BACK TO THE FUTURE! Josh & Lindsey are HOME!

THE KIWIS HAVE LANDED!!!

Our Kiwi Kids, Josh and Lindsey, are home safe and sound after a 22 hour journey from Wellington, New Zealand.  Thank the Lord they had a safe trip and are fine and dandy!  We picked them up from DFW last night and probably everyone got to bed around 1:30 or 2:00 a.m.  

We couldn't stop kissing and hugging them!  They were probably thinking, "OK, that's good - 'nuff hugs and kisses for now..." 

"Back to the Future" - they left New Zealand on Tuesday and arrived in Texas on Tuesday - they went back across the International Date Line and got here on Tuesday!  Isn't that wild???

They were exhausted after that long trip, but all smiles and happy, and there were lots of tears from both sets of parents.  Lindsey was a little teary, too, tho - she was tired and SO happy to see her family!

And happy tears are the BEST!

Lindsey's sweet sister and her two little precious boys, and her parents were thrilled to see their "baby girl"!

Her mom had American flags and red/white/blue leis for the kids and we all welcomed them back to the good ole U S of A (and especially to the Great State of TEXAS :)!!!

I imagine they'll be sleeping and resting today (and maybe tomorrow!), but I know that we'll be spending some fun times together here in the next few days.  We've got LOTS of catching up to do!

(and more hugging and kissing!)

And seeing what's next on the radar for Josh and Lindey's next Big Adventure!

Keep yer dress down!

UPDATE on My Kiwi Kids

Lindsey and Josh have updated their blog on their travels in New Zealand.  They've still got some catching up to do, but they are settled now and should be updated more frequently - I know they'd enjoy your visits!  The link is on my sidebar OR go here --->   http://joshandlindseynz.blogspot.com/
Thanks!

I'll be back in a day or two ~~~  Peace out!

Christmas At Our Little Farmhouse...

I'm beginning to see a light at the end of the holiday tunnel.  All but a smidgeon of shopping is done and wrapped, all parties have been attended including church parties, visits have been made to friends, and now we're in count-down mode.  Our big family get-together is next weekend on Friday.  The sister and her family and my two available kids and their "others" are going to be here. Well, actually at Mom & Dad's.

I've been looking at all your Christmas decorations and wish that I had room for some more...but we're doing good to have space for our tree!  Also, I just don't have space to store Christmas decorations at this little place.  So we are pretty sparse on decor right now. I opted for my artificial tree this year instead of a real one. It's pretty slim and I needed slim.

I've been reading some of your blogs about getting sparkles on your Christmas lights. I got a few on my tree in the photos but I have no idea how I did it, and I couldn't find my strainer... Vee explains it all...

Our ornaments are a combination of the kids' homemade ones, and my mom and me both got a new ornament for each of them every year and they're all dated with their names on them.  I cannot throw out those fragile frayed little ornaments made from cork and milk bottle lids and pipe cleaners. They are precious!

And my little fireplace and my old painting print...

And my cute little Putz house, rather church, that I got at Marshall's - it's a pale green, it's hard to tell, but it is SO cute!  I love it.  I was going to make one or some, but I think I'm running out of time now... This one even lights up.

They had some white ones, too, but they weren't near as cute - maybe I'll run across another one someplace if I don't get to make one.  I need some fluffy snow and stuff around it...

Here is my pie safe in my little bitty kitchen.  I've got some of my candles from Becky at Hospitality Lane - they are great soy candles and they've been burning since I got 'em before Thanksgiving. It smells like I've been preparing holiday yummies for the last month!

I got a box of goodies off to the Kiwi Kids this week.  Think I paid close to $60 to ship a small box of gift items to Josh and Lindsey in New Zealand.  By the way, on my sidebar, there's a picture and a link to the kids' blog, Adventures in New Zealand.  Please go over and check them out.  Lindsey is doing a great job of writing - I feel like I'm right there with them!  And they are taking such wonderful pictures of the beauty there. I hope Tony and I are able to go for a visit next spring sometime.  They need some followers, guys!  They hope to keep up the blog with pictures and then have it printed when they get back to have a record of their adventure. That would be a great keepsake.

Well, peace out!  

Keep your holiday dress down!

News From Down Under...

