I'm Back!

Hello world, I'm back in Michigan again. It was so hard to leave my beloved New Zealand home, but it was most wonderful to see my sister again. This was the longest we had ever been apart in our lives (well, except for her being born before me, but that doesn't count!) So it is great to be spending the summer with her (and everyone else here in MI)!

And don't worry, I haven't left the adventures in New Zealand! They have come with me! Today after our picnic lunch, we went out hunting for a Lorax…we decided they must be shy, because we couldn't find one so we left some nice grass bundles as a gift by a tree and will go back out to search for him tomorrow…if you didn't know, I'm not losing my mind, I just hang out with 2 little boys all day. =)

Jetlag is trying to get me, but with no time to rest I think I've got it outsmarted this time (other than last night when I was up till 2am). But yeah, it's nice to be back. And it's a constant reminder to me that even though everything I can see is different God is the same. I love that!

Camp - joys and struggles ;)

Jumpstart has been amazing so far! Currently the kids are in class which means I have some free time to prepare and relax. This week we have 14s, 15s, and one 16 year old here and there are 16 of them so it is crazy! But they are all super sweet and they're even starting to get used to us as their crazy leaders. =) Today one girl asked me why I had ever wanted dreads, I told her that I like them because they are big and crazy, and she said, "oh, like you!" Yes. Thank you, I will take that as a compliment I guess. 

But I do have one dilemma...it's something I have been struggling with all week actually. Let me tell you about it...

It's getting pretty cold here now (remember it's fall on this side of the world) and it gets down to freezing temps at night and we don't have central heating...we have a fire place. Anyway, in order to counter that cold I start the day off with a cup of tea before the fire is built. Then when Kelcey comes down she makes coffee and I have a cup of that too (camp leaders need their caffeine!)...at this point I am starting to warm up. Unfortunately, our bathroom is the coldest room in the whole house and drinking tea and coffee leads inevitably to a visit to the bathroom. Well, once I've been in the bathroom I'm cold all over again, and I have to go make a hot drink to warm up...you can guess what that leads to and how the cycle continues. It's really been a struggle for me. ;) 

Hehe, but really camp has been awesome! Keep the prayers coming, because we have another week after this one! 

Guilty of avoidance? …yes!

Wow, I am a horrible blogger, sorry world, I've just been avoiding you to be honest. As school was coming to an end it seemed to sad to admit it, so I could not bring myself to put it into words. But alas, it came anyway. Graduation was on June 23rd and it was beautiful. A few of us shared testimonies of what God has done in our hearts and lives this year, and I was honored to be one of the people to share. Though it was very hard to sum up my growth into just 5 minutes when God has been working non-stop these past 9 months. And it was also a challenge to get through a speech without bursting into tears, but I just thought about how we tricked most of our lecturers into trying a super sour lolly (candy) just to burst into a fit of laughter at their reactions and I made it through.

The next day I said goodbye to 5 of my best friends and now family members. Only God could count all of the tears that were shed by all of us! (I'm actually surprised our house didn't flood!) But while it hurt to say goodbye there was also joy in knowing that all that we've learned here will be spread out to 13 different places as we go. And that we are a forever family in Christ and He will be with us always...nothing can separate us from His love.

The weekend was weird and quiet and we were missing the 5 who left, but also the beginning of a new excitement as we began to prepare for the next two weeks. Those of us who stayed are hosting a camp for the next two weeks called Jumpstart. It's gonna be such a blast! We are adding 16 kids to the house, so it won't feel quiet and lonely anymore! Please be praying for and with us as we embark on this adventure. Pray that these kids would grow in the Lord and have the best week of their lives. That we would lead well with joy and love. That there would not be any injuries. That memories would be made. That nothing in the house breaks down. That we all stay warm (it's getting really cold over here!). 

Hopefully I'll post again soon and tell you how it's going, but if not, just keep praying! I'm most grateful for your prayers! And to those of you in MI see you in less than 2 weeks!

Happy Birthday To Me!

Well here we go… on the morning of my birthday this beautiful outfit was laid out for me to put on by my roommates. I wasn't quite sure what to do, but I put it on and got ready to embrace the day.

They said since my favorite color is rainbow I had to wear it all day and they decided to surround me with a rainbow too, and assigned everyone a color to wear all day.

After lunch they took me on a scavenger hunt that lasted all afternoon. 

All around our house and yard. I had to go to each person in the "family" to get clues or do something else.

