Back in Kansas City

Well, it sure was an interesting Christmas. Everyone in the house got the 24 hour flu starting on the 23rd, and by Christmas Day, our little Taylor was in bed sick all day long. The good thing is that we have a few different Christmases this year with all the family and friends, so she still got to enjoy opening presents here in Kansas City.

Yes, we're in Kansas City now! We flew in late last night and I'm already enjoying every minute of being here and drinking it all in. Dad and Joanie flew in from CT to have Christmas with my brother and his family, and to be here with us for the next few days. It's been so much fun being with both sides of the family, and also seeing friends today. I 'just happened' to run into a couple of friends at the mall and at ihop ~ it's so special to be able to see people here that I love. Yes, it's my first day here and I've already managed to hit the mall, this time with Dad and Joanie. Here's a couple of pictures of Taylor and us on the Merry-Go-Round:

Couldn't be happier

It's been a fun week here so far! We've enjoyed seeing our friends again and having time together; it's just like old times. It's going to be so fun having Christmas up here; the next few days leading up to Christmas will be full of parties and celebrations with their family and friends. These are good times. I'm so grateful that we can be here; I'm holding on to every moment of each day and enjoying it thoroughly.

I'm also lovin' being back in America. It's so nice to be in a 'real' winter again ~ cold air and snow outside and central heat and warm fires inside! The U.S. still feels like home, and it's so refreshing to be back amongst 'my people', to drive around town and see familiar stores and restaurants, to walk through Wal-mart and see familiar items on the shelves, and to eat American food. It all tastes just as good....no.....way better....than I remembered it! Good thing I worked out hard this morning. I'm going to have to keep that up the way I've been eating recently! :-)

And it snowed....

It was snowing in Spokane before we got here, there were snow flurries as we were landing, and we woke up this morning to more snow flurries. With 5 inches of snow on the ground, I might just perhaps be the happiest girl in America this morning. It's amazing here and I'm so, so thankful to be here. Can't wait to play in the snow with Taylor!

The trip here was great. A long 26 hours, to be sure, but this may have been the easiest trip we've done yet. Taylor was absolutely incredible ~ no meltdowns, no attitudes. She was happy and pleasant for 26 hour straight. At 10:30 this morning, she is still fast asleep ~ one tired girl, to be sure.

Christmas music playing, snow falling, cold outside.....I seriously couldn't be happier. It's gonna be a great month.

Off within the hour...

The bags are packed, the itineraries are printed, passports in hand, hopefully nothing forgotten. We're about to leave our little Shire and head off on yet another adventure; this time knowing at least in part what awaits us.

I'm planning on posting from the States, though I'm not sure what our internet access will be for the first week of the trip.

We're off!!

Maybe I need to make something clear...

Lest there be any misunderstanding in the mind of any reader, bringing Aaron to the airport is never a good way to start the day; it would be the mother-daughter date at the beach that absolutely is. :-)

Seems like posting at 1am has gotten the better of me......

What a fantastic way to begin the day

After dropping Aaron off at the airport first thing this morning, I decided it was the perfect opportunity for a little mommy-daughter date. With the airport being only a 5 minute drive from the beach, off we went for a little morning adventure. At 8am, we were the first Starbucks customers for the day, and after purchasing two muffins and some orange-juice, we wasted no time heading for the shore. Unfortunately, it wasn't the warmest morning that's ever been, but we enjoyed a simple breakfast picnic regardless, and then took our time for a little walk on the beach to collect shells. It was a great morning to be alive. And a great morning to be a mom.

We had the whole day (and evening) to ourselves, Taylor and I. The rest of the family are in other cities around the nation, so we kept ourselves busy cleaning and packing, cleaning more and packing more. I did spend a bit of time on the phone with United tonight sorting out their schedule change to our itinerary which resulted in a less-than-sufficient layover in L.A. Though we have now gained another connecting flight to our journey Stateside (bringing the grand total to 5), we have gratefully lost the stress caused by merely thinking about clearing immigration and customs, waiting for luggage, and racing from terminal one to terminal eight - in less than one hour and forty minutes. With a 3-hour layover now, we can now enjoy a more leisurely pace before gearing up for 3 more flights before we reach Spokane. I am already praying for grace for our little one. And for mom and dad, too. If you think of it, please pray for us, too, as we begin our month-long adventure: for grace in the long travel, for health for the whole family during our entire time away, for no delays (weather-related or otherwise) as we fly throughout the entire U.S., and finally that this would be a refreshing time in which our hearts and bodies are strengthened and prepared for the season to come. Speaking of rest, time for me to get some. 'Night.

Really in the homestretch now

With less than 7 days to go until we leave, the excitement is really starting to build. I can't believe that soon I will be home. It's almost too good to be true.

But in the meantime, life here is full-go until the day we leave. Tomorrow we have class at our house, and an end-of-year BBQ in the evening. Thursday I'm in the prayer room in the morning, and then out for lunch with a friend. Friday evening is the intern graduation. Saturday morning brings an early start, as Taylor and I will drop Aaron off at the airport. Believe it or not, he's on his way to Wellington this weekend for At Thy Feet, a solmn assembly in which many are gathing to fast and pray for New Zealand. He will return home Sunday night, and then we fly out Monday evening. And somewhere in there I'm packing and getting ready for the trip. I wasn't kidding when I said it was full-go until we leave!

It will all be worth it. In less than one week, we will be relaxing and enjoying this view:

A mere coincidence?

Maybe. But maybe not.

Check out this cool story about Friday night's storm.

Lovin' the stormin' weather

I need to preface this post by providing a bit of explanation that New Zealand doesn't have anything close to the kind of storms we had in Kansas City. Thunderstorms are very rare here, and hardly ever will you see a really good one. One of the things I miss about Kansas City are those spring-time thunderstorms. Not the wimpy ones, but those really intense ones with loud cracks of thunder, lightning that streaks across the sky, straight-line winds that make you feel as if you're about to blow away (but do nothing more than blow a few leaves off the trees), pounding rain, and - if it's a really good one - a nice display of hail. As for the tornadoes, well, I certainly don't miss those.

Well, last night, we had one heckuva good storm 'round here. The thunder and lightning weren't much to write home about, but the hail sure was. It wasn't all that big (not complanin' 'bout that), but the impressive part was the amount of it. Truth be told, I don't think I've even seen this much hail produced in a good 'ole Kansas City storm. Don't believe me? Check out these pics:

Hail in the garden

Our back yard....

...and our deck.

Taylor discovers hail. She kept calling it snow! :-)

Gotta say, it sure was a nice little taste of home.

Promised Thanksgiving Photos

Better late than never!

Our $80 golden turkey. Much to my dismay, I did overcook it - just a little.

One of our good friends, Karina. She's a Kiwi who's a self-professed "should have been born American", who loves Thanksgiving.

Good lookin' spread of t-day favorites!

