Feet in the Pacific...okay!

Hey everyone!
I made it here!It was a long journey,but so worth the trip already.After waiting in the airport for forever and a day,I boarded the flight to Auckland at 10:15 pm and thankfully fell asleep pretty much as soon as I got on the plane...I woke up when the pilot said that we only had a 120 miles until we reached Auckland. This is when the nerves set in.When I get nervous, my stomach hurts really badly...almost as if I have dinosaurs (because I don't get butterflies...).So,I started to get overheated...so I thankfully had a little fan handy dandy thing (aka paper).

Once getting off the flight, I went to pick up my luggage. I was so scared that it wouldn't be there,so I prayed that God would be behind this and have it show up.After a ton of other people grabbed their's, then came my green suitcase and huge red bag.Thankfully!I put it on a carrier and then headed toward customs.This was another nervous time for me.I handed the "nice lady" my passport and paperwork and she asked who was coming to pick me up and did I have a phone number for them. I said that Mike, Jeff,and Brent were coming to get me but that I didn't have a contact number. She was very snappy and even made me take my hat off for me to reveal my grease-ball of a head.Not good times.She thankfully allowed me in and gave me my first stamp in my passport.Yeaha.

So...I'm wandering around looking for my people because let's face it,I don't really know what these people look like.Then I see Brent's smiling face and beside him were Mike and Jeff. Again...relief.We sat and enjoyed a cup of tea (juice for me) and then headed our separate ways...just like journey.

My first drive through Auckland was intense. We got in on the opposite sides of the car, drove on the opposite side of the road, and they don't believe in stop signs around here...so the traffic is SO fast paced...which is scary. They have tons of turn arounds...so again, scary. It was so odd to see city on one side of the road, and a proper field with cows on the other side. I said that where I'm from, they separate the two: one is city, and then you drive further to see the country.Mike took me to my first Pacific beach: Tapakura Beach. I dipped my feet in the water...and it was freezing...but I had to!If not for me,then for my dad :)

I was able to shower and meet some more people as the day went on and then I hung out with the youth group "Fusion"which were such a delight. I can already tell that I'm going to have a blast with them!The people here are so laid back and welcoming...they really don't let anything bother them, or so it seems right now. Saturday night (which would be your friday or early saturday morning), Brent put together a "Heidi's Night Out" to welcome me.This was such a huge blessing.I met about 17 other people that I hope to get to know better. The majority of them live on the other side of Auckland. Geoff picked me up and we had an interesting ride to the restaurant...then we went bowling!I was beyond tired,so my social skills were lacking...and that's what I blame my poor bowling on...

That's the update so far...church was great yesterday and I will post pictures of what I did yesterday afternoon.God is so good and He is totally in this. Thanks for your prayers and keep them coming.Love you!
Heids