Hey Friends and Family,
I'm taking the opportunity to write now that Lorri is asleep and I don't feel tired enough to take a nap.
Things are going really well for us. Dale just got offered a teaching job in Masterton, which is an hour from Wellington. He flew out there for an interview on Monday and they called him back on Wednesday offering him the job. We are both thrilled. Dale will get his own classroom and office space, which is something he's really been missing. We are looking at renting a place of our own. It's been a blessing living with another family, but I think it's about time to move on. When we first moved here we knew Auckland was just a temporary place to stay. The cost of living is expensive in the city. We are planning on moving during Dales six week holiday which starts mid December.
Another exciting thing is we are expecting Corin William anytime. I know I have two weeks left but I keep thinking he should be here by now. In all reality I would rather he come next week because it's convenient with Dale getting time off. I am just excited to have him come and to meet him. I've been doing everything I can think of to induce labor. I bought Cranberry herbal tea to drink, I've been massaging my feet, I've been walking long distances, I've been on my hands and knees cleaning, and I've been eating licorice. All these things I have heard bring on labor. I guess he's going to come when he wants to:) I'm also getting plenty of rest because I know how much sleep I'm going to crave once he does come.
Yesterday I had to go to the ATM to get our rent and tithe out for this week. I decided to drive because it looked like it could rain. Sometimes I walk to the shops and library because it's a good walk. I got out of the car, unbuckled Lorri and took the ATM card out of the diaper bag and stuck it in my pocket. I decided not to get the stroller out of the back and just walk to the ATM. Once I locked the car I changed my mind and decided to take the stroller. I checked my pockets and couldn't find the keys. I tried all the doors and they were all locked. I was so bummed, when I turn off the car I usually stick the keys in the diaper bag. There was nothing else I could do so I walked, carrying Lorri, all the way back home. I wanted to get home fast to let Dale know we didn't have a car, so I didn't let Lorri walk:) She is always distracted by the littlest of things and it takes forever to walk when she's walking. Once we got back to the house I got the money out of my pocket to pay the rent and I found the keys!!!! I was so exhausted from the walk, but it was funny. I thought maybe Corin would arrive after doing that:) ha ha He didn't. Again I think he's going to come on his own timing.
Today Lorri and I walked Dale to school, which we do every day. He was a little behind so we were walking fast, once we got there Dale realized that he forgot his phone. He asked me to run back and get it so that we could stay in touch during the day. He only had twenty minutes before class started, so I had to hurry to catch him. All the teachers meet in the staff room before school starts so I had a window of opportunity. I walked fast back home, got his phone, my phone and the keys to the car. We live upstairs so I had two sets of steps to climb, the whole time carrying Lorri:) I made it in time and he even said it was faster than he expected:) ha ha ha.
It was neat being at the school that early because some of the kids were showing up. I could here whispers and mummers from every group of students that I passed "That's Mr. Walterhouses family". It was a weird experience because it almost felt like we were royalty or superstars. They were in awe to see us. I usually visit the school before and after hours, so the teachers are the ones that we have gotten to know. I think they were more in awe of Lorri than of me:) ha ha. A white baby! I think it just goes to show that Dale has really made an impression on the kids.
The beginning of the week is usually the busiest because of playgroups and mums groups, but this whole week I have felt like I've been in a mad rush. Tomorrow is Saturday! Yeah, Dale will be home all weekend and Monday. Monday is Labor day:) I want to climb a mountain, but Dale doesn't want to. He says I can walk in circles, he doesn't want to get to far away just in case I go into labor. We are having so much fun guessing when Corin will come. It's on the forefront of our minds every day now.
You will all hear from us soon!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Daily life in New Zealand
Dear Friends and Family,
I know it has been some time since I've updated our blog, so I thought I'd put something together while I had the time.
Dale is in the living room watching a nature show while marking papers for the week. We just put Lorri to sleep, which was easy because she was worn out. Our nightly routine for putting her to sleep is reading her a chapter from the Bible, praying together, then tucking her into her bed at 8:00. Usually we give her a sippy cup with warm milk as we read to her. Almost every night she is asleep before we get to the prayer time.
We went to the Papatoetoe public pools before dinner and swam for a couple of hours. Dale and I took turns playing with her in the toddler pool, so we could each swim for exercise. Lorri loves to swim and she played really hard. I think that's why she was so ready for bed.
Dale and I have joined a birthing class, which is three hours in the evening on Thursdays. I'm dragging him to them because I want a refresher course on all the coping with pain techniques. It's nice because we don't have to pay a fee and we get to meet other couples. I think it runs for six weeks.
We have eight weeks left before Corin is due to arrive, but we are praying that he comes earlier. Dale says that we should shoot for the 24th of October and shoot for a short labor. He's helping me stay motivated with walking, swimming, and yoga. It makes me feel alive and not so drowsy when I'm up and active. If I'm not active all I want to do is close my eyes and melt into the bed for hours. Anytime Lorri is sleeping I'm with her. I keep her awake until 11 or 12 then we both sleep together for two hours or so. I'm getting to the point where I can't go without a nap. Corin and Lorri are a team in wearing me out.
On Mondays Lorri and I go to a mothers coffee group. I met a couple of women at playgroup that invited me to join them. They just get together at each others homes and let the kids play as they talk. I have really enjoyed their company and Lorri loves all the toys the other kids have.
Tuesdays we have just started another playgroup. A mother I met at the Wednesday playgroup invited me to go with her to a smaller one. I will still attend on Wednesdays even if I decide to keep going to the Tuesday one.
Wednesday is our original playgroup day, then in the evening we go grocery shopping as a family.
Thursday is a "free" day, which means I do laundry and deep cleaning to catch up with being out during the first half of the week. Fridays are free as well and I usually take Lorri to a park and feed the ducks. We go visit Dale at the school most of the time too. All the teachers hang out together at the end of the day and Dale likes it when I come and join them. We let Lorri run around while we talk and drink hot chocolate.
On Saturdays and Sundays we try and explore as much of New Zealand as we can. We love to go on tramps in the bush, but lately we've been staying close to the city attractions. Two weekends ago it was the Zoo, then we went to the Hamilton Gardens, then this week it was rainy so we hung out at the pool. We hope to go out in the bush this coming weekend though.
We have had our share of sickness in the past month. Dale and I both got the stomach flu and Lorri has had an ear infection and a wheezy cough. We are thankful to the Lord for getting us through. All seems back to normal now.
God has continued to take care of us and provide for us every step of the way. Our love for him and our desire to be obedient to his will is very strong. If you think to pray for us, pray that God will continue to guide us in all our decision making.
We miss you all very much!
I know it has been some time since I've updated our blog, so I thought I'd put something together while I had the time.
Dale is in the living room watching a nature show while marking papers for the week. We just put Lorri to sleep, which was easy because she was worn out. Our nightly routine for putting her to sleep is reading her a chapter from the Bible, praying together, then tucking her into her bed at 8:00. Usually we give her a sippy cup with warm milk as we read to her. Almost every night she is asleep before we get to the prayer time.
We went to the Papatoetoe public pools before dinner and swam for a couple of hours. Dale and I took turns playing with her in the toddler pool, so we could each swim for exercise. Lorri loves to swim and she played really hard. I think that's why she was so ready for bed.
Dale and I have joined a birthing class, which is three hours in the evening on Thursdays. I'm dragging him to them because I want a refresher course on all the coping with pain techniques. It's nice because we don't have to pay a fee and we get to meet other couples. I think it runs for six weeks.
