Thought I'd do a couple of posts that give an update on the kids -and about schooling, which is the most frequently asked question. So, Hannah first. Last year she went to a Christian school, which we didn't like, so the second half of the year, she was home-schooled. That helped her to get to an age-appropriate level and prepare her for the International School that she has just began. She loves it and says that she "has finally found a little patch of the North Shore" -meaning that it is comfortable and familiar and she feels at home there. She loves her friends, most of her teachers and finds the work interesting and do-able. Getting herself up early, lunch done, uniform ready and on a bus in the mornings has been new this year -and she is a champion at it! Here are a few pics.

In the art room.

Athletics Carnival.

Unfortunately last weekend, Hannah started to feel pain in her stomach so we left church early to head home. Before we even got to the car, she collapsed on the footpath and wasn't responding to me. Tony was at home looking after sick Soph, so some men on the street helped me carry her to a bus stop and they called an ambulance.(only $9 for the ambulance!!). We spent the next 6 hours in hospital waiting for test results, but nothing showed -just given antibiotics for a virus. Anyway, a couple of days off school and a bit of chocolate and all seems ok again. Thankful for that!

On a drip in hospital.

Bit of damage in recent cyclone -this was underwater the next day.

Lots of boardgames by candlelight while the power was out.

More gifts from generous missionary supporters.

Training day for leaders -SO encouraging!

Ethan decided to cook us all a 3-course meal-4 hours preparation!

Yep, we'll be eating here again!

Entree- beautiful!

Main -superb!

Dessert -choc mint cheesecake - delicious!

So that's a bit of our life of late. We have had a fair bit of sickness -mainly Ethan, so schooling has taken a bit of a back seat. Also with the wild weather, schools were shut, so boardgames, books and telly have kept us going. Still 800 people homeless from the flooding so we are praying for them and putting bags of clothes and canned food together for them. Very thankful for a solid house.

I've been a bit quiet on the blog lately -a mixture of not much happening, forgetting to take photos and general "can't be botheredness". Tony is slowly beginning to get busier as uni starts back. He is speaking at  various fellowship events and noticed that some of the testimonies are beginning to include the concept of grace which is exciting. Hannah loves her new school -living the social dream and managing to squeeze some work in there as well ha! Actually she's loving the responsibility of getting herself up and organised and onto the bus -and remembering to call when she misses the bus etc.. Ethan is also enjoying the home-schooling and really getting into baking at the moment.( I'll do a blog post on home-schooling in a while) He wants to get into knitting, but there are no knitting needles to be found here apparently! Soph is chugging along, loving life as always. Gotta love a kid who gets excited about sausages for dinner or the fact that I bought new mouth wash for the kids bathroom. Funny.
I am loving teaching Ethan -he is happy to go with whatever I have planned (besides maths) and I am also learning heaps. I don't know what I did at highschool, but clearly don't remember a whole lot -so I am loving history and poetry even learning french! Teaching maths and english at the prison (now with Ethan too) is a highlight of our week. Anyway, here are a few snaps of life as late -will have to bring out the camera a bit more regularly from now on..

Surprise visit from a friend from our church in Sydney.

Sunday arvo soccer match between Suva and ...some other team..?

can't exactly remember who won, but CAN tell you that I need to bring more m'm's next time.

Highlight for Ethan was getting some of the players autographs at the end of the match.

Ethan earning money by hacking away our over-grown yard with his new machete.

Tony and I got to teach Sunday School this morning for the first time-loved it!

Soph decided Daddy needed a bit of sprucing up while he read this arvo..

One of the joys of living in Fiji is its close proximity to Australia -which means we get lots of visitors. For the last 2 weeks we have had some very good friends from our Lindfield church in Sydney. They wanted to come and see how we live, learn more about ministry in Suva and support us however they could. I especially loved having them join me in the women's prison. Not only was it fun showing friends around and sharing our life with them, but it really helped us all settle back to life here after our 6 week stint in Sydney over Christmas. Besides, they are both REALLY good cooks! I think Soph summed up how much we loved having them here when she said " what are we going to have to look forward to after school when they go home"?!! Here are some photos of their time here.

First taste of real coconut milk.

Yep...pretty much sums it up..

Celebrating Australia Day with some other local Aussie friends.

Ethan dazzling them with his magic!

We also put them to work- here's Roz teaching some ladies from the bible.

Ev trained the men too.

Soph showing off her school

Enjoying some meals out together

Teppanyaki on their last night.

January 2014 onwards

Tony and our friend Steddy took Ethan fishing one very early morning-looks like it was worth it!

Having dinner at Katoomba during Summer School

Very happy to be with family for Soph's 9th birthday.

Cool dudes at the Opera House seeing The Illusionists with Ethan, while Soph and I went to Build-a bear.

A quick milkshake at the airport -fast becoming one of my most unfavourite places..

Nadi airport ready to board our 20 minute flight to Suva.

We are hugely thankful for our time in Sydney -one of the joys of doing ministry in Fiji, so close to Australia. We are all feeling mostly happy to be back, even though our families are not here. However, it will be good to get back into routine and busy again. First lot of visitors arrived today -some great friends from our church St Albans Lindfield. They are here to support and help us in the ministry and life here for 2 weeks and we can't wait to see them!

Christmas in Sydney

Here are a few more snaps of our time away.

Frozen yoghurt with one of our God-children

Celebrating Caleb's 7th birthday

Meeting new babies

Catching up with old ministry friends

Hanging with cousins

Celebratign Bailey's 14th birthday at Little Manly

Coffee and swims with old friends

Tony and his folks on NYE

Smashing Dave in singstar on NYE

Meeting more new babies!

National Training Event in Canberra

We just got back from a 6 week break in Sydney. It was a whirlwind of activity as we listed off the 3000 things the kids have been missing and wanted to do. Also there were 7 Fijian students who came with us to attend NTE in Canberra and then spend 5 days with our home church of St Albans Lindfield. It turned out to be a fantastic time in terms of bible teaching/training and also very encouraging for our Lindfield friends to spend time with the Fijians and understand the culture more. There were even tears as they left for the airport on the last morning!

The girls singing at NTE

On top of the Shangri-La in Sydney