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!! 

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! 

The Power of Breakfast

Here on base there is no cooked breakfast. Instead everyone fends for themselves and gets cereal and toast. SO I decided to try to change it up for a day and sure enough i got the go ahead. This morning we made pancakes, eggs and had yogurt and fruit! It was so fun to see how a little thing like breakfast could make a difference. 


It has started to rain here... ALOT! It reminds me of the African monsoons that I washed my hair in, because when the rain comes... it pours! So we are quite thankful for our rain jackets. 


A few things I have learned here... 
nappies= diapers
rubbish= trash
porridge= oatmeal
trolley= shopping cart
We have had such good times laughing as things get misunderstood by our new friends. Last night Rich asked a student how many burgers he had and he replied I have one brother and two sisters. The whole table busted up laughing and we joked about it for probably a good twenty minutes. So good to laugh. This last week was an intense week with the speaker. Many did not see eye to eye. We are praying for this week to be smoother and good relationship between the speaker, students and staff. 


I am missing home a bit. Silly thing- yesterday we were in town. I found Greek yogurt! Mom I couldn't help myself and thought of you :) Also  I picked up "drinking chocolate" while in town. I was so excited for my sweet little treat. Only to find out that their "drinking chocolate" is nothing like ours back home! Crazy! They don't have hot chocolate here... so send away my friends! Hot cocoa to the rescue! :) I miss more than food obviously! Please write or email! Send pictures or write about your lives! I love and miss you all!  


Our Name 
YWAM Oak Ridge
Wairere Road RD 1
Paparoa, Northland 0571
New Zealand


Benjamin is growing fast. I wish my camera was working because I would take a picture of his now very pronounced two bottom teeth! They are so cute! :) I have switched to cloth diapers since we have been here and man does it make for a bulky bottom. He had to go up a size in all his pants! haha! Please be praying for his tummy. He seems to have caught some kind of flu bug. I am sure it will pass but it makes for lots of laundry and a worn out mommy. 


I have to go get the speaker's room ready while Benjamin naps. I will try to blog soon! 

A day of adventure off the base!

Hey so on Saturday I took my first day off the base. It was some much needed air and city time! We went about 40 minutes out of Whangerie ( almost 2 hours from base) on a hike up a mountain. I can't remember the name- I am thinking it was Mount Manaie or something like that. It was a very intense hike! So steep! Staircase after staircase, but the view at the top was amazing!! Here are some pictures!

The first view point ( Richard, Benjamin, Linda and Par- a couple from Sweden)

Hiking through beauty... 

There were crazy cool trees and vines. 

Halfway- doesn't it look like a postcard?

Did I mention my love hate relationship with these staircases? There are four zigzagging back and forth in this picture. 

At the top and someone is tuckered out. He wore a bandana to protect his sweet little head. 

My sweet man at the top! 

We made it! That is ocean below behind us... 

On the way down

Off the path :) 

All done! Benjamin's bandana got twisted and I went to fix it but he was so happy I had to grab a picture. 

This is from the parking lot. We climbed it!!

After the hike my camera oddly died.. luckily I was still able to upload photos but these may be the last ones, since I no longer have a working camera :(. From the hike we headed to the beach for a couple hours. So pretty. Sunshine and a slight breeze made for a perfect day.  Benjamin even got to put his toes in the sand, but he didn't like the water. Rich went body surfing with the guys and we ended with fish & chips and L&P ( A New Zealand soda that is delicious! It reminds me of gingerale, but it is lemony. It is hard to describe but it is refreshing and the perfect thing for fish and chips)

We stopped for about an hour in Whangerie to pick up some groceries and we got  nappy pail for Benjamin's cloth diapers. Then we made the ride home. We were all exhausted after a good long hike, a sunfilled afternoon at the beach and then a long ride home. Today we are taking it easy until the students get back this  afternoon.

Goodbye... Hello!

I figured I could write a post or I could just post pictures since you all want to see... :) First a few pictures of Goodbyes then Hello New Zealand!

A happy little packer!

Sister Love! :) 

 Sweet little family...

 I have the most amazing mom I could ask for. Such an incredible support and friend. Also an excellent packer! I could not have done those last crazy days without you! Can't wait for your visit!

Gram and Pops!

HELLO NEW ZEALAND! 

 The view from our bedroom window! It is amazing! I think I said before that it is my favorite room in our house. So peaceful to wake up to the sun coming through the window.

 This is our front yard. This is seriously the coolest clothesline system I have ever seen! Also with the sun and heat my jeans dried in less than two hours!

This is our ramshackel kitchen... it needs some love. Their was flooding in the house so the whole downstairs is covered in mats and rugs. This bamboo one is my favorite. They are going to put new carpet and floors in sometime soon I hope, but if not then dad its all you when you come! :) In fact there is lots you could help with when you come! 

This is the front entrance to our house.The top windows are our bedroom! 

I like this tree and look at it every morning. 

This is the side view. It  is such an odd looking house. I guess it used to be a barn. The top windows are Benjamin's room. I haven't done much with his room since I have done most the unpacking while he sleeps. 

SO there you have a few pictures! Please comment so I know if this is getting read and is worth my time to post on here. Plus I miss home and would love to hear from you all!