Happy days!!

The highlight of last week was getting a super parcel in the mail from the Mears back home. The shops here are pretty good but there are a few key things that are noticeably absent......not for much longer!!

A few of our favourite things. Hey, they should write a song about that!

Tony's goodies must have got lost in the mail ha!

Loving piano lessons.

We've had a good week all up -good health, new friends, approval from the home owner to have pets and a new blender to make smoothies after school! Hannah is really enjoying the kids at school, Ethan, apart from falling asleep on his desk at school, is loving every moment of every day - and Soph loved her first piano lesson and first play date with Jemimah. Probably not so positive was the the lettuce and cheese sandwich I gave the kids for school.I told them to stop being so fussy when they came home and said it tasted grose -and that things might just taste a little different here?.......until I realised I had given them raw cabbage in their sandwich....my bad...

Anyhoo, things are starting to feel more normal -we're loving the slower pace (most of the time), playing lots of family games and learning from the Fijians what contentment and thankfulness looks like on a daily basis. Didnt realise what an impatient whinger I was ......I'm pretty sure Tony had more of an inkling!

There are heaps of roadside markets but most shopping done here -not too much of a culture shock ha!

Tony's new sulu he wears to church - nice and breezy.

Tropical themed arvo tea

Decorating cupcakes after school

Valentines Day choc mousse treats -just before Ethan and Soph made cream moustaches on themselves which just ran down their faces due to the heat.

Yummo!

Little gems

It's the lovely moments like these that make up for the very rare occasions that the kids drive you insane...oops, did I say that out loud? Anyway, thought these were worthy of the blog.

Breakfast in bed!! - with complimentary flower and love note.

The kids have been waiting years for their own room and now they have it, they just want to bunk in together.

Right. Well, this is a little embaressing. Having spent months trying to explain to people that "no we are not living in a resort" and  "no, we are there to do ministry, not watersports" etc, these next few photos might make us look a little silly. We ARE here to do student work at the Uni of South Pacific, but  Tony has no work permit as yet, we are limited in what we can do for the time being. Then, school was off for 2 days as the teachers had planning meetings. So we thought we'd hire a car for a couple of days and explore our new surroundings. Here are a few of the things we got up to.

Suva flea markets

Very excited to find this yummy Chinese restaurant up the road from us.

Promised Ethan I'd include this for the cousins...ah 11 year old boys...

Roadside market

Church on Sunday

A resort not too far away that allows you to use the facilities if you buy a couple of lemonades!

One of my favourite things in the world -jet-skiing!!! So much fun!

Our new digs!

Today marks 2 weeks that we have been here in Suva! The kids have started school and enjoying it , for the most part. There is alot to get used to - the heat, no shoes in class, falling coconuts on tin roofs while trying to do maths, playing the ukelele and recorder( help me...) and an approach to classroom learning that is completely different to what they have experienced up unitl now. Most exciting is the fact that it is a Christian school - prayer and bible devotions happen first thing in the morning, they are learning new bible songs, the environment is small and nurturing and points them to Jesus. Couldnt ask for a lovelier staff or friendlier groundsmen. Praying that all these new situations and experiences, both good and hard, grow them to be more like Jesus........praying this for their parents too!

Waiting for a bus

Our lovely house- near the uni, good shops and the local pool!!

A couple of photos of the inside of the house

Outside our front gate where we get our taxis every morning.

2 days worth of bottled water for the 5 of us- you'd think we were camels!

So excited to find this game from my childhood -Game of Life -after dinner fun!

We made it!!

A last coffee and gelato with the wonderful Bakers before we leave

Well, here we are in steamy, sunny and sweaty Suva. Its been a week now and we are in our house (via the Novotel) , we met the Board of the PSFC and had a great dinner with them, kids started school ( a bit of a false start for Soph as she was sick) and excitingly we seem to have 2 kittens in our backyard. The kids run out with fresh water everyday, which is lovely, but not helping the "getting a dog cause" much!

All up we are doing well, despite missing our families and friends. Getting the internet was fantastic and a real boost, as we dont feel so isolated. Lots to learn, lots of water to boil, lots of sleep needed and lots of reminding that "one must remember one's sense of humour at times such as this". The kids groan and roll their eyes when I say it, but agree nonetheless! Here are a few pics of last couple of weeks.

Pen pals for a little while

Family dinner -minus the Mears who were camping.

Through customs-having found the lost bag just in time.

Landing in  Suva and walking over to get our bags

Brief stopover at the Novotel until our house was ready.

Very "realistic" start to mission work.

Off to school! Christian Community School.

The countdown is on!!

Only 3 sleeps to go now. We are excited, sad, exhausted, busy and hoping that the anticipation of ;eaving is actually worse than the leaving itself. That's what we've been told, so praying its the case. Here are a few photos of the last few weeks or so. Action-a-plenty!

Enjoying our favourite dinner at Nanny and Grandad's -the "usual"

NYE at Doyles Watsons Bay with the wonderful Cooks

Enjoying the fireworks

We'll miss places like Bronte Beach..ok, we hardly ever went, but we COULD if we wanted..

Loved our week at CMS Summer School -excellent bible teaching and fun family time.

Soph's 8th birthday during summer school

Thinkin' she'll make a great teacher one day....or prison warden....?

Squeezing a last drink in with our super friends

Another Grandad tradition -reading "Beano" to the kids

Yet another final catch up with some  lovely friends.