In the land of Oz

Okay, so I’m going to blog this before too many days go by and too much has happened and I can’t catch up anymore. I’ll skip right over the weeks of work and packing leading up to this long-awaited trip to Australia –to visit Darren’s homeland and family. Although I do have to tell this one thing about the few hours before we drove to the airport: we had ordered a set of walkie-talkies over the internet the day before we left & they were supposed to get to us the day we flew. It got down to the wire, to the point where we were praying & had all the kids join us in prayer for them to arrive. Desperate enough, I went for a run in the neighborhood 1 hour before our departure time and ended up chasing down a UPS truck to see if they had the package for us. –They didn’t, but long story short, that did lead to the truck with our package arriving at our door at the exact appointed time that we were going to drive out to the airport. That was cool.  Qantas was a great travel experience in itself. A very child-friendly airlines, they had all kind of fun stuff for kids to do, including special kids meals, a “The Wiggles” backpack full of activities, a special basinet for Evie to sleep in, and great kid entertainment shows for the kids to view & listen to on their own personal TV and headphones. Their menu wasn’t bad, and Darren and I got to enjoy some nice complimentary Australian wine just before dozing off to sleep for the night. (The kids and Evie slept great on the flight. And we even caught some ZZ’s. Praise God!)   Dad and Trevor (10) picked us up at the airport and brought us “home”. “Home” is almost paradise: On five acres of lush green, the house is just part of a huge vibrant yard. There are tall-as-you’ve-ever-seen Eucalyptus trees (on which dad has made some of his “highest-ever” rope swings), a pool, a pond with good-fishing and a quaint bridge to a small island, an assortment of wild ducks, tennis court & basketball & a view to the neighbors beautiful horses. The beckoning beauty is worth waking up early for every morning.  

All of the kids are loving it here and have quickly attached themselves to Grandpa and Grandma & their uncles and aunts. It’s worked out so nicely for Evan, who is sandwiched right between two uncles who are just his age. –Gavin who is seven years old and born the same year as

Evan, and Trevor who just turned 10 and will be celebrating his birthday in a double-birthday-party with

Evan on the 23^rd of March. Dad and Mom are wonderful, beautiful people.  Grandpa has a way of being with the children that is just beautiful –he’s always stopping to show and teach them different things. They go out with him in the morning as soon as they wake-up to feed the birds here. –And these aren’t pigeons or sparrows, but cockatoos and parrots & all kinds of big beautiful native Australian birds.   So far, in the morning the kids join grandpa as he gives devotions to their uncles and aunts, then grandpa teaches his kids school in the morning. In the afternoon, everyone play tennis, rope swing, go fishing, watch the horses, etc., and Mom (grandma) and I, sit and have tea and talk together for maybe an hour before she cooks dinner for everyone. We’re catching up on many years, and I’m learning a lot about Darren along the way (nice for me).  

It’s been so good to see Phil! –And Theresa, Justin, and Anne’s little “pink” girl Allie, is a sweet thing.   We’re very much enjoying the relaxed pace, and the accepting, welcoming spirits of our family here.  Tomorrow we’ll visit some friends (Paul and Joy and co.) and the day after that we’ll travel into Sydney by train and begin to visit the list of places we have tagged as “must-see”. It should be very educational. We’re excited. But whew, tired.  (Thanks Mishy and Mom for driving us to the airport, and thank you dear Nana for making it possible for us to make this trip. Thanks to our loved ones at Home, also! We miss you!)