We have eight weeks left before Corin is due to arrive, but we are praying that he comes earlier. Dale says that we should shoot for the 24th of October and shoot for a short labor. He's helping me stay motivated with walking, swimming, and yoga. It makes me feel alive and not so drowsy when I'm up and active. If I'm not active all I want to do is close my eyes and melt into the bed for hours. Anytime Lorri is sleeping I'm with her. I keep her awake until 11 or 12 then we both sleep together for two hours or so. I'm getting to the point where I can't go without a nap. Corin and Lorri are a team in wearing me out.
On Mondays Lorri and I go to a mothers coffee group. I met a couple of women at playgroup that invited me to join them. They just get together at each others homes and let the kids play as they talk. I have really enjoyed their company and Lorri loves all the toys the other kids have.
Tuesdays we have just started another playgroup. A mother I met at the Wednesday playgroup invited me to go with her to a smaller one. I will still attend on Wednesdays even if I decide to keep going to the Tuesday one.
Wednesday is our original playgroup day, then in the evening we go grocery shopping as a family.
Thursday is a "free" day, which means I do laundry and deep cleaning to catch up with being out during the first half of the week. Fridays are free as well and I usually take Lorri to a park and feed the ducks. We go visit Dale at the school most of the time too. All the teachers hang out together at the end of the day and Dale likes it when I come and join them. We let Lorri run around while we talk and drink hot chocolate.
On Saturdays and Sundays we try and explore as much of New Zealand as we can. We love to go on tramps in the bush, but lately we've been staying close to the city attractions. Two weekends ago it was the Zoo, then we went to the Hamilton Gardens, then this week it was rainy so we hung out at the pool. We hope to go out in the bush this coming weekend though.
We have had our share of sickness in the past month. Dale and I both got the stomach flu and Lorri has had an ear infection and a wheezy cough. We are thankful to the Lord for getting us through. All seems back to normal now.
God has continued to take care of us and provide for us every step of the way. Our love for him and our desire to be obedient to his will is very strong. If you think to pray for us, pray that God will continue to guide us in all our decision making.
We miss you all very much!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Psalms 18:30-36
This morning, during Lorri and my scripture reading, I came across a word of encouragement and thought it would be nice to share it. Lorri liked it as well, because she sat still through the whole chapter:)
"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the hights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your sheild of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden my path beneath me, so that my ankels do not turn."
"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the hights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your sheild of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden my path beneath me, so that my ankels do not turn."
God is good!
Dear Friends and Family,
We are grateful to the Lord for his care and leading in our lives here in New Zealand. It is a scary thing to start a life in a place unknown to us and a way of life that is different than what we are used to. God has truly taken care of our needs and given us supportive friends. We could find things to complain about and dislike, but there is so much more to be thankful for. I don’t think we realized how big of a step we were taking by leaving all that we knew and were comfortable with. It’s a great experience and we are amazed with how things have turned out.
The Samoan family we are living with have been so gracious and wonderful to us. We weren’t sure if we would adjust well with the living situation, but it has worked out great so far. We are getting to know them better and have come to love them. Their kindness is a blessing and we enjoy their fellowship. Dale and I were talking a few nights ago about how amazing and cool it is to have so many friends of different nationalities. We wouldn’t trade anything for what God is teaching and leading us through.
The car we are borrowing was due back at the end of this week and we were starting to search out the possibilities we had for buying a car of our own. Sunday night we found out that we have the care for an extra two weeks longer. Also we found out that a reimbursement check from Dales job in Arkansas is coming to us. It is enough to cover the cost of buying a car. We are amazed at the timing of it all and we praise God for his continual care.
Dale is doing great at his job and he’s liking it more and more. It has been a rough start, but things are getting better now that he has a feel of it. He’s starting to feel like he’s making a difference in the lives of some of the kids. Not just in teaching them math, but in showing them that he really cares and that he‘s there for them. He plays basketball with them after school sometimes and he shows up at their rugby games, which most of the parents don’t even do that. Some of the other teachers advice to him was to think of the students as brats and himself as the boss. I don’t think Dale took their advice because he really is investing time into his kids.
A two week break is coming up soon, so everyone is looking forward to that. We are going up to the tip of the North Island for a week of fun at the beach. The Lamanus have a family beach house up there and they are letting us use it. We are taking Michel Walter and Merlynne with us. The Lamanus are the people we are living with. Michel Walter and Merlynne are the two oldest of the family.
I have finally made an appointment for a check up at the medical clinic. I don’t know the date yet because they have to mail me a letter telling me when it is. I called in today and gave all our information. They aren’t sure if a midwife is available and that’s why I have to wait for their response. I will get a personal midwife who will come to my house to do all the check ups. When I go into labor she will be there during the process but a doctor will deliver the baby. At least that is what I have understood it to be. They also are scheduling a scan (ultrasound) for me, which I am excited for. Everything has been going fine, just these past four days have been a bummer because I’ve been sick.
Lorri is learning all her animal sounds, which is so adorable. We want to start teaching her the sounds of the alphabet, but I don’t think she finds it as interesting as the animal sounds. We are excited for her first birthday coming up in a month. She will be a one year old! Crazy. Dale and I will have our three year anniversary too. Life is going by so fast.
Thank you for all your prayers and we hope you all are well!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Long week!
Dear friends and family,
I hope you all are doing well. Dale and I haven't gone on any exciting treks this week mostly because we've been busy with moving in with a family of six. They have been very helpful and gracious to us, but it has been quite a big adjustment. Their plumbing was chewed up by some rats, so we had to make due without hot water for a couple of days. Then Lorri caught the Chicken Pox. Dale has had a rough spell at the school and getting immigration papers sorted. We are looking forward to a weekend and the start of a fresh new week.
It's amazing how God works in our lives. It seems that when we go through hard times we are even more grateful for God's hand guiding us and his strength to help us through. The harder things are the more in love we become with him. This has been the hardest week yet away from family. I talked to my dad on the phone yesterday and I was all choked up and teary eyed. When he prayed for me over the phone I just let the tears run down my cheeks. I made my voice sound all cheery and happy, but it felt good to cry. I love it here, but I miss my family. Through it all I'm strengthened in my relationship with the Lord. I feel down, but when I pray I praise God.
Dale and I laugh at ourselves this week because we've been sleeping in separate rooms because I've been with Lorri. We haven't had a meal together either because there are always people around to talk to. We laugh because we need to go back dating again to get to know each other. ha ha ha. Okay maybe it's not that bad, but it will be nice to have things back to normal.
We love you all!!
I hope you all are doing well. Dale and I haven't gone on any exciting treks this week mostly because we've been busy with moving in with a family of six. They have been very helpful and gracious to us, but it has been quite a big adjustment. Their plumbing was chewed up by some rats, so we had to make due without hot water for a couple of days. Then Lorri caught the Chicken Pox. Dale has had a rough spell at the school and getting immigration papers sorted. We are looking forward to a weekend and the start of a fresh new week.
It's amazing how God works in our lives. It seems that when we go through hard times we are even more grateful for God's hand guiding us and his strength to help us through. The harder things are the more in love we become with him. This has been the hardest week yet away from family. I talked to my dad on the phone yesterday and I was all choked up and teary eyed. When he prayed for me over the phone I just let the tears run down my cheeks. I made my voice sound all cheery and happy, but it felt good to cry. I love it here, but I miss my family. Through it all I'm strengthened in my relationship with the Lord. I feel down, but when I pray I praise God.
