Home Away from Home

Today Ruth grabbed the camera and went around the home we're living in and snapped some pictures for the blog! So for anyone out there who is interested in what our house looks like, this post is for you!

The internet is working way better tonight so I thought I better get these pictures uploaded while I can!

Our house from the front yard

Garbage Talk

One of the additional tasks of living in Ukarumpa is that you have to separate your garbage. You have burnable, wet garbage, and other. So this means you keep three different buckets in your house and are constantly making decisions of how to sort your garbage when you throw it away. Also, if your garbage is in the "other" category, like tin cans and stuff, you are asked to wash it clean. I think this is because while their storing it in the trucks and containers before it's taken to the dump, it attracts a number of dogs and rodents that like to rummage around it.

An Update from Ruthicus

The girls started school on Wed July 20th and Chad had his first day of work in Friday the 22nd. The girls seem to love school. Meliah and Anna have had homework every night so far but they seem to enjoy the classes and friends. Kiery loves school and is making lots of friends and is reading lots of different things. Anna has decided to play the trumpet in the school beginning band, luck us....Actually I don't mind b/c of playing flute all those yrs and I figure its pay back time. :) She is also in choir and she went to ride horses today (Sat). Meliah commented that Anna is never home that is a switch We are very impressed with the schools thus far and everything about them. The weather we aren't impressed with though. We have had rain most days since being here (like the drizzle kind of rain contuinally in Seattle.)

To Be Stupid or Not Be Stupid. That is the question.

Hum. I started 10th grade today. It was pretty intense. Word of advice: when traveling around the world, and you hope to get some schooling done while traveling, BRING SCHOOL SUPPLIES. Even if they say the teachers and/or store will provide them, you need to bring them with you. I don’t care if you have to pay the stupid overweight fees on the luggage. Make it number 4 on your priority list, next to clean underwear, toothbrush, and Sammy the Teddy Bear.

Anywho, I really do hate being the new kid. I mean, the kids are nice and everything, but just the fact that I know that I’m out of the loop on most conversations, is all but maddening. It’s weird being on the other side of the fence(aka ocean). Metaphorically. I’m usually the one on the inside of the jokes and pick up lines; in fact I think I may be the causes of most of those jokes and pick up lines. Yah, it’s weird being an outsider. I have a new respect for all you new kids around the world. I bid you my condolences.

Annakah & Jazzie

On Saturday’s members of the pony club come to the paddocks to ride and hold courses for new riders in horse management and care. Annakah has dreamed of riding horses for years and was overjoyed at the idea that Ukarumpa has horses!

We had met Savanah earlier in the week and she offered to give Annakah a lesson and ride this Saturday so Anna made sure we were there on time and ready to learn. It was a great way to spend a Saturday morning. We plan to continue with the lessons and take the horse management course. When we get home, I’ve seriously been considering getting a couple horses on the farm for the girls. So it’s great to learn good horse care.

We snapped a number of pictures and video, but have temporarily “misplaced” the camera. So I’ll try to think to update this post with pictures when we can.

Chimney Fire and Land Cruiser Fun!

Before you all panic, it wasn’t in our chimney, but our fellowship family’s. They live on the other side of Ukarumpa and in the early morning hours, their motion sensor, and then their fire alarm woke them up and their house was full of smoke.

On Monday, since we were waiting for our new house to become available, and I wasn’t working at my job yet, I walked over to see if I could help.

As it turned out, there was plenty of demolition happening and I was able to jump in and help. The next days were spent reframing the wall that had burned, and putting a window in where the fireplace & chimney had been.

A Trip to Kainantu

Sunday morning we attended the English service here at the Ukarumpa meeting house. We were very impressed and thoroughly enjoyed worshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ here in PNG.

We were invited to go to lunch after church with a couple who have served here a long time as children’s home parents, Geoff and Sue. They took us to a hotel in Kainantu that has an outdoor restaurant. We had rump steak, t-bone steak, chicken and all the sides. The meal was excellent and the conversation was encouraging and inspiring as well.

While we were waiting for our meal, Geoff took us over to the “mini” zoo at the hotel where there were tree kangaroos, a regular kangaroo, and a cockatoo. I took a video of the girls laughing at the maniacal cockatoo for you all to enjoy. Unfortunately, the internet is bad enough here that I can't get it to upload. So, here are a couple pictures instead.