It is officially fall here. Though the temperatures are still warmer. Most days are above 80. Like in the midwest where we have a "windchill factor" in the winter, I've decided there's a "sun factor" here. Even though it may only be low 80's, if the sun is out full strength it feels at least 5 degrees warmer. The nights are cooling down more, and since it's dark by 5:30 the days aren't hot for long. It's still trippy to be in the month of April, in fall, with Easter just around the corner. The warm weather keeps it feeling like spring to our Northern Hemisphere bodies.
We're slowly finding a sortof groove here. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that November through February and maybe March have been some of the most stressful months we've had in a long while. Moving, totally re-setting up a house and life, starting a new job, new city, new country, unfinished ends to tie up back in the states with a 15-16 hours time difference, kids in adjustment, lack of sleep have all come into play. We still are having the get-up-at-6-work-til-11 days, but they are not everyday. We are so grateful for that. Liv is on 2 week break from school for Easter (she has another 2 week break in both June and September, then only a 6 week summer). It's been amazing lately that the kids are actually playing together a lot more! I told Aaron all that forced togetherness when we moved must be working. They've realized they can't get away from each other so they might as well make the best of it :). Or at least I think that's the conclusion Liv has come to. Today I put on Adventures in Odyssey (from Focus on the Family) from our computer, and the kids played with legos and listened to a few episodes. It was awesome! I think they are becoming one of our new go-to/not the tv/engages the kids options. Last week I played 3 or 4 and they colored for an hour. And I have to admit I enjoy listening to them too.
So it's funny, there's the normal day-to-day things that make up life, but then there's the not-so-ordinary that's also making up our life here. Like bringing our neighbor to church with us on Sunday who happens to be a former Catholic priest from Africa. Or the neighbor I met who is a university student from Ethiopia (love her!). Or the decent size lizard that lives in our tiny backyard. Some of the changes just come from living in a large, urban area and some come from living in a new country. And then I'll be driving to get groceries with the realization that, oh my goodness I'm living in Australia. What in the world are we doing...
Throughout the last few months, though, we continue to sense God's confirmation that this is where we are supposed to be. We are grateful for His grace and provision. And I love my Wednesdays on campus. I take the bus into one of the most prestigious universities in Queensland. The central courtyard is large and surrounded by sandstone buildings. It's beautiful. And the thousands of university students I see and the diversity around me is astounding. And probably 98% of them are without Christ. The need is incredible. And THAT is what makes all this worth it. THAT reminds me why we are here and why we totally threw our lives up in the air. Because I love Jesus. He loves them. So I love them too.