Dale and I laugh at ourselves this week because we've been sleeping in separate rooms because I've been with Lorri. We haven't had a meal together either because there are always people around to talk to. We laugh because we need to go back dating again to get to know each other. ha ha ha. Okay maybe it's not that bad, but it will be nice to have things back to normal.
We love you all!!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Another Week
Another week has gone by and we are all still alive. Our legs are dead though. The three of us went to the Hanua Ranges for a three hour tramp on Saturday. The map said that we tramped three miles, but we are more than sure that it was further than that. It was beautiful everywhere we went, worth the rough hike. I was amazed that we could go in a loop and be going straight uphill the whole time. After the first hour and a half we started booking it to get back before nightfall. Lorri fell asleep during the last hour, which was probably torture for her. We bought a nice hiking pack for her, so we could take her along on our tramps. It is amazing to have. God has been blessing us every step of the way during this adventure. It's crazy to be out in such beautiful areas of the world. We are always in awe of who God is and what he has created. Even though things can be rough at times we always have that sense that God is with us and guiding us.
Dale played soccer on Thursday, but I don’t think he’ll be doing that again for sometime. He borrowed a kids soccer boots, which where a size eight and he wears a size eleven. When he got home his big toes where blue and purple under the nail. We think that the nails are going to fall off because it feels like they broke at the base. He had to take two Tylenol PM’s in order to sleep because they were throbbing so bad.
My sewing lessons on Friday were very helpful. I learned a lot and even made three shirts for Lorri. It took all day, but the time flew by. I’m going to learn how to make a dress this coming Friday. I’m amazed at how easy it is to make clothing for children. It’s nothing flashy, but I’m just learning the basics for now.
I don’t know if I wrote before but Dale sings on the worship team Sunday mornings now. Last Sunday they had him greeting people, taking the offering and singing. I was laughing because he was really busy getting from one thing to the next. We also laugh at the fact that we are always the last ones to leave the church. This Sunday we tried racing some people out the door because we didn’t want to be the last ones again. I guess being pastors kids it’s just in our nature, we can’t escape it.
Dale played soccer on Thursday, but I don’t think he’ll be doing that again for sometime. He borrowed a kids soccer boots, which where a size eight and he wears a size eleven. When he got home his big toes where blue and purple under the nail. We think that the nails are going to fall off because it feels like they broke at the base. He had to take two Tylenol PM’s in order to sleep because they were throbbing so bad.
My sewing lessons on Friday were very helpful. I learned a lot and even made three shirts for Lorri. It took all day, but the time flew by. I’m going to learn how to make a dress this coming Friday. I’m amazed at how easy it is to make clothing for children. It’s nothing flashy, but I’m just learning the basics for now.
I don’t know if I wrote before but Dale sings on the worship team Sunday mornings now. Last Sunday they had him greeting people, taking the offering and singing. I was laughing because he was really busy getting from one thing to the next. We also laugh at the fact that we are always the last ones to leave the church. This Sunday we tried racing some people out the door because we didn’t want to be the last ones again. I guess being pastors kids it’s just in our nature, we can’t escape it.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Exciting news
We are moving again! ha ha. Dale and I added it up and we have moved seven times since being married. A family in our church has offered us their upstairs area for half of what we are paying, so in three weeks we are moving down the street.
Another exciting thing is I felt the baby move today!! It was while I was reading to Lorri, she fell asleep but I was interested in the book so I kept reading. I felt a movement and wasn’t sure, so I stopped reading and just laid still with my hand on my tummy. Yep!! It was not just moving around it was kicking and punching. I was so excited and I can’t wait to tell Dale. It’s crazy because I didn’t just feel it move inside, but I felt it with my hand. I’m only 15 weeks along, so I thought it was crazy to already be feeling movement. I’m thrilled though.
Lorri has learned how to clap! We are so happy for her because she has been trying to learn for almost two months now. She’s so proud of herself too. She just learned yesterday, and now she’s clapping all the time. She’s also learning how to drink out of a cup. She thinks it’s a game, so it’s always fun to play it with her.
I’m taking sewing lessons on Fridays now. An older lady in the church wants to teach me how to make cloths for Lorri and the baby to come. She showed me a dress that she made for her granddaughter and I loved it. Also this older lady says she’s lonely on Fridays and would love the company.
On Sunday Dale and I went on a bush walk. It was amazing! Most of the bush consisted of different types of ferns and palm trees. We walked in circles so many times because it all looked the same. We were laughing at each other because our sense of direction was so messed up. Lorri fell asleep on the way there and continued her nap without waking up during the transfer to the stroller, through the walk, the transfer to the car seat, and then from the car seat to the house. Her nap lasted almost three hours. Dale and I were so amazed. During our walk we came upon an exotic looking picnic area. It was crazy because we were walking in heaving greenery than all of a sudden there was an open area with picnic tables. We were laughing at that too, because there weren’t any markings for it. I guess people just have to know the area. They have so many hidden secrets.
Another exciting thing is I felt the baby move today!! It was while I was reading to Lorri, she fell asleep but I was interested in the book so I kept reading. I felt a movement and wasn’t sure, so I stopped reading and just laid still with my hand on my tummy. Yep!! It was not just moving around it was kicking and punching. I was so excited and I can’t wait to tell Dale. It’s crazy because I didn’t just feel it move inside, but I felt it with my hand. I’m only 15 weeks along, so I thought it was crazy to already be feeling movement. I’m thrilled though.
Lorri has learned how to clap! We are so happy for her because she has been trying to learn for almost two months now. She’s so proud of herself too. She just learned yesterday, and now she’s clapping all the time. She’s also learning how to drink out of a cup. She thinks it’s a game, so it’s always fun to play it with her.
I’m taking sewing lessons on Fridays now. An older lady in the church wants to teach me how to make cloths for Lorri and the baby to come. She showed me a dress that she made for her granddaughter and I loved it. Also this older lady says she’s lonely on Fridays and would love the company.
On Sunday Dale and I went on a bush walk. It was amazing! Most of the bush consisted of different types of ferns and palm trees. We walked in circles so many times because it all looked the same. We were laughing at each other because our sense of direction was so messed up. Lorri fell asleep on the way there and continued her nap without waking up during the transfer to the stroller, through the walk, the transfer to the car seat, and then from the car seat to the house. Her nap lasted almost three hours. Dale and I were so amazed. During our walk we came upon an exotic looking picnic area. It was crazy because we were walking in heaving greenery than all of a sudden there was an open area with picnic tables. We were laughing at that too, because there weren’t any markings for it. I guess people just have to know the area. They have so many hidden secrets.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Amazing
We finally celebrated Dales birthday on Saturday. We dropped Lorri off at her adoptive grandparents house and went tramping around Karekare beach. It was the best thing we have done so far. We were able to tramp through the jungle then sit on the rocks and watch the waves. Lorri did pretty well away from us. I think she had a rough start and end, but the middle was okayJ George and Susan said they will watch her again but not as long next time. We were very grateful to them for watching her while we were gone. It would have been to windy and cold to take her.
For mothers day we went to the Auckland Botanic Gardens. It was a beautiful walk, but we are told it’s even better during the spring time. I have pictures that I will have to post later.
