A Rose trying to bloom in this thorny world we live in.

A sad ending to a great week!

Good report first:
Mt. Baw-Baw (or Boar-Boar as the Aussies say) was a blast! It was really nice Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday-Friday weren't sunny, but good skiing weather. Wednesday it was almost like a blizzard! It was great fun. I went out in in jeans and a hoodie, right after I had had a shower, dryed my hair, and got all nice (bad idea ;)). So I went out down to the slopes where some of my family and some of the Blakstons were. It was alright at first, just sleeting/snowing a bit, on and off. Then it started getting real windy and I decided to be crazy and go on a walk while they were finishing up skiing. I went up and up, down, around in circles, everywhere (mind you, I was wearing no hat or gloves)! Finally, I made it back to civilization. I was alive! ;) Ok it wasn't that bad, but I was frozen. Well, Jono and Lou were still skiing away so I, being the crazy person I am, went back for a nother walk. :) Thankfully I didn't get lost but I wasn't going back up again, at least till I got warm! Joel and Angie Blakston (there were a LOT of those Blakstons. :) but they made it heaps of fun!) walked me back, and when I got in everyone asked were I went and I just said "around" and I wasn't ever lost lost. I always knew I was on Mt. Baw-Baw. :) But that was heaps of fun. I went snowbording with Charity Tuesday and Friday. Friday was better because Jono and Allen snowboarded (Jono tried it Wednessday afternoon, he said he learned how by watching what us girls did wrong. He did everything opposite what we did. So in a round-about way, I taught him how. :-P lol sorta) and they sorta toutored us. :) I wiped out a TON, but it was loads of fun! I thought I did alright for never having skied or snowborded before (you can ask my family for the real story ;-D). We had dinner with Jono and his family after we got down from the Mountans Friday night then came home. It was a great, de-stressing (not distressing) week!

Sunday morning (13th) kind of wrecked out relaxful week. Sort of. We got a phone call (my dad did) and then I come in my room and Charity said Megan and Brandon's front room caught on fire. Then she said Allen was in the house when it happend. My first thought was that she was just kidding. Then when I figured out that she was serious I was shocked! It was like she had knocked me over with the news! Sunday was not a very good day. My mom was sick. Thankfully Greame Heart was preaching so my dad after lunch, we had with Greame and his parents over, and my dad took off to Gelonge to be with Allen. So us kids had to make sure the Hearts got entertained, do lunch and clean up, make sure every thing Sunday night was alright, on top of ever thing that had happend in Gelonge. I'm sure most of you saw the pictures and got the e-mail from the Fishers. If not go to their Blog and you can see them or go here. It got more than just the front room. The front three rooms are all burned, nothing left. The hall way is buned. All but one room (the spare room) has bad smoke damage. Its so scary and sad how quick the fire just swallowed up everthing!

Thankfully, God has been very good and has provided for them in amazing ways. Allen was pretty shaken up last week, but he is doing pretty well now. He lost a lot of stuff, too, but I'm sure God will continue to provide for him and the Fisher's.

Last weekend was SO MUCH FUN! We went to Geelong Friday-Monday. Geelong people are so great, I tell you! Well...all except Brett Mikelsons. (JUST KIDDING!) We stayed with the Mikelsons Friday and Saturday night (much to Brett's dismay! hehe), which was a blast. I love that family! We also got to eat lunch with the Hart's, and spend Sunday night and Monday morning with them. Maria and I almost missed the train home! We had to run from Allison's car to the train, with less than one minute to spare!

We may get to go back to Geelong again this weekend because we were invited to our friend, Sarah's, 21st birthday party.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy!


I LOVE THESE GIRLS!!! We had so much fun "cheerleading". Haha!


Proof that I really DID snowboard. Yep, this makes me look like quite the pro, huh? well...don't be toooo fooled. ;)


The whole group(excluding The Fisher's and Feldman's, who left early).


Here's a picture from "Swimming in the beach in winter". More photos at www.zachary.blackwoods.us!!!


***Thanks to Charity for editing and finishing this post***