At long last...visitors!

Today we were blessed with our first visitors.  My parents arrived safely from Minnesota to spend the month of December in New Zealand.

They'll be here through the weekend and we'll keep them busy watching the girl's ballet recital rehearsals, then they're off to the South Island on Sunday for a 10 day tour.  We're looking forward to hearing all about their adventures down there!  Then they'll return to Wanganui for three weeks to finish out the year.  We are thankful for family!!

Happy Thanksgiving! (from a country that does not celebrate Thanksgiving)

Though it's fall at home in America, it's spring here in New Zealand.  We are enjoying the warmer weather and end-of-the-school-year activities and busy-ness.  We have been totally caught up in the day to day life of a family of six.

But today we pause to be thankful for all that we have here in New Zealand: work, school, a roof over our heads (with an amazing sea view), new friends, and the opportunity to experience this year abroad together as a family.  And we also give thanks for our family and friends at home who have been so helpful and supportive of us as we take this year of family time and adventure away from home.

So though we didn't have a turkey on our table tonight, we are thankful for what we did have: turkey subs, roasted kumara, pomegranates, and even green bean casserole.  And the first completely homemade pumpkin pie of my cooking career.

Blessings to you all on this Thanksgiving 2013!