The Latest and Greatest...

Hello dear fam and friends!

I said I was going to write most sundays, and so I will start with this one as I am recuperating from an exhaustive week.  I am going to evening mass at 6 p.m., so I am resting on the couch with the laptop, connecting with my US peeps.  The screen doors are open and there is a nice breeze on a sunny day.  Jospeh has to work from 2-7 p.m., so I get the place to myself.  I will let all know that I was offered a full time position within Karingal as the Team Leader to run the Rossack House in East Geelong.  A low to moderate care accomodation facility for disabled adults.  There are 4 women and 2 men with various disabilities and they fit the requirements to live in the house, which allows them to live as similarly as possible to others in the community.  There are casual and permanent-part time staff that come in on a rotation basis to help with the needs.  The clients have an organised life where community activity and inhouse activity are going on, family and friends are kept updated and involved, etc.  I am the one in charge of the house, with all of the staff and clients and all of the paperwork, etc.  Making sure it is running smoothly and effectively and happily.  I accepted the job as I will make more money and have the benefits that come along with it.  I start tomorrow with 4 weeks of training under a wonderful lady who has been with accomodations for over 20 years.  I am told the clients are lovely and staff are okay, they have just gotten used to doing little and need refreshement.  I am that refreshement, so please pray for me to make this house a wonderful place to work and live in!

Now, Joseph is still looking for better work as well. He would like better pay and hours as well in a job that is satisfying and pleasing to God.  We will begin in a month or so to look for bigger housing and hopefully have a new place by Christmas.  That is my goal, at least!  The presbytry in Winchelsea was too much for the rent- we were suprised they wanted so much for a house that hasn't been lived in for years and needed updating...oh well, God has everything under control.  We will just keep looking.  It would have been nice, though, to live there, even though it was a bit out in the country. Sigh.

I hope all are well.  Keep in touch.  I miss you all!

Angie Purtill  :o)

Some More Fuzzy Shots From the Proof Book...

Okay, I am tired of downloading....hope you enjoyed a bit of our special day through these!

A.P.

 

Some (fuzzy) Photos From Proof Book

I don't have my photos back, just a book of proofs, so I took my little digital cam and took a few photos of the proofs....ha....1/2 a month more for waiting, most likely...

My original blog that got lost before the "wedding days have come and gone"

Ah!  This is my lost blog I finally found in my drafts, so I will include this one as well since I worked so hard at downloading some photos....



Well, the wedding bells have come and gone!  I am now a married woman and enjoying this new phase of life.  I apologize (they spell it apologise here- no z's in words like this) for not blogging in well over a month, but many things took up my time.

The wedding day was sunny and spectacular.  All ran smoothly and enjoyably.  I remember about 60 % of it and am waiting for our video footage so I can see what I may have missed (like the music, etc.)The photos from the professional photographer are not in my hands just yet, but when so, I will make an online album, don't worry.  Just please continue to be patient!

The honeymoon was full of fantastic weather as well.  We saw so many different forms of nature, from volcanic, jagged coastal edges filled with huge, modern windmills, to the rainforest, to lush green paddocks (pastures) filled with cattle and sheep to the beautiful 12 Apostles and the Bay of Martyrs to the quaint little town of Port Fairy with its local charm of colorful boats and small cafes. Mostly beautiful sunny days and just a few rainy nights to cozy things up.  Just LOVELY!  God is and was so good to us!  What a gift!

It looks like I am on another planet...

 

You just look up and see things like this!

wind farm

I forget what these are called- he was walking across the road...

a private paradise! this is an area where many shipwrecks happened and a survivor ot two would make it into this beach....

farm land rich with cattle and sheep

This was the view out of the glasswall of our house in Port Campbell- the ocean is down below the rainbow...

London Bridge

And then my dear friend Dominica sent me these she took....

That is my angel, Dominica...she did the flowers for me!

Also....We have been looking for bigger housing and are looking into renting the presbytry from the priest in Winchelsea, right next to the church where we were married.  An old, country house.  Please pray it is affordable for us.  We are only waiting on the final permission and the price...:o)



Blessings to all and keep writing to me!  I miss you!

Angie Purtill :o)

WEDDING BELLS HAVE COME AND GONE....

