Labor Day Weekend

We had a great Labor Day weekend. Saturday morning we had a web video conference with our teammates and Kairos coach. It was great to "hang out" with our good friends. Not only was it good to see their faces and hear their voices, it was so good to think about our move and ministry in Wollongong. For those of you who have not heard, all three of our families have hit snags in the via process. It is basically just a time issues, but has been quite discouraging. Processing times for most visas are surprisingly longer now. Our family has now decided to apply for a Religious Worker visa for Jason. We will work on the more permanent visa at a later date. I know to most people it seems ludicrous that we have to go through this lengthy and fairly costly experience even though I am Australian, we are married, we have enough money to migrate etc, etc. But it is just how things go unfortunately and just part of the process. If you took a look at some of the paperwork, you would quickly understand why it makes me want to set my hair on fire.

We have so many things to take care of right now. Most importantly our newborn baby, and ourselves. Ella is our number one priority and next to that if we get a shower each day and food in our bellies we call it a good day. But we can not forget the visa process, the passports that need to be applied for, the fundraising and so on. Yesterday, after three attempts, we succeeded in getting an acceptable photograph for Ella's US passport. The first time, Ella was just tired, hungry and mad that we kept interrupting her sleep. The second photograph showed Jason's hand as he propped her head up. The guy at the passport office told us he would send it in to "try". I was pretty sure that there was NO way that photograph would be accepted and that sending it in would just create yet another delay and more paperwork. So we tried once more at WalMart. We were able to snap a picture of Ella with her eyes open and looking directly at the camera. She looks rather mad and red-faced. Nothing like the sweet little girl we gaze at all day. But we'll take it and I am sure she'll have something to say about the picture at some point since it is good for five years! At least we can check that off the list.

Next we are waiting on Ella's "Citizenship by Descent" paperwork. This will allow her to become an Australian citizen. Unfortunately it will require another passport picture (don't ask why we didn't have them print more of the other picture). Sigh. And $110. And that is not the passport cost...just the paperwork. I say we are "waiting" because the Embassy is mailing us the application form. We printed it off at home but each page was cut off at the bottom because it was formatted to print on A4 paper and we couldn't seem to fix that. Its all the little things that seem to hold us back.

Anyhow...I digress. We enjoyed visits from some special friends on Saturday. Sam and Sue Larkin visited from Houston. I knew them from their years in Brisbane. It was great to catch up with them - it had been at least five years.

The Shrocks and Lewis' also visited from Memphis and Waco. It was so good to reminisce about our days in the H.O.O.D. It was fun to watch them love on Ella - especially the guys. Several times us girls was look up from talking to see the three guys gathered around Ella and loving on her.







Ella enjoyed her very first baseball game here in Round Rock. She did so well. I think she enjoyed being out in the warm summer air. Good times.