Where to begin?! The past month has been full and busy of fun, adventure, family, and celebrations. My parents arrived in Palmerston North December 15th, ten minutes before church began (the church is pictured above). It was awesome to worship with them, and they were able to hear the newest band at St. Luke’s play (of which both Ken and I are in), not to mention they were able to sing the song Zechariah Nine that Ken and I wrote for worship. After the service, we gave them just enough time to drop off bags at home before heading back to church for the children’s Christmas production practice.
That evening was a Christmas party at Trinity in Feilding where they were able to meet the other part of the Manawatu Parish.
We then took Pepper on a long walk through the Esplanade before finally letting my parents get some sleep. Monday morning we went down to Wellington to visit the Te Papa museum and eat at Mac’s Brew House.
On the drive home, we stopped a beach to hunt for Paua shells and enjoyed this beautiful sunset:
The rest of the week was spent in Palmy with my parents helping however they could (from decorating the Christmas tree at church,
to preparing food for the youth Christmas fundraiser!
The funds were used for a village through Tear Fund and the youth raised over $600! That means Ken is getting his head shaved next week at youth night.)
Christmas celebrations were very special – my parents taught us more about the Slovak traditions that we do every year.
On Christmas Day we enjoyed the fellowship of some church friends over at Chris and Denise Satherley’s home. It was fun to share in some Kiwi Christmas celebrations as well. 
Chris Satherley and the Christmas Pig
(Dad playing cricket)
We left for the South Island on the 26th arriving in Christchurch. Some highlights of the trip: +Ken turned 23 in Christchurch on the 27th!
+Saw many gorgeous churches and stained glass windows
+Elephant rocks!!
+Moeraki Boulders – awesome rocks that are carved out of the cliff by the ocean tides in these perfect circles.
+Saw "Pancake Rocks" which scientists today still don't know how they were formed!
+Cathedral Caves (which can only be accessed in low tide)
+Ken and I were the first tandem bungy jumpers of 2008 at the Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown 9am January 1st, 2008
+Kayaking in a fjord – Doubtful Sound
(Sunset outside the town)
+Walking up Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world
+Going to the southernmost tip of New Zealand
+Hiking on Franz Josef Glacier
That is Fox Glacier
+Driving on a one-lane bridge outside of Greymouth where we had to share it with a TRAIN
+Marveled at powerful waterfalls and exotic flowers.
+Always searching for kiwis...
+Taking the scenic TranzApline train (one of the top five train rides in the world)
The "wet side"
The "dry side"
+Whale watching for Sperm Whales in Kaikoura
+Enjoying the "Blue Pools"
+And checking out all the great brew pubs throughout the south island!
When we arrived back to the North Island, we made out way to Waitomo for a caving/tubing adventure to see the glow worms, and ended in Rotorua enjoying a Hangi (traditional Maori celebration and meal, where my father was chosen to be the chief of chiefs!)
We also enjoyed seeing all the natural steam vents and mud pots in Rotorua, an active volcanic site.
On the drive home we dug a hole in Lake Taupo (another active volcano) where we put our feet in nice warm water heated up for us by the earth!
My parents left on the 9th and our pastor and his family moved to Australia on the 10th. The rest of the week Ken and I slowly got back into work-mode, and this weekend we did some major house cleaning, enjoyed watching some cricket at the Esplanade in the sunshine, and had a good BBQ with our friends Kate and Damien. We ended the evening rabbit hunting with them - I was the spotter (using a huge spotlight as Kate drove us on the back of their truck through the paddocks) and Ken shot three of them! Not bad for his first time! Sunday Ken lead children’s time at St. Luke’s and we led worship for the Trinity evening service, ending the night with dinner at the LCNZ President's home with him and his wife.
It looks to be a great start to 2008, and we hope and pray that all is well with you!
My parents left on the 9th and our pastor and his family moved to Australia on the 10th. The rest of the week Ken and I slowly got back into work-mode, and this weekend we did some major house cleaning, enjoyed watching some cricket at the Esplanade in the sunshine, and had a good BBQ with our friends Kate and Damien. We ended the evening rabbit hunting with them - I was the spotter (using a huge spotlight as Kate drove us on the back of their truck through the paddocks) and Ken shot three of them! Not bad for his first time! Sunday Ken lead children’s time at St. Luke’s and we led worship for the Trinity evening service, ending the night with dinner at the LCNZ President's home with him and his wife.
It looks to be a great start to 2008, and we hope and pray that all is well with you!
Much love from Palmy!
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