Yes, fam and friends, I am a married woman now. And I am loving it.  The photos are not all back yet, so when I have the disc that I can download and share, I will post and email.  We have to be patient as well, so hang in there.  As for our honeymoon, we had 9 full days of sun (and just a day or two of some sporatic clouds and showers) down the Great Ocean Road, traveling first to Lorne for 3 days at a spa resort, then heading down to Port Campbell and Portand.  We stopped up in Timboon for some awesome foods and dairy products (we were in cow and sheep land!) and also a day in Port Fairy, where we would both love to live at some point, if possible.

I will get better at posting more regularly as I settle into a routine....

I am thinking sunday evening blogs.....

Toodles, 

Angie Purtill :o)

At sister-in-laws after maekup and hair, waiting....

Waiting in the presbytry for 1 p.m.....

I chose cupcakes for my day! They were sooo yummy...

Less Than Two Weeeeeks!

Obviously, I am realllly busy with work hours and getting the plans finalised and bookings in for out of town people and our honeymoon going down the coast for a little under two weeks.  I will hopefully get some writing in after the honeymoon.  Please keep us in your prayers.  You are ALL in ours!

Also prepping for another job interview this coming thursday with an organization for youth.


Blessings from Down Under,

Angie

Working Days Are Here Again...

Sooo, I am now currently working again! Not full or part-time, but casually.  Casual work is another term here that we don't seem to have in the States.  At least not that I know of.  It is sporatic hours.  Joseph helped me get connected with Karingal, http://www.karingal.org.au/, to become a PWS, or a personal support worker.  So far, I am working with younger adult men who have acquired brain injuries, and helping them with their independent living skills.  I may help someone out with their exercise regime, food prep, house cleaning needs (step by step directives, so it gets done), and then go out for a coffee or a movie or shopping or a meal.  It's rather nice and the pay is decent- around $23 an hour.  It is not my dream job, of course, but it is my first employment in Australia.  I've gotten my foot in the door!  Today, we went to the gym and did a client's workout regime (I did some exercise along with him on some awesome Nautilus equiptment since they have multiple machines of each) and then to a weekend market, where I bought some fresh, crusty bread to take home and he bought a verry cherished, new Led Zepplin Hoodie :o)  He was all smiles with his new treasure.  I cannot share names and specifics, obviously, for confidentiality purposes, but wanted to give you a general idea of the job description.  The goal is to get them to become fully sufficient in taking care of themselves again through establishing an order to things and making a schedule become habit.  Of course, some may always need the transportation to and from places such as the gym...

Right now, I have three clients, so mondays, wednesdays. and fridays are my working days.  Hopefully, I will get another client or two soon as well. The pay is always useful, but I also like being able to help the clients.  They always have interesting stories about their past lives before their accidents, and they still have hopes and dreams.

Wedding plans are slowly finalizing (I now have to spell that "finalising", as over here, they don't use the z's too much- and z is pronounced "zed" here, not "zee"), and I am pleased to announce my Aunt Shirley is making the trip over to be present for the big day!  I am now just needing to get the flowers for the church and reception completed and the reception music figured out.  Dress alterations and a makeup trial is on schedule for this upcoming week, and my hair trial is next week.  I found two great people in this little town of Lara!  What a miracle! Oh, and I found out that tanning beds or "solariums" cost about $95 for 10 sessions.  Holy crike-a-billy!

I am still not sure what we are doing for the honeymoon, we are just taking off down the coast and not turning back until we have to...There are so many awesome seaside towns along the way.  It's all like a holiday for me here, as it is all so new, so I am happy with that as the plan.  We were going to go to Tasmania, and we may very well still go, we just haven't prioritised the honeymoon plans as much as the wedding plans... we still have over a month to figure it out.

Anyhow, that's news from here.  Driving around in the car on the left side of the road is second nature now, THANK YOU GOD!, so that has helped the stress level go down immensely. Having to drive clients around for appointments has helped me learn the different towns quickly. The brain is an amazing thing, isn't it? It adapts so well after some transition time.

I hope to hear from you, dear friends and fam, soon.  I miss you all and hope you are all well!

Toodles from Down Under,

a.