This week we have been busy with getting settled. We may be moving in three weeks though. A family from the church offered their upstairs apartment. We would save almost the amount that I would need to get a job to make. It may be an answer to prayer about me looking for a job. I can stay home with Lorri as my job:) Who knows though.
We miss you all and love you!!
For mothers day we went to the Auckland Botanic Gardens. It was a beautiful walk, but we are told it’s even better during the spring time. I have pictures that I will have to post later.
This week we have been busy with getting settled. We may be moving in three weeks though. A family from the church offered their upstairs apartment. We would save almost the amount that I would need to get a job to make. It may be an answer to prayer about me looking for a job. I can stay home with Lorri as my job:) Who knows though.
We miss you all and love you!!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Every day stuff
Nothing all that exciting has happened this week. We are excited for Saturday to come because we are going out tramping the Karikari beach. Now that we have a car we can go out and discover more of New Zealand.
I’ll write about the little things that have happened in the week though it may be boring. Lorri and I went over to her friend Shikira’s house to play earlier this week. We spent all afternoon at their house and we just let the girls play together. When Shikira saw Lorri she ran to her and kissed her on the lips. It was so cute because Lorri opened her mouth and leaned towards her for another kiss. She hasn’t learned to give kisses yet, so it was funny the way she reacted. That morning Dale said goodbye to us and walked out the door. Lorri starting crying and walked to the door looking out as Dale was leaving. He noticed and came back to give her an extra big huge. We were both laughing because it hasn’t ever happened with him, she does that with me, but this was a new thing.
Lorri and I went to play group on Wednesday. We signed up for the whole year and they gave us a little T-shirt for Lorri. It’s cute on her because it’s several sizes to big. At the end of the play time they had 20 minutes of singing, which we hadn’t stayed for last week. I was excited to find that Lorri enjoyed it. I thought it might be a little to old for her. She was watching all the other kids at first, then she was bouncing up and down with the music. I borrowed some music from them to copy to the computer and play during the day.
Dale gave me my first driving lesson Tuesday night. I really felt like I was driving for the first time. When my dad taught me how to drive I had trouble looking for other traffic as I merged into a lane. It was just like that, I didn’t want to take my eyes off the road in front of me. I’m better at it now, I just have to be aware of what I’m doing, it’s so easy to slip into what feels natural. I keep turning the windshield wipers on to signal that I’m turning and I hit my hand on the door to put the car in park or reverse. I’ll get used to it soon enough.
I have to explain some of the pictures. Lorri received several frilly dresses from Shikira and I just had to take some pictures of her. She was afraid of the dress at first, but when she was wearing it I think she new she was cuteJ She also borrowed a hat from Shikira and I thought it looked so cute. She kept taking it off so I quick took a picture while it was on her head. She thought it was funny.
I’ll write about the little things that have happened in the week though it may be boring. Lorri and I went over to her friend Shikira’s house to play earlier this week. We spent all afternoon at their house and we just let the girls play together. When Shikira saw Lorri she ran to her and kissed her on the lips. It was so cute because Lorri opened her mouth and leaned towards her for another kiss. She hasn’t learned to give kisses yet, so it was funny the way she reacted. That morning Dale said goodbye to us and walked out the door. Lorri starting crying and walked to the door looking out as Dale was leaving. He noticed and came back to give her an extra big huge. We were both laughing because it hasn’t ever happened with him, she does that with me, but this was a new thing.
Lorri and I went to play group on Wednesday. We signed up for the whole year and they gave us a little T-shirt for Lorri. It’s cute on her because it’s several sizes to big. At the end of the play time they had 20 minutes of singing, which we hadn’t stayed for last week. I was excited to find that Lorri enjoyed it. I thought it might be a little to old for her. She was watching all the other kids at first, then she was bouncing up and down with the music. I borrowed some music from them to copy to the computer and play during the day.
Dale gave me my first driving lesson Tuesday night. I really felt like I was driving for the first time. When my dad taught me how to drive I had trouble looking for other traffic as I merged into a lane. It was just like that, I didn’t want to take my eyes off the road in front of me. I’m better at it now, I just have to be aware of what I’m doing, it’s so easy to slip into what feels natural. I keep turning the windshield wipers on to signal that I’m turning and I hit my hand on the door to put the car in park or reverse. I’ll get used to it soon enough.
I have to explain some of the pictures. Lorri received several frilly dresses from Shikira and I just had to take some pictures of her. She was afraid of the dress at first, but when she was wearing it I think she new she was cuteJ She also borrowed a hat from Shikira and I thought it looked so cute. She kept taking it off so I quick took a picture while it was on her head. She thought it was funny.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
April 20th
This weekend was good for all three of us. Saturday we took the train into Auckland City and spent the day walking the parks and shops. I’m not sure how far we walked, but it felt like a long hike. It was so beautiful, which was crazy because it’s in the middle of the city. We were able to locate a Kauri tree. We had been guessing what type of tree they were and it was great to finally know what they looked like. They are really big, tall and beautiful. The city is impressive and flashy, much different from Papatoetoe. In the suburb it’s very simple and plain. It’s a treat to go into the city and see all the frills. In the middle of the city all the alley’s are paved in brick and there are so many different expensive shops and restaurants at every turn. We wanted to get something to eat and ended up at Burger King. It was nice though because there was a group playing some Peruvian bamboo music on the street. We sat down on a bench to enjoy the music and the meal. When we got back to the flat we felt like our legs wouldn’t walk anywhere else even if we wanted them to. We made some pop corn and watched half of a movie. We were too tired to finish it.
Sunday was a covenant service at the church. Lorri was getting fidgety as we were worshiping so I took her to the quiet room since they don‘t have nursery. I stayed with her there until communion and then caught up with Dale to go up front. We knelt at the alter to take the communion. I wasn’t sure what to do with Lorri so I took her with us and let her down on the kneeling pad. As we were praying she started playing with the glasses that were set in the slots above her. The pastor got a kick out of it because Lorri was so enthralled by the look of the sparkling glass above her.
Today is the last day we have our rental car. We planned on going to the beach but when we woke up this morning it was raining. I guess that means it’s a good library day. Dale has been reading every chance he gets. I think he’s finished three books now. I’m guessing he’s ready for next week to start and reading is a good pass time.
We are trying to get Lorri to sleep through the night, so we move our mattress into the living room every night. It’s been good for me because I sleep a little better when I don’t hear her every move. We get up at 6:30am now, so that’s good. We go to bed around 8:00pm. I think we are slowly adjusting to the time.
Lorri has four teeth coming in on the top now. Two are showing and the other two are working their way out. She has discovered that she can grind her teeth, which is crazy to me. She’s a smart little thing. Her walking is getting a little more balanced. She likes to hold on to our hand with one of hers and have the other hand free. The cabinets are her favorite toy. She opens them and brings everything out. If I’m cooking or cleaning in the kitchen she wants to be in there with me. Most of the time she crawls up my leg and hangs onto my pants. She’s learning so much and growing fast. We are trying to get her to eat more of a variety of foods and protein. She’s become very picky with what she will eat. I think she’s a vegetarian at this point. Tonight we are going to try some beans and see what she thinks.
Dale got his working visa, which is an answer to prayer. We have to wait on Dale’s permanent teachers license now. Once Dale gets his teaching license I will have to get a working visa and find a job for myself. I’m hoping to get a job at the preschool near Dales school. That’s something we are really praying for.
