Wow, that was a while!

Thanks for sticking in there and checking even though we have been off the map for a bit! That was getting pretty sad.

Anyway, we are settled in Smiths Falls, Ontario. Today, marks two weeks that we have been here. We drove up in our little Penske van towing the car on Monday night and by tuesday this time we driving the empty truck back to the return center.

It was dark when we rolled into Smiths Falls the first time. There had been snow on the side of the road off and on since we left Grand Rapids than morning. On the way into SF, there was a dump truck going past us. I commented to Bert that there was so much snow on top of his load it looded as if he were hualing just snow. Not five minutes later, we saw dump trucks lined up in the Wal-Mart parking lot waiting for the backhoe to fill them up with yes, snow! We didn't know it yet, but the had a storm the day before we came bringing them almost as much snow in one dump, as what they had last year total.

Most of the boxes are unpacked now...life is good.

This little machine ate all the snow along the street in front of our house.

You can just see our car out of our kitchen window.

Our sweet little neighbor lady brought over coffee and dounuts yesterday. Very nice!

Blast from the past

The summer of 2000. Yes that was the time. One car, two tents, four cameras, five people and lots fun. I am not sure why I was thinking about it today, but the scrapbook was dusted off and here are the results.

We left at 2:30 am. with Dad at the helm of the Mercedes. We kids layered ourselves over each other in the back seat and slept till we were well into Texas. The above photo captured a desperate game of 500 (the 'wee' cards were complememts of a 'gum ball' machine.
Dad will have to help out with the location of this one. It was by a waterfall....

Matching his socks with his sandles... :)

Somewhere along Hwy. 1 in California.

Dad found us a little cabin in Lucia. It was perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Dad has a knack for finding the coolest cabins. Oh yes he does.

Go Green

Bert's green card was approved! Yeah!!!!!

Why am I such a worrier??? God always takes perfect care of us. And yet every time...

On they way to the interview, I was milling through what options we would have if the green card wasn't approved. Bert could live in AU, and come visit me...I could live in the US and go visit him.... That was about all I could come up with. But no, all is well and for that we are truly thankful.

Now, I must see about those boxes.

What is the world coming to?

I was doing laundry today and in the process decided that I need to iron my pajama bottoms. It was then I decided that if I had enough time to iron my pj bottoms, then by all means, I had time to post on the blog. And that's the truth.

How about some real pictures next post?

The Low Down Here

Bert and I headed off to Fort Smith this morning to check in on the processing of his Greencard. It looks as if everything is going well. He has his last interview November 13 and all being well, the Greencard would arrive two weeks following that.

We kinda went there today to see if they could move the interview forward.....like everybody else in the Greencard 'line' no doubt hopes. It was a far stretch. You feel like a four year old begging for an extra piece of candy. Alas, barring an emergency, nobody gets special treatment. I totally understand, but it was worth a try!

Fort Smith is 3 1/2 hours away (the Greencard office doesn't take phone calls) but the awesome thing is, Grandpa and Grandma Altena live out that direction. We popped by there today to take a couple of pictures and then they took Bert and I out to Pizza for Bert's birthday. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma!!!

The 'truth' of it all...

So why do pirates always, always have a patch over one eye?

My sweet hubby said it was not because they had their eye poked out in some mad skirmish with inocent people (which I always believed), but simply that it was done for lighting purposes.

Above deck was bright and sunny most of the time and below deck was dark and dirty. To avoid all the time it would take for their eyes to adjust, they would just switch the patch from the eye that was used to the light, to eye that was used to the dark.

Makes sense kinda...or he might be talking rubbish.

What's next, no Tooth Fairy?

Never try to think like a dog

This morning Mom and I started out doing a little good old fashion house cleaning. The deep cleaning kind that happens once a year.

In the process we found the 'shoe goop' for Mom's sandals. You know, the type that is good to use on them every six-eight weeks but you are lucky of you remember once a year.

Well we found it and Mom thought she would fix up her Birks quick a minute. "Will Oscar take off with these if I let them dry on the back step?" "Nah, we won't leave them out long."

Enter Oscar....

I'm a good puppy...

Running, not chewing for me....

A little bit later we were seaching the yard for a lost sandal. I deffinatly have to take some blame for this!

The Newest Member of the Pohl Fleet

And here we go. After a couple of weeks of tormenting Dad and Bert with all the car facts each time I left the computer, we found a keeper. Yeah! My other sweet wheels are up for sale now. So if you know of anyone interested in a '93 BMW.... :)

P962 VVK

I feel a little sad. Our good and faithful little Fiesta was towed away to the land where all happy Fiestas go. A little scrap heap where he will no doubt be taken to bits piece by piece. His little headlights will be the first to go. Then a door, a seat, a shock. You would never guess that he was once loved. That he actually could have driven to the dump if it was not for a little red tape here and there.

Yep, that is our little car. He didn't pass his last MOT right before we left Scotland in April. The MOT is the yearly test all cars in the UK have to take to make sure they are road worthy. Usually it isn't a problem, but this year was right at the point where it would cost more to fix Little Red Fiesta, than the he could be sold for in the end.

Last week Bert called a man that would tow it away for free. Bert asked them to pick it up on Wednesday. They said great. Then on Tuesday afternoon, the lady who was looking after it for us called cause our car had disappeared while she was at work. It wouldn't have been a problem but two of our boxes were still in the car. She was going to take them out that night. Ahhh! I have no idea what was in the boxes, but Bert called them up as soon as he could the next day and they said they would take them out and bring them back to the ladies house. Good for us. :) No word yet on the arrival though.

