Ferry Rides, Friends and Footy

Five Year Anniversary Holiday to the Hunter Valley

Hello Dear Ones!

Sydney ferry ride on the harbour.

It is a blustering day here in Sydney, with sun shining and winds between 60-80kph billowing through our yard. 

I madly chose to walk the kids up the hill to our local coffee joint, and typically got wind blasted on our walk back. Poor Izzy has a love hate relationship with the elements these days. To the point, where I look back on the path to find her swatting at her face, exclaiming "Get off me wind!!" Bless her heart!

Baby baller in blue.

To think, our precious son, Judah is 10 months old as of this week! Nearly a year! He's by no means slowing down from his 90th percentile size - he must be Texan - Go big or go home, as they say. Just more of him to love....

Our keen artist painting.

We have been feeling more and more the peace of knowing that we are exactly where God wants us to be. It's taken a good year, but The Friesen's have made a home here in Sydney, Australia. Its a nice feeling, regardless of the future and what and where it holds for us, being committed to the present and going deeper in our community is where its at for us and is an incredible blessing.

Birthday Boy

The Big 40!

On of the things that's really burning on our hearts lately is relationship with others. Whether it's your two and a half year old, your husband, a girlfriend from church or the barista at your local coffee shop, God sees it as all very significant and valuable. And it seems that we've caught on to this. 

Some of the best stories I love hearing from Kevin are when he has an encounter with someone he just met or has bumped into, and the comedy and sentiment that follows. We both get so excited to have opportunities to encourage people no matter where they're at in life or to just sit and take a bit of time to listen to their story. 

Staring at the Opera House

Two people whom have no connection to us other than they worked at the cafe that we often go to as a family or just Mum and the kids, is Alessia and Jake. Both took an interest in Izzy and for months would say hello and try and play or have a conversation with her. A cautious social engager, Izzy loved the attention but would not converse or play for quite some time. Finally after months of persevering, Alessia was the first to get a smile and some interaction. They would hang out in different parts of the cafe (which is alfresco) checking out the birds, drawing on the chalk board etc Soon Alessia was on Izzy's radar and a friend. However, Jake, being a bigger male figure, was still on the outer ring with Izzy, until one day, Kevin and I got to witness our little girl finally take a leap of trust and say "Hello" to Jake. Hearts were melted and a friend was made. Today Izzy and Jake are just two noisy buds drawing on the chalk board and talking about giraffe's. Sadly our cafe friends are moving onto other places, but because of the relationship we as a family have built, are choosing to remain in contact. This is the gospel in action! Its so simple a two year can get it.

Some of our wonderful community

Kevin is also reaping the benefits of good customer relations through his business and is off to a game tonight of AFL - Aussie Rules Football as we call it here. It's not Rugby (unfortunately) but it still holds a quick and more nimble approach to footy - and if you like men in tight shorts, well then this is the game for you. I personally am a Rugby fan, but hey, can't knock it till you've seen the game and Kevin is getting a first hand opportunity with one of his business clients, Brian, a Sydney Swans fan! I will thoroughly enjoy my Canadian hubby's view of this mad sporting event, later this evening.

And last but not least - CTF Sydney has just recently celebrated their one year birthday! Check out the video link to see our past year of fun!

https://vimeo.com/100096489

Well, the children are sleeping and Bread and Butter Pudding bakes in the oven....the only thing left to do is curl up on the couch and watch an episode of Downton Abbey - for all you BBC fans out there you will hopefully know what I mean!

Sending love and loads of sticky baby and toddler hugs your way,

Be blessed,
Kevin, Amy, Israel and Judah

Officially Sydney-siders...

Seeing as we haven't had a chance to say it....Happy New Year Everyone!

Slip, slop, slap....even if it's your sisters hat!

Hoping your Christmas and holidays were glorious in snow or sun. We got to experience an Aussie Christmas in the sunshine state Queensland. We had a cold christmas lunch, played in the warm turquoise waters of the Sunshine Coast and wished there was air-con on those balmy sticky nights!
However being able to see family and grandparents and introduce Israel and Judah to their Great Grandparents, was indeed worth the humidity!

Keeping up on email

On the prowl

On the family front, we have all been through bouts of sickness of varying degrees. Judah made out the worst, just before our vacation, by getting Scarlett fever - very rare these days, but nasty all the same! The poor little guy was pretty uncomfortable for a few days with a red rash, but after some prayer, anti-biotics and lots of love, he recovered to full health. The rest of us just wrestled with colds on and off, but are now back to great health and powering on into a warm autumn.

Getting a baby-manicure from Dad

Judah is 7 months and already crawling and scaling whatever can be scaled! ...unbelievable how fast that goes! Israel is enjoying him more and more as he gets less 'fragile' and there is many a wrestle and tousle before bedtime. He has shown us that laughter truly is the best medicine, as he laughs at all most anything. His smile is contagious and he shows such pure joy, especially when he sees his Papa coming home from work or Mama poking her head in after his naps. We are so blessed by this big bundle of baby joy!

She sells seashells!

Israel has begun the universal journey of being toilet trained and has in true Izzy fashion adapted quickly with some great results. We are not out of the woods yet by any means, but we are heading toward the light and the potty!

Izzy and Sophie 

Just today Kevin took Izzy to one of her favourite spots - Bunnings Hardware Store. Very similar to a Home Depot. As they were pulling in she exclaimed "I'm very excited about going to the Bunnings!" It is little sentences like this and so many others that melt our hearts as we watch our little toddler grow into a little girl. She loves watching Bindi The Jungle Girl, Steve Irwin's daughter's TV program on all things animal and environment. Right now 'Saving The Whales' is a favourite! She loves cucumbers, tomatoes and tofu and calls needles - 'noodles'. She loves hanging with her best-friend Sophie, who thankfully lives in the same house!

Izzy feeds our local wildlife

Rainbow Lorikeets: Friendly and Shy Boy

We are coming into the silly season here with two birthday's, an anniversary and Mum's Day all within one month! It's going to be fun! This year we celebrate our 5th Anniversary of married life, which seems more like 5 years going on 10, with all that's happened and that feeling of 'haven't we just been doing this our whole life?!' It's been a magnificent journey and we are enjoying it more as time goes by.



Kevin for the past year has been doing all things media at CTF Sydney and has been having a blast. It has been keeping the fire and passion for film in our family stoked, as we adjust to being a family of four. Our documentary Paths of Dust and Hope is almost complete, it will be a very awesome victory to finally have our first doc in the can and feel released to move onto other things!

Daddy and daughter at DeeWhy rockpools

Well for now, that is all folks...pray I can do this more regularly! 

Keep on being the cool people that you are,

Love Kevin, Amy, Israel and Judah

Saturday afternoon Bushwalk

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