Aunty Karen!!

Where the heck has February gone??? I'm sooo tired I should be heading to bed but this just couldn't wait...

I'M AN AUNTY!!!

Tristan Oliver Frank, first grandson of the Frank's (nice work LJ!), first grandchild of the Hill whanau, arrived at 8.30am this morning weighing in at 8lbs. As only my sister could describe: "...eye-wateringly good eh?!"

I'll stop promising anything... blogs or photos but I know that one will end up here as soon as mum sends it as I just won't be able to help bragging. All I know from home is that he doesn't look overbaked (apparently some babies do - he was 2 weeks overdue you see!), he has a black head of hair and gorgeous skin! Ah...my family crack me up!!

Poppa and Gran are both as excited as each other and this Aunty can't wait for a trip to Auckland - hopefully sometime soon!

Ciao!
K.

Newsy

Just when you thought I'd disappeared completely... I'm back!!

I'm relaxed, well-rested and currently a very happy lass... and here's the photo to prove it!!

To all my faithful followers, my apologies it has been so long but life has just happened around me for the last - almost 2 months!! Where has January gone?!

So, the update since December? Well, life is amazingly busy but great. I had an awesome holiday down south pretty much going from seafood meal to seafood meal with Shaun and his family as they encouraged this maori girl to rediscover her Ngai Tahu roots! Since December I've tried fresh crayfish (several times... yum!), paua fritters, prawns, kina, mussel fritters and scallops wrapped in bacon and fried in garlic butter (a bit of a favourite that one!). About half way through my holiday, my "system" (!!) felt the effects of my seafood binge and I had to revert to european solids for a few days but was back on the mussels after a trip to the Nelson markets one weekend!

I haven't had a swim in the ocean this season but I did get to snorkel (kind of!) when I went for a swim at Pelorus on the way back from Nelson. It was freezing but great fun!

I've had some interesting moments in my new job... some blond moments and some great laughs already. I've learnt how to get out of the carpark after hours (I may have had to ring the previous DY but I got out eventually!!), I've had my desk 'done over' by a few eager youth leaders (who shall remain nameless!) - and I actually think I got off quite lightly but don't tell them that!! ...and I've discovered yet again, that no matter how much I do there's still more to be done!

I've heard from my session mates... I think we all want to poke out our tongues at the Newmans and the weather they are enjoying (tough life in that air-conditioned office isn't it Doug?!). My home corps (Kilbirnie) is great - I'm looking forward to journeying the next little while with them and other than the occasional bout of windburn (oh that it would be sunburn!!) I'm readjusting to all that Wellington has to offer!!

I've found my Saturday morning cafe down in the heart of Kilbirnie, I have a few Saturday trips I want to go on to discover the different communities at my feet and I'm getting used to life as a fully-fledged, real-life officer! I'm challenged by the youth in this division - they are an awesome bunch who have a lot to offer and who are screaming both with talents and with their voices pretty much saying "use us Lord!!" - I think more exciting times are ahead! They certainly aren't lacking in ideas or passion - not a bad place to start huh?!

I'll put a few photos up from the last couple of months on the photo blog shortly. Parachute was a great weekend - my favourites were definitely Shawn McDonald (if you haven't got his albums BUY THEM!!), Third Day and Dave Dobbyn (even though I piked because of the rain!!).

Hope to be able to blog photos of my first niece or nephew next time! *the Kaz* will have to take a back seat to Aunty Karen until I've exhausted it!! :-)

Commissioning

What an amazing weekend! I'm so sorry I haven't shared it all with you so much sooner but life just didn't stop after commissioning!... just for the record though, I did actually start writing this on the 13th of December! Since it's now the 23rd (!!), let me re-cap the highlights and share a few photos.

Commissioning weekend really starts on the Thursday before, at College, with Covenant Day. It's an in-house day with the officer staff of the college, the TCs, officers of the cabinet and DCs. The day itself is quite moving by the time you get to the second service of the day (after lunch). The Territorial Commander and Training Principal knelt in front of the mercy seat at a small table facing our session - we were all sitting in a semi-circle facing the platform. As we felt led (either as couples or individually) we came and knelt opposite them and signed our Officer's Covenant:

‘Called by God to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name, I dedicate myself to service as an officer of The Salvation Army.

I will seek to love and serve him supremely all my days, to live to win souls and make their salvation the first purpose of my life, to maintain the doctrines and principles of The Salvation Army, and, by God's grace, to be all that he has called me to be.

