Summer Update: Mom & Dad's visit

One thing that greatly eased the pain of saying goodbye to everyone back home was knowing that my parents were going to come over soon after settling into our new home. There was an Irish wedding reception held for David and I at the beginning of September for all his family and friends to attend. My parents were able to fly over and be here for that! I was so happy that they could come! (I don't have any pictures of the actual reception though...so sorry!)

I love you Dad and Mom!

We also had this couple, Graham & Cassie from Wales, come over and stay with us for the reception as well. We had some great time playing music together!

Caldwell and Maryanne took us all to see the Giant's Causeway. Dad and I climbed up on the fascinating rock formations.

(Classic Dad pose! We have pictures of him doing this over many a cliff and precarious point!)

Then we went to the Glenveagh Castle and boy, was it beautiful there. Mom and I explored some of the gardens and I just couldn't take enough pictures! It was such an enchanting place.

And THEN, we celebrated two very milestone birthdays! Dad and Maryanne were both celebrating their 60th birthdays! (By the way, we had a much nicer desert than those dinky little cream puffs...! That was just for the candles.) :) 

All too soon it was time for them to head back home. I was so happy that they were here though and could see were we live and meet the people that are so much a part of my life now. I am looking forward to the next visit!

Summer Update: Holland!

After our week of VBS, it was time to say goodbye to my family and friends. It was a bitter-sweet time. I was so excited to be married and going to live in a new and beautiful country with my husband and yet, I was sad to have to leave behind so many that I love dearly. It is good to know that you are in Gods will though, over wise it would be unbearable! So we packed our bags and headed for our new home....

We had a short one-day stay over in Ireland before heading off once again. This time we went to Holland for two weeks. David was playing with the worship team for the big Operation Mobilization conference. There were many new missionary families and individuals there getting training before heading off into their field of service for the next two years or so. It was a very exciting atmosphere. Holland was beautiful!

David and I were recruited as mock airport personal during a training day. 

There were so many different cultures represented. I was fascinated by it all!

I spent most of my days working in the "creche" (nursery). Most of the kids spoke two or three languages. I was completely impressed and felt a little bad that I have barely mastered one. It was good fun though, trying to communicate with each other! 

We were able to do a bit of exploring and found some friendly cows.

Everyone in Holland rides bikes it seems so we just had to find some ourselves and try to look as "native" as possible. Only problem was, our bikes were ancient and make squeaky sounds as we went along. Oh well, it was still fun.

We biked to this little town and rested near a lovely canal. The sun was shining and there was a group of old men near us chattering away in Dutch. Then the bells went off and started playing a hymn!...I was charmed and completely amazed by the beauty of God's diverse creation. Gorgeous! 

Summer Update: VBS

My last week as Children's Ministry Coordinator at the Covenant Church found me deep into VBS. Our theme was Jerusalem Marketplace and it was so much fun! Thankfully, I had a TON of help since I was on my honeymoon the week before it. Here is a little taste of our week...

Everyone dressed in Bible days costume. Here we are...the VERY newly married Mr. and Mrs.!

David was the rabbi! And the kids LOVED him! I think they thought that all rabbis must have Irish accents!

Here is adorable little Elijah, enjoying the marketplace!

Whole families took part in this VBS which made it very unique. Moms, dads, grandpas, and grandmas were all there taking part. Here is Alisa with her boys.

Paying good attention in school with Rabbi David!

Elianna is practicing her Hebrew letters on her clay tablet!

We even had real animals! It was the most fun I have ever had at a VBS! Thanks to everyone who helped out and pitched in to make it possible. I don't think any of us will soon be forgetting what it may have been like when Jesus walked this earth.

Thankful...

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: 

be thankful unto Him, and bless His name." 

Psalm 100:4

I've been TAGGED!!

My cousin Karen tagged me in this photo tag which requires you to post the sixth picture in the sixth folder on your computer! So here is my sixth picture...

This is the kitchen in our new home in Dunnalong Manor here in Ireland! And, since I was wanting to show you our new house anyway, here is another picture of the outside...

