On a different note...

While John was here, he treated several people, including Rich and Nathalie, to a day of fishing on a charter boat. Four of the people were "ours" and the other 4 (you need at least 8) were our neighbour with her fishing buddies - all passionate about fishing - :)
Overall, the fishing wasn't the greatest, but we did have a nice fish-meal yesterday and have a few more in the freezer.
Have a look at these beauties:


The snapper was caught on Nathalie's line while she was having a rest (she wasn't feeling so good). WOW!

THANK YOU, JOHN!!! What a TREAT!!!

'lil update

As you can see, I've taken a little time to work on my blog today. Can you see some of my passions expressed?!

Rich just brought our friend John from Tahiti, who's been with us since Monday, to the bus. He's flying out to Hong Kong later tonight where Rich is headed as well tomorrow.

It's gonna be an exciting, history-making time for them at the Call2All! Part of me wished I could go, too, the other part is quite happy to stay back home - especially with the way I've been feeling...

Rich will be gone for 2 weeks and I'll miss him!

After the Call2All, there will be leaders meetings for IWT (who we work with) in HongKong, followed by a church-based IWT outreach in Singapore. Should be fascinating for Rich - his first time in Asia (besides our stop-over in Japan on our way to Europe).

Right now, he's desperately trying to get the heater going, that we bought second-hand - for the times I can't be bothered to haul in the wood and get the wood-burner going (like at 5:30am in the freezing cold and rain - when I'm sick...)

Hopefully he'll get it figured out!

Here are a couple of photos I was going to post already before last week and didn't get around to:

Kylie DID finally lose that first tooth - sorry the photo isn't the greatest, but you get the point :)

Kylie is slowly getting better. I had to take her to the ear-nose-throat specialist on Tuesday and she got a lot of icky, sticky liquid sucked out of both ears - yuck - she was so brave!!! She also got some other drops. We'll have to go back on Tuesday to see how her ears are healing. So far, it looks better than for a long time...

And this is Jeremie with his new scooter! It was given to him by a friend because it was broken and he didn't know how to fix it. He told Jeremie he could have it if he could fix it. After a week of working on it - with the help of our amazing neighbour - it RUNS! YAY!!!

Now Jeremie "just" needs to find a job for the next month (or some miraculous provision) so that he can pay for the expenses of his missions-trip to Fiji in July - and all will be "in butter"... sweet!

Aids

Get this widget!

Compassion – Make a Donation – Sponsor a Child

Photos of the Engagement Party

I am just recuperating from a bad cold - oh, can't wait for summer - and it's just barely winter...

Here are the promised photos:

The guests were asked to put notes on the little sticky stars and put them on the pinboard - wishes, advice, prayers for Nathalie and Lewis ...

Fred/Rich welcoming people to "da pardyy" - appetizers served on the right (can't see)

Here they are - - - - drumroll please - - - Peter Pan and Tinkerbell :)

The Hayward-family
Pocahontas/Lewis' sister Cherry - and Rapunzel/Kylie

Holli (Lewis' sister), Emily (Nathalie's friend that's getting married to Lewis' brother in a month) and Nathalie

Lewis' grandparents that came from Auckland - some uncles/aunts came as well

Yours truly - Wilma and Fred, the Flintstones

Rich with our Fijian friend Kolinio

Jeremie (one of the lost boys in Peter Pan) and a special friend

friends
Best dressed - got a "special" prize

This was one of the fun-areas for younger guests - in our office - besides the Wii-game set up in Jeremie's room (both borrowed for the occasion)

Special: To have a tahitian guest for the party who managed to come for just the few hours of the party while on transit in NZ (he likes to stay anonymous and without a photo)

Funny: When I put Kylie to bed, she asked me, with a tinge of disappointment in her sweet voice: "When are Nathalie and Lewis gonna kiss on the mouth?"
She can't wait for the wedding :)

Sad: The venison meat that supposed to be part of the menu (hunted by Lewis) got eaten by his neighbour's dog who came into his (unlockable) house, opened the fridge and ate a lot of it (the rest got spoiled by being left in the open fridge all day)

Extra-special : Both fathers praying for the young couple at the end of the evening

FUN-FUN-FUN!!!

The engagement party last night was GREAT! Even though we were busy right up to the last minute with all the preparations, we weren't stressed (besides Kylie's constant crying of pain with her earache that we've been treating now for so long...).



It was fun seeing so many people dressed up in amazing constumes - Rich's and mine were probably the simplest ones:)



Food and fellowship were great - had speeches from both of Lewis' parents, Rich, myself, Leilani (an AMAZING speech!!!) Nathalie, Lewis and a few others. We had a quiz about Nathalie and Lewis' love story... lots of laughs - in short - a wonderful celebration - oh yeah, and lots of gifts!



