the last five weeks

As usual, in our NZ holidays, we haven't been regularly posting blogs... so I'm going to give you an overview of the last five weeks in NZ in one post.

We had lots of family time - with our parents/brothers/sisters etc.

We also had lots of holiday time camping and it was neat to develop good memories with Theresa in our family Kombi.

While the weather was usually (and apparently unseasonally, but it could just be a NZ thing) rainy, we did get a few good sunny beach days to relax in the white sand.

Had lots of fun at family camp. The studies were great - Thanks Pastors Tim and Peter. We were greatly encouraged by them and the fellowship with brothers and sisters. The cooks made the best camp pizza in the world... hmmm cream cheese. I still can't stop laughing from the Leenders' family skit. Martin and Moana and their 6.5 kids did an excellent job of portraying the common view of homeschooling. You had to be there, and next year you have to be there. Anyway, I especially enjoyed all the opportunities to dress up. I (Lauretta) came first in the Op Shop Catwalk. It was a blast, getting into a Audrey Hepburn style dress and putting my hair in a beehive. The kiwifruit chocolate that I won was also magnificent.

I couldn't resist getting into a different outfit for the 60s dinner.

Theresa, meanwhile, had a great time with both Omas and while she can't yet say that beloved name, she knows who they are (and her Opas of course, but Opas are usually a bit scary for 1 year olds).

We caught up with James and Paul in the Hawkes Bay. They're in NZ getting tractor operating experience. Jair hung out with them at BJ wreckers for a few days. I thought the weather was cold here, but evidently, they thought it was even colder!

Theresa's milestones in the last 5 weeks: Well, apart from meeting a whole lot of new people, sleeping in weird places again, she has got two new teeth, can run, walk backwards, can say "doh" (her term for DOG, includes lion statues) and has figured out her own safe way of getting down stairs - sliding on her bum, one step at a time.

So, that was the last five weeks. We've had a wonderful holiday and are feeling ready to go back to the Solomon Islands, although, no doubt in a month or so, we'll be feeling like we need to go on holiday again... But God's grace sustains us wherever we are, doesn't it.

One thing I have discovered on my sojourn to NZ, which is really quite a serious matter... you can buy marinated feta! Does anyone understand the implications of this? That means that someone could send feta to the Solomon Islands and it would arrive in a healthy, safe condition to be consumed by... well, me, I suppose. I would be a glad recipient ;) I do have a fetish for feta after all!