Done in the strength of my Saviour, and in the presence of ….’

I'm sure you can imagine the significance of the moment...

Friday was the academic graduation where we received our Diploma of Biblical Studies and Certificate of Officer Training. A fun night this one - a short service with a couple of testimonies, a bit of pomp and circumstance, the cutting of the cake and ultimately another good opportunity to offer all our achievements back to God for His use.

Saturday was our commissioning service. After reciting the doctrines of The Salvation Army (by heart!), we were accepted and officially commissioned by the TC as he gave us back our covenant. Then we all walked off stage to change into our new uniforms (cadets epaulettes are black with red stripes - officers are red with captains having 2 stars). When we marched back in, I was announced as.... (you've been waiting two whole years for this little bit of alliteration to truly come into its own).... Captain Karen! The temptation to salute like superman instead of the Army way was tempting to say the least!!

My blog is now official! I'm not sure I would have made the cut if anyone was listening too closely to our doctrines though, as according to me:

We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ, the divine and human natures are united so that He is truly and properly man and truly and properly... man!!

Well it's not like I could swap the second one to God just because I got it round the wrong way now could I?!!


Sunday was another great day of celebration. The spotlight gets turned over to the second year cadets as they officially received their Out-Training Placements and a number of officers also received recognition in the form of a Long Service Order (30, 35 and 40 years no less!!). An interesting moment for me in more than a few ways was in putting this meeting together (with Sue), as I became aware that if my parents had stayed in the work, they would have been receiving their Long Service Order for 30 years the same weekend I would have been commissioned... and just to prove it I couldn't resist this photo opportunity - and yes those glasses are legit!!...

...and this is really only a snapshot of the weekend! There's lots more that went on in between so check out the photo blog for some more - I'll try and decide which ones out of the hundreds should make the cut!

To all those who managed to make it down (or up!) for the weekend, you've walked a pretty special part of the journey with me. Thank you - for your prayers, for your support and for making it such an awesome weekend. This just isn't something you forget... thanks for being part of the memory.

Accountability

Ah... interesting times today!

I know that we usually seek accountability on the big things like 'time with God' and all those little hang-ups that we want to get rid of but my request today is of a rather fickle nature in comparison!

On cleaning the inside of my car for the first time since I purchased it (sadly, I have to admit that that was back around Easter this year!!... ), I found an illegal alien.

After jumping back even though it was me equipped with the vacuum cleaner (!!), I went through the usual self-talk, you know:

"Calm down! - Is it alive or dead? - Are you sure it's alive or dead? - Positive? - Suck it up the vacuum cleaner regardless!"

Then I had another mini-meltdown as I realised it had probably been squashed beneath the shoe of my left foot - why the meltdown? That is just way to close to crawling up my leg!!!

I don't know what it is with crickets (I had to do a google search to actually identify what it was!!) but this is the second time I've found one and in a totally different vehicle! Spiders, yes - even expected, but crickets??! Even though this one was rather close to crawling up my leg I have to say it wasn't as big a shock as the last one which was very much alive and quite happy crawling across the top of my steering wheel while I was driving home one night... not overly conducive to good driving!

Well, in case you're still wondering, I'm seeking accountability to actually clean my car a little more often - not a bad place to start if I want to eliminate the crickets don't you think?!

As far as today goes, I'm just grateful that this little sucker was already dead!

Powhiri Magic

Ah... things we do!!

I had a rather intersting day today - in fact, I would have to say it's probably one of the highlights of the year.

The General and Commissioner Clifton arrived today and I got the opportunity to be part of the tangata whenua with the Maori Ministries Group, to welcome them at the powhiri. Can't say I've ever greeted our international leaders or the cabinet with a hongi before but there's a first time for everything!!

The highlight for me though almost goes beyond words. I don't remember when exactly, but mum told me that I was Maori when I was pretty young. Since then, I've always loved to be part of culture groups and I remember being involved at both primary and intermediate school. Other than a couple of years in a kapahaka group at a school I taught at back around 2000/2001 and a few hui weekends with other Auckland based Maori from Ngai Tahu, I haven't done a whole lot towards rediscovering and perhaps even owning something that seems so naturally a part of me.

Until today that was... it felt like a homecoming. I love the idea of families and I love traditions and Maori culture is full of both! Thank you Joe and Nan for welcoming me - not just into the group but home I think... and for becoming so much like family in such a short space of time. Thanks to all who were a part of the day - I had an awesome time.

