Happy Birthday, Taylor!

My apple butter project (and posts) have been put on hold for a much more important occasion: yesterday Taylor celebrated her 4th birthday! We had a wonderful day celebrating the life of our beautiful little princess. She went to pre-school and had a little celebration there, and then we had a small family party at home in the evening. Here's some photos of the festivities:

Taylor and Nana decorating cupcakes to bring to pre-school


Cupcakes decorated and ready for the morning!

Celebrating Taylor's birthday at pre-school

Butterfly birthday cake

Opening presents. Notice the Snow White costume......

one of her favorite gifts

Strike a pose with the new panda unbrella!

Apple Butter

Some words, when spoken or thought, immediately trigger memories and emotions, often having nothing to do with the actual meaning of the word itself; but in the heart of the individual, the emotion is so closely tied to the word, the two might as well be inseparable.

And so it is for me whenever the words "Apple Butter" are mentioned. I have very vivid memories of my mother's homemade apple butter. I only remember her making it once ~ maybe twice ~ when I was quite young, but I can still taste it, richly slathered on a thick slice of homemade bread. It was a big family project when we made it ~ who knows how many jars of the stuff we canned that year ~ but it was "all hands on deck" all day in the kitchen as we peeled, cored, chopped, and cooked the apples we previously picked together. I can still feel the chilly fall New England air, see the frosty condensation of the kitchen windows, and smell the aroma of cinnamon and allspice through the house. And so to me, "apple butter" means warmth and family, affection and longing, returning to my roots, and most of all, memories of my mother and of my childhood.

I guess it goes without saying that whenever fall rolls around, I usually start to crave it. Several years back, the craving was particularily intense, so I set off to see if I could find her recipe somewhere, but to no avail. My apple butter craving was left unsatisfied....until a couple years ago, when somehow Dad found the original recipe buried deep in the recesses of some box hidden away somewhere. Miracle! The only problem is that Dad didn't just find a recipe. He found recipes: an old newspaper article with various recipes on it, a couple pages of mom's hand-written notes, and an index card upon which mom had written a recipe ~ of course, every single one of them being different. And of course I don't have a clue which one is the "right" one. I've only made it a couple times since discovering the gold mine of the original recipes, and unfortunately I haven't been able to reproduce that which I remember. I've gotten close, but not exactly close enough. (Which, I must confess, probably has something to do with the few shortcuts I took to cut back on time, and also my lack of all the necessary equipment needed to make proper apple sauce and apple butter).

So, in response to the requests for my apple butter recipe, when I dig them out of my recipe box in the next couple of days, I'll try to make enough sense of it all so that I can post a recipe that won't be too confusing ~ and more importantly, one that will yield apple butter worthy of the memory which inspired the project (and this post!) in the first place.

Living off the land

One of the great things about this time of year in New Zealand ~ especially Tauranga ~ is the abundance of fresh fruit that abounds in our and our neighbor's back yards. Currently in our kitchen I have four grocery bags full of fresh fruit ~ apples (picked by a friend from an orchard in Hawke's Bay), fijoas, kiwifruit, and avocados (the latter 3 from our/a neighbor's back yard). Some days I open up our pantry and begin to think that we could easily eat nothing but fruit and be completely satisfied for weeks on end. Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but you know what I mean. On a more realistic note, I was thinking today that it's probably about time to whip up a small batch of apple butter. After all, I need to find something to do with the bag of apples in our pantry!

First Day at Pre-School

Taylor's day was a grande success. Of course, it does help that mom stayed with her for most of the morning to help her adjust to the new environment, people, and routine. But, by the time I did manage to leave, Taylor was happy to let me go, and completely un-impressed with my return at the end of the day (which, by the way, is a very good thing!). She even confidently announced to me that she wasn't ready to go home. I'd say that's a great sign! As it turned out, she knew one of the little girls in her group from a play center that we occasionally attended several months ago, and one of the girls she met when we visited the pre-school was also there, so it was nice for her to recognize a few familiar faces. No pre-school on Wednesdays, so tomorrow we get the morning at home; we'll see how things go Thursday and Friday.