After not sleeping most of the night (I was too wound up and Kylie was quite sick still, crying a lot), I stayed in bed until 11:30 this morning - which I NEVER do!!! Felt like a truck had run over me and I couldn't make myself move or open my eyes. Thank you, hubby, for taking care of the kids this morning!



Photos to come soon

Please watch this!

PLEASE watch the short DVD in this post - WOW!!! I heard this before. It really shakes me up.

By the way, Leilani's ankle was not broken, "just" badly sprained.
Tomorrow is the engagement party. YAY!!!

TIRED

I am taking the evening off, RELAXING, even though the dinner dishes are calling. I am quite tired after having been unwell most of last week (a cold/cough that Nathalie and Jeremie had before me) - AND - having a baby shower at our house yesterday with close to 30 ladies - for this amazing woman who's expecting her first child!

It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't now have to keep pushing - still not feeling 100% - for this Saturday's engagement party - at our house - with 60+ guests...

Anyways - today,

Kylie still stayed at home from school (it's almost been a week now) - she's had another ear infection and I had to take her to the doctor again,

Shayden fell down the stairs after opening the safety gate - whatarethosethingsgoodforanyways?! (he's alright) -

and as I am typing, Rich is at the hospital with Leilani who hurt her foot really badly this evening as she was playing with Kylie - jumping down from the bed to the floor in the dark, and onto an inline skate that was lying there... OUCH OUCH OUCH!!!

Life never gets dull around here, I tell ya.

some random photos

Shayden snuggled up in the blanket that was lovingly made for him by Grandma Betts

This is what Kylie and Shayden like to do early in the morning, straight out of bed

Here she is, decorating the lid for a treasure box - a school project

Poor Kylie's been sick again with an ear infection

Mr.Handsome loves to put on everybody's sunglasses

A few beach shots from a family day a few weeks ago - we got a bit crazy...

Sometimes I feel like I can touch the sky...

Our precious treasures

Update on foster kids

Well, inspite of a general "feeling" in the family (including a dream of Leilani's) that we WILL be having another foster child, we felt not to take on the 2 children that needed a home. It just didn't seem right.

And we're glad we declined. I heard today that the little 10-month-old boy came to the other family with a stomach-flu that he'd picked up in the hospital last week (he had bronchitis).
It is highly contageous and the family that took in the children are now all sick, too. They have 6 children under 14 themselves...

I feel for the baby and his sister - and for the family - and am glad we listened to the one who knows best what we can handle.

Never-ending excitement

It can't get much more exciting than this (ok, it could, but not much...)

• Shayden is now really walking, still looks like a drunk most of the time, but he sure gets around!!!! What an accomplishment, after all that physio etc - he is now 28 months old!

• Kylie is just about to loose her first tooth and is starting to read more and more!!!

• Leilani came in 11th out of 100 in a cross-country race at her school and is bringing home really good grades!!!

• Jeremie will be going on a missions trip to the outer islands of Fiji with Rich for 2 1/2 weeks in July

• Nathalie and Lewis are buzzing with plans for their engagement party and the wedding - we get to host the themed engagement party on May 23rd with 60+ invited guests, a full meal, some program, lots of fun...

• I am putting on a baby shower next Sunday for a friend with about 30 ladies

• Yesterday, we got a call from Open Home Foundation asking us to take in 2 little ones, siblings - a 10-month-old boy and a 2-year-old girl (Maori) - they needed a home right away, but are now in another foster home for the week-end while we pray - - - not sure it's the Lord's will at this time with everything that is going on in the next few weeks, including 2 overseas trips for Rich...

Wisdom from a 10-year-old

Yesterday, Shayden's oldest sister Kaycee came and had a visit with us. She is 10 and has gone through WAY too many horrific things that she should have never gone through in her short life.

At one point, Kylie was having a trantrum (yep, sorry to report. it's still happening regularly...).
Kaycee reacted right away, telling her with almost a "motherly" voice: "You've got to leave your past behind!"
As Kylie was still wailing on, she insisted,"It does no good hanging on to your past. You've GOT to leave it behind!"

As funny as this was for me to listen to, thinking of Kylie leaving her past behind (she just had a stinking fit) - - - isn't it so very sad that such a small girl has to deal with leaving her past behind...

She still hasn't found a permanent home and has been going from home to home for 5+ years. Hopefully the couple she is with now will have the grace to keep her!
I am delighted they are Christians and have already introduced Jesus to Kaycee - HE's her only hope for a bright future!