We haven’t tried the coffee here, but it truly looks amazing. They serve it in big round mugs and it looks like the cream rises to the top. It also looks worth whatever the cost. We tried two of their candy bars. The Morro chocolate bar is like a Milky Way but much better. Don’t try the Crunchy bar here, it’s suppose to be like the malt balls, but it’s not as good.
We went to the library today and tried to get on the computers, there was a long line for the rest of the library’s open hours. I can’t wait until school starts again for all these kids. I won’t have such a long wait once they are back in school. The kids like to play games on the computers and they always have a large group around them waiting to play. Once school starts I’ll be able to get internet at the school with my lap top and not have to worry about waiting in line.
Sunday was a covenant service at the church. Lorri was getting fidgety as we were worshiping so I took her to the quiet room since they don‘t have nursery. I stayed with her there until communion and then caught up with Dale to go up front. We knelt at the alter to take the communion. I wasn’t sure what to do with Lorri so I took her with us and let her down on the kneeling pad. As we were praying she started playing with the glasses that were set in the slots above her. The pastor got a kick out of it because Lorri was so enthralled by the look of the sparkling glass above her.
Today is the last day we have our rental car. We planned on going to the beach but when we woke up this morning it was raining. I guess that means it’s a good library day. Dale has been reading every chance he gets. I think he’s finished three books now. I’m guessing he’s ready for next week to start and reading is a good pass time.
We are trying to get Lorri to sleep through the night, so we move our mattress into the living room every night. It’s been good for me because I sleep a little better when I don’t hear her every move. We get up at 6:30am now, so that’s good. We go to bed around 8:00pm. I think we are slowly adjusting to the time.
Lorri has four teeth coming in on the top now. Two are showing and the other two are working their way out. She has discovered that she can grind her teeth, which is crazy to me. She’s a smart little thing. Her walking is getting a little more balanced. She likes to hold on to our hand with one of hers and have the other hand free. The cabinets are her favorite toy. She opens them and brings everything out. If I’m cooking or cleaning in the kitchen she wants to be in there with me. Most of the time she crawls up my leg and hangs onto my pants. She’s learning so much and growing fast. We are trying to get her to eat more of a variety of foods and protein. She’s become very picky with what she will eat. I think she’s a vegetarian at this point. Tonight we are going to try some beans and see what she thinks.
Dale got his working visa, which is an answer to prayer. We have to wait on Dale’s permanent teachers license now. Once Dale gets his teaching license I will have to get a working visa and find a job for myself. I’m hoping to get a job at the preschool near Dales school. That’s something we are really praying for.
We haven’t tried the coffee here, but it truly looks amazing. They serve it in big round mugs and it looks like the cream rises to the top. It also looks worth whatever the cost. We tried two of their candy bars. The Morro chocolate bar is like a Milky Way but much better. Don’t try the Crunchy bar here, it’s suppose to be like the malt balls, but it’s not as good.
We went to the library today and tried to get on the computers, there was a long line for the rest of the library’s open hours. I can’t wait until school starts again for all these kids. I won’t have such a long wait once they are back in school. The kids like to play games on the computers and they always have a large group around them waiting to play. Once school starts I’ll be able to get internet at the school with my lap top and not have to worry about waiting in line.
April 25th
The rest of this week hasn’t been anything special or exciting. Today is a type of veterans day for New Zealand, so there isn’t anything opened today, plus it‘s raining out. We were going to go shopping for food, but I guess we have to make do with what we have in the cupboard. We plan two meals ahead of time since our fridge is very small.
Lorri has been practicing her walking these past two days. Last night we walked her back and forth to get her really tired for her bedtime. We’ve set a bedtime for her and we are letting her put herself to sleep. She’s been crying herself to sleep, but hopefully that phase will end soon. We get her ready for bed around 8:00pm and we read a chapter in the Bible then a chapter in kids book from the library. She’s all calmed down and ready for bed by 8:30pm. It’s been a really nice routine for us, now we just have to get her to sleep through the night. We’ve done well with getting her to wake up once instead of twice.
Lorri has been practicing her walking these past two days. Last night we walked her back and forth to get her really tired for her bedtime. We’ve set a bedtime for her and we are letting her put herself to sleep. She’s been crying herself to sleep, but hopefully that phase will end soon. We get her ready for bed around 8:00pm and we read a chapter in the Bible then a chapter in kids book from the library. She’s all calmed down and ready for bed by 8:30pm. It’s been a really nice routine for us, now we just have to get her to sleep through the night. We’ve done well with getting her to wake up once instead of twice.
April 26th
Dale starts school today! He’s very excited and has been waiting for this for a long time. I think he had trouble getting to sleep and then he was up really early. It wasn’t raining today so I think he has a good start for his first day.
Sunday it rained all day for us. It was funny because we both set out for church without our jackets because we thought it was warm enough to go without. It started raining softly at first then it really came down in gusts has we were walking to church. Lorri was all snug and dry, her stroller had a plastic rain covering. A guy walking in the other side of the road saw us and offered his umbrella. We said no and walked on, but he crossed the street and really wanted us to take it. We had just been talking about buying one as soon as we could. We were already soaked, so it seemed odd to take an umbrella. The guy wanted to be helpful and I thought it would be snobby if I didn’t take it. I took it and thanked him. We looked funny walking with an umbrella soaked to the bone. It was so windy too that it turned the umbrella inside out. We were laughing so hard about the whole thing. Once we got to church nobody noticed that we were wet. All our cloths were so soaked that it looked like we had dark cloths on and Dales hair looked jelled. I looked like I had just stepped out of the shower, but my hair dried fast. We were cold through the whole service, besides that it wasn’t a problem.
I took Lorri to where all the kids were instead of going to the quiet room. There were a couple of little one year olds that liked her and all the older girls loved playing with her. All the kids were watching Madagascar 2 so it was nice to have her play around with all the kids without interrupting anything. Some of the ladies are taking me to a play date on Wednesday morning. They said there are a bunch of younger moms more my age and lots of babies. They just get together and have the kids play while they drink tea and fellowship. I’m very excited about it. This morning one of the ladies from the church came over to visit with her little one year old. Lorri and her played together while we talked. We even went to the park together and had the girls play. I think all the ladies don’t want me to be bored while Dale is at school. They all wanted my phone number so that they could call and talk. I’m very well taken care of here.
Something else funny happened yesterday. We were talking to an older lady behind us while everyone was finding their seat for church to start and we told her that we were pregnant. She had been a nurse/midwife in her younger days and we just got to talking about it. Dale told her that he wanted me to have twin boys and we were laughing about it. Well, after church everyone was coming up to us and congratulating us on our expecting twins. Some of the ladies were sad for me, being all alone and having such a big responsibility without help. We had to spread the news that we didn’t even know what we were having yet because it’s still really early.
Sunday it rained all day for us. It was funny because we both set out for church without our jackets because we thought it was warm enough to go without. It started raining softly at first then it really came down in gusts has we were walking to church. Lorri was all snug and dry, her stroller had a plastic rain covering. A guy walking in the other side of the road saw us and offered his umbrella. We said no and walked on, but he crossed the street and really wanted us to take it. We had just been talking about buying one as soon as we could. We were already soaked, so it seemed odd to take an umbrella. The guy wanted to be helpful and I thought it would be snobby if I didn’t take it. I took it and thanked him. We looked funny walking with an umbrella soaked to the bone. It was so windy too that it turned the umbrella inside out. We were laughing so hard about the whole thing. Once we got to church nobody noticed that we were wet. All our cloths were so soaked that it looked like we had dark cloths on and Dales hair looked jelled. I looked like I had just stepped out of the shower, but my hair dried fast. We were cold through the whole service, besides that it wasn’t a problem.
