New York City and the Grizzly Growth

 Chew on this: You're never angry over nothing! Anger is always a secondary emotion, you will always feel something else first. You are never just angry! You are always angry ABOUT something. Therefore you are CHOOSING to be angry. Emotions don't happen to us! They don't come from the outside and jump on us. They come from within. Emotions are a useful tool, always trying to tell you something, but are you listening to them? of course, you must still find a way to control your emotions, not let your emotions control you!

This golden nugget was brought to you courtesy of Chipp Judd. He teaches on 'Boundaries' and I thought that maybe we could all use a little nugget of gold today.

Museum of Natural History
NYC

Hello there! Kevin here. I am beginning our blog shmog this time, but no worries, Amy will finish it off. This way you get the best of both worlds... My amazing wit and Amy's profound intellect. I truly believe that we will all be blessed by the time it's all said and done. So to kick us of... we have had such an amazing month. We are so close to our first child's birth that we're having a hard time containing ourselves. Who knew it could be so exciting? (Probably a few of you).


So we have officially started the 'no shave november'. This is also known as 'Movember'. Where, for the month of November, guys either don't shave for the month or wear a moustache in support of research for the cure to Prostrate Cancer. You'll find me sporting some grizzly growth for the month (which is really nothing too new), followed by one day of a sporty moustache (look for the pictures in the next blog). I've been also playing a lot of soccer while out here as my weekly sporting activity. It's been really cool to play a sport that I haven't really played since about 13 years old. I have been improving a lot as I have been blessed to be able to play with a bunch of guys that are really good. This always brings my game up a bit.

We have now got a little area of our room designated for little Izzy. It is quite cute and has helped put my mind at ease because before this I was feeling unprepared. Interesting how just a little bit of nesting can do that. Also funny that it was more me (Kevin) that needed to nest! Ha. I'll pass you over to Amy... be blessed in all that you do! And know that Amy and I are always praying for you, our friends and family. Love you.

 Hello Everyone!

At Barney Greengrass in NYC

Well October has been and gone and still we are blessed to have extraordinary weather here in Toronto. This time last year it was already snowing and this year we still seem to have 15 degree sunny days in November! Fantastic! No complaints from the Aussie here, although, carrying an extra little bundle that emanates heat is definitely helping me stay warmer than usual.
Speaking of bundles, this one is getting larger and ready to unravel. Or maybe I am ready to unravel as the weeks get closer and I feel 'heavier', more uncomfortable and just anxious to give birth! Being the first time, every little thing seems weird and different, startling or just plain annoying! Yet in the midst of the humanity of being pregnant, I have truly had what some say a supernatural pregnancy. It really hasn't been until the last month that I have 'felt' anything of discomfort and really noticed that bending over is not as easy with a big bundle in the way. So thank you God for a merciful blessing and pregnancy experience.
School has been incredible - great classes, great teachers, great assignments and invaluable nuggets of gold. We've enjoyed it so much more this time around, possibly because we know what to expect a little more or perhaps our attitude has changed and we are more engaged and anticipating great return in the experience of being mature age students :) It's a wonderful experience that I truly wouldn't change for anything. The students here have been very excitable to have a baby at the school - or for right now a pregnant lady walking around - it's quite the attraction. I'm wondering if I'll have the same kind of comments and attention once Israel is born! Probably not personally, although Izzy will take over for me in that, but to be honest, it will quite nice to be a little less 'obvious'.

"Where's the Friesens?" Times Square, NYC

And just to show that we still can travel, Kev and I embarked on an adventure for 4 days to New York City to catch up with dear friends Anita and Mike, who had flown out from Australia and had a hotel room for the four of us to stay, catch up on life and explore one of the world's metropolitan hotspots. It was a time of great fellowship, fantastic food and a lot of exploring! Check out our link to Picassa web albums to see a bunch of great pics from our trip.

Until next time, stay at peace with those you live with...it will make life easier and enjoy the sunsets, if you can see them.
Love, Amy, Kevin and Baby (coming soon)

September and I'll never be the same!!

Well, what to say about another month gone by... let's start by saying "Hello!" For in fact this is Kevin writing this blog, a slight twist to the ordinary, but we thought it was high time you heard it from me personally. Heard what you might ask? Well, I'm about to tell you. Hmmm, let me think for but a moment as I gather the many complex thoughts that are rolling around my brain. Yes, there it is, I would like to tell you about September...

