Lots of fun connecting with people

Yesterday was a full, but fun day outside in the beautiful city of Brisbane. A friend from my uni days (he was a teenager back then) came along with a young friend of his and we took a CityCat (ferry) down the Brisbane river, past the CBD to a lovely park at New Farm. We ate a packed lunch, played on the cool playground equipment (and trees), and then caught the CityCat back to South Bank where we wandered around and took in the atmosphere. The boys played hide and seek on one of the islands and then we headed home, pretty exhausted.

Then last night we had some good friends over for a bring-and-share meal. I'm feeling so blessed to have so many friends. This week, though busy, has been a reminder of how rich we really are, in terms of relationships, and long-term relationships particularly. But God's been bringing new friends into our lives too, and we've enjoyed seeing some of the fruit of our last home assignment in that this visit too.

Today we'd a public event was organised for people to come and meet us in the park. We've been only able to see a few people this week individually and knew that there was no hope of seeing more unless we did it en-mass. So today we advertised that we'd be at a certain place from a certain time and people came. We had quite a lot of folk turn up, many with young children. It was great to see them all, but, as always, disappointing not to have more time to spend with individuals.

One of the highlights was meeting a couple for the very first time. Karen and I read each other's blogs and very often comment there too, but we'd never met. Interesting, because we have a number of mutual connections! And places in common too. I even found out that her husband and I were in the same year at uni, he and I must have shared many classes together because he did Physio and I'm did Occupational Therapy. Because a number of the other people there also read my blog, they also got to meet Karen.

Another highlight was seeing people who have connections not related to us at all. Our youngest's Prep teacher from 2010 was there with her husband and baby. The pastor (who married us in 1997) and his wife were also there. She is a paediatric nurse and has met our son's former teacher when she brought her baby in for monthly checks! Another couple go to same church as a young lady I met while working in the country town of Kingaroy. I just love those unexpected connections!

Unfortunately I was so busy making connections, getting to know people, and catching up with folk that I totally forgot to pull out my camera.

Good news is that the conversations over the last few days with people who read my blog have prompted an explosion of other topics to write about in coming months (I must remember to write all those ideas down...).

For now, though, we're preparing to leave the house we're housesitting. I think I've managed to dodge some toilet and shower cleaning by being here (not my intention). But now I think I must relax a little with my husband. It's been a fun week, but I have to say I'm a bit tired. I think I'm still winding down from a hectic May-June.

And a bit more work awaits us tomorrow. We're back at the church we used to call home before we took off to Japan in 2000. I'm not sure it totally feels like "home" anymore, but we're back there tomorrow to thank them for their support over the last two years and tell them a little of how God is using their members in Japan. And then we'll be off to Toowoomba to spend some time with my family.