Monthly Update September 2013

A Saga of Love

To be in love is truly a glorious feeling. To be loved and to love teaches you so much about yourself. As I am bound to Marie in marriage, I share in the joys of being accepted and also being changed as the intertwining process makes our two lives more and more one life.

I guess that is enough philosophizing by one married barely two months! We both love being married and were so blessed to celebrate with friends and family both in USA and Australia. Thanks to so many people who have helped to cherish love with us.

Miller’s Nook

We have been blessed to have a place to call home. We are renting the bottom half of a house in Pennant Hills, Sydney. It is great to be close to work and to have a great spot to entertain people both indoors and outdoors. We both have a strong sense that one way we can bless others is through hospitality. We would love you to contact us if you are interested in coming over for a catch up. I have to say that Marie does make the best brownies in Australia.

Thank you to so many people who have given us furniture, appliances and other domestic necessities. Roadside council cleanups have also contributed to us being very well set up.

So far it has been great to host Marie’s sister Spring and her boyfriend Patrick from California, my brother Tim from Brisbane and my parents from NZ (with a little help). We’ve had plenty of others come for meals and the traditional roast is going gangbusters as I slowly perfect the gravy making process.

Time to Make Jam

I, Jono, have written RPDs and Monthly updates for almost 10 years. It is time for a change. JAM stands for Jono And Marie. We plan to write JAM each month.

Marie’s Corner

I feel honoured (‘honored’ for the Americans reading this) to be invited to share my thoughts here on Jono’s website. I’ve enjoyed reading his thoughts ever since we met last March and it’s strange for me to think that this insightful man is now my husband – a lot has changed for both of us in the last year and a half! Moving to a new home in a new suburb, learning to live with a new housemate, and getting to know a new family.

Our very thick spouse visa application has been officially received! This means that I now have access to Medicare (yay!) while they are processing the application, which can take anywhere from 12 to 16 months, depending on who you talk to that day. I thought finishing the application would mean that I would be done with paperwork for a while, but I’m still quite busy filling out follow up forms for the visa and trying to look for a nursing job while Jono is at work during the day. During the evenings, I’m enjoying hanging out with friends and spending time with my funny, kind, loving best friend.

Ukraine

Many of you have followed my life in Ukraine, in the town of Rzhyshchiv, and the work at UTSIM (the English school I started). Recently, I was saddened to hear of the death of a lovely lady who lived on my street across from Dan and Pris. Please pray for the family of Baba Galya.

UTSIM will continue again into the new school year with Sveta teaching a number of students around Rzhyshchiv. UTSIM continues to operate out of a room in the council buildings and is appreciated by the town.

Life in the Big Smoke

I am working as a casual teacher at Pacific Hills and this keeps me at school more often than not. The rugby season has just finished for the year and it was only on the last day that I came home with a rather nasty leg injury. This forty year old is still good to go around again – the older I get, the faster I was.

THANKS

We would like to thank the many people who helped us celebrate our USA and Aussie weddings.