It all began on the 1st, which is usually where September starts, and has ended on the 30th. I know... profound isn't it. Everything in between goes a little something like this...

We finished up work in Vancouver and flew back to Toronto on September the 11th (yes we flew on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and it was quite eerie arriving in Toronto only to find the entire

USA Departures like a ghost town. I mean there was nobody there... at all, and all the lights were off; for an airport??? Weird! Before we made the trip we had one last little visit from a few friends and were blessed with some cute little clothes for our baby coming in December. We were sad to go but happy to arrive. Sad because we will miss everyone back home, but happy to be back where God wants us, and there's no better place in the world than to be where our Dad in heaven wants us to be.

We arrived to see familiar faces Darrin and Daphne, at the airport (interestingly they are from South Africa, as are Bernie, Rusty and Donovan who dropped us off in Vancouver). Funny getting dropped off at one Canadian Airport by a South African family only to get picked at another by another South African family. Although for Darrin's sake it would be good to mention that he's originally from Zimbabwe ;)

Upon arriving at the school we entered into a hectic school schedule. We soon realized that the rest we wanted would have to wait until... actually, were not sure when that will be. Our first week back we laughed, we cried, we probably almost peed our pants, on this roller-coaster ride of emotions. All in all it was a fantastic week and God really spoke to us in very profound ways. The first week was followed by the second, and so on until the end.

We were part of a great conference that they held here, with a highlight of it all being, for me, looking into the eyes of Heidi Baker, a woman from Mozambique, that could only be described as a modern day Mother Teresa (my opinion only), which felt, to me, like I was looking into the eyes of the Holy Spirit. It is safe for me to say that this experience will probably come to be known as one of the single handed most important moments of my Christian walk. I suppose that might seem extreme, but really if it was anything else but extreme would you even believe it was me writing this blog? I mean really!

I suppose September couldn't be complete without the most important part being discussed at least a little bit. Our little snoofles! Little Izzy is growing, as is our infatuation with her. I can't stop wanting to just poke Amy's belly whenever possible just to see if she'll respond with some sort of amazing thing. She is so smart and cute and friendly. I think she might just be the most amazing thing God has ever created. And I full well know that the stern, yet lovely, Russian ultra-sound lady could have gotten it wrong, and Izzy could very-well turn out to be the most brilliant, handsome, strong and rugged man this world has ever known, but either way I'm convinced that my life was simply boring before this moment and everything I've ever known was sheer stupidity before the genius of this child. Now, of course, there may be some that would disagree. They would say silly things like"you're only feeling

this because, or, just you wait until..." But I don't know what tomorrow holds and I'm not sure I really care why I feel this way, I only know that right now I'm living for right now, and right now, this is so very cool and my child (who isn't even born yet) is the most incredible person I've ever met!!

So, with all that said, I suppose I better get to the point of it all. September was pretty awesome and me thinks that October is going to be even better. Loads of love to all of you from all of us here,

Kevin, Amy and The Baby (most likely Izzy!)

Summer Time Edition

Hey Everyone!

We decided to take a little 'time-off' from blogging for the summer, seeing as we have been travelling all over the country (literally) and do one update for the last two months.

This summer has held quite the high's and low's for us as a family and we are both in much need of some reeeeeesssssst before we hit Toronto again for school.

Sadly and tragically this summer, my (Amy's) sister-in-law, Lisa passed away suddenly, due to a combination of heart failure and an undetectable tumour behind her kidney. Left behind to figure out life without her, is my brother Ashley and their three beautiful children - Taylor 14, Madison 11 and Brody 8. After a recent conversation with my brother he has shared that it's 'one day at a time' and keeping life as normal as possible, because that's how Lisa would have wanted it. There were 600 people at her funeral, a clear indication she was a woman who left a legacy. We love you Lisa. You will be so dearly missed.

Now for other news...

This summer began with a jump start into some R&R in Alberta and Saskatchewan. We attended cousin Burke's wedding in Edmonton and had a blast connecting with the Nagle (Mom's) side of the family. Following the wedding we toured Saskatchewan to see the Friesen (Dad's) clan and I (Amy) got to meet a few Friesen's I had not yet met! We had a great time at Jeanette lake with Uncle Merlyn and Aunty Elna - we even went fishing for our dinner and Kevin and I caught our first official fish. Kevin outdid himself by gutting, cleaning and EATING his catch - truly impressive for a non-fish eater! We then spent a few days at Middle Lake to visit Uncle Kenton's family and hang out with the kids.

Upon arriving in Vancouver we were greeted by some wonderful and missed friends whom we were able to briefly catch up with before heading back on the road again States bound for California and Washington. WE spent an amazing time in both states with dear friends and were so blessed to have the opportunity to work and play.

Back in Vancouver for the second time around, Kev and I both plugged into our old jobs to continue compiling school funds and baby funds for the little one on the way, due in December. We've enjoyed some great moments with our church community and friends throughout this time and even a surprise visit from a dear friend Jess, all the way from Greece.

Our last trip on the road took us to Kamploops and Vernon to spend a short but quality time with Dad Friesen and friends Marky and Heather and Greg who popped up to the lake for his 40th. Happy Birthday Greg!!! We love you.

As our time here nears to an end, goodbye's are again difficult, yet we feel a fresh sense of anticipation for the second season of school to come, and of course parenthood!

We send our love and blessings to you all and hope your summer's have been a time of rest and play and sweet memories.

The next update will be back in Toronto once school is underway and we have 'settled' again.

Peace,

Kevin and Amy

Double Jointed

Hi Guys!

I don't know exactly what happened with last months post, but somehow we got booted off the site...leaving everyone including us perplexed and wondering if those crazy Friesen's are ever returning to Blogger.

Well fear not - I am in fact going to do a double posting this month, hence the title and recap to inform you of all the great and wondrous happenings here in Toronto.

First things first, for those who may not have caught the fly by of the last post, our bumper news was that we are PREGNANT!!!! Yay, a baby Friesen is on the way. Last week Kevin and I were able to hear the heartbeat which confirmed in us, one - there is a baby in there, and two - we LOVE this little dude/dudette!!!

So the last two months have been super packed full of events, schoolwork, roadtrips and all the in between.

Here are some highlights:

- Our Two Year Anniversay, celebrated in Stratford.

- The Ohio Roadtrip with John Arnott for the Miracles, Signs and Wonders Conference. We got to be the ministry team and have a whole lot of woot-hollerin' fun along the way! Kev and I also got to meet one of our favourite musicians - Rick Pino (in pic).

- Boys Honouring Day: where the SoM girls organize a day to celebrate and honour the men. This school we had an Army theme and sent them out canoeing with an Awards Ceremony in the evening - tears were noticed in certain mens eyes.

- Girl's Honouring Day - this time it's the guys who put on the big day for the ladies, and it started with breakfast in bed and a single rose...awww, and ended in a glamourous ceremonial dinner with the two french and one italian guy making us dinner! B-lessed!

- Most recent subjects studied: The Law/The Pentateuch, The Book of Revelation and currently studying Foundational Doctrines - all of them stellar teachings that leave your mind hugely expanded!

- A new member of the Friesen clan: Freedom the Fish, who was adopted after Girl's Honour Day. He was previously used as a decorative table piece, but we saved him from a life of exploitation. He now happily decorates our room!

- Summer weather! Need I say more...

- And I guess just all the fun little moments we share together, whether studying for book reports, doing homework outside, going for walks, analyzing the nutritional value of the cafe food and hanging with the other students. It all makes life all the more enriched.

Until next time loved ones, have a great Spring/Summer or Winter (depending on your hemisphere).

Love Kevin, Amy, Friesen Jnr, Verdi the Plant and Freedom the Fish

Core Values

Hello to One and All!

Greetings from Toronto, currently a windy 4 degrees and sunny, with the possibilities of snow and 9 degrees tomorrow?! I haven't completely figured out why the weather likes to have a sudden mood swing, but I'm very much ok with the extended daylight hours and sunshine.

It's safe to say that Kevin and I have been catapulted, tossed around and come out the other side LOVING school and yes, our new community.

The first month was indeed difficult and testing. There were definitely some home-sick tears shed. Now, however, we find ourselves surrounded by 50 new friends from all over the world - Italy, England, Norway, Finland, Netherlands, Brazil, USA, Japan, France, Germany and Canada. It's an entertaining melting pot of cultures and personalities, that we have been enjoying immensely! It certainly took us a bit to warm up to the idea of new friends, especially when all you want is what you know and love. Now we realize that we don't have to give up what we love to embrace what is new; that in fact we are just making a fuller life for ourselves by embracing the new things God has given to us.

As for this past week... we have been studying the book of 'Mark' from the gospels. It has been a great teaching so far and we can't wait to see how our amazing teacher Steve Cummings unpacks the rest of it. It's so nice to be at this stage in our lives and be blessed with this opportunity to study and learn at this depth. We are understanding new things and ways to perceive them every day! We have been loved on and taken care of from the very beginning of this journey until now and it doesn't look like the love is going anywhere. This is the greatest part of it all: being able to pack up your whole world and what you love, only to get where you're going and be received in love. Wow! What an honour.

On the lighter side of this adventure, we found ourselves at a BlueJays baseball game the other night. The church was holding an event called 'love your city' in which they do something of a grand scale in the community to reach out and love on people and of course the 'city'. The church sold 500 tickets to the game and we filled one entire section. On our end, we couldn't pass up going to the home opener with all these wonderful foreign students for only $12.

What a steal, and what a game! The Jays won 13 - 3! We've been able to get out a bit as well and see the town a little, start to get our bearings a bit, and with the warmer weather on its way we're hoping to get out even more in the months to come. Our internship starts this week as well which will be entertaining. We are going to be interning at a smaller campus in an area called High Park, which is supposed to be quite beautiful. It'll be nice to get out and about a bit more, not to mention we will be able to put some of this new found knowledge to good use ;)

I suppose thats the long and short of this past month and a bit, stay tuned for next months blog cause I'm sure it'll be as jam packed as this one was! In fact, the way things have been moving since we got here, probably even more.

We also got to catch up with our dearly missed friends Mark and Hanna and meet their adorable little girls, Sophia and Lucy. Good times were had by all!

Love all of you and still miss you...

The Friesen's

School Starts Now...

Hi All!

From the moment we ventured off into the great unknown

(well the Canadian East is pretty unknown, personally speaking), we have not stopped moving, thinking, enduring and adapting.

Until now.

It's Sunday afternoon. The incredibly large morning service has ended, lunch at the cafeteria eaten, the 90 second walk back to our room accomplished and now, nothing but a quiet and restful Sunday afternoon awaits.

Yes. The Friesen's have moved to Toronto from Vancouver and have successfully endured the first week of school. Emotionally we have both cried and longed for what is familiar and 'normal'. But as the week has progressed and faces become more familiar and jokes are shared, encounters less awkward and places not so new, we begin to feel that little bubble of hope and excitement well up and dare to think that maybe this wasn't such a crazy and formidable idea after all.

To think, God has not stopped blessing us, showing us acts of kindness and favour along the way since leaving Vancouver until now, is so extremely encouraging and affirming. Confirmation that we are in the right place and we are going to be ok.

Here's just some of the awesome things that have happened on our transitioning jour

ney:

- Getting our two over-sized bags on the flight for free! Saving us $60 +

- Having our two sets of wonderful spiritual parents buy us lunch and dinner at two of the yummiest restaurants ever - 'The Farmhouse' and 'Claim Jumpers'.

- Having no problems at all at both border crossings, and making all our flights and connecting buses.

- Getting into Toronto downtown bus terminal with too much luggage and having our dear friend Paige turn up to give us a ride to our homestay, who also did not charge us to stay the night!!! And we were saved from having to take public transit an hour out of Toronto with ALL our stuff. Paige also had our bedding, and basic homewares all sorted for us! Wow.

- Getting to the school Monday, being dropped off by our wonderful homestay family and finding out Mark and Hanna had also provided us with bedding - wow and that we had an awesomely sweet little room, with a window!

Words of encouragement spoken and left at our door as little notes with chocolate (from Amy's small group leader) have followed since arriving here Monday. And being the only married couple it seems this has been much needed, as we have felt at times 'out of place' and lost in in all. Yet God keeps bringing people around us at unexpected moments who offer an act of kindness, word of affirmation or warm smile, that lifts our spirits and shows us we are in God's perfect will.

As you will see in the pictures we arrived in Ontario with minus temps and snow blizzarding, however only a week in, it seems the weather is transitioning, much like ourselves into Spring.

And just to feel at home and feel somewhat domesticated, we even bought a plant, called Verdi, and he sits regally at our little window embracing whatever sun finds him.

I can probably speak for both of us when I say that it has gotten better day by day. What began as a hard adjustment and 'culture-shock', being immersed into college age community and living on a schedule of cafeteria food and classes, has been difficult. But not impossible. Slowly I can see my old groove fade and a new one emerge, and with that is coming some amazing experiences and moments.

It's been bitter sweet.

And I wouldn't change it for anything.

We miss you all so much - as now ALL of you are afar, but we will look forward to seeing you again in the future and rejoicing in our fellowship!

All our blessings,

Kevin and Amy

Happy New Year

Hi All,

January has been a fast paced and fairly uneventful month in some regards.

We have been adjusting to communal life here at the Culley's, and apart from Kevin eating all the 'Life' Cereal that Ernie brought for himself, we have been quite the model of harmonious community living!

Working hard has been the priority for both of us. Kevin has been working full-time and also picked up two side jobs for us in construction. The latter was a demolition of a fireplace at Tenth church which proved quite laborious for Amy, who got to haul big-ass pieces of rock and debris out to the dumpster. But I don't have a gym membership and well, my triceps and biceps will thank me later! Financially these extra jobs have been a blessing toward our school fees as well.

Three highlights of this month have been:

1) Seeing Wayne and Marilyn mid-month for a RTF seminar and going out to dinner.

2) Celebrating Ernie's Birthday with him at Minoas Greek Restaurant - great great food!

3) Spending the weekend at Bernie and Rusty's and chilling out excessively - so needed.

Oh, and I guess number 4) Missions Fest film Festival - A bunch of us went to see the film Freedom Fighter - oh it was brilliantly eye-opening and informative. We really have it too good here in Canada and other western nations. The film focuses on one man who is risking his life to help persecuted people and minority groups around the world. Here's the link if yo wanted to check it out: http://www.theonemillionvoices.org/videos/

PODAH Update

As it stands, Greg, Kevin and myself have been plugging away at our documentary filmed in 2007 Mozambique. We are closer to being finished which as I speak is soooo exciting, yet with the pressure to try and do it all before Kevin and I leave - it seems still a lot of work is left.

However we are faithfully continuing and with hope that it may be very close to completion before we leave. One of the exciting things Amy has been working on is the score, with surprising results coming out of the Mac application Garage Band - the music is part of new inspiration the three of us are working with to finish Paths of Dust and Hope.

Until Feb...

Love and hugs,

K and A

Christmas Cheer and Tears

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

With 2011 underway, Kevin and I are just that bit closer to the starting date of school - March 7th 2011. Coming into a new year always brings things into simplicity, as you can justifiably leave the old in the year just past and deliberate on the new things that will come to pass. It's a fresh start - which in all truth can often be more psychological than actual!

As the year began we relocated to other quarters in the Vancouver district. We officially moved in with the Culley's, our Pastor's and spiritual parents, and have had the foreboding task of saying goodbye to Rax and our first home. I swear Rax knew exactly what was happening, as he turned remarkably quiet and sported an ill disposition leading up to and on the day of our leaving. I was perturbed yet grateful for his kitty-cat smarts that were helping him let go of two wonderful owners, after all, the cat owns you - not the other way around as we wish to think! But regardless of all three of us creatures knowing that we were never to be a little family again, it was difficult. I admit to a week of tears leading up to my leaving and packing things, and even in the warm and cozy abode we now have with Ernie and Merrilyn, I miss the presence of Rax and his meows and ridiculous cleaning procedures - legs flung high as he meticulously licks him self into further vanity....sigh.

Ok, moving on. Let's talk about Christmas! A wonderful time of cheer! kevin and I spent Christmas in the State of Washington and embraced a relaxing, rejuvenating and simple Christmas. We stayed with Wayne and Marilyn and experienced cornish hens for the first time. I proudly ate the whole hen along with my husband. Where it goes - I don't know! Check out the pix on the left for a delicious visual of Christmas dinner cooked by Marilyn. It was yum! We decided to go homemade and simple on gift giving this year. Jesus is the reason for the season, and we thought to avoid the blanket of commercialism this season, we would get into the spirit of gift giving by making things for each other. A treat indeed.

Mid-month we performed in the Christmas Production, which was a huge success. And extremely fun. Everyone banded together to create a very unique and entertaining two nights, well worth the effort put in by our backstage and on stage crew. Well done Suseh for writing and directing a great performance!

That's the most of it for December. I imagine as we move into January there will be an increased buzz of excitement as school nears and leaving Vancouver approaches.

Love to all and have a splendid New Year!

Love,

Kev and Ames