I took Lorri to where all the kids were instead of going to the quiet room. There were a couple of little one year olds that liked her and all the older girls loved playing with her. All the kids were watching Madagascar 2 so it was nice to have her play around with all the kids without interrupting anything. Some of the ladies are taking me to a play date on Wednesday morning. They said there are a bunch of younger moms more my age and lots of babies. They just get together and have the kids play while they drink tea and fellowship. I’m very excited about it. This morning one of the ladies from the church came over to visit with her little one year old. Lorri and her played together while we talked. We even went to the park together and had the girls play. I think all the ladies don’t want me to be bored while Dale is at school. They all wanted my phone number so that they could call and talk. I’m very well taken care of here.
Something else funny happened yesterday. We were talking to an older lady behind us while everyone was finding their seat for church to start and we told her that we were pregnant. She had been a nurse/midwife in her younger days and we just got to talking about it. Dale told her that he wanted me to have twin boys and we were laughing about it. Well, after church everyone was coming up to us and congratulating us on our expecting twins. Some of the ladies were sad for me, being all alone and having such a big responsibility without help. We had to spread the news that we didn’t even know what we were having yet because it’s still really early.
April 28th
Dale’s first day was an orientation/get to know the school type day. He has the class to himself today and he’s pretty excited about it. Susan, the lady who has been helping us all along, took me to the school today and gave me a tour. We went to the lounge room to wait for Dale to come and say hi. It’s amazing, they have a coffee machine that makes any type of coffee you could want and free internet. I get to visit every Friday after school and hang out in the lounge with Dale. I’m so excited for Fridays to come now.
Earlier today I went to the shopping street because I wanted to pick up a few groceries for the next two days. I met a friend! I had to pick up some wipes for Lorri and there was a special baby shop that is cheaper than any place around. Her name is Nunia and she works at the shop, she is my age and has a son that is 10 months. We talked for two hours and were instant friends. She has been married exactly the same amount of time Dale and I have been. I think I would have stayed longer but I had to get back for Susan. It’s nice to have someone my age and so much in common. She is the first one I have met that isn’t 15 or 20 years older than me that has a baby.
Another thing that I’m so thrilled about is Susan gave me a table cloth. I know it’s crazy, but I thought the kitchen looked ugly with the orange and blue one we had before. I’m going to get some flowers to brighten it up as well.
Dale’s birthday is coming up on Friday. We were going to go out for the day on Saturday, but someone is letting us borrow a car until mid July. They are giving it to us on Monday, so we are waiting until next Saturday to go. Susan and George are going to watch Lorri for the day we are out. They call themselves Gran-mum and Gran-dad for her. They said, “if her real grandparents heard us say this, they wouldn’t be to pleased.”
Earlier today I went to the shopping street because I wanted to pick up a few groceries for the next two days. I met a friend! I had to pick up some wipes for Lorri and there was a special baby shop that is cheaper than any place around. Her name is Nunia and she works at the shop, she is my age and has a son that is 10 months. We talked for two hours and were instant friends. She has been married exactly the same amount of time Dale and I have been. I think I would have stayed longer but I had to get back for Susan. It’s nice to have someone my age and so much in common. She is the first one I have met that isn’t 15 or 20 years older than me that has a baby.
Another thing that I’m so thrilled about is Susan gave me a table cloth. I know it’s crazy, but I thought the kitchen looked ugly with the orange and blue one we had before. I’m going to get some flowers to brighten it up as well.
Dale’s birthday is coming up on Friday. We were going to go out for the day on Saturday, but someone is letting us borrow a car until mid July. They are giving it to us on Monday, so we are waiting until next Saturday to go. Susan and George are going to watch Lorri for the day we are out. They call themselves Gran-mum and Gran-dad for her. They said, “if her real grandparents heard us say this, they wouldn’t be to pleased.”
April 30th
Play group was great yesterday. Lorri didn’t know what to do with all the babies her age. Chikirah and Lorri were the only girls though among six boys. Chikirah is Lorri’s one year old friend from church. Her mother Lisa brought us to the play group. We are going shopping together today. The grocery store in Manukau is much cheaper than the store I can walk to.
On Friday night I was invited to go to a ladies gathering at Mcdonalds. They drink coffee and plan fund raisers. It sounded like fun (the drinking coffee part mostly), but Dale’s birthday is on Friday and I don’t want to leave him on his birthday. I think they meet every Friday night, so I can catch up the next week.
Tuesday Lorri and I are joining another play group, so now we have play group on Tuesdays and WednesdaysJ We are definitely getting to know the community here.
Dale is overwhelmed at this point with school. He wishes he had more time to prepare, but he is making do with the time he has in the evenings. The kids are really tough he says and it’s going to be a rough school year to get through. He’s up for the challenge though.
On Friday night I was invited to go to a ladies gathering at Mcdonalds. They drink coffee and plan fund raisers. It sounded like fun (the drinking coffee part mostly), but Dale’s birthday is on Friday and I don’t want to leave him on his birthday. I think they meet every Friday night, so I can catch up the next week.
Tuesday Lorri and I are joining another play group, so now we have play group on Tuesdays and WednesdaysJ We are definitely getting to know the community here.
Dale is overwhelmed at this point with school. He wishes he had more time to prepare, but he is making do with the time he has in the evenings. The kids are really tough he says and it’s going to be a rough school year to get through. He’s up for the challenge though.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Today is Tuesday the 14th
We went into Manukua today to walk the mall and find a coffee shop to hook up to a wireless connection. Ha ha ha ha, yeah right. Nobody knew what we were talking about when we asked where a hot spot was. Ends up that there are special shops for printing and copying that have Internet, but you have to pay by the hour. We splurged just to check our e-mail and write our bank. We weren’t able to write much because Dale and I shared the hour. I think I had 83 messages or so. Dale says that his school will allow me to have free access to the Internet once a week. I think he starts in two weeks. If not than we will have to pay to get it to our flat. It’s not cheap here though, calling isn‘t either. It costs us 50 cents a minute to call home and to cell phones anywhere. We are planning on getting a phone card, which is the best way to go when calling long distance. You’d think that this place is on the other side of the world or something. We were definitely spoiled in America. We miss everyone already, but we are doing very well.
I’m already tired of the food, except for the fruits and vegetables, I can never tire of those. The rest of the food taste very Indian and I’m getting sick of curry smells. The noodles, pasta sauce, butter, eggs, beef, chicken, and bread all have a different taste to them. I think I’m extra sensitive to it since I’m pregnant.
I know I’m going to love to have a baby, but I wish I wasn’t pregnant at this time. I get so tired so easily and there is so much to explore. Dale and I went for a walk to several parks and I was about to throw up/pass out during the whole walk. I felt terrible, but I wanted to go out and see things. Today Dale went on a walk without me because I was dizzy and sick. It’s just to bad I have to be sick.
I’m loving the laundry chore here. I wash during the night and by morning hand it all out to dry, by afternoon I take it down and put it away. It’s a great system! I think Lorri likes it too, she plays in the grass while I hang it and take it down.