Our other friend, Chelsea, who made some killer pumpkin pies

The Countdown

Twenty more days until departure.....it's seems amazing that in less than three weeks, I will be on American soil. Wow; I can't wait! The next few weeks will be full for us, right up until we leave. It will be a tricky balance between staying "present" here, while also preparing for the trip home.

Thanksgiving was a great success ~ I'll post some pictures as soon as I get them downloaded onto my computer. I love being able to prepare (and eat!) all the traditional foods and keep the tradition alive, not only for my sake, but especially for Taylor, too. Nevermind the fact it was the hottest Thanksgiving I've had in my life. It was about 86 degrees ~ the hottest day on record in Tauranga for whole month of November. Holidays in the southern hemisphere still seem strange to me. Gotta say, I'm going to be lovin' the cold winter Christmas!!

Marshmallows

We found' em. Marshmallows in New Zealand with the same texture as the American ones. Granted, the taste is slightly different, as is the shape, but they certainly pass. With flying colors. I have yet to roast them, but I have a hunch they'd be about as good as their American cousins.

This discovery, as grand as it is, unfortunately doesn't meet the need for American mini marshmallows, so a brief word to my personal importers (you know who you are!): there will still remain occasional orders for the goods you so faithfully send. :-)

With that said, now I can sleep. Goodnight.

Thanksgiving Countdown

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, and I can't wait. The holiday will be celebrated in full style this year, regardless of the fact that we live on the other side of the world. The good thing about Thanksgiving in New Zealand is that with the exception of a couple imported items, all the necessary ingredients can easily be found here, so no delicacies will be missing from the table. To be fair, I do have to confess that although most ingredients can be found here, they are not necessairly as inexpensive as their American counterparts. Take our $80 turkey, for example. Yes, my American friends. You read that right. $80 for a turkey. No exaggeration. Let's just pray I don't overcook the thing. I also have to say that Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix doesn't exist here, so I'll be making my own from scratch. Good thing I've made it a few times and have a bit of practice under my belt. Can't be ruining the stuffing on Thanksgiving. It's one of the most important parts. And all the other usuals will be present ~ mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole (with the imported mini marshmallows on top), homemade macaroni and cheese (an addition to the menu from our Canadian friend), green bean casserole, corn, rolls, and cranberry relish. Oh, and the making its debut to our Thanksgiving menu - baked brie and crackers as an appetizer. The dessert menu is just as good - pumpkin pie, apple pie, cheesecake with a gingersnap crust and cranberry sauce on top, and Watergate salad (affectionately known as the "green stuff" to the attendees of our occasional cookouts). Wow. It promises to be a good feed. Did I mention we are going to postpone the celebration a few days until Sunday? The unfortunate aspect of living in a foreign country is that life proceeds as normal even on American holidays, so we're waiting for our day off so we can enjoy a day-long celebration.

Another fun aspect of celebrating Thanksgiving in a foreign country is the opportunity to educate Taylor on the American tradition. It's always fun to get her Thanksgiving books out of storage this time of year and read about what the first Thanksgiving was all about, and how and why we celebrate it today. We've also had lots of fun this year doing Thanksgiving-related craft projects. We made hand-print Turkeys, and then moved on to making a big turkey to which we attached paper-cut-out feathers on which I wrote things that Taylor told me she was thankful for. And today, we started making a paper-plate pilgrim. Her attention span ran out mid-project, so I'm hoping we can finish it tomorrow. I'm also looking forward to starting the pre-Thanksgiving baking with her ~ ya know, all the seasonal goodies that have to be made this time of year, but are just too much to eat all on Thanksgiving: pumpkin cookies, cranberry muffins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake squares, and other yummy cranberry desserts. Okay, some of those will have to wait until after Thanksgiving, but hey, it sure is worth the wait!

In case you hadn't figured it out by now, we take our Thanksgiving seriously around here!!

Birthday celebration

Nic had a birthday this past week, and because Aaron was away in Christchurch, we had a "girls only" Mexican fiesta-themed party. It was lots of fun, great food and good times. Here are a few of the photos:

The five of us girls, with (virgin) pina coladas in hand.

Note: Photography by Miss Taylor Walsh. Pretty good with a camera for a 3-year old, eh?

What's a Mexican Fiesta without a pinata?

"Nicky Bear" and "Taylor Bear' Cakes....


...And Fondue for dessert

Okay, so the fondue isn't exactly Mexican, but that's beside the point. It sure did taste good.
Happy Birthday, Nixsy!

Strawberries and Asparagus

This is a great time of year in New Zealand when it comes to fresh produce. Two of my most favorite fruits/veggies abound this time of year, and we are eating in abundance before all too soon these delicacies will slowly vanish from the shelves as the summer progresses. I'm convinced that New Zealand strawberries are sweeter and tastier than their American counterparts. They certainly do make for some good strawberry and rhubarb crumble, strawberry shortcake, strawberries with waffles and whipped cream.....

This past week's adventures

What a week it has been! Aaron got back from Aussie last Friday night, and we've been enjoying the week together before he leaves tonighit to head to Oxford (Christchurch) for the week.

One of the big events of this past week was a family trip to Auckland for a very special reason ~ Aaron had lasik surgery on one of his eyes. Before heading up there, they weren't even 100% sure they would be able to do the surgery, so we were pleased to find out they were able to, and even more pleased that it went well with no complications. Now Aaron can almost see 20/20 with his eye that previously he was barely able to see anything out of at all. Pretty amazing, I have to admit.

This morning has dawned a bright and clear sunny day; it promises to be a nice day off with the family. On the menu for brunch today? Waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. Yummy!!!

Brooke Report

Brooke Fraser was incredible last night. That girl sure does have pipes, and her band was tight, too. One of the things I liked about it was that although she was not overtly religious in her speech, there was such an evident anointing of the Holy Spirit present. She has really done well to be so successful in the secular market when her songs and lifestyle are so evidently Christian. Another thing that I really, really enjoyed was listening to and watching her band. It's always fun to watch talented musicians play live; definitely brings musicial inspiration.

Tomorrow night I drive up to Auckland late, late, late to pick up my hubby, who's been in Australia this past week. Although I'm not necessairly looking forward to the late night drive, I am absolutely looking forward to seeing him again, so it's definitely worth it!

Girl's Night Out

In a few minutes, the girls of the house (minus Taylor) are headed off to a Brooke Fraser concert. It's the first concert I've been to since I went to see Five Iron Frenzy when I was about 16. My, how times have changed.

Livin' it up in the limelight

Rumor has it that the "6 stunning Tauranga girls" were the talk of the morning on the radio. Little do they all know one of the six is a 3 year old!

Not one, but two moments of fame

So yesterday during our World Series, my sis-in-law emailed the commentators for the World Series, because they take emails during the game from fans watching throughout the US and the world. Occasionally, they read the emails that come in, answering questions, and the like. No mention was made of our email yesterday.....but today, they read the email that Nic sent in:

6 stunning girls are cheering The Rockies on from Tauranga, New Zealand. We are rooting for Jeremy Affeldt! We are wearing purple wigs and have decorated our den purple and black! GO THE ROCKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The hot dogs have come off the grill! 3 Americans, 1 canadian and 2 kiwis watching Baseball!

