in pieces

Leigh got some cheap tickets through work...and so we invited Sarah and Justin along to my FIRST EVER "aussie rules" football game. It was fantastic! Our team, unexpectedly won, which made it all the more of an enjoyable experience. Plus we were only 8 rows from the field...so we were close to all the action. And action there was! Mostly from the extremely "passionate" Collingwood fans that were surrounding us. After the game, we checked out the new batman movie - The Dark Knight, and lost $2 at the casino (I know, high rollers!) All in all, a great day in a beautiful city!

I love the sun. I know Australia is in a drought and continues to need more rain. But when it's sunny, I'm so happy. I'm especially glad it was out today - cause this morning I ended up getting up late, and I broke an egg on the floor, and dropping a cooked one later... Then I choked on the stupid thing when I finally got around to eating it. Leigh was standing behind me ready to do the Heimlech or whatever the new name of that procedure is called now. It was not a good morning - and I was tempted to return to bed, but the sun was out - and I had to get it on my face.

A month ago, I had a dream, and when I sat down to write it down, it came out like this... A New Mother Deep down in my soul I'm crying out and echoes play in my ears. Once more it goes! The sharpest pain has come again - strong, with the wind. Unknowing Unnerving and Powerful. I find a deep pool Where the placid waters lap the wanting shores I'm swimming, hiding in the bottom I hear singing...or is it someone crying? Peace for one moment. Then all of a sudden I'm wracked with pain. I can't hear, I'm gasping. Yet, there's yelling. Words piercing FOCUS!! Breathe Could I forget? Then, there you are with bewildered eyes Wild. Drowning just below the surface I wonder how to save your anxiousness. I turn. In your darkest hour I can't help you. I console myself with desperate threads You'll be all right. I hope I'm right. I hear screaming It's me. There's pain, tugging, nagging. Deep sensations. Fear Ignorance This is no where close to bliss. I c...

I wonder why God made me sooooo emotional. I am always surprised at how even keeled Leigh can be in almost every situation. There are times that I get so angry that it even surprises me. I sometimes feel like I am outside of my body when I'm like this. I mean who is that crazy lady yelling? Oh - it's me, weird. Then there are days that I'm so happy I'm sure I could burst. Nothing can bring me down. Life is good and pure, and I see things that I don't normally see - like how amazingly blue the sky can be.... Nothing can stand in the way of my joy. It's amazing how extreme I can be - (and no I'm not pregnant to any of the smartie pants out there that wonder if I am!) I guess that I am just passionate. But is there a difference between being super passionate about something, and being super emotional about something? I have had to try to find the balance in between. This is what I've come to think... Passion is unchanging whereas Emotions can ch...

Well we have been here in Australia now for over 6 months. I can't believe how quickly it has flown by. Leigh and I are doing great. We are loving it here and are finally beginning to really settle in. I'm realizing how long it takes for me in that. When we were a part of YWAM in Canada, I was always on the verge of being ready to "go". It was fabulous. But now when I have a clear indication that I'm supposed to "not go", it proves to be somewhat difficult to "not" go somewhere. I just about exploded when work had a training conference in Melbourne (1.5hrs away) and I was able to "go" somewhere for one day. Weird how easily you get used to things.

My cousin Asha and her husband just MADE a game! And they are selling in stores now. Check out their website. When they were out to visit a couple months ago, we got to give 'er a go, and had some "reel" fun! LOL! Oh that was funny... Anywhoo - tell your family, tell your friends, tell your friends friends, and by all means don't forget your enemies...they're great opponents to play against.

BALLARAT POST OFFICE 5) The POSTAL SERVICE is great here. Sending parcels to Canada is much cheaper than sending them from Canada...And the mail (man/woman) deliver the mail in cool orange vests and bomb around on fancy orange motor bikes... 4) Cheese is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP , and so is lamb. However, be prepared to pay out your nose for anything else edible. After all we are on an island. 3) WATER is a precious precious commodity. You realize this when you have to use your "laundry water" to water your front lawn. (as an aside 2 loads covers the entire front lawn - 3 to also water the trees) As a secondary side....clothes dryers are rare- everything is hung on the line. Also, I'm still having to learn that it's ok to drink rain water - EVERYONE does it - and it's supposed to be better for you than regular town water. Acid Rain has been etched into my brain from a young age...Hard to unlearn that one. 2) Most common phrase I say: KEEP LEFT! That'...

I have so many things to be grateful for. I can't believe that it was only a couple years ago, when I dug in my heels and said ,"NO way God, I don't want to go to Australia." And like a child said, "I hate it there!" To show how emphatic I was, and that I truly meant it, I took some time to scream at Leigh about it (not because he was making me go, but because he was, in a way, connected, and of course "wildly responsible" for it) I knew in my heart that I didn't hate it here, but I hated the fact that I could have to change. I like comfort. Of course after many years serving in a mission organization where you MUST learn to adapt, you either become good at it, or good at hating it - depending on your experiences. I think in some way, deep down, I knew that it was right that we come here, and I felt somehow frustrated that this was "God's Best" for me. I guess it could be traced back to adolescent days, when I bloody-well...

So this is a post for those of you who know our friend BEN COOMBE! We just spent 24 hours hanging out with Ben, and had a great time together. He came over to our house, Tuesday afternoon, and we literally didn't stop talking 'til he left Wednesday afternoon. It was good to reminisce about our days in YWAM...to catch him up to speed on the most recent happenings, to be caught up to speed on his most recent happenings, and to spent lots of time talking about what could be next (for all of us) It is really refreshing to talk with someone that knows you. I liked talking about deeper things, about dreams, and just laughing together. Ben STILL makes me laugh just as much as he used too...but somehow he doesn't seem to be as crass! Maybe he is growing up? SCARY! We even were able to Skype with Wade and Jo, and Ben got to see his God-daughter Eleanor for the first time! He said he was trying not to cry the whole time! aawww (I'm letting all his secrets out now!) He ha...