Yellow Roses

Flowers from a student.  It was very fun to assign new literature now that Concerto auditions are finished - so many fantastic pieces which I'm excited to teach.  

Mike arrived home from USA at 8:45AM on Friday and, without even coming home, departed for the GO-4-12 race in Hawke's Bay.  Noah and Cory picked him up in MAVY loaded with gear, Mercy's very enthusiastic team, and a willing ukulele.



I stayed home alone to get ready to leave to the USA later this week and to write some papers in a suddenly quiet house.  I busted out rough draft papers about the intercessory role of prophets in the Old Testament, how Pacific History has evolved in the last 50 years, images of Shiva in Hindu temples, and a book review of Islanders by Nicholas Thomas.  I guess, like the adventure racers, I have a kind of painful-fun.

Mike taking photos of Oak's team.

Mercy's team.  Which way next?

They must have figured something out.

Just like the old days with Noah, Cory, Nick and Sue.

Oak's team.

Picture of all the New Plymouth athletes at the race.  An equal number of supporters went along, including Sue and Cory, Nick and Annie, who don't have any racers but enjoy the company and are masterful at transitions. 

The rainbow colors are not capture in this photo - they were so vivid that it felt like I could reach and touch them and that the colors would be warm and soft.

Mike's birthday wish was to take some family photos.

The background looks like telly tubby land.  

Messing around.  

Noah sent this picture from the airport with the caption "good bye New Zealand".  Two especially memorable nights were looking at pictures from the south island with Sutherlands and watching family videos from 2002-2003. 

A new experience for us all, thanks to Sage.    

I love her!

We have a different perspective on General Conference here than anywhere else we've lived.  Our district president (similar to stake president) responded to General Conference by emailing "they made some changes at General Conference.  Not much of it affects Taranaki."  When the letter from 1st presidency was read in church last week, I realized that most members in Taranaki don't know what a high priests group is, have probably never reported home or visiting teaching anyway (with the notable exception of Pres.Coward's EQ), and don't know what "Miamaids" or "Laurels" are.  They love General Conference, even if they notice different things about it than members living in other places that I've lived.