A wonderful day - North and South I knew it! As soon as I hung up the phone, I just had this feeling that I was going to get another call today - about the baby or some other little one that we were being asked to care for. A friend had just called from Tahiti, asking if it would be alright for him to visit us, as he had a plane ticket that needed to get used tonight or it would be lost. I said, sure, since I really didn't have much else going on in the next week or so and with the kids on vacation, it seemed perfect timing. I am still waiting for his phone call to confirm his coming tomorrow. He would be flying into Christchurch, get picked up by Rich and Jeremie who will be there tomorrow and then accompany them on their way back north with the caravan. After they get back, he'd stay another week with us here. And sure enough, not long after this phone call, the phone rang again and - yes - it was "the call"! We were told that the baby still hadn't been found but that another little one needed care for a week. And so - 16-month old Sleyd (Maori) will be coming with us tomorrow. I am so excited and looking forward to him! He has been with another caregiver since birth and the other caregiver is going on vacation for a week - hence the need for respite care. Seems like he's a pretty easy going little fellow. The only challenge seems to be that he has astma and usually wakes up several times a night (not looking forward to that part). So if I don't write for a few days, don't be surprised. Unfortunately there won't be any photos either until Rich comes back with the camera. Speaking of which - he and Jeremie had a wonderful day today hiking for 3 hours just to touch snow and have a snow ball fight (Jeremie is absolutely crazy about snow - LOVES it!!!). They saw some most beautiful scenery and Jeremie took about 200 photos! After trying - unsuccessfully - to catch some fish for dinner they called me while eating some canned pork and beans - no fish today. Rich said he was completely exhausted during their hike, while Jeremie pretty much ran the whole way. I guess his rowing training is paying off. He was supposed to run 10km today and Rich was confident that he did it! Seems like father and son are having some memorable moments together :)! I - on the other end - or rather, the other island (North Island) took Leilani, a couple of friends and Kylie to the beach. Even Toffee, our dog, came along, after Kylie insisited and made her get into the car. It was almost like a summer day and the kids all got wet - although they weren't supposed to swim - it's just a bit too cold for that yet. We were soooo blessed to see a whole bunch of dolphins swim by close to the beach! Had never happened before or at least we had never seen them! The kids claimed to have sighted a killer whale, too, and later a seal. I can't confirm that - but that doesn't mean they weren't there - I still don't have my contact lenses yet:) (they are ordered, though). We also picked up Andrea (the German girl) again and she is staying with us. Tomorrow at noon, we will have a German "party". I invited 2 young German girls I met at the store. They have only been here a little over and week and already miss the German bread. So I thought it to be a good opportunity to reach out to them and share some home-made "German bread" with whole wheat and grains - yumm - and hopefully also the "real bread":). Thank you, Jesus, for a wonderful day! Got to go to sleep now...