Lorri is cutting two teeth on the top left of her mouth. It’s interesting because I thought the two front came in first then the side ones. I guess the side one is coming up with the first front tooth. She loves to teeth on the carrots here. They are huge and she just chews on it forever. The family next door brought her a bag of little toys last night. Today she had fun figuring them all out.
I’m already tired of the food, except for the fruits and vegetables, I can never tire of those. The rest of the food taste very Indian and I’m getting sick of curry smells. The noodles, pasta sauce, butter, eggs, beef, chicken, and bread all have a different taste to them. I think I’m extra sensitive to it since I’m pregnant.
I know I’m going to love to have a baby, but I wish I wasn’t pregnant at this time. I get so tired so easily and there is so much to explore. Dale and I went for a walk to several parks and I was about to throw up/pass out during the whole walk. I felt terrible, but I wanted to go out and see things. Today Dale went on a walk without me because I was dizzy and sick. It’s just to bad I have to be sick.
I’m loving the laundry chore here. I wash during the night and by morning hand it all out to dry, by afternoon I take it down and put it away. It’s a great system! I think Lorri likes it too, she plays in the grass while I hang it and take it down.
Lorri is cutting two teeth on the top left of her mouth. It’s interesting because I thought the two front came in first then the side ones. I guess the side one is coming up with the first front tooth. She loves to teeth on the carrots here. They are huge and she just chews on it forever. The family next door brought her a bag of little toys last night. Today she had fun figuring them all out.
Sunday the 12th
Today is Sunday and we still haven’t gotten a chance to get internet. There is going to be a lot to read once I post everything. We have been in New Zealand for five days now. It’s been crazy getting everything settled. We haven’t adjusted to the time very well. At first we were sleeping hard anytime our heads hit the pillow, but now we are going to bed around 6 or 7pm and waking up at 4:30 or 5am. It’s very different from what we are used to, but almost everything is that way here.
We moved into our flat on Friday, which took the whole day. We bought some household essentials and a lot was given to us to borrow. That was a huge blessing because we didn’t have any towels, sheets, pillows or even a bed. They also let us borrow chairs, table, kitchenware and a fridge. God has truly taken care of us. We live close to the school, the markets, library, train station and a park. It seems the perfect place to be to get by without a car. We are renting one for just a week, which is over on Thursday.
We live in Papatoetoe which is the slums to most of Auckland. We didn’t think so when we first arrived, but when we saw the rest of Auckland and compared the two there was a big difference. There are a lot of Indians, Islanders, Samoan, and Asian that live here in Papatoetoe.
The family next door to us are the owners of the flat we are renting. The whole family have been working in our yard clearing bushes and overgrown plants. Dale went out and helped with picking up branches. It’s been a great chance to get to know them. They are very kind people and excited to have us here.
I’m very excited about the way they do laundry here, they hang it out to dry. We just hooked up the washer, so I’m excited to start hanging the laundry.
On Saturday we went to the Otara farmers market. In every booth each table was overflowing with all types of fruits and vegetables. It’s crazy how cheap and good it is. Almost everything else is very expensive. We then took a scenic drive to Karekare and went to a few overlooks. It‘s BEAUTIFUL! It has been raining every day that we’ve been here, but it rains for an hour or two and clears up.
Today we found a good fellowship of believers at a Wesley Methodist church just down the road from our flat. We enjoyed biscuits and a cup of tea after church with most of the congregation. It’s nice that we found a fellowship so close because we won’t have a car for several months. After church we caught up with an older couple that has been helping us with settling in and took a long tour of Auckland. There is so much to explore, we’ve decided to start with Auckland and work our way out. It’s a good thing we are here for two years, otherwise I don’t think we’d get the chance to discover everything that needs to be discovered.
We moved into our flat on Friday, which took the whole day. We bought some household essentials and a lot was given to us to borrow. That was a huge blessing because we didn’t have any towels, sheets, pillows or even a bed. They also let us borrow chairs, table, kitchenware and a fridge. God has truly taken care of us. We live close to the school, the markets, library, train station and a park. It seems the perfect place to be to get by without a car. We are renting one for just a week, which is over on Thursday.
We live in Papatoetoe which is the slums to most of Auckland. We didn’t think so when we first arrived, but when we saw the rest of Auckland and compared the two there was a big difference. There are a lot of Indians, Islanders, Samoan, and Asian that live here in Papatoetoe.
The family next door to us are the owners of the flat we are renting. The whole family have been working in our yard clearing bushes and overgrown plants. Dale went out and helped with picking up branches. It’s been a great chance to get to know them. They are very kind people and excited to have us here.
I’m very excited about the way they do laundry here, they hang it out to dry. We just hooked up the washer, so I’m excited to start hanging the laundry.
On Saturday we went to the Otara farmers market. In every booth each table was overflowing with all types of fruits and vegetables. It’s crazy how cheap and good it is. Almost everything else is very expensive. We then took a scenic drive to Karekare and went to a few overlooks. It‘s BEAUTIFUL! It has been raining every day that we’ve been here, but it rains for an hour or two and clears up.
Today we found a good fellowship of believers at a Wesley Methodist church just down the road from our flat. We enjoyed biscuits and a cup of tea after church with most of the congregation. It’s nice that we found a fellowship so close because we won’t have a car for several months. After church we caught up with an older couple that has been helping us with settling in and took a long tour of Auckland. There is so much to explore, we’ve decided to start with Auckland and work our way out. It’s a good thing we are here for two years, otherwise I don’t think we’d get the chance to discover everything that needs to be discovered.
We Made it!! Wednesday the 8th
We praise God for all he has done for us during this journey. There could have been so many different problems with the flights or with actually passing security in Auckland without a visa. We are so blessed to have you all praying for us. I believe it all went so smoothly because of your prayers.
We got up at 2am on Monday morning with Dale’s family and drove to the airport. It seemed like a quick goodbye, but we were able to spend all week saying goodbye. Everyone was so nice and helpful at the airport, we had no problem getting everything checked in. Our suitcases were a little to heavy, so we had to fill a box with the extra pounds. Dale took the box as his personal carry on item. I was worried about Lorri with taking off. I gave her crackers while we were taxing the runway, but she started squirming and didn’t want anything. I started praying for her and right when we lifted she fell dead asleep. It was crazy how fast she went limp. She slept the whole way and had no problems with the landing.
We arrived in LA around 8:30am and we had to wait until 1:30pm for checking in our bags. Since we had “some” hours to spare we parked ourselves on a bench with all our luggage and waited. After awhile Dale, Lorri and I were able to sleep. I never imagined that a wooden bench would feel so amazing to sleep on.
Once the line started for Air New Zealand we thought it wouldn’t hurt to wait until the crowds died down since our flight wasn‘t until 9:00pm. We were able to sit and talk with many different people as we were waiting. It’s amazing how there is an instant connection and camaraderie between you and total strangers that love the Lord. They could be any type of nationality and it‘s like you‘ve known them all along. Lorri made friends with anyone that looked at her. She was miss social the whole time. Many people helped walk her around and let her play with their colorful bags. They were all amazed at how active she was. The time seemed to go fast because their were many people to talk to and Lorri kept us very busy.
Once we boarded the airplane I felt like we were in first class. We were able to put Lorri in a bassinet that came out from the wall in front of us. We had all the leg room in the world, the bathrooms right next to us, blankets, pillows, and free food. The food was amazing, but Dale says it‘s because we were starving. We were so very tired as well. Sleeping upright isn’t very wonderful. I was dreaming of a bed where I could lay straight. It was a blessing to have Lorri sleep in her own spot for more than half the flight.
