Sydney Aquarium

On our free day in Sydney, our family went the aquarium. It was a great place for kids with "tubes" to view the animals all around . . . this was likely Caleb's favorite place so far. I am especially proud of the picture where the shark is eating his arm. ;)

Aboriginal tour on the Rocks

We were blessed to take a tour with Aboriginal guides along the Rocks of the Harbour. The guide did a great job telling us of her heritage and its culture. The guide painted the students' and kids' faces before demonstrating native dances. It was a fun time for all who participated and watched!

Glimpses into our tours.

In addtion to our Barracks tour, our first full day was at St. Mary's Cathedral, the Museum of Sydney, and a showing of Wicked. We were not allowed to take pictures at any of these locations . . . here's proof we were there! :)

So much to see, so little time.

One of our earliest tours was at the Convict Barracks that housed the earliest settlers to Australia. It was sobering to get the glimpse of how the people who built this country lived.

The hammock picture showed how they slept during the earliest days. (And I am complaining about the queen sized bed in the apartment?) There was a chance for dress-up, and Ali was a little uncertain about it. There was a listing of the early convicts housed in the barracks. Nathan's great, great, great, great Uncle Thomas was among them! :) Then, the kids got to see a mummy-fied rat followed by a live one. It was SUCH fun!

Just sailing . . .

The first week was full of touring and seeing historical sites. Our first outing was a cruise of Sydney Harbour on Captain Cook's boat. It was such a fun time for everyone, especially the kiddos. The gulls were constant companions who entertained throughout the ride.

Sydney!

After a LONG flight to Sydney, we were welcomed by Pam Little and her granddaughter Georgia. They have become great friends of ours already.

Safe travels . . .

We have it safely to Australia last week. I'll start the blog with the beginning of the trip . . . we stayed with my folks the weekend before we left. They took us to the airport and waited until we got checked in at the gate. There was a mix up with the visas, so the process took longer than expected. But, we began the journey (and I use that term intentionally) with the Adams and 10 students. Let the fun begin!

Australia, here we come!

It's here. The bags are packed. The house is clean. We'll say our family good-byes at dinner tonight. My folks will drive us to the airport on Monday. We are here . . . We will spend the first several days in Sydney. I am looking forward to seeing the Opera House, 'Wicked', my first rugby game, and viewing part of the Outback. I must say the week will be an amazing introduction to life overseas. Please pray that we'll adjust to the time change with little difficulty. Pray that the kiddos are able to stay up with the demands on their little bodies. Pray that I can "roll with things" and adjust as needed. Pray that each student is safe and drawn closer to God. Pray that we are safe and healthy. Pray that we, as a family, grow closer to one another and make amazing memories. Pray for those left behind who will miss us, especially the little people! Next post will be from Australia! Good day!

House sitters

Well, finding house sitters has been an adventure. With two dogs and a cat, just closing up the house was not an option. I was becoming distraught to find someone to house sit in January. Then God did what he always does and provided the "perfect" scenario. A friend and her family were in the process of building a home and hoped to sell their house at summer's end, house sit for us in the fall, and move into their newly completed home as we arrived home in December. Perfect! However, with the housing market what it is, my friend's home was not selling. It became apparent that her family would be committed to caring for three homes and making three payments if they were to house sit for us. We wanted to absolve them of that commitment. Early one Thursday morning in early August, we confirmed our need to find another alternative. Nathan and I began to post the need on our various networking sites. We had about a month to find a solution. Could we do it? Well, no we couldn't, but God could and did in about five hours. Neale and Dalisa Bryan had their plans change suddenly and found themselves in need of housing for the fall semester. He is in HU for additional minister training, and Dalisa hoped to stay home with their daughter Ellie. By the moving of God's hand, I got Neale's cell number, made the call, had him look at our house (he just happened to be in town), and confirmed their commitment to take care of things here all in about five hours. Wow . . . God did it again.

Almost there . . .

It's Saturday morning, September 4th, and the house is quiet. My kiddos are next door at my parents' house to allow uninterrupted cleaning and packing. Nathan and I have been working diligently over the last three days to get the house ready for the Bryans who will be house sitting for us. As is always the case, this kind of deep cleaning is a humbling experience. Just earlier in the week, I took four bins of unneeded kids clothes to the local consignment sale. Then, Nathan has taken out five lawn bags of trash just in 48 hours. HOW DID WE ACCUMULATE SO MUCH STUFF? How did my house get so junky? How can I ever complain or want for anything? We are SO blessed. Also today, I am hugging my family a little tighter. A daddy, husband, son, and friend was killed in a helicopter accident he was piloting. I'll always remember watching the early morning news reports of the accident (prior to the victims' names being released) and telling Nathan that it might have been Kenny on the flight. I went to school with Kenny, and Nathan has had his wife Angie in class. Then, reality hit as I read condolences on Angie's Facebook page. I realized once again how fleeting life is . . . although a somewhat sensational end to a precious life, I know it is more likely that my family will be in a car accident on the way home from school. How could I ever grumble or complain about my lot in life? May Kenny's life continue to be a testament to all that is right and good. So, as I write today in the midst of my travel preparations, I am so thankful for life, for my family, for my dear friends, for my abundant material blessings, for our health, and for a God who makes it all possible.