I thought it was pretty cool that our humble little world series party was mentioned on the world-wide telecast of World Series game #4. As if that's not enough of a claim to fame, on our national news tonight, they played the highlight of the game during which the commentators were reading the email from the "6 stunning girls from Tauranga, New Zealand", proving the point that the World Series truly is a world-wide event.

As for the Rockies, well, that's a sad loss. But hey, no one even would have guessed they would be playing in the World Series to begin with, so despite the loss, there really is reason to celebrate an amazing accomplishment of a talented team. Go Rockies!!

World Series Party

Aaron left yesterday to go to Australia for the week, so us girls decided we should invite some other girls over for a little baseball action. Nevermind the fact that our beloved Rockies are struggling this series; it was no-holding-back when it came to loyalty and support from these devoted fans! The pictures say it all......

The girls - plus Dayna, the photographer for this photo

The food. What's a baseball game without hot dogs and nachos.....

...and signs?!

Baseball cupcakes...

No holding back on the decorations, either.

Our smallest fan - dressed in her Rockies purple, of course!!

Piano Practice

One of the things I have been trying to become somewhat diligent at recently is regular* piano and vocal practice. Tonight I was messing around on Dayna's electric piano, and figured out something ~ and I think that the "something" I figured out is something I've been trying to figure out for a long time, but never was able to. Not that it's that profound or especially tricky or anything. I've just never messed around long enough to be able to allow my fingers to do what I hear in my mind. (Remember, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Sometimes painfully obvious things still take me a while to figure out). I love that point of breakthrough, when the revelation comes and a whole new world of experience is opened up. It makes the long hours of seemingly worthless labor completely worth it.

Something true not only of music, but also of prayer.



*Regular - That is, as often as is allowed within the constrains of life as a wife, mom, etc. Not to be confused with "daily", lest I present an exaggerated perception of my self-imposed disciplines.

A potpourri of un-related thoughts

It is a profound statement of the obvious when I say that I have yet again fallen off the blogging wagon. It may not be so obvious to many of you that this is not the only proverbial wagon I have fallen off. The other two I'm thinking of are namely the "healthy-eating wagon" (apple danish, anyone?) and the "email wagon" (if you are one of the ones who has emailed me and has yet to receive a reply, you will know if which I speak. My apologies). I have come to the conclusion in recent days that of all the, say, 10 things I aim to do on a regular basis (maintain my life in God, maintain relationships both with family and friends, exercise, practice piano, practice voice, keep up on housework, etc. etc. etc. - to name but a few), it is virtually impossible to remain diligent with 100% of them 100% of the time. If any of you out there have figured out how to do this, I beg of you, please leave a comment and tell me how.

Now, for two completely un-related thoughts to give you insight into my musings of the morning.

First, I was pondering the two hours yesterday during which my team and I sang through Revelation 4 at the House of Prayer. It wasn't until the last verse that I was struck with a new understanding - or, perhaps I should say, the blunt realization of my lack of understanding. In Revelation 5, Jesus the Son is declared worthy because He was slain and redeemed mankind to God by His blood. This is logical. (Note that perceiving something as logical is not the same thing as having revelation. In fact, I think that logical things are the hardest to gain revelation about, because we think that we know what it all means, but we really have no idea whatsoever). Anyways, this is why Jesus is declared as worthy in Revelation 5. In Revelation 4, God the Father is declared to be worthy because He created. I mean, this is something I've known and sung about many times, but yesterday for the first time I saw the declaration of the Father's worth alongside the declaration of Jesus' worth, and it just didn't seem so logical to me that being slain and redeeming fallen humans is on the same level as creation when it comes to the reasons for God being worthy. Somehow, in the economy of God, creation is up there with the cross when the elders and living creatures sing of His worthiness. That's pretty stunning. I think (rather, know) that I have a lack of revelation on the magnitude of what it means for God to be the Creator. This also, then, means that evolution is not just a false teaching, but a direct attack against the worthiness of God. Hmmm.

Second thought for the morning - certainly not as profound as the first thought. I opened my window today, and it smelled like an early morning summer's day in Maine. In a moment, memories flooded back to me of family vacations in houses on lakes in the backwoods of Maine - and of course, eating lobster on the docks near the seashore.....need I say more?? Never mind the fact it will be winter when we go home. America, here we come!!

The ministry of intercession

I thoroughly enjoyed my morning in the prayer room. Most days, I find intercession prayer meetings to be work, and I leave tired and feeling drained. Today, however, was one of those prayer meetings that left my spirit feeling alive and invigorated and in love. It's a wonderful thing to leave a prayer meeting feeling like that. During the prayer meeting, I was struck with the glory of the ministry of intercession. We get to stand in a room with a company of people, and say back to God what He tells us to say to Him, and somehow He moves, angels and demons shift, and things happen on the earth. It really is glorious that we serve a God who has chosen to not act in a vacuum, but to move and act in partnership with His people. Maybe, just maybe, today there was a young woman in our city who decided against having an abortion and a tiny baby will have the opportunity to live. Maybe today there was a believer in our city who was given an extra measure of strength and might in their spirit. Maybe today, somewhere in our city, there was a little boy or girl who was saved from the evil of child abuse. Oh, the priviledge and honor to lift our voice on behalf of those who have no voice and cry out for mercy. I gotta say, I love what we get to do.

Those Rockies aren't done yet

Where have the days gone? The week is just about half gone already (not to mention the fact that October is already half gone, and the year almost done. How did that happen??). Anyways, what got me started on that is the realization that it's been a few days since I've posted; my apologies.

Our week off was wonderful - long, lazy days that were a good mix of both restful and productive, but all too soon it was time to get back into the normal routine of life. I will say, though, that the last couple days have been great and the only bodily sign of rebellion against the normal schedule is a fair bit of sleepiness in the morning when it's been time to get the day going. It is no secret that I have set my sights on the long-awaited journey we will be departing on almost exactly two months from now (and the long break that comes with it). I am more than excited to go home; now that couldn't come soon enough.

But before I get too far ahead of myself, there is still much to enjoy in the glorious month of Rocktober. Nevermind the fact that we are half a world away, we are joining the celebrations in Denver in spirit. Baseball fans are baseball fans, no matter where on the planet they are located. Yes, the Rockies are going to the World Series! They completed the series sweep against the Diamondbacks today, winning 21 of their last 22 games. I still can't believe they're going to the World Series; it's just too good to be true. This is a great day for Rockies fans, to be sure.