Here's her "first day of pre-school picture", my little baby, all grown up. For some reason, she wanted her ball in the picture with her, even though we left it at home. Silly girl! :-)

Home from Camp

We've made it back from camp safe and sound, and I've just about recovered from the typical sleep deprivation that always accompanies a week away at camp. It was a fantastic week, though definitely intense as the Lord was doing a deep work in many of the girl's lives. The spritual battle around us was real as many issues were brought to the surface and we were fighting for the freedom and liberty and wholeness of this generation. Never before have I realized the great honor that it is to stand before a generation of young women and call them forth into who God created them to be, and to fight for them in the place of prayer that they would not draw back from the high calling on their lives to be lovers of God and lovers of people. It really was a great week.

The leaders doing a dance on the first night

Taylor and her little friend all dressed up for the banquet

And now we are back just in time to prepare for the next season of life which is abruptly upon us tomorrow ~ Taylor starts pre-school! Where, oh, where have four years gone? Our little baby is growing up and ready to take her first big step of independence. I am trying not to ask all the philosophical questions ("Is she ready?", "Are we ready?", "Have we equipped her well enough for this next season of her life?", etc. etc. etc.), though sometimes it's hard not to. I seriously couldn't ask for a better pre-school to send her to; I just hope the adjustment won't be too hard on her. I guess we'll be finding that out soon! Watch this space for continued reports of Taylor's new adventures.

Off to Camp

This morning, Sabrina, Taylor, and I will fly down to Wellington to be involved this week in a camp for teenage girls called "Purely Girls!". (Check out the website if you want to read more about it). Then tomorrow, Nic and 3 girls from my THOP worship team will join us down there. If you've been reading this blog for a year now, you may remember that we went down south last year for the same camp. It was lots of fun and we're all looking forward to the opportunity to go. I'll be leading worship and speaking 1 session again this year, and the girls from my worship team will be helping me out. Nic and Sabrina will help look after Taylor, minister to the girls, etc. It promises to be a really fun week; please keep us in your prayers as you think of us ~ for health and safety and strength, grace for Taylor as she will have less time with Mommy than usual (due to my camp responsibilities), but most of all, that the campers who are coming will have genuine encounters with Jesus and that their lives will be transformed.

Not expecting to have internet access at camp; I'll try to post if I do, but most likely look for me next weekend when we get back. Have a great week!

Time for something new

With Nic and Dayna's move, 2 new bedrooms have become available in our house, which means that Taylor got a new room over the weekend! And along with the new room came a new bed ~ quite a step up from the toddler-bed-converted-from-the-crib that she had been sleeping in ~ which is now way too small for her. And the special thing about this furniture is that it was mine when I was a little girl, my mom's when she was little, my grandparent's when they were married, who got it from his parents. Yuppers, it's been in the family quite a while. Needless to say, it makes me so happy to see that Taylor gets to have this furniture in her room now. And she's pretty happy herself, with her new furniture in a much larger room than what she had before. Who wouldn't be??

Re-entry

Scientists use the term to describe a spacecraft's return from outer space into the earth's atmosphere. I think it also to be an appropriate term to describe the 24-48 hour period in which I experience a notable transition in my circumstance or environment. I've learned this about myself ~ I am slow to adapt. Even insignificant change ~ like, for example ~ returning home after being overseas for a week ~ is enough to cause me to feel slightly disoriented, overwhelmed, and unsettled. It kinda feels like an emotional and mental "no man's land", in which the routine of vacation is past, the realities of normal life have suddenly arrived, but the normal routines which support those realities aren't yet re-established. Usually within a day or two, I've found my feet again and am back to normal, but it always feels a bit strange in the waiting. Such is my life today.

On our way home

Last night we met up with Aaron's friends again and had a night out on the town at a marvelous Thai restaurant. It was fun to get to know them more, listen to the stories of life in Hawke's bay so many years ago, and also hear more of what God is doing at Hillsong and in the wider region of the South Pacific.