I know its rather tragic but all I have floating round in my head now are the words to Dave Dobbyn's song Welcome Home... ah, long may it last!! I'll post some photos as soon as I can lay my hands on some.

Saturday Night

For the few Lone Star novices I'm sure there will be amongst us on Saturday night, definitely check out the menu to save the feeling of being simply... over-whelmed by it all! Simply click on the picture and you'll be there!

It's just around the corner from Wellington City Corps (definitely within walking distance so no having to move vehicles around the city - yee haa!).

See you all real soon...
K.

The Speed of LIfe

I feel that life is going about this speed... you know, you check your watch and wonder where on earth the day has gone!

The plan was for life to slow down a little, especially after all the deadline pressures of the last few weeks but I feel like it's winding up instead!... I'm not sure why I'm so surprised as when I stop and think about it, it makes perfect sense for things to wind up at this time of the year not wind down - not yet anyway!

There's preparations for family coming for commissioning, preparation for commissioning itself, meetings and studies to do with our various roles for next year, a pretty full timetable both before and after commissioning and somewhere in the midst of it all some cleaning and packing has to take place!

Funny thing is, I like a busy life! I wonder if my problem today is that I've just gotten used to a different speed of life over the last two years...

Then there's a part of me which sends the constant reminder to keep things in perspective - stay alert, stay organised, be prepared for changes (they will come!!) and keep ahead of the game until all that needs to be done is done!

And then there is yet another part of me that simply calls me home to relax (everything will get done eventually!) and take up the novel that was started late last week instead...

Hmmmm... acknowledge and work with the stress? ...write myself yet another timetable and allocate the hours left in the day (including this evening)? ...or go home and finish my book?

... ...Yeah - tough choice that one!

People Watching People

I had two whole hours of people watching this morning on Lambton Quay in the city - it was great!

Rent-a-crowd (aka - the cadets!) had to collect for Street Day today so, bright eyed and somewhat bushy-tailed, we drove out the gates at around 6.15am. From 7-9am, I watched people avoid any eye contact with me (I think they were the most fun of all!), I watched others run in their trackies and singlets (mad people! - it was blowing a gale through town), I saw so many females who wobbled along in awkward shoes - no doubt saying to themselves the whole time, "Fashion is pain! Fashion is pain!" I had a few who tried to bowl me over, despite the fact that I was pretty close to a shop wall(!!), I watched several bowl each other over as they tried to juggle bags, phones, newspapers and breakfast and I smelt some rather nice smells on some and some rather nasty ones on others!

Not sure why I bothered to even run a comb through my hair this morning as I was barely recognisable by the end of it all but I had pretty good contact with people. I read every ad, on every bus... twice! I nearly counted the windows in the high rise building opposite me, but most of all I just enjoyed not having to worry about work (the last assignment is about to go clunk into that box in about 5 minutes! - yee haa!).

If you need some time out, grab a coffee and sit in a cafe window (standing outside on Lambton Quay does not come highly recommended by me!) and just 'people watch'... you'll be amazed at what you'll see... everyone and everything.

Reminds me of that Jack Johnson song...

the Kaz

I think it's official!

Last night I was interviewed by the current DY at the last Firezone youth meeting for the year. The current DY, in his five year term, has come to be know as 'the Baz' - a name I think he wears well!!... literally! (Baz currently sports a number...3?... all over with the letters BAZ spray-painted on the back of his head)

It wasn't until I turned around last night and caught a glimpse of the screen behind us that I had to catch myself... I had become Barry's successor in more ways than one! The screen said it all! On the right above Baz's head was written 'the Baz' and, you've guessed it, above my head was written.. 'the Kaz'!

I would love to say I actually have a choice in this matter but, judging by the rather sympathetic on the spot voting last night, I feel I am outnumbered 100 to 1!! That, and word has just spread too quickly... I've already been blogged elsewhere as 'the Kaz'!

I'm beginning to think there just simply isn't any hope! - all that appears to remain is simply to live up to the name and who knows what that may mean!!

P.S. - shaving or spray painting my head is simply not an option....!

HOTGN Commissioning

This will just save me sending out zillions of emails...

To view it at normal size, click once on the photo then once it has appeared again, hover your mouse over the picture and a little 'expand to normal size' icon should appear in the bottom right corner of the picture - click that and you'll be able to read all the details... or just save it and look at it your own way!!

Ciao!
K.