Safe and sound in Auckland

(Lynn and Claire, Internet Cafe, Auckland, NZ)
After 26 hours of travel and about 7,ooo miles we arrived to a rainy Sunday morning in Auckland. We made the best of the day despite some pretty significant jet-lag. We visited "The Antarctic Experience", a really cool aquarium/penguin habitat with great examples of the different marine life we'll experience here. They had a giant squid on display about 10 feet long. There are killer asian restaurants from China, India, Malaysia and Thailand. Phillip will get his fill of sushi here! Phillip, Claire, and Anna couldn't fight it anymore and fell asleep around 6pm local time- while the rest of us could only make it until 8 before passing out. We all popped up around 5am feeling great and ready for an exciting day! The sun is out this morning, too.(Yeah!)

This morning we present our credentials to a medical council representative to get our work permits finalized, then we are taking a taxi-van the 100 miles to Whangarei (pronounced 'funguray') and our new house for the next 6 weeks.

For those of you planning to visit- Air New Zealand is great with video screens at every seat with hundreds of movies on demand, video games, music, etc.- comfortable seats, good food, and very nice flight attendants.

We'll add some Auckland pics once we get on our computer.
Cheers!

Slightly sunburned,Rest completed, Visas arrive.

(Lynn, Grayton Beach, Florida)

We've enjoyed some "heavy rest", to quote Van Morrison. We spent four days in Gulf Shores with my folks, drove through Pensacola and visited the Naval Aviation Museum (home of the Blue Angels), and have been at my sister's house in Grayton Beach for the past seven days. Mainly we've slept, prayed, played, swam, crabbed, eaten more than exercised, and just spent time with family and one another. We've all had a blast, but Andrew, with his love of all creatures and his admiration for older brother Phillip, has been ecstatic for days capturing fish, crabs, lizards,etc. and having brother and mommy to himself. I believe this pause in the action was ordained.

We will swing through Alabama today and see my grandparents on our way back to Knoxville.

Our visas arrived two days ago- so now we are set to fly out this Friday. Please pray we'll stay healthy and make the trip.

"It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night." -Psalm 92:1-2

I will miss you!-Claire

Hey it is Claire!I want to thank everyone for suporting us.I personaly, want to thank my third grade teacher and class for everything they did.I miss you guys soooooo much. I hope to see you in 5th grade!
Also Mountain Ridge Church(the Hardestys and Mrs.Turrel) for the kids program at church and church in general.The Hardestys and my family have come so far from when we met.I will pray for you guys while in New Zealand for what you guys are going through.I will also miss you guys sooooooooooooo much!
Also some of my close friends(everyone is my friend but, my close friends)Morgan Borreli, Kaity Cornwell, Phoenix Fogarty, Rachel Hardesty,Abby Hatmaker, and Hadely Turrel for being my friends.I love you and will miss you girls soooooooooooooo much!
Best of all everone, again for supporting us.I will miss all of you sooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SINCERELY,
Claire Nichols

Delayed 2 weeks!

"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." Psalm 37:7

No visas, no travel.  We found out on the way to our "last supper" with family that the medical council still had not processed our paperwork completely.  We took it as a sign to rest from the hecticness and will be visiting my sister in Florida.  The only problem is I sold my SUV one hour before getting the news and don't have a car which can carry 4 kids- so a shout out to the Turrells for trading a car for a van for awhile.!

-The Nichols

2 days until departure!

Thanks for checking back with the lamest bloggers on earth! 3 weeks with no entry- it will never happen again. We have had some wonderful farewell parties from family, church family, friends and coworkers. Between parties we have completed mountains of forms and numerous other preparations.  Thank you all so much for the encouragement, gifts and, most of all, for your love for our family.  Dawn told me today how truly touched she is by the outpouring of love we have experienced- it only solidifies for us the fact that this is our hometown and, no matter how far away or how long we're away, Knoxville is where we long to return and finish raising our children around our loving families and great friends.  Please pray for us as we travel on the 17th and we will be back blogging once I find an internet connection in New Zealand.

We will continue to use my previous e-mail:pnichols@summithealthcare.com

(Thanks for posting messages!)

The Nichols

Common questions- Part 1

(Lynn here!)
I want to answer the most common questions we are hearing as our departure date nears.

Where are you going?
Whangarei, New Zealand for about 1 year.

What's up with the 'fruity' blog name?
A kiwi is not just for breakfast anymore. People from New Zealand refer to themselves as Kiwis. They have the Kiwi bird and they grow alot of kiwi fruit. We are going there to medically serve the people- hence 'kiwiserve'- not to serve the birds or the fruit, although I'm sure they are quite nice, as well.

I thought you were going on a mission trip- like to Africa or something?
This year represents a mission abroad for the entire family. Everyone is sacrificing. No, we are not risking life and limb and foregoing running water in a third world country. Dawn and I have both done that before and have no interest in taking 4 elementary school age children into that environment. We are, however, going halfway around the world to provide needed medical care to a place and people we feel called to serve. We have been told the church needs help and will be ready to work hard with our brothers and sisters in Christ as they show us the need. Our children will be exposed to a world beyond the US borders which will not only teach them about New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, etc.- but will make them appreciate what we take for granted at home. I have learned that 'mission' is a slippery term- everyone has different notions of what it means. I like to simplify it: a person's (or family's) mission is doing the deeds set before you in the service of God and people as directed by conscience, desires, and ultimately, obedience to a calling. The location can range from the house next door to the poorest places on the planet. For the next 12 months our calling is to New Zealand and we are very excited about it. We thank you for joining us and supporting us with your words of encouragement and prayers.

God bless you and yours!

Great news!
We have leased our house for 9 months and will be moving out in 3 days. Life from a suitcase begins for awhile. We hope the nice family living in our house will enjoy the neighbors and house as much as we do. Dawn and I work through the end of March and we all fly out April 17th. Another piece of the puzzle falling together- health insurance while abroad. This is coming together, as well, thanks to the insurors in the Nichols family!

Thank you for visiting our blog. Coming within the next week I will try to answer the most common questions we are asked regarding our year in New Zealand. Starting with an explanation for the name of our blog.

God bless!