Aaron and I have had a fantastic week together in Sydney, but it's now time for us to head on back home. I am certainly looking forward to seeing our little Taylor tonight; not looking forward to the mountain of laundry we are bringing home and the shopping duties at Pack 'n Save that await me tomorrow.

Our return home coincides with a new season for our family. Nic and Dayna, our wonderful boarders/friends/sis(-in-law) have found a house of their own and will be moved out by this weekend. And thus begins a new era of life for our little family here in New Zealand. It's been over 2 years since we've lived as just the three of us, so no doubt it will feel quite a bit different ~ yea, more quiet ~ around our house in the coming days and weeks. The good thing is that as much as we all love each other, we are all excited about the change ~ the girls are looking foward the brand new house they get to live in and we're all excited that we get to have a bit more space and quiet than we've been used to.

Other highlights from the Sydney trip

• Some tastes from America. We went to Outback steakhouse one evening, and I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that Lipton iced tea is as common in Sydney as it is in America. I've decided once again that Australia seems to be a combination of the USA and New Zealand. I've loved the little reminders of home!
• Sleep-ins and afternoon naps the past couple days. It's been so fun to be able to relax, read magazines, and not have to worry about making dinner, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, and all the other aspects of normal life. This week has been such a treat!
• Meeting some of Aaron's friends from back in the day. He's got 2 mates from Hawke's Bay who are now on staff at Hillsong. We went out for lunch with one of them the other day, and tonight we're all going to go out for Thai food. It's great to hear stories of the days long ago!

Tomorrow morning we head back home. Even though I'm not quite sure I'm ready for vacation to end, I can't wait to see Taylor!

Livin' It Up In Sydney

We've had a great weekend in Sydney so far! Over the weekend, were ministering at a young adult conference hosted by a Korean missions organization, Come Mission. The theme of the conference was "Devotion", so Aaron spoke for the three nights on devotion to the person of Jesus (intimacy), devotion to His ways (Sermon on the Mount), and devotion to the mandate of Jesus (Missions in the context of the end-times). I led the ministry times from the piano with their worship team, which I thoroughly enjoyed ~ I always love the opportunity to minister together with Aaron. There was a genuine hunger for the things of God, and we trust that the Lord touched many hearts and lives.

Pictures from the conference

I found it very enjoyable to expereince the Korean culture first-hand; they are a precious people with tender hearts towards the things of God. Although Aaron has spent a considerable amount of time with Koreans, I never have before, so I was able to experience some new things for the first time: namely, delicious Korean barbeque! By our request, we went to the same Korean restaurant three times over the weekend ~ the food was so good! What they do is bring a charcoal fire pit to your table, and then bring very thinly sliced meat marinated in the most yummy sauce, and you cook it at your table. It was so, so good!

Our host, Gloria, sharing with us her cultural tradition of Korean BBQ.

Cooking some mushrooms on the BBQ

Now our work is over, so it's time for us to play! We've just arrived at a hotel in the center of Sydney, where we'll enjoy a couple day's break before we head home on Thursday. It's an amazing hotel in an amazing city; we're looking forward to the opportunity to have a good break, just the two of us; long overdue, and much-needed. No doubt we'll be livin' it up both in the hotel and also in the city; little bit of rest, little bit of adventure, hopefully some good eating out, and maybe even some good shopping await us!

On Our Way To Sydney

Currently signing in live from the Koru Club lounge in Auckland International Airport. I gotta say, these lounges are God's gift to travellers. Once you've been in here, you never want to go back to waiting by the gate. Who would when there's comfy couches, a full all-you-can-eat buffet, nice restrooms and showers, wireless intenet, and the list goes on and on? This is definitely the way to spend a 4-hour layover. I sure do feel spoiled.

Well, our departure from home wasn't quite as easy as it could have been, though definitely not as hard as it could have been either. Last night as Taylor was going to sleep, she was complaining of a stuffy nose. Oh, great. Last thing we need before we leave is a sick kid. She slept pretty good, but woke at 5 complaining of a sore tummy. I think it's just a bit of a stomache ache ~ not a flu bug; thank goodness. Nana has told us she's definitely not herself, but not feeling too bad. Though it's no fun for her or for us having her sick, at least we know she's in great hands and I have a feeling she'll be doing better soon.

