The Quang-er

So, it was a rainy rainy day here in Melbourne. We went to bed last night with high hopes for for the day. We were going to wake up and walk to the gym so that Joe could shoot hoops and I could do zumba! Let me tell you, without a car we have been walking miles upon miles every day, I suppose it's good for our waist-lines, but not for our shoes. I've already broken one pair!! After the gym we were going to take the train into West Melbourne to go to confession and mass. Anyhow, I woke up to the sound of rain pelting against the window and immediately my heart sank because we can't even walk to the bus in that kind of rain, it's 2 km away and the roads all get flooded.

However, it was ok. Friends of Peter and Cheryle were over for breakfast and they offered us to borrow their bikes until we have a car. I am SO SO excited. There is a path that runs from Eltham into the city and we have been dying to take a day, ride into the city, visit the market, and have a picnic. Now we can! I'm so grateful for Joe and Mandy's generosity. We picked the bikes up today and they are just beautiful. Oh, and more good news, because Joe is starting his first shift on Monday at the gym! Now that his accreditation has gone through he gets to start work. I know it is going to be good for him, because he's started to feel like he is going crazy not doing anything. Also, the security of having a job until something better comes to fruition is just awesome. Now, hopefully I can get one because who knows what I'll be doing all day without him, 'sigh', I'm going to miss him. It is amazing how much you cling to each other when you are the only security that each has. He gets to work the floor at the gym, but the big bucks will come when he gets clients. Actually, he already has two. Funny story about that also. Everyone has been teasing me that the "yummy mummies" at the gym are going to be all over my hunky hubby. I really don't care, because he is mine and so they can only look :) Not only that, but he is so proud of his wedding ring and the fact that he is married. Anyhow, his first two clients are gay! No yummy mummies for me to worry about. I think it will be really fun for Joe to train these two guys together, it's just great.

Well, the highlight of our day was Quang. For those of you who don't know, Quang is Peter and Cheryle's 14 year old exchange student. He has been here since he was 12, and will be here through the end of high school. Joe and I absolutely love Quang, he is a sweet boy with lots of insecurities that sometimes manifest as "acting out." He just CLINGS to Joe, "joe joe joe joe joe" all day long! Joe is so good with him. We got to go watch his basketball game today, and he scored 4 points. This from a kid who had never played organized sports before coming to Australia. Apparently he performed extra well, I think it was because Joe was there cheering for him :) I felt so proud of Quang, and I'm going to miss him when he goes home to Vietnam over school break.

There he is! You can just see us in the background there too! I'm sure there'll be many more Quang updates. I suppose that is all for now though. A day that seemed to have gloomy prospects turned out not so bad at all. Tomorrow we will head into mass here in Eltham before Joe has basketball practice, and perhaps I can get some zumba in too. Who knows, one day at a time!

I hope everyone at home had a very happy Friday. I miss you all, so very much. Sending long distance hugs and love!

We pray for you, please pray for us!