The things you don't think about when moving over seas...

Like vacuums. I can honestly say I didn't give the type of vacuum I would have here a single thought. Why would I right? Well.. I am surely giving it thought now. Up-right power heads are pretty much the most popular in the states now.. I am sure there are still some with the body and the long hose to the brush head.. but for the most part all vacuums have a powerhead. Which I won't lie to you folks, makes vacuuming a thousand times easier. Here, I can't find a powerhead vacuum anywhere. Well.. I did find one, but its look a little scary. It was cordless.... how much life can a vacuum have running on battery power?? 

 Every one always asks me what do you miss most about the States? And I always draw a blank. Because over all things aren't that different here. Till I do some thing, like try to vacuum my house. And then I realize I really miss American vacuums. Or when I go to the grocery store to buy chicken noodle soup, cause my tummy is being off, and there is NO canned chicken noodle soup. Now I must admit.. I did NOT see that one coming. I stood in front of the soup section for a good 15 mins, reading and re-reading, swearing I had to be missing it some where. I wasn't.( though what they have stocked can change so it might be there next time.. I am going to look again) Or hot dogs. There is no hot dogs here. Not that I need a hot dog... it's just really strange not to have hot dogs in the grocery store. 

 I really missed Western dressing.. I made my momma ship me some, cause the salad dressing here, while they have some of the same kinds, they don't taste the same. The ranch all tastes like extremely light ranch, and the french looks like a green italian dressing.... I am thinking it't not the same kind of dressing, as ours french is red. 

 Or deodorant. I actually couldn't find it at first. It looks nothing like our deodorant. It's a strange shape I can't actually describe... works just fine.. just looks so different I couldn't find it!!! 

 So these are a few of the things I miss about the States. Nothing important. Just the little every day things that every now and then pop out at you and scream, "You are not in the States anymore hunny!!" And you shake your head, say "Huh, didn't think of that one." And keep on walking through the store. 

The Job, and the Faithful Stranger.

So I, Lisa, finally got a job. I started on Friday at a salon called Clip Joint. It's a nice step up from Cost Cutters, and while  no one tips in New Zealand, the up side of that is that I am making a flat hourly rate, no matter how many heads of hair I do a day. So while I am building a clientele, I am still making good money. Thank God. Takes alot of the stress off. And I am pretty excited about being able to slow down and just do hair, no more rushing about... it's an amazing idea and I am really starting to like it.
 I will only be working two days a week, Fridays and Saturdays, so Aaron and I will still have time to hang out and go bum about and explore the island :). It's wonderful to be working and still have time to just hang out with my man. I do so like hanging out with him, after all.
 And as if God blessing me with this job wasn't enough, Today I was helping out one of the other girls with her color, and through chatting with this woman, it turns out she is a christian. So she was asking me all about how we came to be in New Zealand, and said she was impressed with us moving over here. She was just a really nice lady. But as she was leaving, she calls me over, pulls a small envelope out of her purse saying, "I don't usually carry this with me, but that just proves every thing happens for a reason." Hands me the envelope and leaves. I opened it after work, she had given me her tithe for her church, and it wasn't a small sum. I couldn't believe it. Things were getting tight with out me working, and that little envelope just gave us a really nice bonus, to easy the strain till my checks start coming in... God bless her tender heart. We would have been ok with out the money, but I can't thank this lady enough just simply for blessing me by her faithfulness. Almost brought me to tears, this kindness of a stranger.

"The girl who loved books". written by: Lisa Glemboski

I (Lisa) love to read books. And when I say love, I mean love,adore, and cherish reading a good book. I might actually be a little addicted to it. I spend more money on books then anything else, because I can read a book in about a day and a half. So I pretty much just blow through them. There is nothing better then getting lost in a story, and enjoying a book to the point where I can not stop reading till I know the ending, and then having reached the end, wishing it wasn't over. Hence why I love series so much. There is always more!! Series though, is also why I can buy so many books! In for one, in for all! Books, they are just strangely one of my passions in life. One of the things I just don't want to live with out. And also why Aaron, wonderful man that he is, bought me a kindle. Love that thing! I can buy a book online at Amazon, and start reading it in about 30 seconds. Awesome, no more waiting for my books to come in the mail!(and also I will never have to leave my books behind again. That was one of the hardest things for me to leave in the States when we moved, all my books.) The only down side is that I miss books, the texture of the pages, the way they feel in your hands, and even the way they smell.... Yeah I just really love books that much. Every thing about them is wonderful, and comforting to me. Also, they feed my imagination, which needs to be fed. It craves being fed, and it seems it is always on the hunt for the next good story.
 Now that we are here though, till I get a job, I have to behave. I have to stop buying books at such a rapid pace, or our saving will go far to fast. So I think it might be off the the library with me! I will do some research online, write down the authors I am interested in, and then instead of buying them, I will go rent them! Lord knows I read books fast enough that I will never get a late fee! The up side of this is that I will be able to hold the books in my hands, the down side is that I can't keep them to read again, and again. I just don't think I can give up my books all together. That would be like giving up a best friend, or your favorite comfort food in the midst of an emotional break down. It just is not done!
 Also, my reading is good for Aaron. Gets me out of his hair long enough for him to play his games, and have some free time. As my much as I love reading, I love hanging out with him way more! So my reading sets him free from me, but allows me to still be on the couch near him, which keeps me happy. Lucky boy that he is, every one needs time to themselves, and to veg out doing some thing they enjoy. So maybe Thursday I can go to the library and get some more of what I enjoy. Books!!!!! oodles and oodles of books!!! :)