A bit of a moan

It's been a while since I've had a good whine on my blog. Figured now's as good a time as any, especially since I've decided I'm officially feeling homesick. I've been thinking of home quite a bit the last few weeks. Probably has to do with the fact that our trip Stateside is on the horizon, yea, rapidly approaching, and I'm more than ready to go. Might also have something to do with an on-the-whim idea for me to head east for a weekend on my own and have a couple days with my parents in my hometown. Can't wait. Nothin' like goin' back to your roots. Oh, and did I mention the New York style pizza and canolis from the Italian bakery awaiting me when I get there?

At any rate, I miss CT, I miss Kansas City. I miss family, I miss friends. BBQ and baseball. Shopping and snow. Thunderstorms and Target. Fall and favorite foods. The list goes on. But I'll stop here. 'Nuf said.

In response to the comment about my lack of comment about the All Blacks...

I deem it wisdom at this point in my budding career as a sports writer and analyst to concentrate my efforts on the sports (er, um, sport) about which I am both passionate and possessing of at least a small bit of knowledge about the game. Rugby does not qualify. On either point.

I shall therefore remain silent about the All Black's tragic loss this past weekend, except to say that all members of my immediate family have taken the news surprisingly well.

Playoffs and Break

Well, the Rockies are headed to the NLCS (National League Champtionship Series), a best of 7 series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. If we win that series, then it's off to the World Series for the Colorado team. We swept the Philadelphia Phillies in 3 games, as did the Diamondbacks against the Chicago Cubs. The NLCS promises to be some good baseball. This is perhaps the funnest October of my entire life.

This week is our mid-internship break, during which we have also closed the prayer room, so we are enjoying some much needed R&R. Breaks are always an intersting thing, as the option always exists ~ be productive or do nothing? For someone like me who has a very difficult time sitting still for an extended period of time, the "productive" option usually wins. This is not always a good thing. One of the things in life I am still learning is how I "rest" best; what those things are that I can do that serve not only to provide rest for my body, but also keep my spirit alive in the process. Oh, yeah. And I guess having fun should be included somewhere in there, too.

Too bad for us that the NLCS doesn't start until Friday (New Zealand time), at which point our break is almost over. If anyone is wondering where I'll be next week, wonder no more.......

Not another post about baseball.....

There is only one place I'll be tomorrow at 8am. In our living room in front of our TV, watching the Rockies play the Phillies in game two of the NLDS. Broadcast LIVE in New Zealand. This is the first Rockies game all season we've been able to watch on TV here. That, combined with the fact that it's a playoff game, means I've never before been so excited to watch a baseball game on TV. Can't wait!

"W" is for Win

The Rockies got one when they needed it the most - in 13 agonazing innings of play. I thought yesterday's game was a nail-biter....nothing like today's. To make a really long story short, the score was tied 6-6 going into the 13th inning. San Diego hit a 2-run homer in the top of the 13th, and at that point, I though it was over. But the game wasn't over for the Rockies. After a double, and then an RBI double, an RBI triple, and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 13th, they managed to squeeze out a 9-8 victory over San Diego. This secured the NL Wild Card title and they head to Philly in a couple days to play the first game of the NLDS. This is huge!! First time the Rockies have gone to the post-seaon since 1995. The best part about it for us is that most of the postseason games are broadcast live on TV here, so we get to watch the games for real, all the way on the other side of the world. How incredible is this?!

A 162-game season has come down to this...

After 7 1/2 innings of nail-biting play, Colorado rallied in the bottom of the 8th, scoring 3 runs and producing a 4-1 lead over Arizona. The Diamondbacks attempted a rally of their own in the top of the 9th, scoring 2 additional runs, but the Rockies bullpen managed to find outs when they needed them the most, and escapted with a narrow 1 run victory over Arizona. All this, combined with Milwaukee's decisive 11-6 victory over the Padres, means that the winner of the NL Wild Card will be determined in a tiebreaker game tomorrow in Colorado against San Diego. Go Rockies!!

Great Sports Day

It's a good thing we have Monday mornings off. Right now, the Rockies are playing the Diamondbacks and the Brewers are playing the Padres. It's the last regular game of the season. For the Rockies to keep their playoff hopes alive, they need to win and the Padres need to lose. Then they will need to play (a) tiebreaker game(s) to determine if they will make it to the playoffs.

Aaron and I are glued to our computers. It's a big day around here, folks. The only thing that could be better than tracking with the action all the way in New Zealand would be sitting in our home in America watching the games on TV.

78 Days Until We Leave to go Home to America.

Not that anyone is counting.

First Earthquake

Apparently there was an earthquake last night - 4.7 on the Richter scale - but I didn't feel a thing. Slept through it all. Part of me is glad ~ I've never been in an earthquake before, and I'm not necessarily looking forward to feeling that sensation for the first time. But on the other hand, because I have never been in an earthquake before, there is a strange intrigue and curiosity that has got part of me looking forward to the very experience that I'm not looking forward to. Sounds a bit schizophrenic, I know. Seeing as how this is the first earthquake that Tauranga has had since we've moved here, I might be waiting quite a while until the next one, though Aaron (a self-appointed seismologist these days) thinks we're due for a big one sometime soon. Who would know.

Passing Along the American Heritage

Ever since Taylor was little, I have had some small American flags in her toy basket for her to play with. The logic behind that stretigic move was that I wanted the American flag to be a familiar sight to her, a common part of her life, so she would grow up knowing what one was. No worries there. The girl can spot one a mile away.

Anyways, the other day we were picking up toys together, and I came across her American flag. I was suddenly inspired to begin teaching her the Pledge of Allegiance. Why not? I mean, come on.....don't all American mothers sit around home and teach their 3 year old children the Pledge of Allegiance?! So I taught her how to put her hand on her heart, and then she repeated after me as I recited the pledge in 3-year-old-length phrases. I was quite impressed with the way she maneuvered through the pronunciation of some of the larger words such as "indivisible". It really is cute to listen to the Pledge being said in a "3 year old" tone of voice.

(On a side note, I can't remember the last time I said the Pledge of Allegiance. Probably my school days. Back then the Pledge was just another part of the "home room" routine, recited with barely a thought of what it meant. Now, being more than a decade older and living in a foreign country, those familiar words carry more meaning and weight than perhaps they ever have before. Talk about feeling patriotic).

Anyways, back to Taylor. She loved it! And she has come to me since and asked if we can do that "American flag thingy". Not sure how long this phase will last, but I plan on capitalizing on it as long as I can!

Randomness

Yesterday was another gorgeous spring day, so I took Taylor and a friend out for a picnic lunch at the Mount. It was so much fun; Taylor really enjoyed playing in the sand and watching the waves (still way too cold for swimming). I still can't really believe that I live in such a beautiful place!

Today was my long day at the house of prayer - prayer room in the morning, teaching class in the afternoon. I'm feeling especially tired this evening - so much so that I just sat on our couch and watched SportsCenter for the last 30 minutes. Yes, I'm lovin' SportsCenter these days.....with baseball playoffs just around the corner and eight NL teams currently in contention for 4 playoff spots, keeping track of who is winning which games is of utmost imortance. It really is getting pretty exciting these days. I wan't kidding when I said I love baseball!