Well, they're mighty close to "down under".  Josh and Lindsey that is.  Arrived safely in Auckland, NZ, and have been staying with some church members in Wellington on the southern coast.  It's 6:31 pm CST here as I write, and it's 1:31 pm NZ time but it's Monday already there.  They spent Sunday with the church there and Josh said there were some Christians there from Malaysia that owned a nice restaurant downtown and they all went there for Sunday dinner.  The folks there have just been SO hospitable to them and have helped them get their bank account, cell phone, and car registration done.  This would have been alot harder to figure out without all their help. Tony and I are SO grateful to them!  And another wonderful Christian family took them under their wing, fed them, and took them sight-seeing, Antony and Jeanette.  Their beautiful pup, Toby, joined them on their treks.  Hope we get to meet some of these wonderful folks IN PERSON with we go visit!!!

They are having a ball, suffering from some jet lag, but in great spirits.  Today is Monday over there.  In about an hour, they will take the auto ferry over to the south island and head to Nelson for the night, and continue on to Hamner Springs Tuesday where they will check out their first jobs!  I saved a few pictures for you.  Josh and Lindsey said it's the prettiest place they've EVER been.

borrowed this photo from Jeanette...

(above) The Harbor at Wellington where they stayed.

I'll just let you look, as most of these scenes are in and around Wellington...

Here's my two Kiwi Kids with Jeanette and Anthony's border collie, Toby.  I love this picture that Jeanette took.  She takes great photos... They look like native Kiwis!  (whatever native Kiwis look like...)    ;)

Momma is doing okay.  After they got there safely and were on terra firma again, and after we've talked to them via Skype several times, and after they got hooked up with some Christian brethren and sistren - well, I'm doing okay.  It was tough on me and Lindsey's mom at the airport watching our babies check their luggage and head on off to the checkpoints.  The dads were great and they let us shed some tears and have several goodbye hugs and kisses and waves --- oh please, just one more hug!  I'm so glad they have each other, too.  They are so perfectly matched and compliment each other to a T. I'm not worried about them - they are in good hands - the Lord can take care of them much better than I can.  I just have to let go and let Him do His job.  It's getting easier, really it is.

Ok, that's all for tonight.  Sorry  I've been absent so long - hey, it's the season - well, almost...  Catch ya later!  Keep your dress down!

Bon Voyage, Josh & Lindsey!

I have a big announcement to make...it's been in the works for some time now, and all the final details have been handled!  And if I make it public, then I guess it's really gonna happen!!!

My son, Josh, and his beautiful wife, Lindsey, are moving to New Zealand!

Gulp...  I still can't believe it.  They are planning on staying a year to work, travel, and work with the Lord's church wherever they may be.  They have made contacts with missionaries that are supported by Lindsey's home congregation and our church recently  began sponsoring another group over there in Auckland, NZ. Things have  come together rapidly and smoothly -- I believe there were some "God coincidences" at work here!  They've made many contacts with the Christians there in the church and have offers of employment and lodging already! They are both very giving and loving people and have hopes of doing humanitarian efforts especially on the south island where there was an earthquake awhile back.  No telling what they'll wind up doing!

They leave next Tuesday and this mother and dad are excited and have heavy hearts at the same time.  I know Lindsey's parents are feeling the same as  Tony and I are.  Their house is empty - everything is in storage (imagine all those new wedding gifts), and they are SO anxious to leave. They are packed and ready to go.  I know they'll miss all their family back home, but this is something they've both wanted to do for a long time.  And it's an awesome time in their young lives to go!  We wouldn't feel NEAR as comfortable with their decision if they didn't already have some good Christian people over there to welcome them and help them to get on their feet!

We asked them if there weren't a farther-from-home place in the world they'd like to go.  They couldn't think of one.

I'd appreciate your prayers for their safety as they fly and move about in New Zealand, for good health while gone, that they will make strong and lasting friendships with the Christians there, and that they will grow closer as a couple and grow spiritually in ways that they've never dreamed of before.  May they help edify and strengthen the Christians and churches that they work with and may the Lord grow them in His grace.  And  please pray for their parents to be supportive and encouraging and not miss them too awfully much!

Oh and by the way, we named our new pup Gypsy - since she was a stray.  We think it's fitting.  She seems to like it.  Thank you for your prayers.