We were in pitch dark for sixteen hours. The day seemed so long on Wednesday and the night even longer. I think we are still getting used to the difference in time. Once we were in New Zealand it felt like the ground was moving hours after getting of the airplane. I was so very tired I couldn’t think straight, so it was even more difficult with the ground moving. I saw a sign and asked what it meant. The lady who picked us up asked me to describe it because she missed what I was talking about. I said it was a pole with spiral black and white lines and a red dot at the top. We kept our eye out for it so she could tell me what it meant. It ended up being a stripped pole (no spiral) with an orange dot. Ha ha ha. I guess I was still dizzy from the flight.
We were busy straight away. We toured Papatoetoe, looked at some rental homes, visited the school, set up a car rental, and walked around the main street. Once we actually laid down in bed it was the best thing in the world. We don’t have any access to the internet in our Motel or even a phone, I am just writing everything down for when we go to a hot spot. It’s terribly slow here, so it’s best that I write it separately to copy and paste later.
Today is Thursday, Wednesday for you though. We are getting our rental car this morning and sealing the deal for a flat. We have a banana tree in the back yard! We will also get unlimited grape fruit and oranges from a lady at the school! The fruit here is so cheap and incredibly good. The air is so fresh and crisp. It was raining this morning and the sun was shining. The rain is so different too. It’s like a light mist, it rains slow and soft. I know that sounds weird, but it’s the only way I can think to describe it.
I’m not sure exactly what you can put in your prayers for us, we are just so grateful to the Lord for bringing us this far safe and sound. That’s it for now.
We got up at 2am on Monday morning with Dale’s family and drove to the airport. It seemed like a quick goodbye, but we were able to spend all week saying goodbye. Everyone was so nice and helpful at the airport, we had no problem getting everything checked in. Our suitcases were a little to heavy, so we had to fill a box with the extra pounds. Dale took the box as his personal carry on item. I was worried about Lorri with taking off. I gave her crackers while we were taxing the runway, but she started squirming and didn’t want anything. I started praying for her and right when we lifted she fell dead asleep. It was crazy how fast she went limp. She slept the whole way and had no problems with the landing.
We arrived in LA around 8:30am and we had to wait until 1:30pm for checking in our bags. Since we had “some” hours to spare we parked ourselves on a bench with all our luggage and waited. After awhile Dale, Lorri and I were able to sleep. I never imagined that a wooden bench would feel so amazing to sleep on.
Once the line started for Air New Zealand we thought it wouldn’t hurt to wait until the crowds died down since our flight wasn‘t until 9:00pm. We were able to sit and talk with many different people as we were waiting. It’s amazing how there is an instant connection and camaraderie between you and total strangers that love the Lord. They could be any type of nationality and it‘s like you‘ve known them all along. Lorri made friends with anyone that looked at her. She was miss social the whole time. Many people helped walk her around and let her play with their colorful bags. They were all amazed at how active she was. The time seemed to go fast because their were many people to talk to and Lorri kept us very busy.
Once we boarded the airplane I felt like we were in first class. We were able to put Lorri in a bassinet that came out from the wall in front of us. We had all the leg room in the world, the bathrooms right next to us, blankets, pillows, and free food. The food was amazing, but Dale says it‘s because we were starving. We were so very tired as well. Sleeping upright isn’t very wonderful. I was dreaming of a bed where I could lay straight. It was a blessing to have Lorri sleep in her own spot for more than half the flight.
We were in pitch dark for sixteen hours. The day seemed so long on Wednesday and the night even longer. I think we are still getting used to the difference in time. Once we were in New Zealand it felt like the ground was moving hours after getting of the airplane. I was so very tired I couldn’t think straight, so it was even more difficult with the ground moving. I saw a sign and asked what it meant. The lady who picked us up asked me to describe it because she missed what I was talking about. I said it was a pole with spiral black and white lines and a red dot at the top. We kept our eye out for it so she could tell me what it meant. It ended up being a stripped pole (no spiral) with an orange dot. Ha ha ha. I guess I was still dizzy from the flight.
We were busy straight away. We toured Papatoetoe, looked at some rental homes, visited the school, set up a car rental, and walked around the main street. Once we actually laid down in bed it was the best thing in the world. We don’t have any access to the internet in our Motel or even a phone, I am just writing everything down for when we go to a hot spot. It’s terribly slow here, so it’s best that I write it separately to copy and paste later.
Today is Thursday, Wednesday for you though. We are getting our rental car this morning and sealing the deal for a flat. We have a banana tree in the back yard! We will also get unlimited grape fruit and oranges from a lady at the school! The fruit here is so cheap and incredibly good. The air is so fresh and crisp. It was raining this morning and the sun was shining. The rain is so different too. It’s like a light mist, it rains slow and soft. I know that sounds weird, but it’s the only way I can think to describe it.
I’m not sure exactly what you can put in your prayers for us, we are just so grateful to the Lord for bringing us this far safe and sound. That’s it for now.
Hey I'm ON!!
Wow, finally I am able to update you all. I walked to the Library in the rain with Lorri:) So this will be worth it. I also waited 45 minutes for the computers. The following posts are what I have written along the way. It's very lengthy, but hopefully you don't mind. We love you all and thank you for all your prayers!!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Hello Outside World!!
I have a lot already written out that I have been adding up since we arrived in New Zealand. We found a place that we could get internet but they already had computers and we didn't bring hookups for our computer. Maybe by next week we will have pictures and the whole update on our week here.
WE love you all and thank you for your prayers.
You will hear more later!
WE love you all and thank you for your prayers.
You will hear more later!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Everything is good to go!!
God is so good!! Everything is ready. Lorri's passport came in the mail today. That was the last thing that needed to happen that could have held us up. We are all set!!
We have really enjoyed our time here in Indiana. Four more days left in the United States. Monday morning we drive to Chicago to catch our first flight. We have to be at the air port by 4:00am. We arrive in LA at 8:45am, our next flight isn't until 9:00pm.
We are so excited that this is really happening. Thank you for all your prayers!!
We have really enjoyed our time here in Indiana. Four more days left in the United States. Monday morning we drive to Chicago to catch our first flight. We have to be at the air port by 4:00am. We arrive in LA at 8:45am, our next flight isn't until 9:00pm.
We are so excited that this is really happening. Thank you for all your prayers!!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
In Indiana
I have been convinced to start a blog, so here it is for now. It may take me awhile to perfect it, but this will do.
Dale and I had a wonderful time in Wichita for Amy and Dave's wedding. We are now in Indiana spending time with family. We don't have any plans for the week, which feels great to just hang out. We sold our car yesterday, another thing to check off the list. We have a list that we have made for leaving the United States, so each big detail is a relief to check off.
Dale got his FBI check back in the mail, praise the Lord! We had been praying about that most. We are now waiting and praying for Lorri's passport to come before Monday.
God has been so good to us and everything seems to be coming together for our move.
Dale and I had a wonderful time in Wichita for Amy and Dave's wedding. We are now in Indiana spending time with family. We don't have any plans for the week, which feels great to just hang out. We sold our car yesterday, another thing to check off the list. We have a list that we have made for leaving the United States, so each big detail is a relief to check off.
Dale got his FBI check back in the mail, praise the Lord! We had been praying about that most. We are now waiting and praying for Lorri's passport to come before Monday.
God has been so good to us and everything seems to be coming together for our move.
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