera software onto my computer is in Korea - as is the rest of our life. And Nic's camera was out of batteries. Bummer.

There's going to be a wedding...

Last night I threw a 'kitchen and laundry' shower for Misty. It turned out to be a great night - lots of preparation leading up to it, but it was well worth it. We had a great evening with the ladies from our community - and some great food, may I add. Misty and Josh got blessed with great stuff that they really needed, so I think it was a hit all the way around.

The wedding is next Saturday. Aaron is one of the groomsmen, so this coming week will probably be pretty crazy with various pre-wedding activities.

Internship

I've spent less time with the interns this week, and more time being 'mom'. We're trying to find that balance between ministry and family and what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, that's only discovered by trial and error. I do get to lead the 8am devotional tomorrow, which will be fun. Unfortunately, that means no sleep-ins for me on Saturday morning! :-)

Testimony

Following is a cool testimony that we received from someone who recently visited the house of prayer.

"My husband and I visited the House of Prayer last week for the morning sessions and I wanted to let you know that I had a physical healing. We were at the Mount on holiday and I slipped and hurt my foot so that I could only hobble along, limping badly. Well, on the Wed. morning after the 8--10 session, I received prayer for my foot and after I left I removed all the bandage and I could walk easily without a limp. I had been healed. So I want to encourage the team with this testimony. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to come and be part of the morning sessions. We so enjoyed it and felt wonderfully refreshed. Thank You."

Pretty awesome, huh?

Our weekend so far

It's been a full day. Went to the mall, Bayfair, this morning. Correction - went to the shopping center, Bayfair today. ("Mall" would be a bit of an overstatement, implying the larger-than-life collection of shops so commonplace in America. Bayfair would be about 1/4 of the size of the average Americal mall - maybe smaller). But hey, we've got to make the best of what we've got. Many towns in New Zealand don't even have anything close. It could be a lot worse - trust me.

This afternoon held a meeting about a wedding shower this week for Misty, and then a trip to the Warehouse with Nic and Nana Dot and Albert - and of course, Taylor. Now, don't even get me started about the Warehouse. It's not too bad, but let's just say, I really miss Wal-Mart. Really bad. Really, really bad. Is it possible that the Wal-Mart on State line and 135th noticed a sharp decline in sales, about January 25th? I dare say that it is.

Tomorrow after church we're expecting a visit from David and Karina for brunch. We don't usually entertain people for brunch, so I've had lots of fun planning this one. Our menu? Bacon quiche (sorry, Joanie - haven't yet found the canned crabmeat here - yet!), pan-fried hash browns with onion and red pepper pieces, a tomato-cucumber salad with fresh herbs and spices and a homemade balsamic vinegrette dressing, banana bread, and fresh pineapple. Hope it tastes as good as it sounds.

Nana Dot and Albert Are Here

Nana Dot and "Elbit" arrived yesterday on the bus. Truth be told, the bus was just about as exciting to Taylor as our company arriving on the bus. She's loving having two more people around to entertain her. Or, should I say, two more people for her to entertain!

Bedtime Prayers

A true conversation in our home, while saying goodnight prayers with Taylor.

Taylor - "Esus....nana. Esus...nana."
Kristi - "Are you asking Jesus for Nana to come visit you?"
Taylor - "Yes"
Kristi - (prays for Nana and Granddad to come visit)
Taylor - "Esus...bye-bye. Esus....bye-bye."
Kristi - "Are you telling Jesus you had to say goodbye to Nana and Granddad?"
Taylor - "Nah. Dog-dog."
Kristi - "Are you telling Jesus you had to say goodbye to the dog-dog?"
Taylor - "Yes"
Kristi - (Tries to explain to 21 month-old that Jesus will reward us for saying goodbye to our dog-dog because we were obeying him. Proceeds to pray that Jesus would give us another dog someday).

I love the pure, innocent prayers from a child's heart.

Is This Home, or Just Where I Live?

I've been thinking recently about what it is about a place that makes it home. Or, perhaps it might be more accurate to say that I'm really wondering if New Zealand will ever feel like home, and if so, how long it will take for it to feel that way. I've heard myself saying occasionally, "I miss home....." Which is what got me to thinking....funny how Kansas City is still referred to as "home", even I don't live there anymore. I guess it has to do with a lot of things - friends are still there, family is there, and of course, it represents everything familiar and nothing foreign. It's amazing how much our country of origin is such a part of who we are - a part of us that can never be changed or altered. At the very core of my being, I am American. Although I can adopt new world views or new ways of doing things, I can never be kiwi. And I imagine that I will always feel most at home and most comfortable when in America or amongst Americans. Who knows. Maybe in several years I'll prove my own theories wrong, but that's just how it feels now. It's funny how simply being from a certain physical location affects so much of who we are and what our life looks like - and defines our concept of "home".