Our quiet week is drawing to a close. Nic comes back tomorrow, and Dayna in a couple more weeks. It's been a nice change of pace. I've had heaps more time with Taylor than I usually do which I think has been good for both of us, and heaps more time and space just to "be" and to chill out. We have a week break coming up during which we'll close the prayer room and have no classes; I think I'll definitely be ready for more "down time".

I think it's time for me to head out to the office and practice some piano and vocalizes before heading off to bed. 'Night!

Rainy Tuesday Afternoon

When I put Taylor down for her nap today, I knew that I would be wise to spend the afternoon listening to my body and resting rather than being productive and "doing". Two hours later I woke up; 3 hours into Taylor's nap, she's still sleeping herself. I think it's safe to say that we were both feeling pretty tired. There's now a steady rain falling, so I've made myself a cup of lemon tea, grabbed the two Rachel Ray magazines I just got in the mail today (from America, that is!), have the baseball set up on my computer so I can keep track of the games and scores for today, and I couldn't think of a better way to spend a rainy afternoon. Speaking of baseball, the last week of the season is getting pretty exciting. The team that our friend plays for has a very strong chance to make the playoffs, so we're following it pretty closely around here....not just their team's progress, but also the teams ahead of them that they need to pull past in the standings in order to extend their season into October. Pretty exciting stuff. But for right now? Those magazines are calling my name!

Starting to feel like summer

Okay, well maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but for at least an hour today, it sure felt like it! I went up the mount this morning, and was it ever so beautiful out there! Warm and sunny and lots of people enjoying the beach. New Zealand really is a whole different country come summertime, and for good reason. The country just comes alive ~ especially beach towns, like ours. Of all the places on the earth to live, I've gotta say that I think this is one of the best.

We've been enjoying our quiet week so far and some much-needed family time. I've had lots more time with Taylor than I usually have, and it's been really fun to hang out together. Every day I remind myself that these next couple years will go by so fast, and before I know it, she'll be in school every day. Makes me want to hang onto every minute that we have now! They just grow up way too quick.

Sundays.

Waffles for breakfast.
9am. Still lounging in PJs.
Baking yummy treats. And eating them.
Watching baseball online.
Taking a nap.
Reading a book.


This is the stuff Sundays are made of. And made for.

Catching Up

Wow. I really need to stay diligent when it comes to posting. Some days it just seems that there's not much exciting to write about! Either that, or there's lots to write about, but I don't have a chance to sit down at my computer to actually post about it.

This past week, we had a couple from Fiji come and stay with us for a few days. They're pastors of a church in Suva; this is the couple Aaron always stays with when he goes to Fiji. Since they were already going to be in NZ for a few weeks, they wanted to come to Tauranga to check out the house of prayer. It was so fun to be able to love on them and pray for them and see them come and be refreshed in the presence of the Lord.

This coming week will be quite different than last. Dayna (the girl who lives with us) is home in Canada for a few weeks, and Nic (Aaron's sister) has gone away for a few days during school holidays. So the three of us have the house to oursleves this week; one thing's for sure - it's going to be a lot quieter than usual around here!

First Haircut

At 3 yrs and 4 months old, Taylor was finally ready for her first haircut! One of the THOP interns is a trained hairdresser, so we had her and her husband over for dinner tonight, and then she cut Taylor's hair right here at home. At first Taylor was a little tearful, but once she realized that it wasn't going to hurt, she was all smiles! She still wanted Mommy and Daddy to hold her hands, which of course we gladly did. She did a great job standing still, and ended up with a cute little haircut!

A day at the duck pond

Today has been another gorgeous spring day. This morning Dayna (the girl who lives with us) was babysitting Abilgail (neighbor girl), and this being my 'home day', Dayna and Abigail and Taylor and I decided to walk up to the duck pond and the park to enjoy the day. We had a fantastic time! The pictures say it all.

Dayna with the girls, feeding those hungry ducks!

Taylor and Abigail

Yes, there were ducklings!


These are pukekos ~ a native New Zealand bird

Who is the queen of the mountain?

And just for comparision sake, that was then.....

And this is now....

My, how she's grown!

Baseball

Those of you who know me well - or those of you who have been reading this blog for any amount of time - will know that I love baseball. That is no doubt one of the things I miss about America. There's just nothing like going to the ballpark on a warm summer night to watch a game live. I try to keep up with baseball as much as I can while we're doing here, though admittedly it is a bit more difficult as I really have to go out of my way to keep track of all that is going on. I do faithfully track the progress of one team in particular - the Colorado Rockies. Tthis year - if they win lots of games against the right opponents in the remaining couple weeks of the season - there is a good chance they could win the national league wild card and make it to the playoffs. Today they lost in the bottom of the 10th inning - in one of those important games against an important opponent. Hopefully they'll be able to pull out the big wins from here on out when they need them. And one thing is for certain. I'll be watching their progress closely for the remainder of the season - and hopefully into October.

Pavlova.

Yesterday, for the first time, I made a pavlova from scratch. Some would say that this is something every Kiwi woman eventually must learn how to do. I've been a bit too wimpy to give it a try these last 18 months (they really can be a bit tricky, and do require certain technique to get them to turn out right). But yesterday I decided to take the challenge and go for it. It was actually Taylor's idea. We were walking through the grocery store on Saturday and I asked her what I should make for dessert on Monday when we had friends coming over. Her answer? A pavlova. I actually thought it was quite a brilliant suggestion, especially seeing as how I got my resident visa/permit last week (yeah!), and there was no longer delaying that fact that I, too, must gain my initiation into Kiwi womanhood. Now, for my American readers who are completely lost by this point, totally unaware of what the heck a pavlova is, let me explain. (I didn't know what one was, either, until I married into a Kiwi family). It's a meringue-type dessert, topped with whipped cream and usually some sort of fruit. It's usually about the size of a dinner plate, preferably quite tall, and the best ones are crispy on the outside and soft and spongy on the inside. They really are quite divine, especially with lots of fruit.

I am pleased to say that my pavlova-making attempt was a grand success, and I am eagerly awaiting my next opportunity to make one, so that I can work on perfecting the technique further. Hopefully next time I'll have a photo to post, too!

Time is flying.

Wow. It's been a whole week since I've posted. Where did the days go? We got back into town on Monday and very quickly got back into the routine of life. Tuesday was a normal day for me ~ prayer room in the morning, home in the afternoon. Wednesday night we had the staff and interns over for a cookout. It had been a long time since we had all gathered together, and it really was a lot of fun to see everyone outside the context of the prayer room and class. Then yesterday, after my long day in the prayer room, Aaron and I went out to the local mall for some time together while shopping. Our vacuum cleaner broke last week, and being one of those things that you really can't live without for longer than a few days, we decided it was time to replace it. I had also wanted to look for something specific at one of the home stores in the mall. For quite some time now, I've been wanting to get some decorative lanterns to hang in the house. One of my friends recently tipped me off that one of the stores in the mall had some. So yesterday we had a look, and not only did they have exactly what I was looking for, but I got the last two on the shelf - on sale - for only $10 each. I have to say, I was really excited! Now I just have to find the hardware to hang them with, and we'll be in business. One thing I've learned in the last 18 months is that home decor is much more challenging in New Zealand than it is in America, mostly because it's near impossible to find cute things that are affordable. This has been quite a startling realization for one who loves trying to make our house look cute, so when deals on good stuff such as these come along, it really is worth celebrating.

