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I think that Matamata's weekend market (every 2nd Sat of the month) is the best around the area! They've got 2nd hand stuff, food, plants (they sell calla lily bulbs!), books, craft etc. Love it love it!

We are supposed to be in confinement but I'm kinda glad that my in laws are really outgoing. I think they are just waiting for me to feel better. I felt alright on Sat and I really really wanted fresh air and some retail therapy so we took 9 day old Levi to the market!

It was so fun! He slept throughout and I got to chat and hang out with friends I haven't seen for a while. You meet everyone at the market coz the town is just so small!

We even got a bargain for an antique toy cot and a second hand frilly skirt for Sophie! Only cost us $35! The cot was apparently made in the 50s! Woo hoo! Solid wood! Oh… I was so happy… for Sophie… hee

After that we went to Macs for lunch. I was in need of coke and some junk food. Was truly satisfied.

we’re at the hospital now. AL’s in early labour now, contractions are about 4-5mins apart.

James is away in Vanuatu this week.

This is the first time that he's away for "work" and I'm on my own as a stay home mum. Feels kinda strange.

He'll be teaching on a DTS on the Lordship of Christ and Father Heart of God from Monday to Friday. There are 27 students on this DTS! How cool is that! We're really excited that we can contribute this way to the Vanuatu base coz they have such a big place in our hearts.

So please pray for James and the students and pray for Sophie and I to have a great time on our own too. Sophie and I miss him very much but we are really glad to know that God's in this and He's watching over us.

I am inspired by the books to start homeschooling. It’s been hard to find inspiration past few days coz I’ve been stuck at home.

Sophie is really into dress up so when I saw this at the markets last week, I knew I had to get it for her.

This is her doing her hula dance!

I think if she could, she would want to wear this everyday!

School is almost over! In fact, graduation night is tomorrow!

Being staff on a DTS has been quite an adventure, it’s not been an easy walk at all but it’s so encouraging to see how my one on ones have been stretched and have grown!

The next phase is outreach and we’ll be leaving for Vanuatu on Sunday. We’re leading a team of 7 adults (including ourselves) and 6 kids. The kids are mostly under 4! In the past I would have thought – what on earth can young families do on outreach?!? But having been on the last FMS trip, I saw that it is possible and families are SO NEEDED to shine in this world where many struggle to really understand what a family really is. Granted that it’s true that most of the time we’ll be running after our kids but still by just being there, we are showing an example of Christian family life and values that can be non-existent in some cultures.

A few ministry opportunities are open for us – e.g youth work, children ministry, running a mini-DTS, prisons ministry and possible building and construction work.

We’re looking forward to going back to Vanuatu. Miss the people there. This time, we’ll be there for 7 weeks. Pls continue to pray for grace, courage and strength for us. Also pray that Sophie will transit easily.

We had quite an intense week with Mark Parker and God last week & we all needed some time out. So back to Tauranga we went with some of the other students.

And the weather is turning so it’s really looking much sunnier! Woo hoo!

Over the weekend, our family was on weekend duty. What that meant was, we were part of a team to prepare dinner for the base as well as do all the clean up in the kitchen and main hall. There is a rotation for all the families and we only have to do it for two weekends throughout the lecture phase. It’s really not that frequent at all.

Last weekend, James and I decided that we would take the initiative to cook Chinese food! Most times it’s the school staff that will initiate the menu and we just help out in the preparation but this time, our school leader let us choose the menu. OF COURSE WE CHOSE RICE coz we only have rice once a week! Hahaha…

So together with 3 other girls, we cooked garlic oyster sauce chicken in the oven and stir-fried veggies served with rice. YUMS!

It was CRAZY! So stress! Never done it before. But my super husband is amazing. He never fails to surprise me with what he can do.

We followed a recipe book for the chicken. For the veggies, he just mixed a whole jar of black stuff that included oyster sauce and peanut butter (!). I had no idea what went into it because I was busy frying the veggies while he did the sauce. Oh… but so shiok to smell the fried garlic and onions, plus the smell of sesame oil that we took for granted back home. I loved doing the frying. I so miss that!

Well, it turned out to be a winner! We had great reviews, thank God! For us, we were just glad that it turned out edible! Hahaha…

P/s OH! Forgot to mention where Sophie was coz she is not allowed in the kitchen. We arranged with another family to babysit her and we would babysit their kids when it was their turn to cook. Worked out really well.

Here’s a picture of the cafe as is…. it’s continually under construction.

The kids LOVE it! Funny how everyone appreciates it more than Sophie. Hee but she loves it coz she gets friends coming over to play with it all the time.

Chilling with her baby friends

Originally uploaded by jamesandailing

I just uploaded some new pictures on our flickr site. Check it out.