beginnings

I had a wonderful holiday with one of my best friends and then got to spend a week with my brother and sister in law.

Talk about so spoiled and blessed. I'd spent almost two months searching for a job, sending out so many applications and hearing very little back. I'd had a few interviews, but certainly nothing to get excited about. Of course, I never doubt that we learn from these experiences, but I'd reached a point where I just need to be around some people who loved me for me and I didn't have to try and explain who I was any more.

So, while it did kind of feel irresponsible to do it - it was something that I desperately needed to - so I went on a road trip with a couple of friends who just happened to be heading that way.... it was wonderful to see them too, and was pretty much the only way we would have caught up. :)

To top it off, the trip was timed with two birthdays - so honestly, it was just meant to be! I think really, as much for me as for the girls. :) God does manage to orchestrate things so beautifully.

So - after two weeks of R&R I arrived back here to job interviews. In fact, this week has been exhausting, but so great! I've never worked so hard for an interview before. The recruitment agent that I've been working with for one of the jobs has been an absolute gem and I've learnt so much.

Amazingly all the jobs are in the electrical industry - and each one different from the other.

I had to laugh.

So - word at the end of the week.... I'm through to the next interview for two of the jobs, which is exciting. But I won't get really excited until I have a job offer in front of me. Praying that it happens next week!!! Although around here, nothing seems to happen quickly. But I'm sure hopeful!

Then I can excited about what happens next.... like finding somewhere to live and getting a car. :) That's an experience all on its own. he he.

Yes - I'm being pruned in a big way, and in the end the fruit will make it all worth while.

Yipeeeee!!

memory lane.....

Gosh...... flicking through some old photos and this one takes me down memory lane.

It's taken at Yosemite - in Tuolumne Meadows. Actually, this would have been the night of the bear I think?
10 years ago.

How time zooms by.

Who was I back then, compared to who I am now.

I'd like to think I've aged graciously. That I've learnt from my past experiences, and grown into a better version of myself. But then we are ever learning and ever growing. At least that's the plan.
Imagine if our growth became stilted, and we stopped striving to become more Christ like.

Actually.... I'm sure we all have moments like that in our life..... where we feel like we're in the dark, struggling to see and figure out what direction to go in.
It's almost like we're a seed in the gestation period..... if we would just keep looking up, soaking up the nutrients all around us, we'd grow towards the sun.

All just musings and mutterings as spring springs around me......

Life is good!

xx

Yipeeeeeee

~
The wedding was an absolute blast, and I just feel so honoured to have been allowed to capture the day. In fact, I'm still feeling quite overwhelmed by it all.

Now the task of getting the photos all sorted out lies ahead of me.

Minor detail in the great scheme of things. I took all the photos as RAW images, which means I have 700+ photos that are averaging 5MB each. That's great, from a photographer's point of view..... but what I didn't give much thought to was the fact that my computer is just not capable of dealing with it all.

Quite funny really........

Thankfully the bride and groom have run away for the week, and I can deal with it in a turtle like manner, as well as get two assignments finished.

There are some gorgeous shots amongst them all, and I think I managed to capture the joy of the day. Hopefully they like them too.

So, wedding TICK
Assignments half done
House carpet goes in today
Holiday is a mere 1 and 1/2 weeks away.... wohoooooo!!

God.... good all the time.

Crazy days!!

The Scooter in Rarotonga..... The absolute best way to get around the Island. Probably the only way to feel a breeze too. he he.

It was my favourite place to be.... exploring the island. Of course getting absolutely soaked riding it to the wedding just made it that much more of an adventure. :)

If I lived in a city... I think I may even be tempted to get one. (Yes, I want to be just like my brother when I grow up. )

Surprise!!!

It was Tamati's birthday last week... and Tess had organised a surprise party for him....

I was asked to organise a date night for Tam and I... it had been a while, so figured it would be quite easy to convince him of some mischief with me. Of course I didn't really give the night a great deal of thought.... I just knew that I would pick him up, and then I'd get him home around 7:30 for him to be surprised.
Lack of details there.... but I managed quite well.