Moving on into Christchurch

This morning I went back to our favorite cafe to get Aaron a latte this morning, and ended up meeting someone from Federick, Maryland - the town my grandparents and cousins live in. What a small world! Who would have known?!

Taylor had a very special treat this morning - her first ride on a horse! There's a lady who comes to ride her horse in the field behind the flat we were staying at, and today we saw her outside. She offered to let Taylor sit on the horse and go for a little ride, with Aaron on one side of her and me on the other. She absolutely loved it!

This afternoon we packed up and said our goodbyes and headed out of Oxford into the big city of Christchurch. We are staying with a family who I have just met, but who Aaron has known for quite a few years now. They're a great family! They have 4 kids, and Taylor has bonded with them immediately. I've never seen her have as much fun with other kids as she's having now! They're running around, playing with toys, painting, and having all sorts of fun that kids like to have together. It's fun watching her get on so well with kids who are older than her (the youngest is a 5 yr. old girl). I can see how grown-up she's become, being able to relate so well to the 'big kids'. It's going to be a fun weekend!

Out and About

It's been another fun day in the Oxford area. After another visit to Ashley Gorge this morning with Taylor while Aaron was teaching class, we all headed out for lunch together at Seagars Cafe, a local cafe opened about a year ago by a well-known TV celebrity chef, Jo Segar. I've never heard of her, either, before going to the cafe, but rumor has it that her TV show airs on the New Zealand cooking channel on Saturday nights. After a terrific lunch, I was pleasantly surprised to find something that I'd been looking for for a long time in the little shop ajoining the cafe. Actually, to be honest, the helpful clerk found it for me in a box out back - it had just arrived and hadn't even made it out into the store yet. Anyways, it's a 2-teir plate stand; been looking for one for a while now and haven't been able to find it anywhere. I'm very excited about my latest addition to my entertaining collection!

If that wasn't enough excitement for the day, a friend of mine from Christchurch came over this afternoon, and took Taylor and I for a little drive into Rangiora - a quite large town compared to Oxford (but then again, I suppose any town is large compared to Oxford!) - located just about 20 minutes or so up the road. We walked around town for a bit and browsed in a few shops, and then stopped for dinner at a great cafe. It was nice to see a bit more of the area and get a feel for what it's like in the Canterbury region. When driving back to Oxford, I made quite the profound statement of the obvious for the night. "It kinda feels like we're in the middle of no-where out here." To which Kate kindly replied, "That's because we are in the middle of no-where out here!". It's pretty desolate and remote out here, to say the least.

Family Adventures

What do lambs, a dry riverbed, a gorge, skipping rocks, and a playground all have in common? It was what comprised our spontaneous family outing this afternoon. Aaron went mountain biking while Taylor was napping, and saw some newborn lambs on his way home. So when she woke up, we went for a drive and saw lots of them in the field, staying quite close to their mothers. We carried on driving and found a beautiful gorge with a mostly-dried-up river at the base of the gorge. On the opposite side of the river was a steep cliff, but the side we were on was fairly flat, so we walked out onto the dried up riverbed and had lots of fun skipping rocks in what remained of the river. It was pretty awesome to stand in what would have been the middle of the river and look back at the towering cliffs lining the side of the river. It really made me feel like I was in a scene from "Lord of the Rings". Before we climbed into the car to head back home, we enjoyed playing on a nearby playground. There's something about going to the park as a whole family that brings out the kid deep inside. It was great fun. It turned cold pretty quick, so we didn't stay for long, but we thought it would be fun to go back again tomorrow.

Hey, what can I say? It's how the small-town folk have fun.

Slow-paced, small-town life

Oxford is small-town New Zealand at it's best. It actually reminds me quite a lot of small-town America. If it weren't for all the cars driving along on the other side of the road, we could easily be in the middle of Oklahoma somewhere. Many times a day I have to remind myself that we're not.

Small towns are always an eginma to me. Every time I'm in one, I wonder what it would be like to live in a place like this. Part of me thinks that after a week or a month I'd go crazy, board from the lack of shopping and restaurants and activity and variety. Another part of me thinks that the simplicity of life and slower pace would be good for the soul.

Taylor and I have been keeping ourselves busy during Aaron's class time. Today we went over to the YWAM base to jump on their trampoline, then we went to the park and for a little wander around the grocery store (which is, by the way, not much bigger than a large 7-eleven. Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit, but you get the point. It's small.). Afternoons and evenings have generally been quiet; catching up on some projects I brought with me from home, and even getting in some reading time. Good times.

By the way, if you have a few minutes, check out the YWAM website by clicking on the above link to see some pictures of where we are. It really is beautiful!

Live from Oxford

Taylor is lying on the floor, happily coloring her Curious George coloring book. Although she woke up early this morning, she's in a fantastic mood and seems to be already enjoying our time away, too. I forgot to mention in my post yesterday that Taylor was an absolute angel traveling yesterday. I guess it helps that she's been consistently flying since she was 3 months old, and has already gone back and forth between New Zealand and America a number of times. I guess she's just familiar with the routine - but fortunately, the novelty of it hasn't worn off yet, so getting on a plane is still exciting! Anyways, she was such a great little girl; makes it so easy to bring her places with us.

Don't have a clue what we're going to end up doing today. Aaron teaches for a few hours, and I haven't decided yet what Taylor and I will do during that time. It will be nice to just let the day unfold without any pre-determined plans!

Gotta run......I've just been requested to join the coloring activities on the floor......

Made it safe and sound

Well, I'm back in the blogging world sooner than expected! Two flights and several hours later, we have arrived at a YWAM base in Oxford, New Zealand - a booming metropolis of approx. 2,000 people, 45 minutes from Christchurch. The set-up here is just perfect. We have a small, self-contained 2 bedroom apartment; most importantly, complete with wireless internet access. Yeah! We've settled in, Taylor is in bed, and we're expectantly looking forward to the coming week. It's going to be fun to see a new part of the country, have time together as a family, meet new people, get a good taste of the YWAM Oxford culture, and enjoy a different pace outside of the normal routine.

I was thinking during our drive from the airport out to the base that this is really the closest encounter that I've ever had with a DTS (Discipleship Training School). My only other YWAM experience was when we went to Townsville, Australia when Aaron spoke at the NLM (National Leaders Meeting). It's going to be fun to get a glimpse into the world of a "DTS" that so many (yea, most) of the interns/staff at THOP know well - but one of which I know nothing about.

