Monday, July 27, 2009

Tafuna's in NZ!!!

We are all finally back here in Hawaii, and what a trip it has been. After spending a week in Tonga we had a week together in NZ before Tui came home to slave away at PCC. Malachi and I stayed to sort out my visa situation and spend some much needed QT with my family. After 6 more weeks husband/daddy-less, we were glad to get on a plane and leave NZ again.

I have way too many stories and pictures to share, so I'll just give you a tiny little taste of what we got up to.

NOTE: THIS POST HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE REALLY REALLY LONG SO MAKE SURE YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOWS YOU TO DEDICATE AT LEAST 10 MINUTES TO READING AND ENJOYING THIS POST.

- It was so good to spend time with family again, everyones changed, grown up, had kids, so it was good to catch up. This was taken the night after Renee had given birth so her and the kids aren't there.


Malachi and Baby Hannah.

Us with my grandparents, my mum's parents.

Malachi and his great grandparents

Malachi and katherine watching a movie - these two were inseperable. Except when someone got put in time out...

Malachi with Aunty "dessie" - jessie, my only sister

This picture was taken the day we arrived in NZ, malachi with all his cousins on my side. Jacob was born a few days later and we had to take a new picture.

Me and my parents the day before I left.

My family the day of Jacobs blessing. John, Matt, Dad, Mum, Jessie, Me

Updated picture of the grandkids with the new edition jacob.
Malachi,
Grandad and his boys.


- Tui and I finally made it to our 2nd anniversary on July 7th. However we were in seperate countries on the day and so instead went out the night before he left to celebrate, very appropriately, with hot chocolate and desert.


- My Brother Matthew and his wife Renee welcomed their 3rd child, Jacob Stanley Brunton, into the world and for once I wasn't on the other side of the world, so I got to meet my new nephew when he was a few hours old and be there for his blessing. He makes # 6 grandchild for the Bruntons.


- My niece, Katherine SARAH Rosser, turned 2 years old and we helped her celebrate.

In his little party hat.

With his other daddy, uncle Nick.

Us at Katherine's party.



Malachi and Aunty amy aka "daddyyyyy"

Malachi tickeling nathan.

Malachi and his grandma, he loved to be really really REALLY close to her.

scoffing down the cupcake.


- Tui was very excited to discover a collection of beebee guns at Jessies house. Needless to say, him and nick went to town. (Note: these photos weren't taken by me, my sister and I came home to find Tui and Nick having their own gun photo shoot.)


- We attempted to walk around the Hamtilton lake. it was a beautiful day. We didn't get all the way around coz our driver got cold and wanted to go home.


- We helped do some yard work for my sister to thank her for letting us stay. She sat inside taunting us while we froze outside.



- Santa, this is what malachi wants for christmas. He LOVED this little pink pram, pushed around 24/7. He developed quite a love of pink things while in NZ.

- We went to this fancy ice-cream place to eat, but it was so cold i opted out and tui got a shake. I had some samples though, and it was amazing!

- We of course ate a ton of real kfc aka mana from heaven.


- Ice cream from Pokeno - the best place in the world. This icecream cost of $1.90 (that's about 90cents US). One scoop of passionfruit, one of something else delicious that i cant remember.


- Me and Jessie caught the train from our grandparents house in Manurewa to Auckland city for my visa interview - we love the train, stress free travel, sort of.

- At the park in the cold, no wonder he's happy.


- Malachi's first time to feed ducks.

- Malachi ate his first pineapple lump and loved it.


- Malachi finally learnt to climb up AND down stairs - good thing too coz every house we stayed in had flights of stairs.


- Malachi fell of a bike and got a bit of an owie.

- All ready to go to church for Jacobs blessing.

So there's just a tiny little taste of what we got up to. I litterally have hundreds more pictures. We had such a great time, me the most I think. It's always nice to go home. But it was nice to come home again too. Until next time....

Monday, July 6, 2009

730

That's how many days Tui and I have been married for, 730. And for all you non-mathematicians out there, that's two whole years. Two years ago on a day much like this, freezing but beautiful, Tui and I knelt over the alter together in the Hamilton, New Zealand Temple and promised ourselves to each other, and to God, for not just this life, but the life to come. We really had no idea what we were getting into, and every day has been a new struggle, a new challenge, a new adventure, but every day has been worth it.


Tui, I could not have asked for a better man then you to stand by me through thick and thin.


I love you. oxo