Our New Zealand second home

We met so many amazing people on this trip. We have been blessed beyond what words can even describe by the people in all the countries we visited. Grant and Glenda will be friends forever. We met them on our last visit to NZ. They heard about us from the YWAM base that we were staying at. They asked us over for tea (dinner) and our friendship started. Grant is an avid hunter. Of course that was a huge connection for Dean and Colton. Grant took them possum hunting on our first visit and our guys fell in love. Glenda is my NZ best friend. She is the most amazingly giving, selfless person I have ever met. I'm sure there has never been a negative word spoken about her. Ok, she will hate that I just wrote that. But to bad, she is just so terrific.

 When we told them that we were returning to NZ, they immediately invited us to come visit and offered not only that we could use their home as a home base, but that Colton could stay on after we left and live with them as he explored the area. They treated him like he was one of their own and Glenda was nice enough to send me little mom updates!! Not once did I worry about Colton. How could I when he was in such an amazing place. Colton and Grant spent lots of time on the farm. Colton learning all about sheep farming. He misses them and his time there and will often say "I miss Grant and Glenda. We all do. 

Glenda and I got to spend some time together. We drove up to see her grandson Jamie for the day. 

Grant and Glenda

 Feeding the pigeons in the park.

Miranda and I went for a few hikes in Grants sheep paddock. Up and down the hills. watching the sheep grazing in the distance.

Grant offered to give us a sheep shearing demo!!

                                                              our NZ home base

We had lots of fun learning all sorts of different recipes from Glenda

We all just took over the kitchen and cooked together sometimes

We also taught them about some of our favourite foods. Like watermelon and Rollkuchen

 After we left for Asia, Colton stayed with Grand and Glenda for a few more months. He and Jamie got to spend some time together. Colton is terrific with kids and I think Jamie missed him when he left.

                                             Colton's pet bird. Till the dogs saw it ; /

                                                                   Hanging out

                                                   Colton helping out with dinner

                                      I learnt how to make a very satisfying cuppa coffee.
                                     There is nothing better than a freshly brewed latte!!

Colton found a friend from the YWAM base. Jesse and Colton spent time camping in the car on the beach and lots of time surfing in the cold NZ waters

More Jamie and Colton time :)

colton learning to be a better surfer. Lots of falling down. Lots of water in the face. But eventually, he did get much better.