Hopefully more news to come from Sydney!

Lots goin' on.....

It's been a full couple weeks 'round these parts! After Nana Dot left to go back to Hastings, Aaron spent a few days in Wellington for a ministry trip. Upon his return, we had John and Julie Dawson in Tauranga for the week. It was great to have them around and to receive who they are and all that they impart to a community when they come. When someone like them come into town, it's inevitable that things are shifted and stirred; it's been exciting to watch God move and listen to all that He is saying in this season. We are so, so encouraged; and though this season certainly has some challenges, we are amazed at all that God is doing.

In just a few days Aaron and I will leave Taylor here with her Nana and Grandad and head off to Sydney for a week ~ mostly ministry, partly vacation. Aaron is speaking at a Korean church, and then we'll take two days at the end of the trip and enjoy a short "holiday", as they call it here. Aaron also has a couple friends who live over there who we'll hopefully get to catch up with. I can't even comprehend a whole week being childless; I'm sure I'll be enjoying it, but also missing our little princess, too. I'm most excited about having a couple of days to ourselves. It's been so long since we've had that luxury; we're going to be lovin' every minute of it! Everyone who I've talked to that has been to Sydney tells me that I'm going to absolutely love the city and we're in for a great time. Can't wait!

Easter Egg Fun and All That Jazz


Yesterday I decided to dye and decorate Easter eggs with Taylor ~ something which, believe it or not, I've actually never even done myself. Not even as a kid. I remember decorating Easter eggs once with my mom one year, but for some reason we didn't do the dye thing. So I decided to give it a go this year, and it was a raging success. I'm actually not sure who had more fun ~ Taylor or myself. Here's some pics of the fun:














Then, this afternoon, Dayna and I headed into town for a few hours to enjoy the annual Jazz festival. And enjoy we did! There were multiple stages set up with multiple bands playing ~ basically there was live music everywhere you looked. Our favorite band was a group of 7 guys who were absolutely awesome ~ 2 saxaphones, a trombone, piano, electric guitar, bass, drums, and 5 of the guys sang. Not only did they have definite talent, but they had great stage presence ~ the importance of which can never be underestimated when it comes to live performance. We must have stood there and listened to them for at least an hour ~ they were fantastic! There's just something about good live music that does something for the soul. And as a musician, I love listening to and being inspired by different genres of music. Definitely one of the most fun events I've been to in a while.

It's the calm before the storm

It's currently 12:30pm. The house is relatively quiet, but not for long. Graeme and Sabrina get back from their 3-week trip to Korea in a few hours, and then tomorrow Nana Dot (Sabrina's mom) flies in from Napier to stay with us for several days. Between a birthday celebration for somebody in the family, hopefully a few hours at the Jazz festival in town on Saturday, and Easter on Sunday, it's going to be a full weekend. Wow.

And she ran.

Rumor has it that someone has forsaken the traditional "walk" up the mount in favor of a "run" up the mount. All our sources seem to indicate that although this workout is definitely more demanding than any of the previous ones, the benefits ~ both physical and psychological ~ far outweigh any losses incurred: namely extreme fatigue upon reaching the summit. It is unclear how long this trend will last, though chances are strong this may now be a new routine. We will continue to monitor this situation closely, and will be the first to report any breaking developments in this story.

Starting to think about starting pre-school

The other day, I had to walk over to the school next door to attend to some business. I took Taylor with me for the fun of it, and on the way home, I decided to stop in and visit the pre-school that Taylor will be going to in a few months. I thought it would be a good idea to bring her by so that when we talk about her going to pre-school, she would know what it looks like and have a bit more of an idea of what to expect. And she loved it! We walked around and had a good look at everything and met the teachers. Then two little girls walked up to us, befriended Taylor, and continued to show us around. Although Taylor was a bit shy at first, I could tell that she got way more comfortable even in the 30 minutes that we were there. It's weird to think about Taylor being away four mornings a week, but I know that it will be good for her and that she's going to absolutely love it. She's already talking about going to pre-school soon like a big girl, and she's really excited about it. And in the meantime, I'm glad that we still have a few more months before everything is going to change!