So, the questions remains. Will New Zealand ever feel like home? What is it about a place that makes it home? Will I always feel like a foreigner living in a strange land? I suppose I always will ~ until I step into that glorious realm called 'eternity' and find that I really am a citizen of another country.......

Quick Update

I've just sat down to enjoy a few minutes of quiet in the middle of our day. Taylor is sleeping, and our interns arrive in 15 minutes for afternoon class at our house. It's nice to be able to sit down and put my feet up!

We had a great morning in the prayer room. The interns have caught onto the model really quick - they're doing a great job leading worship, praying, and singing....it's been awesome watching them get their confidence and begin to soar. I wasn't leading or singing today, so it was nice to be able to enjoy the prayer meeting from the other side of the room, while entertaining Taylor at the same time. She did great in there this morning; kept herself busy coloring and eating goldfish (thanks, Nana) and walking around with mom and dad singing and praying and dancing. I love having her in that atmosphere - what a gift to her and to us.

Check This Out...

Talk About Big News.... This is awesome. The Governor of South Dakota has just signed a law making abortion illegal in his state. What an answer to prayer - first Jackson, Mississippi; now South Dakota. Who knows what state is next. Governor Rounds said in a statement that "he expects legal action will prevent (this)". Now it's really time to pray. Imagine the innocent lives that could be spared because of this man's stand for righteousness. You can read more at http://cnn.com

And now for some not-so-big news....today was census day in New Zealand. We had to fill out all these forms about where we live, what our house is like, what we do, how much money we make, and all that sort of stuff. I hate those forms....I always have such a difficult time trying to explain exactly how we're employed and what we do....it's a bit tricky.

Nana Dot and Albert are coming into town on Thursday to spend a long weekend with us. It will be lots of fun to see them again, and no doubt Taylor will love entertaining them and being the center of attention. Albert is now Nana's fiance....they got engaged over Christmas. Bt apparently there are no plans for a wedding. Rumor has it that all the other ladies were being a little too friendly with Albert when he and Nana went out dancing, so Nana needed a rock on her finger so everyone else would leave him alone. Well done, Nana!

To Discover the Moon.....

The trip to Taupo was a 'smashing' success....except for the fact that I forgot my camera! :-) It was great to see Andy and Bek again - and their little girl is beautiful. Taylor played with her wonderfully - she (Abigail) was lying on the floor on a blanket, and every time that her pacifier fell out of her mouth, Taylor would pick it up and put it back in her mouth. She loved being a 'helper'! She also gently rubbed Abigail's tummy, and gave her kisses....she was so sweet!

Taylor also discovered the moon tonight. We were sitting in our living room, and she looked through our sliding glass doors, pointed to the moon in the sky, and said, "moon". That was the story of the night.....she kept pointing it out to daddy....you could tell she was so proud of herself for finding it!

Lake Taupo Here We Come!!

Nic and I (and Taylor!) have decided to take a spur-of-the-moment day trip down to Lake Taupo today to see our friends Andy and Bek and baby Abigail. We're leaving in a half hour, and after a 2 hour drive, we'll get there just past lunch. A full report (and hopefully some good pictures) will follow later on tonight.....

Please not yet....

It's absolutely freezing this morning. Can someone please tell me where summer has gone??

Too bad that all my sweaters are in a container somewhere on a boat in Korea right now.....

I Love Baseball

Those of you who know me know how true this statement is. The World Baseball Classic started today. Thankfully, we have Sky, which means we have ESPN, which means we get to watch it. I was pretty excited to be able to watch an "American" sport over here in New Zealand. I mean, cricket and rugby are okay, but in my humble opinion, they don't even come close to baseball. Now, just to warn you all, I'll be even more excited when the MLB season starts. We'll have to webcast the Royals games - won't be too many of those on ESPN! :-) I must say, that's one of the things I'll miss most about Kansas City come spring/summer. Those were some good times we had, going to the games and all......

I think I better sign off before I make myself too homesick......

Check This Out...

For those of you who don't know Jackson, he just turned 13 and felt from the Lord to fast on his birthday, specifically to be in prayer over the issue of abortion. He got over 300 people to fast with him on his birthday. A few days later, something awesome happened. You can read about it all here, on his dad's blog. And how cool that this is a story out of Jackson Mississippi? http://rbohlender.blogspot.com/2006/03/birthday-present.html

Nothing much else new from the homefront. We had a much-needed night off tonight - what seems like our first in a long time. It's nice to be able to sit and get caught up on emails, blogging, etc. Tomorrow is pretty full-on again: prayer room from 8am to noon, admin meeting at 1pm, and class in the evening. Who knows when I'll go grocery shopping. Maybe tomorrow will be a fast day.