I think it's time to get ready for bed, and maybe have a bit of reading time before it's lights out. I can feel myself unwinding already!

Off and Away

Bags are packed, and we're (almost) ready to take off for the week on a ministry trip as a family. Aaron will be teaching a few hours a day, and we're looking forward to some good family time and rest time during his hours off.

We've had a fun weekend with out-of-town guests, and also the couples who are planning on moving here after the new year. It's amazing how quickly a friendship has already been formed; we are already looking forward to their return.

Time to finish the last-minute trip preparations! Will post again once I find internet access....

Happenings

It was another amazing day in Tauranga today. Spring sure is tempting us here; but before long, hopefully it will be here to stay. I thoroughly enjoyed my trek up the mount this afternoon - for no other reason than the cloudless blue sky and the beauty of the beach and ocean. And that great feeling you have after the workout is done!

So far, it's been a good week. I've been teaching class for the interns this week, which has been rewarding and challenging. Rewarding in the sense that there was much help from heaven, and the little feedback I received indicated that people's hearts were touched. Challenging in the sense that from my own perspective, I've realized how much I still have yet to grow in both revelation and in my ability to communicate clearly and effectively what is within my heart. Challenging also in the sense that teaching always brings me face to face with my own barrenness. Where is the power and the unction that was released in the days of old when Finney and Whitfield and Spurgeon preached? Oh, for us to see that again in an even greater measure in this generation.

This weekend, we have some friends from out of town coming to stay with us Friday and Saturday night, and then on Sunday, Aaron and Taylor and I head down to the South Island for a ministry trip. This will be my first time ever in the South Island; I'm so excited to see part of this country that I've never before seen; and everyone says the South Island is absolutely beautiful. It will also be fun to be on a ministry trip with Aaron. I can't remember when the last time was we got to do that as a family - probably when we came down to New Zealand for a few months in '05. The best part is that I don't have any responsibilities, so this will be somewhat of a 'vacation' - at least, for Taylor and I. Not sure what sort of internet access we'll have down there, so you may or may not hear from me while we're gone - but hopefully you will again before we leave!

27 Years young

Yesterday I celebrated #27. It was a great birthday; one of the better ones I've had in the last few years. Started the day with presents, and then enjoyed a marvelous breakfast of waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, breakfast sausages (not as good as the American ones, but I'll forgive NZ for that.....), and fresh squeezed OJ made with oranges picked off our trees just moments before juicing. The most bet part about breakfast was no doubt the strawberries, as we haven't had fresh strawberries in the stores all winter, but this week they made their appearance, and were on sale, for that matter. Yummy! In the afternoon the girls and I went for a short stroll in town (can't remember the last time I went into town for the purpose of window shopping!), and after a quiet afternoon, we enjoyed the most delicious lasagna (Dad, some things never change!), garlic bread, and salad. The best food of the day, though, was no doubt the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake that made its appearance after dinner. Wow. I thoroughly enjoyed that one! And then after dinner, I went out with some girls to watch "Amazing Grace" - a new movie that just came out here in NZ. I'm sure it's probably already been out for months in America, but for those of you who haven't yet seen it, I'd highly recommend it! It's one of the few movies I've watched in the theatre that didn't have even one "off color" part in it. Fantastic movie. I then came home to the most tidy and clean house imaginable, courtesy of my amazing husband. All in all, it was a fantastic day. Thanks to all my family and friends who made it so special!

What's a party with0ut confetti? Taylor made sure we had plenty of it!

Whipped cream, anyone?

Scrumptious breakfast!

White chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Can we say, "Yum?!"

Random thoughts

Today was one of those days that felt like it would be one we'd look back on in the years to come and realize it was significant in the journey. This afternoon, we hosted two couples for lunch who are planning on moving here to be part of THOP and the prayer/missions expression of what God is doing here in Tauranga. It causes me to stand in awe of the Lord's leadership and to wonder what are the secrets in His heart for this place as He continues to draw men and women of such excellence from across the globe to this little city at the ends of the earth. It really is a curious thing.

Tonight Aaron and Taylor and I were the only ones home, so we made two bowls of popcorn, and enjoyed some good family time watching the first bit of the rugby game. Great family time, great popcorn. Don't have a clue if it was great rugby, but that's beside the point! :-)

In other news, in exactly 15 1/2 hours I get to redeem a gift certificate I was given for a massage at a great spa in the city (not that anyone is counting or anything!). I couldn't be more excited, as the last month my back and neck and shoulders have been bearing witness to the intense schedule we've been living and are in need of a good professional massage.

Also on the agenda for tomorrow, Aaron plays his final round of golf in the 54-hole club championships - in which he is currently tied for 6th out of about 180 guys. I'm so proud of him, and I hope he playes incredible tomorrow to give himself a good, solid finish.

Repose

Ahh. The house is quiet. The kitchen is clean. And this moment of my time hasn't been spoken for by anyone or anything. If only this moment could last for hours.

Thursday is always my long day at the prayer room - morning at the prayer room and teaching class in the afternoon. Today I taught through the Harp and Bowl prayer model and the reasons for it. One of the interns commented that the most helpful part of the class was listening to one of the tracks off the Apostolic Prayers CD. Thanks, D. Roberts! All in all, it was a good class, though sometimes as a teacher it can be difficult to gague how much was understood - especially when its a "practical" topic rather than a "heart" topic that's being taught. The good news is that we have the rest of the internship to keep reviewing and re-teaching in a myriad of different ways all the stuff I talked about today, so by the end of the course, hopefully they'll have it down! Next week I get to teach all week - Monday through Wednesday on Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit, and then on Thursday, more on the harp and bowl model.

Well, Aaron has just got home from a meeting. Time to go get ready for bed. 'Night

Fascinated

I love my "home" days as much as I love my "prayer room" days. Today was a home day - which translated means cleaning and laundry and play time with Taylor and a small window of down time during her nap. I also ran around the mount this afternoon with Dayna - it was lots of fun doing it together; nice to have a running partner. I do have to admit that I like going up the mount better than running around. But alas, the main track is closed while they are working on it, so around we went. Dayna and I were mentioning after our run that there seriously couln't be a better place on the earth to exercise. The track around the mount is gorgeous - waves crashing in against the rocks, small areas of sandy beach, large tree branches hanging over the path, nothing but ocean and sky as far as the eye can see. Some days I have to pinch myself to remind me that yes, I really do live in such a beautiful place. I am amazed at how quickly I get used to it. I often like to think back to the first days that I came here and how awestruck I was with the beauty of it all. I find that I need to be deliberate to live in childlike wonder and appreciation of the amazing things that can all too quickly become normal. But isn't that true of most (yea, all) incredible things in life? From nature to relationships with loved ones to the profound spiritual truths. Many of us have grown up all our lives knowing the Bible stories and the facts that all too quickly become commonplace in our Christian experience, to the point where we lose the wonder of it all. He died on the cross. He lives on the inside of us. We will live forever with Him. I want to live like I heard it for the first time. I want to live like I have just been saved from the worst possible fate imaginable. I want to live like I have inherited a kingdom. I want to live fascinated.