We went and looked for my new ute that I'm apparently getting next week, with no real joy and then went to look at computers. I'm about to start studying again, and my poor old beast just isn't up to the job. he he. That, and I really won't have room for it either. I'm trying to look at the whole big picture right now... as far as getting a computer for school as well as for my photography and other things I'm getting busy with.
So.... dreaming of an apple. We're becoming a Mac family..... we'll see.

So... from the store we went for a drink and massive plate of curly fries. It was nice to just sit and chat about what's been going on with us. It had been a long time since we've just had time to natter away.

Of course from there I had problems....
"Lets go bowling?"
"Lets check out movies?"

And I could see him getting a little testy as I struggled to come up with excuses. It did kind of help that I've been sick all week with a chest infection.... so in the end I suggested we go grab some ice cream and go watch a dvd at him place.
He bought it.... and so eventually we made it home.

Got into the house and he opened the living room door to everyone screaming.
It was a beautiful moment. He was honestly totally clueless!!!

Tessa and I couldn't believe we'd actually managed to pull it all off without him catching on.
Tamati is always the one getting everyone else - so it was about time we managed to pull one on him.

Great job, and tons of fun!! And he totally deserved it all. Next weekend we're heading up to Auckland for a day at the adventure park... bring on the rollercoasters. :)

The big wedding....

Dave and Sara tying the knot in Rarotonga May 8th, 2009.

Was a beautiful ceremony right on the beach. Stunning!!

tiki tour

Alas.... while I took the picture the swing was empty - but as I walked over to enjoy it, some kids arrived and were quick to jump on.

I thought it looked like the most blissful place to spend some time.

very early this morning...

What a day!

I went and met up with a friend from High School who I haven't seen since '92. I know.... how many years is that?! Thanks to the wonder of facebook we've been back in touch. She mentioned that they were going for a balloon ride for their 10th anniversary, so I asked if I could come and take photos. :)

It was gorgeous!!

I haven't been around a balloon in so long. How I miss it!
The pilot even rocognised me, which was a bit bizarre. Very good memory.

So, I snapped away, and hopefully she is happy with what I managed to grab.
It was all in an effort to begin my road into portrait photography, and just capturing the moment. We'll see where this journey leads me.

Fun stuff though!

Adventures.....

Amazing mountain - Maungatautari

where they have developed these great pest proof fences to help re-establish the original fauna and wildlife.
It's a great spot to wander around.

whakatane....

Taken from half way up the hill... there's a cute lookout over the township. Was a stunning day to be down there checking in on everyone.

at the beach.....

big smoke....

Travels.....

travels....

Stunning day for it.......

yikes!!!

It's June......

Not only is it June, but it's the 6th of June.

Where did the rest of May go, and how did we get here to Friday the 6th?

It will soon be only 6 months till Christmas. I am constantly miffed at the speed with which time travels. It blows my sox off.

It's been a bit of a crazy few weeks - which I guess would help to explain how time has flown. We had Queen's Birthday weekend last weekend - which meant a lovely Monday off. I spent Saturday with my Dad playing in the garden getting it all tidied and things ready for a bonfire that night.

We had a huge fire blazing down the hill, and now I can say that I have quite a large backyard, which has oodles of scope for great things to be done. A bunch of friends came round for a pot luck dinner, and we munched on loads of marshmallows. It was great!

Tawhai and Evita came too, and were in awe of the flames, though thankfully figured out the keep at a distance thing pretty quickly. I had some sparklers for them to hold onto, which did much to keep them entertained. I wish I'd managed to get a photo of them - but was just too busy enjoying them.

I did get some photos of the fire - so hopefully I'll find a moment to get them up on here over the weekend.

There are also photos of a bunch of us caving. We had an absolute blast out there in the dark, crawling through cramped stoney streams. FUN!

Hope that everyone is well. I'm sorry I haven't been around to say HI, and thanks for the notes.
I appreciate them!!!

Have a most blessed, and peaceful weekend.

