Sickies, Small Group, Travels, and Independence

Well, I was so excited about going to do something I have been really wanting to do and posting my first video, but...Travis and I have been really sick so you will have to wait a bit more.

Travis started out having a nasty bad cough and missed quite a bit of work over a two week period. Over that time I felt fine and thought I was in the clear...boy was I wrong!!

I started feeling horrible on Thursday night with a bad sore throat, ear ache, congestion, no voice...the list goes on. We just got back from the doctors a little bit ago. It turns out that I have a sinus infection, an ear infection, and laryngitis. They started me on antibiotics and said that I should start feeling better within 48 hours. My silver lining to all this is that at least being sick has taken my mind off of the pain in my ankle a bit!!

On a lighter note, we had a great time chatting with some of our small group from Virginia via the webcam. It is so much nicer to actually see the people you are talking to. It was great to catch up with everyone and now that it is set up we will be able to do it whever we want. It was nice because Monday was a government holiday so Travis was home to talk to our small group when they normally meet back home.

Travis will be leaving this weekend for 2 weeks. Please keep him in your prayers as he is traveling. And since he will be gone, I will be home and therefore I probably won't have much to post about, but I will see what I can do.

One last thing...I am working on my application to the government here to get hand controlls installed on our SUV so I can drive without pain. They only meet once a month to decide on these applications so I am trying to get mine out in time. I am so excited about the possibility of getting my independence back. I'm not sure many people can understand what it is like to have to depend on someone for EVERYTHING. I can't get to my doctors' appointments by myself, I can't go to the store when I want to, I can't get our APO mail/packages and so on. Hand controls will allow me to start having a life again and feeling like an actual person.

Well, that is all for now. For the people I talk to regularly especially my mom...I'll call you when I get a voice back, but I hope this update is enough to let you know what is going on with us.

Take care everyone!!

The Welcome Sign

We finally went out to the Alice Springs sign to take pictures. It is a landmark in the area and has a big parking area right by it so people can drive up and take pictures. We took the pictures right as the sun was setting on a somewhat cloudy Monday night. It was really fun watching Travis set up the camera and then run to get in the pictures!

It is so pretty in Alice Springs. I am so grateful to be here and I can't believe it has already been 5 months! We are hopefully going to start doing some of the fun things in town and then in a couple of months we will hopefully start traveling around in Australia. If the rest of the country is as pretty as Alice, I can't wait!

I hope you enjoy the pictures!! I will hopefully be adding another update this week and I think I will try posting my first video on my blog. Until then...

Our Church Home in Alice

We have been going to a church here regularly for a couple of months and we have decided that it is the church for us. It is called Christian Community Centre and the website is: www.christiancommunitycentre.com. I took a picture this past Sunday, but there are pictures on the website as well.


This past Sunday there was a guest preacher. He was so amazingly enthusiastic. His faith is stronger than anyone I think I have ever seen. His brother has had cancer for about the last 18 months, and it doesn't even faze him because he truly believes that his brother will be healed by God if he prays for it. His brother's situation has had an amazing impact on the people around them and has brought many closer to God. I was so touched by his words and passion for the Lord.

The Christian Community Centre's service is very different than what I was used to at the Fairfax Church of Christ. The service is so upbeat and utilizes a full band and many singers on the worship team. At first I missed the quiet prayer time that I was used to at FXCC, but the more we go the more I am glad for the upbeat service that makes my soul so joyful. I guess it just goes to show you that there are many ways to praise God and to worship him. It is not the differences in the methods that matter, but just that you are always worshiping Him. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn a new way to do that.

Also this past Sunday we took a couple of people that were visiting from the States. Keith has been coming to church with us for the past month, Shane was here for a couple of weeks, and Erica came with us this past Sunday and will be in town for church next Sunday as well. Here is a picture of Erica, Travis, me, and Keith at our house last Sunday.