I love our home! God is so good in providing such a lovely house in such a quiet neighborhood. Our neighbors are really nice and we are just a short walk from the river and from my wonderful in-laws. It is a blessing!

*

So, now I need to tag five people to do this too so I think I will choose...Mindy, Missy, Ben, Matt, and Freedom's Call! Have fun! Here are the rules:

*Go to your sixth picture folder then pick your sixth picture.

*Pray that you remember the details.

*Post it on your blog.

*Tag 5 others, leave a comment to let them know they've been tagged!

Summer Update: Our Honeymoon

After our beautiful wedding, we headed off into the darkness in this old car that David had managed to secure for our get-away car. It was beautiful (there is a picture of it in the wedding slideshow in the previous post) and it even matched the color of our wedding! However, it didn't really like driving down the road so we barely made it back to the owner's place where our real car was parked! Phew! The owners of the car also worked with the newspaper so they took some pictures of us and we found ourselves in the paper a few days later! So that was our first adventure as a married couple. Now...on with the honeymoon!

Our first honeymoon destination was the beautiful city of Duluth, Minnesota, on the shores of Lake Superior--one of the Great Lakes. What a stunning city!

We enjoyed time on the beach, leisurely strolls on the boardwalks around the lake,...

A boat ride tour of Duluth harbor (very interesting!)...

...Spotting a pirates ship! Ahoy matey!

Enjoying the gorgeous view out our hotel window, 

Basking in God's breath-taking creation, 

meeting a few challenges...can you say "ouchy thigh muscles"?

But it was worth it! 

Split Rock Lighthouse

More to come!...

Summer Update: Our Honeymoon continued...

After spending a few days in Duluth, we headed up the North Shore drive and found ourselves exploring Tettegouche State Park. Look...there's a handsome hiker now!

I thought this tree's root system was incredible--twisted and tough little tree. Bravely clinging to life and defying all the elements trying to erode it away. Go little tree, go!

This little squirrel almost scared me to death while I was waiting in the stillness of the forest alone. We had found a camera lying on the path and the pictures on it revealed the faces of some hikers we had passed a ways back so David ran to catch them. I stayed alone and took pictures of berries (see following picture) when all of a sudden, above my head, this little guy burst out in an explosion of psychotic crazyness.  I don't know what his issue was but I managed to get a picture of him after he settled down a little. He looks cute there but I am still a little spooked by him...even in the picture!

Then we reached the thundering falls and cooled our travel weary feet in the fresh flowing waters...ahhhhhh!

Isn't almost fairy-like?

A nice girl took our picture in front of the falls. 

After that adventure, we ventured on North and found ourselves at Lutsen Ski Resort where we stayed for our last two days of our honeymoon. It was spectacular! A highlight was riding on the mountain tram to the top cafe and looking out over the vastness of Lake Superior. Wow!

So that concludes our first adventure as husband and wife. One down, a lifetime more to go! Woo hoo!!

Wedding Day

I posted this before, but in keeping with my little journal of summer update events, here it is again! A beautiful slideshow of the wedding pictures. 

(If you want to see the pictures one by one, just go to the controls in the bottom right hand corner and click on the gallery icon.) 

Summer Update: Wedding day!

Sunday, August 3rd, 2008...

...a day that I will remember forever and ever! I woke up and immediately knew that this was a day that would change my life forever. I couldn't believe how calm I was! Soon after a good breakfast and chatting with all my dear bridesmaids (who were in the process of getting their hair done) I was off with Annika (my niece) to the salon to get myself all dolled up! Such fun! 

Annika was my personal attendant and she was such a huge blessing to me. She took all these pictures of me at the salon. She is such a dear. I love her so much!

All done! 

And now for the dress! Isn't it lovely? I felt like a princess wearing it! This dress was also worn by my sister Mindy. It was pretty fitting that we wore the same dress on our wedding days since most of our lives we have been wearing each other's clothes and when we were little my mom would dress us up like twins! It was special wearing this dress, which is destined to become a family heirloom I think! I wonder who will wear it next?

"I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothes me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." 

(Isaiah 61:10)