No day is complete for me without a wheelbarrow ride these days

At one clue I stopped for a tea part with the boys

Later I had a clue that led me to a coffee date with Kelcey 

Jess played me a song on the piano 

The boys kept on making me hot drinks all day! I've never been so hydrated!

Card with Erica…I won…of course

Amy took me for a bike ride…the first one they let me go on since I ruined my foot…gonna say I didn't feel all that safe once Jess and Erica let go, but it was fun and I survived! 

Kelc did my nails 

And it ended with brownies and ice cream and games all evening. 

Broken but still going!

 Okay, so here's the story. Me and a couple friends went up there. It was a super fun hike and a great time hanging our legs over the edge and looking at the tiny trees below us as we ate lunch. It's on the far left of the picture below as well. These pictures were taken at my friend Drea's farm. Which is by far the most beautiful place on earth! 

 This was the view we enjoyed from the top! The beach below is their private beach on the farm. It's wonderful. We went swimming down there and swam under the arches! Wow! God is just so creative!

Unfortunately on the way back down we stopped to climb on some rocks and mine broke. =( I fell and landed on my ankle instead of my foot - I know, not smart! But yeah, it hurt really bad so I just laid down for a second so I wouldn't pass out or throw up or anything and then let the adrenaline kick in to get me down the mountain. I told my friends I'd be fine and we started down. I clenched my fists and kept my mouth shut and was glad that the weekend before I had been working with a girl paralyzed from the waist down who couldn't feel anything. I thanks God that I could feel even if it was pain. Eventually it was too much for Dave to bear and he said he would just carry me the rest of the way to the car, and that was nice. A couple of days later I went to a doctor and found out I chipped a bone, sprained my ankle, and tore a muscle. Now I'm babying it much more, BUT luckily the 'family' here does a great job of including me! Let me tell you about the latest 2 activities that I "couldn't do" but got to do anyway…

 

 We all went to a barn dance where they taught us to do line dancing. Most of my time was spent sitting on the hay laughing at everyone trying to figure out the footing.

But I couldn't not dance at all, so Matt gave me a piggyback ride for one song!

 

We weren't exactly in step with everyone else, but it was fun! I did the hands clapping part and he did the feet. 

Then today we had another one of our 5k runs!

 This one was the "Decade Dash" because next weekend we are celebrating our school's ten year anniversary of being alive. So everyone wore a 10 for their number and we had runners, walkers, a biker, and me. It was a bit of a dilemma how they were going to get me on this thing. Dave was going to pull me in the trailer, but the trailer ended up being full of stuff, so we couldn't use it...

 So he pushed me in a wheelbarrow!

 And kept up with the runners while doing it!

The halfway point! 

Trying to take pictures while sitting in a wheelbarrow and getting pushed down a gravel road at a jogging pace makes them end up a little blurry.  

We made it to the end! 

I just love the family that I have here! It's hard for me to sit back and not do everything, but they help me to do it with them or sit by me when I can't. It has been such a blessing!

To end this off, here is our latest Awkward Family Photo for our 8th Banniversary! We only have one more left and then I'll be back in the States! So crazy!

Have You Ever Pet Wild Baby Seals?

This little guy was one of many who we stumbled upon when we stopped on the side of the road to add some water to the overheating car. We glanced down over the edge 

And saw that there were heaps of seals…and most of them were babies!

The boys climbed down first to see if they could touch them and the little guys were so friendly, and no big mean mama seals came to bite.

 

So then we all climbed down and pet them!

And others would come up to us and sniff our hands!

They were sooooo adorable! One of the many highlights of 2 week break!

Nine Years Ago

Nine years ago I thought I lost my mom to this river. 

Nine years ago I thought I was about to be really mad at God.

Nine years ago I was standing on that bridge screaming for my Mama.

Nine years ago my Mom survived.

Nine years ago God was still God.

Nine years ago God was still faithful.

Nine years ago I was confused.

Nine years ago God was in control.

Nine years ago I thought God messed up.

Nine years ago God was faithful.

Wanna know something cool??

Today God is faithful.

Today God is in control.

Today God is love.

Today God is just.

Today God has a plan.

Today you might not understand Him, but He understands you.

Today might not go as you plan, but God has a plan.

Today I thank God that my mom lived, but I also thank God that He allowed me to experience that horrible situation, because I learned from it. 

Today it's still hard to trust God with my family, but I choose to anyway.

Today I remember that God never changes, only we do. He's always the same no matter what our perspective is. He is God, we are not. Even if it doesn't go the way we want it, it goes according to His plan. He doesn't like that bad and sad things happen, but there is a reason He allows them...trust Him.