Why I've been absent?

I'm not ignoring this blog or you but our main computer aka the laptop has been out of action this past week. There is some virus on there that Albert is having trouble getting rid off. All photos etc are on that computer. The laptop is also getting old so hopefully Albert is able to resurrect it otherwise a new one might be on the horizon. The girls also do all their maths plus some history via cd rom on the laptop so that part of school is being postponed for now. So hopefully things will be back to normal soon. I've got plenty of photos to share!

Mid America Reformed Seminary on YouTube

For those you who are interested about MARS and what it is like etc. Here are some youtube video's that came out today.

Here is the main page: Mid America Reformed Seminary

• Mid-America Reformed Seminary Introductory Video
• Life at MARS: Ministerial Apprenticeship Program
• Life at MARS: Women's Fellowship
• Life at MARS: Alumni Thoughts

These video's are just a glimpse of what seminary is really like. Come and experience it for yourself sometime! :)

Pooh Sticks, oh I mean Eyeore Sticks!

This post is a mix of visiting a tourist attraction as well as having some fun! Donkey (Eyeore) came as well for some 'training'! So instead of Pooh Bear playing 'Pooh Sticks', we had the Donkey try and play this game. We also did some 'hill' training and again instead of the donkey's carrying our gear, we carried the Donkey! Thanks Izaak for being such a good sport! (The girls and I thought this was all very hilarious!)

The girls insisted that I take photos at this spot!
(Zara and Kate)

Zara, Michaela, Grace and Kate

Do you see anything unusual?

Pooh, I mean Eyeore Sticks!

Gloomy? 

Fighting to get a cuddle/photo with Eyeore

Grace's well loved Donkey!

Hill training

Thanks for being a good sport Izaak!

I think Donkey 'ate all the pies!'

You might recognize some of the landmarks, I blogged about it here when we visited the first time!

Reflections on our Summer Internship 2014

My reflections on our summer internship. 

First of all, I'm not going to write a comparison between this summer and last summer. It's pretty hard to do that anyway as it would be like trying to compare apples and oranges. Second I'm not going to give a huge detailed list of everything we did as I've done that already in my photo posts over the summer. Here are then some short reflections on our summer. 

• Privileged - As summer interns we are so privileged to be able to involved in peoples lives and see how God works in their lives. It is humbling experience and very encouraging!
• Large Church - Wellandport URC is a large church about 600 people including a huge number of children. Last year they had 19 baptisms! We really enjoyed this aspect with plenty of children for the girls to play with. Adults our age to play games with and hang out. 
• Farming Country - Very interesting to say the least! We city dwellers enjoyed a taste of the country from seeing a goat farm, cows being milked, chicken farm to realizing how important the weather is to farmers. Something I have never thought about! The crops got in ground late this year because of the VERY wet spring.
• Heritage Christian School - I might have drooled over the Christian School. Enough said! (We got a tour of the school and most of the children in the area attend this Christian School. I like the fee structure also, with a per family fee as supposed to a per child fee like in the USA.)
• Session/Consistory/Elders/Council - I keep getting the terms confused and gave up on what meeting Albert went to :). Albert was VERY impressed with the way meeting were run and the way matters were dealt with. The Elders were very diligent in their work and protected their Pastor as the Pastor's main job was to preach twice each week. So this would have been almost on the top of the list of our learning experiences as a church this size is not something that NZ has (yet!). 
• My Experience - While I thoroughly LOVED the summer and the opportunity, I have realized that I'm not a country bumpkin. I quite like the conveniences close by and having fast internet helps too :).
• Goodbyes - While we are getting pretty experienced at this now, but this continues to be hard! It is still worth the investment in relationships even for a short while despite the fact that you might never see them again this side of heaven!

There are a few more photo blogs to come from the summer. 

LOVE the girls in this photo!

Photos are taken by J&J Dykstra! Thanks heaps :)

Mid America Reformed Seminary Promotion - Part Two

Here is the last installment of the Seminary Promotion! See details here

Albert and Pastor Joel Dykstra

Albert at the pulpit of Wellandport URC

Albert leading a Bible study

Talking socially but love the 'hands'!

Cute!

Fort George obviously

In Jail

Up the CN Tower in Toronto

Same here

Look what we found in Toronto, advertising for NZ wine!

Albert meeting with his supervising Pastor.
(Notice the posing of both of them!)

Albert leading bible and prayer at VBS each morning

Albert with the Generals of the American Army
at the Battle of Chippawa!
(How is this Grant?)

Kate and Zara

Michaela and Grace had the opportunity to go camping with their friends for a couple of nights. So Kate and Zara were the only kids at home. I asked them what special thing they would like to do and both replied without hesitation: "The Carousel"! So after we dropped Izaak back off at the airport, we drove to Port Delhousie to go on the 5c Carousel! I splurged and let the girls go on about five times ;)! The Carousel is on the lake front by Lake Ontario and so the girls went for a swim also. I put my toes into the lake and decided that playing in the water for me could wait, it was COLD! The girls didn't mind and had a great time splashing and playing in the sand. While I was on life saving duties, Albert texted me and told me/ordered me to treat the girls to an ice cream. Like a good wife I obeyed and told the girls. I gave the girls an option to have an ice cream on the 'beach' but both said that they would prefer to go to Costco and have an ice cream there! Since Costco is closeish we went there and had our treat! What a fun day!

Zara

Kate

Zara and Kate in the lake

Zara

Kate

Playing in the sand

Enjoying their ice cream!

Having fun with Izaak!

We played the tourist again when Izaak came and showed him some of our favorite sites! We went one night to the Falls to see Clifton Hill and the lights at the Falls. The lights were very spectacular! Izaak did a better job of the photos than I did so a lot of the night ones are from him! 

Izaak and the girls with Albert in the background

Family shot

Izaak experimenting with the camera.

American Falls at night!

Lightbeams, pretty cool huh?

We also went again to the Lock 3. The girls all wanted to pose with this man (sorry can't remember the significance :( ). Also while we were waiting for a ship to enter the 'lock', the girls sang some of the VBS songs that they learned at Church. ("Father Abraham!')

Kate

Grace

Michaela

Me!

Father Abraham song
(Grace and Kate)

Zara and Michaela doing the actions!