Oh so handsome...

They actually fit inside...honest...

See how much I can carry?

Taxi for Mom and Dad...

Just a little tap...

Still running....

Ok maybe a little tight...

New brakes...

All fixed and sadly not too long for the world...


Sniff, sniff.

(This was posted back in August but we had a few technical difficulties.)

The Boxes

Today was a day for checking out where all our stuff is, and most importantly, if all of it really is important.

Net helped me go through the boxes and this is pretty much what we came up with....

Mom has had a pallet and a half of boxes marked "Bert and Kryna" sitting way up in the rafters of the shop for over two years now. It kinda made me feel good to know that we did have stuff, even if it was folded safely away in cardboard thousands of miles away. :) Today I was reminded that six of them are full of books, two of dishes and pans, one of clothing, one of miscellaneous, and four of blankets. Yeah, Target here we come!

Can't wait....should have waited to open the account...:)

Terry and Martha's Wedding

It has already been two weeks, but here are some pictures of Terry and Martha's wedding.

It was wonderful to be able to go out to New Jersey for it and we wish God's greatest blessing for for them both as they begin their life together!

Mr. and Mrs. Klaver...

The entire wedding party from left to right... Aaron, Tod, Bert, Randy, Terry and Martha, Joanna, Lydia, Ester, and Elizabeth.

The happy couple...

Aaron and Meg...

We had the wonderful surprize of sharing a table at the reception with Michael and Aulbry Ives and their children. (Bert went to seminary with Michael) Geneiva here getting laughs from all of us...

And one more at the reception...

The Big Apple

Last week we headed out to New Jersey for the wedding of Bert's best buddy, Terry. (I will post a couple from the wedding shortly).

As part of the perks of being out on the East Coast, we hit the City for a few hours. Aaron and Meg met us in NJ (he was a groomsman as well) and we had a great time! They drove out from Michigan durring the night on Thursday, we trotted into the city almost as soon as they arrived Friday morning, Friday night was the wedding rehearsal, and then Saturday after Terry and Martha's wedding, they jetted back to GR. Not bad.

At the train station , Meg hopped on the moped as a photo opp. But not before being assured the owner was saftly in New York City and would never know....:)

Just like in the movies...

We had four hours to hit the must sees. Great fun!

At Carnegie Hall...

We had next to no pictures of Meg and Aaron so we took advantage of Central Park.

Ooo, handsome man...

Why not?

I bet they make more an hour than they would flipping burgers...

Even the leaves are cool!

In the Big Apple....hahaha....

Even made it into one of the shops. If Aaron had been carring a bag that day, I would definatly have checked it over. He was covinting those copper pans pretty bad... :)

They only had an hour or two of sleep in the car on the way out.... it was worth letting them sleep at least long enough to take the picture!

We had a absolute blast. It is good to spend time with Ern and Meg.

The next chaper

Part of the reason I haven't been posting much of late is because we have spent the last few weeks sorting out the calls Bert received. We basically left Canada and spent two weeks camping in South Carolina, praying that the Lord would make it clear where He wanted us to be.

Bert had received three calls. The first one was from the congregation in Aultbea, Scotland. (where we had stayed in Dec. -Jan.) The next one was from the congregation in Yellville, Arkansas. (my home church before we were married) And then the final one was from the congregation in Smiths Falls, Ontario. (from whom we had just come.)

It was the hardest decision we have ever had to make. How can you 'choose' one, when you love and care deeply for each of them?

In the end, it seems that the Lord is leading Bert to minister in Canada. He declined the calls to Aultbea and Yellville and has tentatively accepted the unofficial call to Canada. Please continue to remember Yellville and Aultbea with us in prayer .

We thank God for His goodness to us in so many things....His upholding in the years of studies, His mercy in the many travels, His guiding hand in the call decisions, and so much more. His provisions are truly innumerable.

Did you even want to know?

After forever of not posting, it can be hard to get back into it again!

So what are three things you probably didn't know about me? It is pretty hard to tell, cause I am me and don't know what you know but....

1. I have never had a broken bone.

2. I can't figure out how to walk in heels.

3. My dad was a race car driver.

It is always fun to hear a unique fact about people. Do you have one? Do tell...

The meaning of it all

General Assembly is upon us. The grand-daddy of all church meetings in the FCC.

I have to give a message to all the ministers and elders that have come. No problem, I can handle this.....but I must first find my notes. There is fifteen minutes to spare so it won't be a problem. Just flag the Moderator.

Oh no, he thinks that means I am ready and is announcing, "And now Bert Pohl......"!

No, no, with a few more waves he figures it out and delays things for a bit.

I am franticly searching for the notes by this time. Now I remember too that I really haven't gone over them at all. And where did my suit go?!?!?!?? Eyes darting in every direction, I at last find a pair of black trousers. Left leg in, right leg in......aw man they are up to my knees....defiantly not going to look good with my knee high white socks I am wearing. Where did the come from anyway? Hmmm. Now I am only 45 minutes late. Still no notes to be seen!

Ok, that is not a true story, thankfully! But it was the dream Bert had last night. It comes in endless versions, but with striking similarity.....

Anybody have an interpretation? :)