Quote for the day

"Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just that His justice cannot sleep forever." - Thomas Jefferson

If this was true of America way back when Mr. Jefferson spoke this, how much more is it true of our nation today? We are on the precipice of something big; maybe it's mercy, maybe it's judgment; most likely it's a carefully-orchestrated combination of the two. His justice has been sleeping for a long time. One thing I know: I have no doubt whose side I want to be on when the day dawns.

Church

Church this morning was awesome. Our pastor preached one of those in-your-face, say-it-as-it-is, don't-hold-back kind of messages. God has been doing some awesome stuff in our church recently ~ mostly the 'behind-the-scenes, DNA-forming, vision-establishing' type of stuff ~ which I believe the out workings of such will become more and more apparent in the week-to-week life of the church ~ if it hasn't already. This morning's message was a taste of it. Our pastor and his wife have boldly charted the course for this church. They are unapologetic in saying that the 21st century western church looks nothing like the church of Acts 2. And whatever it takes to get back there is where we are going. We want God in our services ~ not just a visitation, but His habitation. And if we have God, then that's all that really matters. It's not about programs, events, or the like. It's about Him.

It's getting raw. Real. Authentic. Unapologetic. And I'm lovin' it.

Taylor's Little Adventure

Nana and Grandad planned to take Taylor to the beach this morning, but when we woke up, it was cloudy and raining. So they changed plans and went to the hot pools instead, and then when the sun decided to come out, they then headed to the beach. Taylor loved every minute of it! Here are a couple pictures of the fun:

Having fun on the waterslide at the hot pools

Lovin' the sand, lovin' the water, lovin' the beach, lovin' life.

If only I could know what you were thinking....

Looks like sea gulls like hot cross buns, too!

Today

Today was one of those glorious days in which I didn't have to go anywhere or do anything, except stay at home and attend to the needs of my husband, our daughter, and my own heart. I enjoyed every minute of it, and hope I did all three well.

'Nuf said.

Windows, screens, flies, and pest control

I'd like to offer a brief, un-solicited endorsement for my favorite new product when it comes to the topic of pest control. But first, a bit of cultural education for my overseas readers to help set the stage. One of the funny things about homes in New Zealand (especially older homes; not sure about the new ones) is that none of the windows have screens in them. Now, for those of you who, like I once did, live in a climate in America in which the windows remain closed for 360 days out of every year due to the presence of heat or air conditioning, it may seem like a non-issue that windows can be screen-less. But, unfortunately, neither heat nor air conditioning exist in most homes in New Zealand, which means that come summer, the windows are open all the time. (Actually, if you are a true New Zealander, the windows remain open all year round, regardless of the temperature outside. But that's a whole different topic for a whole different post. In our house, the windows stay closed during the winter). Anyways, open windows during the summer (sans screens) mean only one thing: the presence of a myriad of flies and other annoying bugs. Constantly. Why there are no screens in the windows here, I have no idea. Maybe I should go into business here selling screens for windows. I bet I could make a killing. Especially if I find all the North Americans in the country and target my business toward them. Anyways, I've been driven crazy by the flies for the last 3 summers we've been here. Until about 9 hours ago, when Aaron bought and installed this cool thing on our wall that squirts out an insect deterrent about every 7 minutes or so. Although the house isn't completely bug-less at present, I've noticed a great improvement already. Give it a couple more days, and I'm hoping we could be borderline bug-free around here. I think that every home in New Zealand requires one of these. Maybe my next business will be promoting the new-found Robocan.

All that to say, if you don't own a Robocan and if you're frustrated by the endless number of flies in your home, head down to your local Mitre 10, and buy one today.

Rainy Sunday Afternoon

It's been raining all day long. And it sure doesn't show any signs of letting up any time soon. Some days I can't stand this weather, but today I don't mind as much. It lends itself well to a whole afternoon of sitting in my room in silence and solitude with the candles lit and the commentaries out. Oh, wait. That's for another day when the house is empty and I don't have the responsibilities of being a mother and doing the grocery shopping and entertaining the cutest little 3-yr. old in the world. Not that I'm complaining about that part. But there are some days when I can't help but wonder what it would feel like to have a good solid chunck of time to myself. Blah, blah, blah.

