Please pray about visas to enter Australia . . .
The Griffiths are waiting on their permanant residency visa. They have been waiting around eight months already. All they know is that their application has been recieved, but not yet processed. Pray that it is processed and granted soon! And pray for them as they wait.
The Mullins should have a religious worker visa any day. Their medical exams went smoothly and they were notified that the results were being sent to D.C. From our understanding, this is the last step. A visa should be granted soon after the paperwork from the medicals arrive in D.C.
We are on a similar track to the Mullins. With a glitch. Jason's chest x-ray had to be re-done. In Memphis. So we overnighted the new x-ray back to Atlanta. Today we called and the radiologist has not yet give the readings to the doctor. The secretary is less than impressed with our phone calls. Please pray that the radiologist moves on this, and that Jason's medical results will get on up to D.C in a timely manner.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Ella Rhys on Halloween
We spent Ella's first Halloween at the Fall Festival at the Round Rock church of Christ. I was in charge of the fishing pond booth. Ella just chilled out by my side or slept. The 31st was our first day home after our long road trip to Oklahoma. I didn't get out to look for a costume for her until around 2pm on the 31st. I know, I know...but I will pull the 'I'm-Australian-and-we-don't-do-Halloween' card and the 'first-time-mom' card on this one.
In spite of myself, I was able to find a cute onesie complete with English spelling to create a double meaning, and an adorable jack-o-lantern bib. We called this a costume - opting out of the other very hot looking costumes since it is still around 80 - 85 degrees in Austin. Ella should just be thankful that she didn't end up in a costume made for pets. I had one all picked out and was headed to check out when I saw the sign 'pet costume'. Bless my heart.
In spite of myself, I was able to find a cute onesie complete with English spelling to create a double meaning, and an adorable jack-o-lantern bib. We called this a costume - opting out of the other very hot looking costumes since it is still around 80 - 85 degrees in Austin. Ella should just be thankful that she didn't end up in a costume made for pets. I had one all picked out and was headed to check out when I saw the sign 'pet costume'. Bless my heart.
Road tripping with Ella Rhys
We have been on the road a lot lately. We are still fundraising, and are also saying goodbye to people. In October, we spent 18 days in Oklahoma. We were back in Austin for four nights, and then off again to Tennessee and Georgia.
Ella Rhys is an incredible traveler. She is still young enough to be sleeping a lot. I do feel bad for her though. So we stop often and let her stretch. On our most recent trip, we had some 8-10 hour days and she did great. We are so thankful.
The nice thing about road trips for me, is that I can pack liberally. As in, everything but the kitchen sink. I don't have to worry about 3 ounce bottles of liquid, or 1 quart zip lock bags. Of course, Jason might say otherwise since he is the one that gets to play tetris everytime we have to pack the car.
This is how we check on Ella. We do have a car mirror but have not attached it yet. This works for now. What a cute little girl. When we get tired and weary on these trips - Ella can instantly revive and rejuvenate us with her sweetness.
Ella Rhys is an incredible traveler. She is still young enough to be sleeping a lot. I do feel bad for her though. So we stop often and let her stretch. On our most recent trip, we had some 8-10 hour days and she did great. We are so thankful.
The nice thing about road trips for me, is that I can pack liberally. As in, everything but the kitchen sink. I don't have to worry about 3 ounce bottles of liquid, or 1 quart zip lock bags. Of course, Jason might say otherwise since he is the one that gets to play tetris everytime we have to pack the car.
This is how we check on Ella. We do have a car mirror but have not attached it yet. This works for now. What a cute little girl. When we get tired and weary on these trips - Ella can instantly revive and rejuvenate us with her sweetness.
Thoughts on Re-Entry
Well folks, it looks like we might just make it to Australia after all. I know many have doubted! However, with the completion of Jason's medical recently, we expect that his Religious Worker Visa might be granted by early December. The medical was a slight ordeal and a major rip-off but thats a story not really worth retelling.
