Belated Blog: Rich's First Father's Day

This is so late... But we had such a wonderful father's day. We drove about 30 minutes to Pahi Beach, home of the largest fig tree in the southern hemisphere. Here are some pictures of our great day!

My friend Kayla and me hanging out in the tree

Rich and Isi way up in the tree...

So Kayla and I had to try

Perfect little family of three! 

Eat Ham, No Thank You Mam!

Ok bacon lovers don't freak out yet... 

While in New Zealand we lived next to a pig farmer or rather a cattle farmer who had pigs. One way that we partnered with him was by putting all of our food scraps into buckets that Farmer Dave would collect every day or two. 

After weeks of sending stinky, gross and sometimes moldy buckets of scraps I started to think about the ham, bacon and pork we were eating. If the pigs were eating that ^ then do I really want to put that into my body let alone the amount of fat and salt often found in pig meat. 

So my family is going off of pig!! Don't get me wrong I will make an occasional exception like when at people's houses, but for now we are sticking to healthier meats. 

A long awaited update.

As some of you know Rich and I are back in the States. 


Our time in New Zealand was amazing but was not short of complications and hardships. We came home after feeling as if we could not stay under the leadership that we had been working with. Our visions for the ministry at the Oakridge base were vastly different. As we tried and hoped to merge those visions over the past four  months we found that is was a constant and uphill battle, so we have gone our separate ways. 


 We greatly thank all of you who have walked along side us and supported us as we have reached for our dreams. We have made lasting relationships with the students and know that we went for a purpose and reason. If you have any further questions for Rich or I feel free to email us. 


As for right now  we are in Portland and trying to adjust to life back in America. We are soaking in time with family and friends as we put together the pieces of what we have learned. 

And they are off!!!

Then students have left the base. They are off to their outreach phase now. The couples school has a split outreach between Tasmania and Samoa. The adventure crew are headed to Cambodia.

It is hard to believe that we have already been here almost three months and although I have tried to keep updates on the blog I have recently come to realize that I had been talking about all our excursions and haven't begun to share of the life and growth here on base. So I will try to be better and catch you up.

Rich and I were able to connect and build friendships with the adventure group. We had a blast and laughed a lot but we also were able to talk through deep pain and brokenness. I love to bring light into the dark places and that is what a lot of our time was about. Bringing love and light to the life of our students. We went to lectures alongside them( I missed many due to a certain little boy :) So we learned so much as we just lived life with them. We are still in the process of transitioning. We miss them already and find that it is so quiet with them all gone...

Some of the group at a barndance. 

Rich with the whole group before they went caving. 

We have had our highs and lows here on base that is to be sure as we adjust to a new environment, new country, and a new way of life living with new people and a new schedule. Lots of "new"s. It only makes sense that there are days off at the beach that I can't believe I am looking at such a beauty and then come home to find a mouse in our house ( which I am told is normal... we haven't caught our little Stuart Little, but I will keep you posted.) We are so glad to have been a part of this school and we continue to pray as we take each day one at a time.

We are in the process of  putting an email update together so keep a look out for it.

ROADTRIP!

As many of you know Rich and I LOVE a good roadtrip so what could be bette than a roadtrip in New Zealand!!

This weekend we headed down to another YWAM base in MataMata( about 4 hours south of Oakridge). Our whole staff went for a YWAM NZ gathering. A wonderful gathering of staff from all the five bases in New Zealand. Somehow in all the planning on travel arrangements it worked out that our little family got our own car for the trip! Woohoo family time! It was so amazing to drive through the beautiful country side, listen to good music, with the company of my love and my little man chatting in the back seat.

We got to the base and had a great time meeting people from all different bases. I loved getting to hear about all the things that YWAM is doing in New Zealand. It was great to feel some new life and fresh warmth. We really connected with some cool people.

After the conference we went into the town of Mata Mata. An adorable place that is known for the Hobbiton film set in the Lord Of The Rings movies. We had fun and I was a total tourist. Here is a lovely and lengthy group of pictures of our fabulous time!

This is Janet. She and her husband Stuart hosted Rich back when he was hitchhiking New Zealand after his DTS. They are incredible people. 

Waiting for lunch... 

My boys in the old swimming pool building. 

The gathering. Listening to John Dawson speak. 

The Mata Mata YWAM base

Firth Tower- it is old and awesome- wikipedia it! 

Benjamin LOVES to go on his daddy's shoulders

I mean seriously LOVES it!!!! 

So this is at the Hobbiton booking center... since it costs like 80 bucks to go to the actual tour I settled for this awesome shot and dream of the real doorways :) 

My boy is just so cute!

Happy little hobbits

At a park... 

Crazy boys

Yup, I am a tourist... ha!

cool tree!

Rich has special shock wave powers with lattes... 

Driving on the right side of the car and the left side of the road... such a champ! 

New Zealand countryside!

Rolling hills

Sleeping cutie pie

Auckland drive through... 

So glad to be back at Oakridge... time to rest up for my first Mother's Day!! 

Skydiving!!

I am finally getting around to posting pictures from Rich's skydiving trip. The Adventure DTS is so sweet and just two days before their planned trip they gifted Rich so he could come with them! What a fun blessing!   here it goes.

Rich getting all harnessed in for the jump. 

Checking out the plane. 

Getting instructions on positioning for the jump. I was more than a little nervous. 

Family picture before the jump! 

All packed in the plane and ready to go!

Takeoff!

We spot the plane in the sky... waiting to see them jump. 

Up in the clouds. 

"Yay his parachute opened"

(commence normal breathing :) 

Love this one! 

Getting close!

LAND! 

Special thanks to Joceline and Hanne for taking awesome pictures! 

Possum Hunting

Here is New Zealand possum hunting is a big thing! It is halarious and I am still shocked when I here gunfire in the night. Possums here don't look like ones back home. They look more like a squirrel here because they have fluffy tails. Possums are a huge pest to the farming areas so around here it is a  big deal. Don't worry they don't eat them!

A few weekends ago Rich got to go with some students. They were all so proud. All seven of them shot a possum! Here is a pic of Rich....

Whangerie Falls

I know a blog update is long overdue, so first I will blog about our day yesterday.

Rich has been staffing the Adventure DTS. What a fun group they are and we are loving getting to hang out with them! We all went into Whangerie for the morning yesterday to get groceries and whatnot. Then we headed just out of the city to a beautiful walk. The hike is only 30 or so minutes each way but it is so great! You see so much beauty everywhere you look. I nabbed some pictures that the students took to give you an idea of what it was like. :) 

First some of the guys went on a rope swing into the water! It was quite cold so we just watched. This is Chris. 

This is Whangerie Falls! The mist was intense! And Benjamin loved it of course!

Our little family. 

Rich with Isikeli, Aaron, Sosefo, and Sammi! 

Benjamin is waking up, so I had better but will try to write later!