Cairns festival

Enjoying Cairns festival last weekend.

Random

I'm aware that we haven't blogged for a while. Not that much happening here that isn't quite ordinary. School, work and Ruben takes up most of the time. We do get out at the weekends, although not so much swimming this time of year. Too cold for us now if it's below 30 degrees C!  A few pictures of us out and about just to prove we are still here.

Ruben turns 4

It was Ruben's birthday this week, which of course meant a trip on the Kuranda railway. Fortunately for us it coincided with the 125 years of the railway so all locals got 50% off just the day I wanted to book.

(The Children's school is the cluster of buildings behind the branches)

Ballyhooley Steam Railway

This Sunday afternoon it was pouring with rain!! Can't really complain as we have mostly sunny days! It didn't seem like a swimming day so we headed north to Port Douglas and the steam railway. On the way back along the coast we stopped at a beach where people had been building fun rock structures.

'It's all relative'

My mum and I I have been talking about the weather over recent weeks. She says how warm it is in the UK and I say how cold it is in Cairns. They've got out their summer duvets, we've got out our duvets (half the year we just use a sheet). She says how it's funny to eat porridge on hot summer mornings. I say how nice it is to eat porridge on cold winter mornings.The reality however is interesting. It's actually almost the same temperature here and there, if anything it's warmer here. Tomorrow the forecast for Cairns is a high of 29 degrees C and for Reading, England it's 21 degrees C. Now you understand why I struggle with UK winters. Poor Ruben keeps telling us to turn off the air conditioning. It's not on, it's just that's the only cold he knows. As it is deepest darkest winter here I am on the look out for winter clothes in the sales for us for when we come to the UK in December. I don't think the usual t-shirt, shorts and a pair of flip flops is going to work in the UK! The shops here are full of Ugg boots and winter woollies - go figure!!!

'Selfie frenzy'

10 years

Today marks 10 years since we landed in Tanzania. It seems like a lifetime ago - and I guess for our kids it is! It has been a roller-coaster ride at times, but I can honestly say that at no point have I felt that God has not been there for us.

At this time, when I am struggling with various issues, I find that I am drawing nearer to God (and/or he is drawing nearer to me) and I am moving into a much more intimate relationship with Him. He is 'God Almighty', but He is also 'Abba Father'. I think this is a truth that I am only really truly starting to grasp...probably not before time. I find myself wondering more and more whether this is one of the main reasons God brought us here to Cairns - although it may seem a bit counter-intuitive - to recognise my complete inability to 'do life' on my own, and my complete dependence on Him.

It may seem strange that we have found life in 'paradise' that much harder than life in the wilds (and not-so-wilds) of East Africa, but it has really made me realise what is actually important in life - people, and time. Starting life from scratch - especially at the stage of life we are at, and the pace of 'modern life' - is actually really hard, especially for a couple of introverts.

However, my struggles have forced me to face my need for relationship, not only with God, but also with other people. This was such a 'given' when we were in Africa (i.e. the built in community of 'MAF family') that we didn't really realise its importance or appreciate what we had. I am glad to say though that through the 'hard times' I am now forging new friendships, particularly with fellow-MAFers who have made the same transition as us. I am really thankful that these relationships are there, and that I feel much less 'on my own' than I have been feeling. However, the pace of life and the lack of 'spare' time make it very hard to find the time and energy to build these relationships - I think that would be my main prayer point at this time. That somehow we would manage to arrange our lives so that amidst the pressure of all the 'musts' and 'shoulds' we can have time for ourselves individually, each other, our children and for building relationships outside the family.

Anyway, don't mean to sound too doom and gloomy :) God is good, and it feels like life is slowly moving in an upward trajectory. Thank you for all yours prayers and support over the last 10 years. We don't know what God has planned for the next 10, but we are comforted to know that He has a plan, and He is in control.

ANZAC day

ANZAC day is the Australian day of remembrance and is always a bank holiday. We spent it down by the creek, fishing and playing.

Swimming again!

After church today we went with friends for a swim and a picnic. We were the only ones there. Obviously it's too cold for the locals now! The boys spent all afternoon building a dam across the creek. Clearly water never gets boring for our family.