3 Weeks in Darwin... how are we travelling??

Hi, Jude here.
I don't usually put these comments on to the Blog but had some time up my sleeves. Len is working at Marrara Christian College now in a full time position, mostly music but some emergency teaching for other classes too. This week he has been given lots of indigenous classes to take and he has quite enjoyed those, no swearing and they call him "Sir". I have had a fairly easy teaching load, in the 3 weeks of term I have only done a 1/2 day on a year 8/9 class at Palmerston Christian School, where Sam and Jess are attending. I do have a few days booked in already for Marrara during May, but there certainly hasn't been the huge rush on relief that we had been assured of when we left Tiwi. It is great that we were given the full time position for Len because otherwise money would have been getting very tight. (God knew!)

Sam and Jess have settled in quite well to their school now. Back into that routine of uniforms, lunches to pack, homework deadlines to meet. There is something I really dislike about all that, but at least it gives us some structure. I have been busy working on a photo book of our family's time on the Tiwi Islands, can't wait to see the finished product!! At times I have been feeling very much at a loose end, missing the Tiwi kids terribly and the sense of excitement and doing something worthwhile. There is such a lack of community over here, we don't really know many people and those we do are scattered here and there. There is something to be said for small communities!!

I guess right now the excitement and something worthwhile that I am doing is being a mum and a wife. I thank God for the different phases we move through and learn through. Len and I celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary this year. What a wonderful 20 years of adventures, serving God in many different ways, roller coaster rides, beautiful children and now grandchildren. Not sure how we might celebrate in June, but the journey we are in the midst of is like one big celebration!!

In 7 weeks we will be sitting in Ho Chin Minh City, Vietnam and we will also have moved out of this house. We only had it for this term. Now that we have agreed to stay till the end of the year - because of Len's job - we need to find somewhere else for term 3 and 4. God has put everything in place regarding home, school, work, finance and furniture so far so he has something prepared we have no doubt. Worse case scenario is that we could live in our caravan for a while, it arrives next Sunday which is very exciting.

The time in Vietnam is racing up very quickly and we are hoping the swine flu thing doesn't change anything by that stage. It has been good to have some free time recently as there has been a lot to do finishing off passports, visas, travel insurance etc. We are there for 12 days and it should be fascinating. It is Sam and Jess' first time out of Australia so they are both apprehensive and excited.

Some may be wondering what next for us now that we are staying up here till the end of the year.
Well we are not sure, but are very much keeping all options open. We bought the caravan and have always intended to travel throughout Western Australia before heading home. Whether we do that over the Christmas holidays and be back ready for school to start 2010 or we wait and travel for part of next year is still unknown. One thing that is known is that there are 2 things constant in life, God (who doesn't change) and change. What is waiting around the next corner? Not sure, haven't turned it yet...