Aaron has been out in the rain all day playing golf in a championship tournament in Rotorua. Sure hope he's enjoying himself despite the lousy weather.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to checking out this local noodle joint for the first time tonight. I sure hope it's as good as I'm imagining it to be, or else I'm gonna be quite disappointed.

Saturday mornings in the prayer room

...Are usually pretty quiet. A lot of people in our community have designated Saturday as their day off, so most of the time it's a small little crowd that gathers together to spend the morning in the prayer room. Although the numbers are low, Saturday mornings have consistently been some of the sweetest times. Today was no exception. There's just something about a small crowd gathering for no other reason than to be before Jesus and to lift up our voices in intercession on behalf of this city and this nation.

This afternoon we diverted from our normal routine of grocery shopping for something lots more fun ~ one of Taylor's little friends, Noah, had a birthday party today! Steve and Trena threw a great party, and Taylor had the time of her life playing with all the kids there.

Aaron is playing in a golf tournament all day tomorrow, and Nic is away for the weekend. So except for church and grocery shopping, tomorrow promises to be a low-key day. A much overdue low-key day.

Long Overdue Update

Wow. What a month it has been. It feels as though I've scarcely had time to sit down and read a blog, muchless write one. So here's the scoop on what's been going on in life recently.

• Family. It's been great having Graeme and Sabrina around! Taylor, especially, is thoroughly enjoying all the time with and attention from her grandparents. They're getting settled in and trying to establish some sort of routine, but doing really well.
• THOP. It's been a great start to the new year. Neither of the interns who applied for the Feb. internship were able to come. But this has actually worked out really well, as we've been able to focus as a community on what we're really about at our core: prayer. It has also allowed us time to invest in the establishing of infrastructure, long-term planning, and leadership development that will be necessary to sustain growth in the future. The prayer room is open from 8am-noon Mon-Sat and 6pm-10pm Mon-Fri. We've also moved yet again to a new facility ~ somewhat. Those who have been following this blog for the last year may remember that last Feb we unexpectedly had to move into the church nursery b/c the main building wasn't ready yet. Well, at the start of the year, we were able to move downstairs into the Kidsworld room, which has been great. It has a full sound system, and plenty big enough for us. Well, just this past week, the Pastor and his wife offered to us to move upstairs and use their sanctuary, if we'd like to. We decided to take them up on their offer ~ and it's been awesome! Especially since we can use their drum kit! Our little community is awesome; they are so genuine and hungry for the Lord, and it's really fun doing this thing together.
• Travel. Aaron has several trips lined up throughout the next several months. One of the perks of having grandparents around is that we're planning a week of "Taylor and Nana/Grandad bonding time" in April so that I can join Aaron when he goes to Sydney! I can't remember the last time we got on a plane together to go somewhere just the two of us. Actually, that's not entirely true. I can remember. It would have been 4 years ago, before Taylor was born. It's going to be awesome going away together for a week, not to mention the fact that I get to see Sydney!
• Hospitality. When it rains, it pours. After several months of not doing much in the line of entertaining, this week alone we hosted company for a meal at least 4 times. Graeme's brother and siter in law were in town, so we had them for a night, we hosted a welcome back party for Graeme and Sabrina, had two couples over who are moving/have moved here, and also hosted a couple girls from Kansas City who have been in town for a few days. It's been fun, but sure has been pretty busy!
• The mundaneness of life. It all sounds so exciting ~ going here, doing this, family in town, etc. etc. etc. And it sure is exciting. I love what we do and wouldn't trade it for the world. But lest I give a false impression that life is all a party, I won't hesitate to say that there is no shortage of the less-glamerous day-in, day-out rigors of life. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, paying the bills, and running errands abound in good measure, as they always do in the life of any mom.

All in all, we're alive and well down under, carrying in our hearts the vision from Isa. 24 that the earth will hear singing from the ends of the earth (that's New Zealand!), proclaiming the glory and majesty of the Righteous One.

