Thanks Browns for my fantastic American experience!

I have free internet at the moment and I really should make the most of it and write one final post before I leave the States. Trouble is I have done just too much in the last 2 1/2 weeks that I don't really know where to start! Maybe bullet-pointed highlights will be the way to go...

So, some of the highlights of my time in the USA:

* Getting to see Michael, Fiona, Nat, Luka and meet wee Asher. What amazing hosts they are and what a beautiful new addition to the Brown family. Smooches to you all and thank you so much for an amazing time. See you in a year.

* 30+ degrees temperatures and not a cloud in the sky every single day since I arrived.

* Cheap clothes shopping. Yeah!

* Food! La Fiesta (mmm...Mexican. Yum), Dairy Queen, Cold Stone Creamery, Bagels, Burgers, Tacos, Breakfast Burritos, peanut butter chip brownie, peanut butter m & ms ..just to name a few.

* Sonic get's it's own mention... Awesome ice-cream sundae...and brought out to the car by a girl on roller skates. That just makes it 10 times as cool.

* Seeing the Californian Redwood Forest and the Oregon Coast...beautiful.

* Good coffees daily (or several times daily if needed!)

* Lake of the Woods

* Ashland. Pretty little town with nice shops and a cool Shakespearian theatre.

* Driving on the right (even if it was only round the block!)

* Light switches that switch up not down to turn on

* Swimming in Sue's pool...there is nothing better than this on a 38 degree day!

* Drinking coffee looking out at the ocean at Santa Monica, feeling especially proud of the fact I ventured out into LA and didn't get myself lost ;)

* And did I mention my fabulous hosts and how they spoilt me for 2 1/2 weeks?! I'll miss them a lot.

For those of you who pray...I'd really appreciate your prayers in the next few weeks. Firstly, to make it safely from here, to Amsterdam and down to Tanzania. And after that to be able to settle in quickly to life at the Joshua Foundation and that I'd be able to connect with the staff and student teachers quickly and well. I've said it before but I must say it again, God has been incredibly good to me with all the prep for this trip and I am really looking forward to seeing how he works in me over the next year.

Ok...better go catch this flight!

Medford, Oregon, USA

Well I've made it to the halfway point in my trip- Medford Oregon. I flew into Los Angeles, spent a few hours there and was very happy to find free wireless, good coffee and that my luggage had followed me as I'd hoped. That's always a promising sign of good travels ahead!

I'm loving Medford. It's hot (high 30s every day), pretty (smallish city surrounded by farmland and hills), and I get to hang out with Michael, Fiona and my 3 spunky nephews. The newest addition to the Brown family, Asher, is only 12 days old and is absolutely beautiful. I feel pretty lucky to spend this time with them all. Michael and Fiona have been giving me the all american experience, which includes outings to Walmart, Target, Historic Jacksonville (the main street is straight out of country westerns, and the surrounding streets could very well be Wisteria Lane) and peanut butter M&Ms. I'm happy to report that I thoroughly enjoy all of the above.

On Saturday we headed up to Lake of the Woods which is about 45 mins drive from Medford. People camp up there for the summer and I can see why; it's gorgeous, and nothing is quite as nice as a lake to swim in when its as hot as it has been here.

I'm here in the States until next Sunday so I plan on making the most of the break and spending time with family. It's a bit surreal to be on holiday after being so busy preparing for this trip for the last 6 months. Surreal but nice -courtesy of Notting Hill ;-)

2 Days! And a big thank you

I'm sitting in Christchurch writing this- have enjoyed a lovely last weekend down seeing family. Christchurch even decided to turn on the beautiful frosty clear blue sky days that I love about the South. Love it! I'll head back to Auckland tonight for a last 2 days catching up and last minute packing, then Wednesday night I leave. I can't believe how quickly the last 8 months have flown by, from deciding to go, to actually leaving.

The garage sale was a great success. It's an eye opener the kind of people you encounter early in the morning as they trawl the various garage sales. We got rid of almost everything we wanted to and made some good cash to boot. Thanks to everyone who donated stuff...much appreciated!

I'm extra excited because this week, Thursday, I get to meet the newest member of the Brown whanau- my new nephew, Asher Jacob. He came 2 weeks early. I reckon it was just so that I can spend the whole 2 1/2 weeks with him and my other 2 beautiful nephews.

Both God and my awesome friends and family have been incredibly good to me in the lead up to this trip. So I just want to say a huge thank you to all of the above for everything so far. It's made me realise just how blessed I am to have the people around me that I do. Thanks friends and family for the love and encouragement, finances, great catch ups and prayers. Thanks God for giving me a real passion for this next year and for the smooth process and great random link ups with people. You are awesome.

I can't wait to see how the next year unfolds- and so keen to keep in touch with people by email, so if you feel like writing, please do! Hopefully by the next time I write this blog I'll have lots of fun and new stuff to write about. First stop...USA!