Hard to believe it is two months since I last updated here. Time sure flies when you are having fun :-)
This week I am home in HK after two weeks away visting first Wendy and Ian in Missouri and then Evan and Kirsten in Edmonton. I had a great break with both families and enjoyed the 'dry' warmth of a North American spring. Quite different to the muggy and stifling weather we are having in Hong Kong at the moment. Wendy and Ian are still in the midst of raising their funds so that they can head back to India. Pray for them as they complete this task - it is sure not their favorite thing to be doing! Wendy is working as a hospice case worker, managing the home care of patients who are in the final days/weeks/months of life and ensuring they are, as much as possible, pain free and comfortable. Ian is working through vast lists of AOG churches predominately in the state of Kansas and arranging church deputation meetings. I think it is fair to say they would both rather be doing something else! The kids are happy in a new school that seems to be working out better than the last one, but are also all keen to be geting back to what they know as 'normal' in India.
Evan and Kirsten's was lovely too. Man those girls have grown up! Brianna is taller than her mother, and Caleigh is bouncing along not far behind - all legs that girl! They are enjoying a busy social life with school events, dance classes and performances and running and badminton clubs. Kirsten is still working at the book-keeping job she has been at part time for a few years now, but is looking into setting up a book keeping business of her own from home (go Kirsten!). Evan is still doing a fine job of managing his M&M meatshop - his shop consistently gets in the top 20 franchises listing from head office so he must be doing something right! As I was leaving they were busy planting new trees on their property to give them a bit more privacy from the nosy neighbours (nosy in the nicest possible way!) - I'll have to go back and visit again to see how they are growing :-)
Andrew is off travelling this week - Australia Sunday night thru Tuesday night, then overnight back to HK and straight onto a plane to Tokyo for the rest of the week. I am sure he is enjoying being back there - so many things we miss about Japan. Next week sees me in Bangkok Mon - Fri and Andrew off in South Africa. That's somewhere neither of us have been before and should be an interesting experience. The following week I think he is heading quickly down to NZ to sort getting the car and motorbike through customs and into storage. He will be ready for some days at home by the end of that!
Not too much else is going on. Sachi remains a lazy and spoilt cat, Jenny continues to keep our house running while we travel, and Hong Kong continues to get hotter by the week. We have three lots of visitors lined up for late summer/early fall this year - friends from work in Aug, Mac and Joyce in Sept and Braden and Jordan in Oct. We are hoping to get a week away at a beach somewhere in August, and then to make it back home to NZ for a holiday somewhere towards the end of the year - assuming that house building is actually moving by then (no pressure Sharon... :-)...)
Oh one more thing - we've finally got organised and bought ourselves a car here in Hong Kong. We are now the proud owners of a 2005 Convertible Mini. Not quite out normal style, but quite fun! We needed a little car coz we have a very little carpark.... not sure I am going to be able to part even the mini in it it's so ridiculously small, but I'll try! It is blue and silver and quite an acceptable little race around car. There will be just enough room for Braden and Jordan in the backseat as long as they do not grow to much between now and October (146 days if Jordan is correct!). No way we will fit anyone's luggage in the back however, so it is still going to require a train and taxi trip from the airport for anyone who chooses to come visit us. Have not taken any photos yet, but will try and get you a nice one with Andrew in the drivers seat over the weekend.
Love
Sonia
