Lunch at PF Changs

Yesterday's lunch with our Bible Study was so great we decided to do lunch together again today after the last Session of the Conference.  We had all received gift vouchers to "PF Chang's" which has a very good name for itself.  Needless to say, we had a wonderful time there and the food was amazing!

Babysitting Calista

Ryan and Elna were given tickets to a Valentines Banquet at Placerita Baptist so we agreed to babysit for them so they could have an evening alone for a change!  They both looked so smart all dressed up as they headed off for dinner.  Calista is a real cutie and Andrew and I had fun building blocks and playing with her!  Unfortunately she is going down with a cold and is also teething but she was still a joy to look after!  It helps that I'm pretty high up there on her list of favorite people!

Jonah's 4th Birthday Party

Jonah Bird has turned 4 years old and Andrew and I were lucky enough to make it onto the guest list!!!  Unfortunately, I have come down with a nasty cold so have been in bed the whole weekend.  But my dear husband represented us both on this special occasion...

My Day with Anna Taljaard

I had no idea that today would turn out the way it did, but it was just incredible to see the Lord's hand in every moment...  The events in Anna and Lonngren's second pregnancy have taken a turn, but the Lord has been gracious and shown Himself as active and intimately involved in their lives and the life of their unborn!  He saw fit to bring another trial into their life, but along with it, tremendous grace and blessings.  

Since Andrew had an exam this afternoon, I could leave early since I would only go to his class first thing in the morning.  A few days ago I "happened" to bump into Anna and asked if I could hang out with her, maybe get her to practice her Afrikaans on me or something!  She agreed but realised she had a doctor's appointment for that morning.  But instead of canceling with me she invited me to come along with her, since it would just be a "routine" ultrasound.  So at 9.30 she picked me up from Seminary and off we went to the doctor in Tarzana.  I have never seen an ultrasound first-hand so I was really excited!

Dinner with friends

Meet su-chef Justin. The leading expert on cooking steak... He and his assistant, the lovely and elegant Jamie honored us by coming over and cooking us dinner! We had a special guest with us too - our very own Raqel Cherry! What a fun evening we had, very entertaining and most enjoyable! Justin and Jamie are truly two very special people who are always ready and looking to serve, dear friends of Andrew and I... Here are some snapshots of the evening!

Games Night at the Pidal's

This evening we went over to the Pidals for dessert and a games night.  We had great fun hanging out with them and the Vaughn's, and we played a game called "Things".  We were treated with Apple Pie and icecream, and then laughed histerically while we played!  It was soooo funny, some of the things people come up with!!!

My New Friend!

 I have a new friend!  I have truly been blessed to have met and developed friendships with so many godly people while here in the States, and Melissa is no exception!  The Pidal family has just moved up to Newhall and lives now only a few apartment complexes down from us, and Andrew and her husband Gus carpool together since they both work at the bookstore.  So Melissa just decided to call me up and have me over for lunch today!  

A BBQ in the Park with the Mitchells

Yesterday we had to buy a new tyre for our car. It had been very shaky and was deteriorating so we checked it out and it was badly worn. We also got it aligned again. Today we had to buy a new battery for it. It wouldn't start when Andrew went to the shop and had to have it jump-started! Poor guy! It's going to stretch our budget tight, but at least it is up and running again! We also went to get Andrew a haircut for school! It was so long!

Coffee with Elna

So Calista and I are now apparently best friends!!! What a precious girl! I went to visit Elna today, and walked from my apartment to hers, it's really a pleasant walk! When I got there, Calista babbled on and on about something to me, I'll have to get the video Elna took! It was a great time of fellowship with Elna, and I'm sure there will be many more occasions like it!

Ryan and Elna move to their Apartment

Who would have thought that 5 people and ALL their belongings would fit in our apartment?! I t has been so much fun to have Ryan and Elna stay with us, and I have gotten to know them really well over the last four days since we came back from Frazier Park! Little Calista and I have already formed a close bond, and man is she cute!

The Birds come up to Frazier Park!

Scott is a good influence on Andrew! Here you see the boys cooking the lunch while us ladies just hang out an coo and kaa about Jacob!

Welcome Ryan and Elna!

Another South African couple arrives in LA for Seminary! I was so excited that they were coming out, both for Andrew, who knew them from Grace Fellowship, and for myself because I hopefully gain a new friend! Ryan was Joel James' secretary before he came out, and Elna is a GP. Their little daughter Calista is 19 months and a real cutie!!!

Dropping Friends at the Airport

Andrew and I get a lot of requests to take people to and fetch people from LAX airport. So many of our friends have been heading home for Christmas and we happen to be one of very few who are sticking around to help with this! I am glad people feel free to ask us, and we wish we had a bigger car to take them! But we usually end up using their cars to take them since it has more boot and passenger space! I guess it can be seen as a blessing as gas is expensive for us... But we love seeing our friends off and welcoming them back!

An Undeserved Gift...

How is this for an amazing blessing!

Andrew called me this afternoon saying that an acquaintance of his had a turkey meal that they wanted to give to us because they understood we had no family to go to for Christmas, and that they know seminary students don't have much to spend on Christmas dinner. We were just blown away that they were thinking about giving in a season that seems to be so focused on getting! We didn't know what really to expect until they arrived later that evening to drop off the goodies!!! This is the wonderful couple - Jerry and Barbara Newbold, who attend Grace Community Church and live in Frazier Park, about 45 minutes away from us.

Welcome Phil and Melissa!

Meet Phil and Melissa! Phil is starting at Seminary in the Spring! They are staying with Anna and Lonngren until they get an apartment. Welcome!

Farewell Johnny and Jenny!

Today was the last day before Johnny and Jenny left to go and take a church back in Ireland (sob, sob...) I made Jenny a little box to store all the pictures from her time here in LA. I was horrified to realize that I didn't have a single picture with her and I! Weird how that happened! Nonetheless, this is the outcome...

Christmas Party with SOS!

We just love our Bible Study! Park and Pam invited the group to have their Christmas Get-together at their TOTALLY festive home! Everyone signed up for food and I brought a good old Lemon Meringue pie for dessert! It was a sweet time of fellowship!

Painting the Patton's New Home, and Rob Iverson's Farewell

A Night out with SOS

This evening our Bible Study had a night out on the town!!! We all came out for dinner to the Galleria, a super sleek new Shopping Center, and our plan was to go and eat at the Cheesecake Factory, the best place ever!!! Unfortunately, the center gets extremely busy on Friday Night so we ended up taking a table outside at the Townhouse Restaurant. We all had a great time hanging out and getting to know each other better, and made a quick stop to the Takeaway section of Cheesecake Factory on our way out! Andrew got a Banana Cheesecake slice, and I got a Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake one! Yummy!

The Botes' Break-in...

We were so sad to hear that the Botes' home was broken into today while the family was out for a few hours and their electrics and jewelry among other things was taken... The family is a little shaken up but the church has really come round them to help with the basics, and the police took fingerprints etc. Please pray for them and let them know you are thinking of them!

This sort of incident really is an important reminder that even if all we have is taken from us, the Lord is faithful and will provide for us all we need! Trials are designed, among other things, to make us long for our "treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal" (Matt 6:20). Often we can be so focused on these earthly treasures that we lose sight of our abundant inheritance as joint heirs with Christ! Come, Lord Jesus, come!!!