Life's Unexpected Turn

This is may be old news for many of my readers in blogdom (that is, if there are any of you left after my recent prolonged periods of silence). However, chances are that if you live outside of either Kansas City or New Zealand, and/or haven't spoken to us recently, you won't have any idea of the impending changes in the Walsh family. (drumroll, please....)

Aaron's parents are (probably temporairily) coming back to New Zealand. On Wednesday.

We seriously couldn't be happier, but unfortunately, the circumstances aren't so grand for them. They have been denied their green card, and therefore must return to New Zealand to appeal the decision, a process which could take anywhere from 6-12 months. There are no guarantees that the appeal will be won, so the future is most certainly uncertain. But one thing we are sure of ~ everyone is looking forward to the fact that the whole family gets to be together, for as long as this next season will last. Little Taylor is absolutely beside herself, and asks me at least three times a day how many more days it will be until Nana and Grandad come!

So no doubt there will be lots of stories ~ and pictures ~ yet to come over the next few months. Who knows how long this season will last, so we'll be holding onto every moment of it while it's here.

Great Summer Fun

Taylor's excitement for the day was helping Aunt Nicky wash her car. Not a bad way to enjoy a hot summer day!

Random thoughts

The mount wasn't what I was expecitng it to be. It was way worse than I ever imagined it could be. It reminded me of the first time I ever went up, and I was wondering how it could ever have been that I actually ran up that hill at one time. It's amazing how long it takes to gain something, and how quickly it can be lost. Hopefully it won't take me a whole year to work back to where I was 6 weeks ago.

Enough on that depressing topic. I've stayed up far too late this evening surfing the internet, looking for new worship songs. It's no secret that my worship notebook is filled mostly with songs that are, well, old. And I'm in desperate need to learn some new stuff. Forunately I found a couple good ones; now I've just gotta learn 'em.

Tomorrow is a prayer room day for me, which means it's now officially past my bedtime and if I have any hope of getting a decent sleep tonight, I better hurry myself off to bed.

Getting back into the routine

It's been quite a week! It's amazing how long it takes to unpack after being gone for a month. Although I feel like I am mostly settled back in, there are still a few piles of things that need to be put away and a few remaining jobs that must be done.

No sooner did Aaron unpack his bags, when he started packing them again; this time, for a ministry trip to Hawaii. He left early yesterday morning, so us girls are holding down the fort at home.

Tomorrow morning I begin my routine of going up the mount. My "week of getting settled" is over, and it's now time to re-engage in the disciplines of life, as much as will allow being a "single parent" for the week (though, thanks to Nic and Dayna, it really doesn't feel like I'm that much of a single parent at all). As much as I'm not looking forward to the rude awakening that awaits me when I realize just how much one can become out-of-shape in the span of one short month, I am looking forward to getting back out there and working my way back into running up the trail. And one added perk is that I get to wear my new workout clothes and try out my new running shoes, so if nothing else, at least my expedition up the mount will have purpose beyond simply exercise! :-)

In New Zealand once again

We're back. The last couple days I have been busily unpacking and getting re-settled in, doing laundry, grocery shopping, and even taking down our Christmas decorations. I think we are probably the only family in the world that still had Christmas decorations up on the 20th of January, but all for good reason!

Our time in the States was wonderful. So wonderful it was painful, actually. We saw so many dear friends, enjoyed lots of time with the family, did tons of fun stuff, and of course ate lots of yummy American food. The whole trip was a precious gift from Jesus, for which I am most grateful. I think it will take me a while to get re-settled back into life here; part of my heart is most definitely still in America.

Today we begin to gear up for this next year with the House of Prayer. We begin an abbreviated version of the prayer room schedule tomorrow, gearing up for the normal schedule which will start in early February. I'm excited about this year; it feels as though it will be a significant one, though I'm not exactly sure in what ways. I'm provoked to seek the Lord and to ask what He is thinking and feeling when He looks at this little city called Tauranga; I know He has much on His heart and that His plans and purposes for this city will prevail.

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.