What to write about?

I hate those days when there is the desire to blog, the time to blog, but nothing apparent to blog about. Some call it writers block. Others call it a lack of creativity or the inability to take small, seemingly insignificant events or thoughts and turn them into something profound or interesting. Whatever you choose to call it, I seem to be suffering from it tonight. I could tell you all that I did today, but somehow I imagine that others may find that rather dull and uninteresting. I could tell you about what is happening in the house of prayer, but not much has changed since the last things I have shared. I could tell you about the latest revelations I've received in the place of prayer, but those don't seem to be too profound, either. So on a day like today, you get the raw, real me and the raw, real thoughts traveling through my mind as I sit here and stare at my computer screen and try to come up with something profound to write about. Good thing I'm not trying to make a living off of this thing called writing.

Time to get ready for bed. Hopefully tomorrow's post will be a bit more interesting than today's.

Trampoline Fun

Been a while since I've posted some pictures of Taylor, so here's the lastest:

Thursday.

'Twas a long one today. Left the house at 7:30am and didn't return home again 'til after 3:30. Prayer room from 8am-Noon, out to lunch with a friend, and then teaching class in the afternoon......it all makes for a full day. It was a fun day, but it sure did feel long - and I have to say that I'm quite looking forward to having the day at home with Taylor tomorrow. I must say, I am really quite spoiled, getting the best of both the "mom" world and the "THOP" world. I'm so grateful for Aaron and his willingness to stay home with Taylor several times a week in order to free me up to be in the prayer room, teaching, etc. - and I equally love the fact that I get to stay home and be a mom several days a week, too. I love that we both get to be parents and we both get to be in the House of Prayer; it really is a win-win situation for all of us. No complaining here!

Quote of the day

From my amazing husband:

"I like vacuuming. I can do that. It's kinda like mowing the lawn."

Spoken like a true man...

Telletale signs that the pace of life is slowing down:

1. I have posted a blog two days in a row.
2. I am no longer going to sleep in the "single digits".
3. The chocolate bar in the pantry I started two weeks ago is only half-eaten.
4. I had two hours today during Taylor's nap in which I didn't write an email, answer a text, prepare notes, or think about schedules.
5. I have nothing pressing that must be done before I go to sleep tonight.

I must say, it does feel good to get settled into a more normal pace of life. Not that our life has become boring, or anything; I wouldn't want to give anyone the impression that I am now sitting around all day with nothing to do! Life is still full, but starting to feel a bit more managable.

One new thing that I will be doing this internship that we haven't done in any of the others is that every Thursday's class will be devoted to subjects concerning the prayer room - teachings on the model and practical clinics in which to practice, teaching on the apostolic prayers and hymns of Revelation, and all that good stuff. I will be doing some of the teaching, along with the couple who are leading the prayer room. I'm really excited about the opportunity to devote so much time to the teaching, practicing, and developing of what we do in the prayer room every day; in fact, I often wonder why we never before devoted one day a week of class to prayer room topics! It seems necessary to continue to bring excellence to this part of what we do. This means that Thursday will be a pretty full-on day for me, as Thursday mornings are my normal prayer room day and now Thursday afternoons will be class. I'm really looking forward to it, though. I feel as though there is grace for this in this season of life, and I'm jumping in with both feet. Not to mention the fact that it will continue to stretch me in the area of teaching and leadership. Story of my life these days. It's good, but sometimes such a sharp learning curve can hurt.

Where in the world have I been?

It would be a profound statement of the obvious for me to say that I have been most definitely absent from the blogging world recently. Not only absent from the world of writing blogs, but also absent from the world of reading blogs. I'm not quite sure what happened, other than the fact that life has most definitely run away from me, and has forgottn to bring me along.

I could write paragraphs about all that has transpired in the last week - from Aaron's return home after his trip to Asia, to the start of the internship to the move into the new THOP building which still isn't ready yet. More accurately, I would also have to tell of the laundry and grocery shopping and preparation for class and worship sets and emails and meetings and the list goes on and on. I am reminded of a line from a song from the movie "Mr. Holland's Opus" that goes something like this, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans....".

But seeing as how time doesn't allow all the stories of the last 7 days, I'll give you the two highlights of the last 36 hours. The first would definitely be a spontaneous date with my husband at the local 'mall' on Sunday afternoon. It was perhaps one of the funnest dates we've had in a while; for no profound reason other than we simply enjoyed being with each other. Another highlight woud be my 3.4k run around the mount this morning, because the track to the top was closed. Though not quite as intense of a workout as the walk/run straight up, it was a nice change of pace from the norm. And still left me feeling pretty exhausted in a good sort of way. My final moment worth mentioning was making meatballs with Taylor this afternoon. I had never done this before, but for some reason today I was inspired to wash Taylor's hands real well and let her crack the eggs, help me add the breadcrumbs and parmesean and spices....and then get her hands in there to help me mix it all up. I then showed her how to shape the meat into balls......she loved it and we had great fun doing it together. I have a feeling I'm never again going to be able to make meatballs on my own.

Hopefully you'll hear more from me tomorrow.

What's been going on here

My brain is too fried tonight to put together coherent sentences, so tonight you get the bullet points.

• Aaron returned home from Korea yesterday. We all agreed that two weeks is way too long to be apart. Taylor said it best in the car on the way home from the airport, "Our family is together again. I like that."
• New internship started yesterday. 11 interns. Looks like they'll be a great bunch.
• House of Prayer moved to a new building yesterday. Slight problem: building wasn't ready yet for occupancy. Prayer room is now in a church nursery. Now it really feels like a "Bethlehem stable". Good news is that 'Bethlehem Stables' work just fine, as long as He is there.

Update from Asia

One of the things that is usually hardest about Aaron traveling internationally is that communication is almost always more difficult and less frequent than when he is traveling within New Zealand. It's impossible to know on the front end of a trip what the communication will be like once he gets to his destination. Being prepared for the chance of talking and emailing very little, it has been great to discover that they are taking very good care of him over there, and have provided means for him to call home regularily. I've talked with Aaron every other day, sometimes daily, almost the whole time he has been there. What a gift, not just for me, but also for Taylor. She loves talking to her daddy on the phone when he is away!

He is doing well; preaching lots, and is very tired. He's commented many times on the food - he loves it! Lots of fish and sushi and some 'exotic' things - last night he ate octopus. Taylor was a bit confused when Aaron told her about eating octopus tonight, but I think she finally got over it! The conference has been going very well; the Lord is doing exciting things. He has also really enjoyed the time he's had with many of his friends who have come over from Kansas City to minister at the conference. All in all, it's been a good trip, but I can tell he is definitely ready to come home and be with his family. We're ready for him to come home, too! Taylor is going to be one excited little girl at the airport on Monday morning!

Here are some pictures of the conference: