Our Tribe With Judah

Greetings from Sunny Sydney!

Just before Judah...

We three Friesen's are proud to announce that our fourth member Judah David is well and truly here and part of our growing family, winning our hearts....and stealing my sleep! Laugh out loud, and keep laughing...

Our Precious Judah David

It's all part of the package - cute, adorable infant, lots of love and snuggles, feeding around the clock and sleep deprivation. No biggie. One month in and I, (Amy), am just reliving a few forgotten elements to having a newborn. But of course, as so many parents proclaim, the glorious joys out weigh the sacrifices of sleep etc. And with our newest bundle Juju (as his sister calls him) nothing could be more true. He is radiant!

Mummy and Son

To say much more has been happening at the Friesen ranch, would be fictitious, after all - we did just have a baby. Yet in the midst of all that, fun things have happened. Visits from family up north has been sweet and the extra hands welcomed. Church community has been busy with cooking us meals for the days where the concept of preparing dinner is offensive to me, as I juggle a rabid toddler and tend to my newborn! Family outings to the beach have happened with great excitement and exhaustion!
Kevin is steadily back at work with his business and other contractors, making our ends meet nicely, yet growing our fondness in his absence. Izzy loves to parrot that "Daddy - work" each day as she plays in the yard and occasionally looks up the driveway, where he comes and goes to work each day.
I managed a hair appointment in there - surprisingly....it took two extra hands to make that happen! But hallelujah I have my roots done!

Life has been good. It really is wonderful on the other side of two kids - we feel more 'complete'. A great satisfaction to us as parents indeed. Izzy on the other hand may feel more like she has to compete rather than feeling complete, but we are issuing tons of grace over this time of adjustment and seeing some gorgeous moments between brother and sister and between us and Izzy.

Well, until next time, stay thankful and tell someone you care,
Love The Friesen Four

The Friesen Clan

Baby's Coming...

Hi Everyone!

Safe to say the Friesen's have adjusted....slowly, surely and sensationally into Sydney life. Well, there have been a few surprises along the way in the last few months - traffic fines and well just insane traffic, torrential winter rains, sick Mummies and babies, missing Canadian bacon (Kev's lament), having to listen to the Wiggles...

Something to laugh about....Sydney Winters!

Now for the fun stuff!

Did we mention that the weather in the dead of winter has been a lovely 20 degrees and sunny, with cooler nights and warm sun-soaked days? Yep, it's tough adjusting!

Baby shower goodies!

I, Amy, am on my last weeks of pregnancy and counting the days until we meet our precious boy. I have instructed Judah that he is not to come until after I get a chance to go to the hairdresser. Priorities please! It's definitely been a different pregnancy, as I'm sure most are, once already occupied by a toddler on the move. But time has sped past and we now find ourselves trying to put together the final touches in our home and get Judah-fied before his arrival. I think we're almost there! I was thrilled to have a wonderful Baby Shower organized for me by some of the gals here at church...it was scrumptious - high tea, amazing company and of course lots of little boy goodies for Judah!

Special Daddy Daughter Bedtimes

We splendidly escaped last Friday for a date night to Dee Why and shared some scrumptious Sydney cuisine by the beach. The food here has not disappointed us yet...I don't know what it is about Australia and food (and coffee) for that matter but it's just that good! And to us, these aspects of culture are important!

Kevin has started and been growing his own handyman business called Love Your Local Handy Man. It's been amazing to see how much favour and divine appointments have popped up since deciding to step out and pursue this venture. Needless to say Kev is especially a hit with the female over 50's demographic! Who wouldn't love that face?!
In accordance to building his new business, we have acquired a car for work and family. The sandy Mistubishi wagon. Great year, great price and it drives!

Our beautiful Israel is growing and getting so big! Sometimes I think she's 1.5 going on 5!
She can say her alphabet, knows her numbers and is beginning to have little conversations....unbelievable how fast it all happens. We have been gearing her up for her baby bro but only time will really tell how much it makes sense to her. Although I suspect Judah will have a doting big sister!

Surviving rainy days - cute as a bug!

The church plant is growing strong and has been an invaluable experience for us as a family. It's been so great to work with new people toward a common goal and see it begin to grow and take shape but also just have such a positive impact in the community. It's still early days, so there are indeed things to troubleshoot, but this has been part of the growing and life lessons we're learning. Stay humble and be thankful. That's the golden nugget!

I will sign out, as there will indeed be a short blog to come once Judah arrives. 

Stay cosy, or cool,
Love The Sydney-sider Friesen's

Australia - Arriving and Adjusting

G'Day All!

An appropriate greeting from the 'Land Down Under'. If there was ver a time to be immersed in all things Aussie, now is it! As we go about our daily life here, which can often be very similar to our Canadian home, we are shocked back to the reality that we live in a sunburnt country, when the strong thick twang of an Aussie accent hits you. We have had a lot of fun with this!

Yep, we're in Sydney.

Our journey here was no lack of fun and adventure, as we found ourselves in situations and gorgeous tropical lands along the way that will forever be in our memories. Our precious daughter Israel decided that to make things more interesting, a hearty puke in Bernie's car, all over her and her car seat, was necessary just before arriving to begin our long haul flights from Vancouver. Yes, we travelled with a pukey-smelling baby and that car seat all the way to Fiji. No less than 20 hours later we arrived in the South Pacific humidity for a short vacation pit-stop in Nadi, Fiji, where we promptly washed every item of clothing, including the car seat that had come in contact with puke. A sigh of relief as our washing aired in the balmy breezes of Denari Bay. Fiji was stunning, and indeed a second and longer visit back is on our minds for the future. It was magical watching Israel play in the ocean and pools, carefully investigate the sand on her feet and smile at all the Fijian 'mama's' that she met.

Water Babies in Fiji

After a warm goodbye with a well-rested family, we travelled onward to our new home of Sydney, Australia. We were greeted by Dan, our current housemate, Lindsay, a dear and new friend and our immediate host upon arriving and Dan's Father in Law, John. All of whom made us feel quite welcome over a quick espresso at the airport - yes, the coffee here is as good as you hear. Sorry Starbucks.
We had only one last stint of living out of suitcases left - before moving into our new home! This was a long-awaited stage of our life that we had anticipated.

It definitely took a little longer to get into the 'swing' of things than we thought. Israel was an absolute champion traveller and adjuster to her new world. It helped that we had landed in what probably seemed like the jungle to her - birds and trees and wildlife everywhere! And of course she could play outdoors all the time in shorts and a t-shirt! Heaven!

Izzy and The Harbour Bridge

Our new abode is still being fleshed out with the necessities but gradually looking more and more settled. We have been so blessed to find awesome free stuff and have people give away items that have become our new home's furnishings!

We have also celebrated our birthday's and 4-Year Anniversary in the throws of all this - what a season of life!

Pregnancy with Friesen Jnr #2 is going well. For those of you who don't know it's a boy - little Judah David. Only another 11 weeks until we get to meet him and induct him into the family! We are getting very excited and it's going to be quite special for Israel to finally have a sibling to fawn over and talk about. Please pray that labour and birth go well for Mum and Bubs and that Dad and Israel are rested and prepared for the next stage of life.

Post Anniversary Dinner in our new home.

Last but not least, the Church Plant that we came to be part of, has been a new and exciting experience. Our official launch is at the end of June and we are busy preparing to reach out to the community and be a light to the world. For the  core group of people it has been a getting to know you last few weeks, as we have all come from different places and walks of life. But this is also one of the richest rewards in building community - growing in relationship with one another. Already Kev has been invited and is now on a Basketball League with one of the guys he met. Too cool! He was hoping to play ball in Sydney, and this opportunity was better than expected.

We look forward to giving you more updates as the weeks unfold here,
Be blessed and keep looking up!
Kevin, Amy, Israel and Judah Friesen

Goodbye Toronto and All Your Snow!

We Graduated!

Greetings To One and All!

The Friesen's are smack bang in the middle of great transition. Three weeks ago we left our humble abode in the School of Ministry, Room 210 for the greater life of couch surfing and working. 

It has been a brilliant time at the CTF, learning, growing, interning and building valuable relationships. We are sad to leave but excited to move on to the great unknown. What will be next in these next few years as we embark to the Land Down-under?!

Colours and Balls = Fun!

One of the things that really struck me about leaving was the amazing amount of people that had come around us and loved us and helped us as a new family. Everyone from the grandma and grandpa's in our community to the emerging young adults and students who have loved and been Izzy's playmates and our friends. Life as Israel knows it with 60 students ambling around her 'home' is about and has been changing. This has definitely made me sad. Yet I know that where we are going will bring about new and wonderful friends and playmates for our social butterfly. 

We have been blessed as a family to have been invited to come and stay at two families homes while Kevin renovates their bathrooms and kitchen. We serve an amazing God who has provided so many wonderful opportunities and blessed us immensely on this journey of school and interning and now when we need to move our family across the other side of the world, he has yet again provided most awesome opportunities for work and enjoying friendships one last time here in Toronto. We are so grateful.

In other exciting news, we are expecting our newest baby Friesen in August! 

It has been a very brand new experience being pregnant with a keen toddler on the move - and I, Amy, empathize with the mom's out there now with a handful of munchkins. Life is going to get even more colourful and we love it! 

Our Winter Wonderland

Kevin has now received his permanent residence for Australia, which means our move there is now definite. We are looking to leave the country from Vancouver around mid April. Israel has also gotten her dual citizenship so she will be travelling on her Aussie passport. Our international brood is ready for take-off!

For those on the westcoast, we will see you soon and for those in Australia, soon after that and for those in the snowy Toronto regions - we will farewell you over the next two weeks.

Love to hear how y'all doing.....

Be blessed and fruitful!

Kevin, Amy, Israel and Friesen Jnr

To Toddle or Not To Toddle

Hey All!

Greetings from Toronto, where fall has briefly brushed us past and winter is boldly bustling it's way in. Ughh, I am really trying hard to see the sudden drop in temperature as a wonderful thing - oh wait...yep, ok, winter boots. Good, there's a positive!

So I think a new thing is in play here with the 'monthly' blog. It is very apparent that our transition into parenthood has made blogging monthly not as convenient. So we are proposing to Blog quarterly - that would mean every three months, which in our world seems quite doable. There may be sooner posts, but as a general rule - a quarterly blog is the new norm.

Here are some highlights from he last three months:

*Amy gets out on the town for a Girl's day with Talia. New haircuts included!
(May I add this is the FIRST official outing for me in 9 months!)

*Thanksgiving!!!! Always a scrumptious time. We nearly had the God-Quad (which is four invites over the course of one weekend, something that only the Lord Himself could do, hence the name) but thankfully it was a wonderful duet. Our first dinner at Darrin and Daphne's with 40 other folk bustling around the table grabbing the next piece of pie. Our second was with Talia's family, a less populated dinner with still all the trimmings expected and a game of 'spoons' thrown in for added memories!

Dinner at Felini's

*First family road trip to Stratford. The last time we visited was our second anniversary and alone. This time we had a baby on board and may I just say, that we are some savvy parents. Baby monitors are great when: you can book your hotel, put your baby to sleep and slip out to the Italian Restaurant Felini's next door for dinner and still hear your baby in the hotel room! Brilliant! It was a sweet time as a family to experience our first little vacation.

*Kevin picks up some weekly work mowing lawns.

*Israel has taken on new territory - our baby is now emerging into Toddlerhood. She aptly crawls anywhere she  possibly can, however the latest addition is toddling around and walking with us while holding our hand. She has also gained a greater food repertoire and has a few favourites - bread, pasta and blueberries! That's our girl! Heavy on the carbs! Well, lets be honest, she loves any meat, and has a healthy love of most veggies - especially zucchini, tomato and mushroom. She has recently begun to shake her head, not for any particular reason other than discovering she can and she also likes to flick her tongue in and out like a very vocal warbling lizard! Occasionally she will give kisses, these are open mouthed, often similar to a fishes open gape. We are teaching her 'gentle', as the endearing smacks are getting quite boisterous, you just never know what you may get - a soft pincer to the nose or an energized smack to the eyebrow. All in all, our girl is beautiful and fun is every way. Life has become 'busier' as she puts full priority into moving as much as she can, but it gives us such perspective on how interesting life is and can be when seen through the eyes of an 11 month old.

Our Happy Baby Girl

In other news: After much prayerful consideration and wavering back in forth in true Friesen fashion, we have decided to start taking the steps at moving our family half way across the globe to live in Australia for a year. We have always wanted to be part of a church planting operation and when we heard one was taking place in Sydney, our ears pricked up. They've been pricked for some time, but the idea really solidified just recently. It will be an amazing opportunity to also give Kevin and Israel a true induction into their Aussie heritage. So this move will be taking place around April of 2013, all going well as we wait for Kevin's permanent resident visa to get approved. 

Stratford

We have felt so blessed these last few months with all that God has been doing in lives. We look forward to the future to see what else will unfold on this next adventure. We remain hopeful, trusting and humble, submitted to His plans and enjoying the moment of 'now.'

I'm sure that there will be a blog over Christmas...how could there not be!
So until then, we love you all dearly!

Kevin, Amy and Israel Friezowski

Summer Lovin'

Gladly running over another vehicle

Hi Crew!

The Friesen's are docked after a jostling few months, cruising from east to west, and now back again on home turf in Toronto.
I wish I had blogged sooner, but time really did get away on me and it's only now that I am sitting here typing wandering where to start, as so much has happened in our world, as I'm sure it has in yours!

We are recently back from our summer vacation to the West Coast to visit family and friends. It was a whirlwind tour of homes and faces and that magnificent British Columbian scenery we had missed. In fact upon arrival back to our humble abode, we laughed as we felt we now needed a vacation from our vacation! It was marvellous to catch up with family and introduce them to the newest member of the Friesen family - Israel Hope! And I'm sure I'll get some 'Amens!' when I say she didn't disappoint!

Sleeping on Dad is the best medicine

Happy Gals

We discovered that upon arriving in Washington state, Israel had began to sprout her first tooth, and showed very eager signs of crawling. She bunny hopped around and pulled herself up on furniture practicing standing. Truth be told, our little precious would probably rather get straight to walking if she could! But, alas she broke out the crawling in Nanaimo for her cousins and Aunty Camille. And sadly this is also where our family got hit by a bout of the flu in different measures. I, Amy, got the worst, and am thankful that Israel and Kev didn't end up as bad! Although it made for some great snuggle moments with Dad, as she fell asleep on him not feeling well.

We were on the mend once in Vancouver, and had a great time catching up with the Culley's and our extended Life Center family. We had infact planned to visit the West Coast at this time in order to make  an appearance and witness the marriage of our dear mate Rob 'Shanks' Luke to Stephanie Randall. A day that was as hot as it was beautiful! Izzy's wedding outfit lasted only a few hours before being stripped off and allowing whatever breeze we could find (or water) cool her down.

Reaching out to cousin Marc

It was indeed a memorable vacation. We spent time lakeside in Chase, poolside in Vernon, in front of the TV and fan in Port Coquitlam watching the Olympics with our South African fam....eating bowls of cereal. All the while Israel showing us just how good she is at crawling and entertaining herself and us!
And did I mention what a stellar traveller she is? This kid was born to roam. She takes to flying better than Mum and Dad!

Chillin' and crawlin'

Once back in Toronto we had the pleasure of a visit from Leah, a fellow Aussie gal from Brisbane. We hit the Distillery district for some Balzac's Coffee, Tucker's marketplace for all you can eat (yum) and Port Credit in Mississauga for some lakefront Sunday strolling and Indian food. It was a short but wonderful time.

Now, the Friesen's are back to work, interning with the Youth Network here at Catch the Fire. Always an effervescent time...bubbling and fresh!

Until next time, enjoy your kitchen....because at least you have one!

Love,
Kevin, Amy and Israel Frezetti

The Frezetti Mob

The Friesen Season

Hello, Hello Everyone!


Sincerely hoping this blog finds you well, in favour and flourishing, blossoming and breathing in the seasonal change we have all been anticipating. For some the temperatures are dropping, beckoning the cooler months of autumn and winter; for others we welcome the new life and freshness of spring and summer. One of the things I am becoming known for here at the school in Toronto is stopping along my daily travels to appreciate and encourage new buds as they grow. I'm sure the positive feedback will indeed make for good May flowers!


As we talk of growth and blossoming, Kevin and I have the incredible privilege of appreciating and encouraging the growth of our beautiful daughter, Israel Hope. At just 5 1/2 months Israel is exhibiting a very "can-do" attitude to life and has us smiling and laughing as we watch her explore things with new found enthusiasm. 

Put A Foot in It!

Right now hands are a big hit (as are feet). I will lay next to her in bed in the morning, stretching out my arm above her face, and without missing a beat she startles and breaks into a huge smile, greeting my hand, like an old friend. In fact hands get more smiles than faces right now! Well, except if you are Ian. Ian is our imported Englishman helping to lead Worship at CTF's House of Prayer....and Izzy has a wee crush. Shhhh! We mustn't tell anyone! 

The dashing Ian

It was apparent of all places when we took an outing to Niagara-on-the-Lake for Kev's birthday. As we sat inside the Irish Pub, sheltered from the rain, the waitress took our picture with the assistance of Ian, who needed to stand behind the camera in order for Israel to actually face the camera for a family portrait! <Sigh>  And finally to trump all things, Israel has begun her first diet: banana's!

Num, Num...First Food: Banana

Successfully eating

This last month and half has been very eventful, with my birthday, Kevin's birthday, our anniversary and Mother's Day all a week apart from each other! We are finally able to breathe in the Friesen household without the lurking feeling that at any moment a surprise may just happen to you! This year I celebrated the arrival of my Thirties, and after two surprise parties, lunches and dinners with friends and my family, I was overwhelmed with the awesome celebrations and blessings. Kevin also encountered a similar kind of bombardment for his celebratory day and in fact as I am proud to say that as a community we banded together to buy Kevin a brand new iPod Touch. It was an amazing feat of achievement from a collective 25+ people. Thank you all who contributed!

Three Years, Indeed!

To follow was our 3rd Year Anniversary. A very exciting time for Kevin and myself. We even were able to stow away for two hours, leaving our precious with Aunty Kailyn and Talia, her adopted 'aunties' who took good care of her while Mom and Dad enjoyed some fine dining at Canyon Creek Chophouse. Sipping on our sparkling water with lime and reminiscing about the journey together, staring lovingly into each other's eyes and of course watching the clock, as to when we needed to bolt out of there to see our little snuggle-pie! Yes, we are now parents! 

Talia and Israel

And then there was my first Mother's Day. What a treat! Although I think as the kids get older, you'll probably really get into the fun of it all with homemade cards and macaroni picture frames! But this year was an honorable induction into Motherhood - a blessing indeed it is to be a Mom. Or Mum :) 

Strike a Pose

Well, there's always more, but until next time...stay classy, chin up and enjoy today!


Love Kevin, Amy and Israel MacFriesen

The 'Office'