Tons of Aroha.

the story to go with the pictures....

~

Tessa and I decided to have a girls only day. We left the cheeky monkeys behind and headed off into the hills.

My aunt and uncle who live out in the middle of nowhere - check out their website
www.nikaucave.co.nz
have just built and opened a cafe on their farm.

They had originally thought of building it for one of my cousins weddings.... this particular cousin just celebrated their 3 year anniversary when the cafe opened.

Yes, it's been a rather long and drawn out process - but it's been worth the wait!

Another one of my cousins and her husband are now running the cafe and doing a FANTASTIC job!!

I'd tried to call before we left - but had no joy, which made our arrival a wonderful surprise. The look on Nicola's face was priceless. Nothing like getting such an excited welcome.

The afternoon was then lazed away. We ate and talked and soaked up the sunbeams.

There was an American couple who were staying in the "white house" for their wedding anniversary. Nicola and Richard were all excited because they had found some new friends. Kindred Spirits. The couple were about the same age, and had come over for a year to work and play. They were Christians and just super lovely to sit and talk to.

I've been invited to go and learn to climb at the climbing wall where they work - something I've always wanted to do, but never actually felt comfortable doing with all my incredibly sporty friends who climb.

It was the kind of day that left me feeling incredibly blessed to have such a great family - especially Tessa, who I'm quite sure I would go insane without!

It also left me rather thoughtful about what next.....


"You cannot always have happiness, but you can always give happiness"

sunset.... overlooking the waterfront

crazy... or just strange?

This guy is hanging out on the Museum building.... thought he was kinda cute.

Napier

a sailing we will go.....

A friend (Colin) had his 30th birthday, back in November with a trip sailing around the Tauranga harbour. It was a stunning night catching up with old friends from uni days.











Si, who I hadn't seen in 10 years when I left for the States and he continued with his degree before taking off himself. It was so good to see him, and I know for me, it hardly felt like it had been that long - though we've been terrible at keeping in touch. And crazily enough, he's the one who is probably the closest to where I'm living now, but do you think we've caught up again since that night. Nope! hehehehe


Rhonda.... who has got to be one of the greatest people out there. Just super outgoing and caring. You need someone like her in your life. I actually saw her the following weekend as well, which was pretty impressive. It had been a few years since I caught up with her while she was down in Christchurch. She'd gone to live in England for a while, and got back last year, and seems to have gone into settle down mode - having just moved into a house of her own with her partner "G". We decided over the weekend that we really needed to set aside one weekend that we would all get together. It's too easy for the years to slip by, and for us not to see eachother at all - unless there's a wedding or something.
So... this year, Rhonda and G have said we can all crash there for a midwinter Christmas.... which reminds me, I need to email everyone now. :)


And then... the other 2 party girls; Tammy and Nicole. They stoped in the other day on their way back North after New Years.... and I realised again just how real and lovely they are. I hadn't spent alot of time with them, though we did catch up over in England many years ago. Since then Tammy and I have fired a few emails to eachother, but never caught up. Both of them are actually great at making that extra effort at keeping in touch and actually seeing other people. Very special.

We were trying to figure out how to make friends - since they've both moved North after being over in the UK for a few years, and not being in a big city. Tammy came out with the great facts of the different age groups - how are 20 year olds we're more social. Our world revolves around our friends. In your 30's you're generally settling down, married, starting families and your world revolves around that. In your 40's more of the same... the friends that you have are generally through your kids, and in your 50's you go back to being social and finding friends outside of everything else.

We just laughed, and promised we would share any secrets we found as we looked for friends - single or married. It was all kind of funny, but nice to talk about how we were in similar situations, and to just know we're not alone.

There we go... who would have thought I would be able to sit here and do such a catch up session of sorts.

(I've hurt my hand and am not much use out on the farm, so have been able to sit for an extended period of time without feeling the need to go out and help! :) )


I wish I had my book of quotes... I feel like some wisdom is needed, but I am lacking.

for now... Ciao is all I have.

xx