Yet another day trip to Melbourne

Photo by Harry Blakston

With Melbourne so excess-able by train it makes it pretty easy to take a day trip and have a good time with friends. We were able to go to some places where I hadn't been before. For example the Victorian Market, a certain garden that I can't remember the name of, and China Town. Hopefully we'll get to eat in China Town once Cory gets here to visit. :) Only 12 days till he's here!

Here are some pictures from our day out.

Melbourne Central Train Station

Australia Day coming up this Saturday!

Marcus, Harry, and Benjamin

Maria, Myself, and Georgia

China Town

More China Town

And one last shot from China Town. :)

Enjoy!

The Australian Open 2013

I've always enjoyed tennis, even though I'm not that great at, it playing is always fun and watching the pros is always better! This was my first time going to an Open and it was a very cool experience. Thousands of people traveled into Melbourne and into the park where the tournaments were being held. They had so many matches going on at once that we had to choose which to go see and how much of it we were going to see before needing to leave that match and get to another one.

All in all, I think all of us that went would agree that it was a fun time. The group of us that went included myself, Tamara, Benjamin, Aiden, Kenny, and Harry and we met up with their friend Jesse for one match.

Here are some photos from our fun time:

The Bryan Brothers from the USA 

The Bryan Brothers from the USA

The group of us minus Harry the photographer.

Picture with Harry the photographer in it and he's not even looking at the camera!

In Margaret Court Arena getting ready to watch a match.

Melbourne skyline over looking the courts.

Had a terrific two thumbs up time, now to train home back to Frankston.

The Great Ocean Road

Summer holidays are coming to an end and the holiday travels are being crammed in! Our most recent trip was a 3 day trip down the Great Ocean Road. We began by driving Wednesday night to Geelong and staying in one of the church buildings over night before beginning our trip. Once we got onto the Great Ocean Road we stopped in many fun places.

Koala in the wild, NOT in a zoo.

In one of the first towns that we stopped at on our way down the road we were able to pull off into this camp grounds to stretch and come to find have some fun with the Australian wildlife. We saw a few koala's but this is one of my favorite photos I was able to get. It looks like he should have a text bubble above his head saying, "What you look'n at?!"

They are such cute big balls of fur, but I've been told that they can be quite aggressive and not as cute and cuddly as they look! O well, I still this they are adorable!

Bird in the wild taking a chill on my hat.

Also while we were at this same stop we were able to feed birds which were not afraid to hop up on your arm or on top of your hat. It was a lot of fun, and when they birds would hop up onto your arm it sure did tickle!

Camping

During our travels the young adults of the group were the lucky ones to sleep in the tents. The girls (6 of us) slept in the larger tent and the two boys slept in the little two man tent. On our first night when we were at Apollo Bay we had a rather windy storm come through. A couple of the girls were scared and hid in their sleeping bags while the rest of us were laughing hysterically. Thankfully both tents stayed up and the parents who slept in the cabins were not disturbed by the storm.

Rainforest 

While we were at Apollo Bay we also went Boogie Boarding and a couple people tried surfing. I really enjoyed catching the waves with the boogie board and getting whipped back up onto the shore.

So we eventually ended up back in the car and off we went and one of our stops was a rainforest walk which was lovely and there were some HUGE trees that we took pictures with and stood IN and ON. It was very cool, isn't God's creation amazing?!

The Twelve Apostles

                                                                           
I think my favorite place that we stopped out of the entire trip was the Twelve Apostles. Before the main lookout we stopped and were able to climb down these stairs were two of the big rocks still stand and walk along the beach and take pictures. The ocean was beautiful and foamy as it washed ashore. So blue! It was just so amazing to see how these rock formations form and fall apart. There are only 8 of the original 12 rocks standing but you can see where possible new rocks will be.

Then a random fun stop that wasn't planned till we just stopped was at the London Bridge. The bit of rock that you now see is not connected to the main land broke off 15 January 1990. It is still so beautiful though!

At some point or another the holiday has to end. We ended by driving back to Geelong and staying with a family there and then staying for church with the Geelong RPC congregation. For lunch we were invited over by one of my favorite families the McEwen's! I know everyone from Southside RPC misses them so much and it was so nice to finally see their home and not just the pictures of them and their home. Then baby #4 is on the way and I can't wait to meet him/her! They are such a lovely family and I'll miss them when I go back to the states.


Here are a couple more photos from the trip:

More fun with the birds.

Blackwood family photo with adopted children :)

Brr the water was cold!

On our walk to see the sights!

Spent time with the best of friends!

A New Year

Back beach on New Year's Day

Now it's a new year. It's crazy how time flies when you are having fun. Thinking back on this year so much has occurred. I have been a private lessons instructor, I was able to be an intern for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Learning Community, I went to France and Germany, I continued to work for Lake Central Marching Band and the Indianan State University Drum Major Clinic, as well as staffing at Greenwood. I was then offered to take the trip of a life time to Australia and now here I am in Australia, learning new things, meeting new people, I found a couple part time jobs, and I've just had a sunny/warm Christmas and New Year's Eve and Day (I am a bit jealous of missing out on all the snow back home!). 

The only way all this happened is from the provisions that God has given me and making it possible for me to afford to make these trips by supplying me with some of the most fun and rewarding jobs. 

Looking forward to this new year is just as exciting. I will return to the States in April, my youngest sister is graduating from high school and is going to Rose Hulman, I have summer camps to return to, I get to begin the job hunt for a teaching position (Lord willing), and I'll be returning home to loving family and friends. 

Sure there have been many trials along the way, but the Lord makes all that looks bad turn to good and throughout my life (not only this year) and the many trials that have been sent my way I can definitely say that this is TRUE. So many times I've prayed and sometimes even with many tears asked, "God, what are you doing and why?! I don't understand!" I may not get an answer straight away or the answer that I want, but the right answer always comes and as you can see from some of the things I've listed, God has definitely known all along what the good would be and that I just needed to be more patient and trusting of His leading. Praise Him, for never giving up on us when we want to give up on Him. He holds us tight and puts us right where He wants us. The Lord God deserves all of our praise and glory as He has brought us through to this New Year! 

"For He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper.

He will spare the poor and needy, and will save the souls of the needy.

He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; and precious shall be their blood in His sight.

And He shall live; and the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; prayer also will be made for Him continually, and daily He shall be praised.

There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, on the top of the mountains; its fruit shall wave like Lebanon; and those of the city shall flourish like grass on the earth.

His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun.

And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed.

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things!

And blessed be His glorious name forever!

And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.

Amen and Amen."

Psalm 72: 12-19