December 9th we will travel to Houston to have an interview for Ella's Australian passport. An in-person interview is mandatory for all first time, child passports in the US and Australia. The US passport is easy - just go to a post office. But the Australian one has to be at an Embassy - hence the trip south. The passport is then issued about 10 days later. Once that is done, we will have all the paperwork we need to get on a plane and enter Australia legally.
I left Australia on January 31st 1999. I was fresh out of college, and on my way to China and Japan with college friends to celebrate our graduation. I intended to look for a job teaching English in Japan and was hired on my second day there. My poor mother. Since leaving in 1999, my longest trip back to Australia was three weeks (for our wedding), and our most recent trip was two and a half years ago.
I wonder what it will be like to live in Australia again? Many quickly say 'oh you're going home'. True. Yet false. I grew up there. My family is all there. But for the past ten years I have lived and worked outside of the Australian culture and norms. Most of the 'firsts' of my adult life were in Japan or the United States.
I have so many thoughts about this thing called 're-entry'. They are difficult to define. What is my point? I am not really sure. I hoped to be a little more articulate but . . . Probably more than anything its just to ask for a little grace! Have mercy on me if I sound a little different, if I forget you can't do drive through banking, or shop 24 hours a day. If I call a dummy a pacifier or a nappy a diaper. If I fill the car up with gas not petrol. I'll do my best to fit in and adjust to the cultural norms. It might take a while. Someone likened the re-entry experience to changing colour. I was green in Australia. I turned a little yellow in Japan/America, and now I am blue. Like a square peg trying to fit back into a round hole.
Regardless of how difficult re-entry might be, I will commit to finding joy in it and being thankful. I am so thankful for the many blessings of the past ten years. (and the 21 years prior to that, too).
December 9th we will travel to Houston to have an interview for Ella's Australian passport. An in-person interview is mandatory for all first time, child passports in the US and Australia. The US passport is easy - just go to a post office. But the Australian one has to be at an Embassy - hence the trip south. The passport is then issued about 10 days later. Once that is done, we will have all the paperwork we need to get on a plane and enter Australia legally.
I left Australia on January 31st 1999. I was fresh out of college, and on my way to China and Japan with college friends to celebrate our graduation. I intended to look for a job teaching English in Japan and was hired on my second day there. My poor mother. Since leaving in 1999, my longest trip back to Australia was three weeks (for our wedding), and our most recent trip was two and a half years ago.
I wonder what it will be like to live in Australia again? Many quickly say 'oh you're going home'. True. Yet false. I grew up there. My family is all there. But for the past ten years I have lived and worked outside of the Australian culture and norms. Most of the 'firsts' of my adult life were in Japan or the United States.
I have so many thoughts about this thing called 're-entry'. They are difficult to define. What is my point? I am not really sure. I hoped to be a little more articulate but . . . Probably more than anything its just to ask for a little grace! Have mercy on me if I sound a little different, if I forget you can't do drive through banking, or shop 24 hours a day. If I call a dummy a pacifier or a nappy a diaper. If I fill the car up with gas not petrol. I'll do my best to fit in and adjust to the cultural norms. It might take a while. Someone likened the re-entry experience to changing colour. I was green in Australia. I turned a little yellow in Japan/America, and now I am blue. Like a square peg trying to fit back into a round hole.
Regardless of how difficult re-entry might be, I will commit to finding joy in it and being thankful. I am so thankful for the many blessings of the past ten years. (and the 21 years prior to that, too).
Friday, November 07, 2008
Together again
We made it back to Texas after 18 days on the road, mostly in Oklahoma. We enjoyed Ella's first Halloween (pictures to come), and a visit from the Lawries before heading for Tennessee.
We are currently in Jackson, Tennessee enjoying time with our team mates. We have not been together since the day of Ella's birth. It is difficult to be apart while we are all in this time of preparation, transition and waiting. It is good to be together with our good friends. And wonderful to enjoy the fall.
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