sister kendall has a birthday

this gorgeous girl is 26 today. she's far away and working hard serving her father in heaven. she has set aside 18 months of her life and has left her family for that time, so that others can be with theirs for eternity. she is my greatest friend in the world and i am so glad she has made such good choices, even though i have missed her every day she's been away and i feel like someone cut my right arm off the day she left... we love you sister kendall and hope you have the most amazing day! xxx

mum and dad leave

and just like that - they're gone. mum and dad left this afternoon on their flight to nz, where they'll spend a few days before they fly out to samoa to begin their mission. we were so lucky to spend yesterday (which conveniently happened to be mothers day...) with them.

 it's so hard to believe that for the next 18 months that i can't just pick up the phone, drive an hour - or just have mum and dad nearby. but i know that they are needed there, that they will help people in ways i don't even know about - and be so much to so many. so i am doing my best not to cry and upset mum more about leaving. 

  

last night we went with them to be set apart at our stake presidents house and it was an amazing experience. they were promised so many wonderful things for their faith and i know it will be something they will remember forever. good luck mum and dad! we love you heaps and can't wait to see you again.x

freshly set apart elder & sister goodlet with our stake president

clark is out of here!

our little clarky has taken off for the philippines last night. niques and i were lucky enough to be there as he was set apart, though doug was unfortunately still at work... it was such a lovely thing to be a part of, though hard for him... vivienne was called away to nz earlier this week, her mum has been ill for quite some time and isn't expected to last much longer. but it was amazing! i know he will be a wonderful missionary and i am so glad we have been able to be a part of his journey right up til now!

we had a "last supper" at macca's in tuart hill (clark has been eating for two... (years) for quite some time now) before they went off to the airport, which is where we snapped this shot - full of crazy people haha.

clark and our stake president minutes after being set apart as elder f.

i couldn't resist putting these pics up from clark's last sunday at dianella either. apparently it is tradition for someone in their family to ruin every family shot they have - and looking at these, i am guessing it was tayla's turn this time around.

best family. i am sure the next two years will fly by. 

mission calls!

yep - you guessed it! the parents mission call has finally arrived and my oh my are they excited! they went to their house in clackline to collect it - where they were met with this blackboard and the envelope... last week they made the brave step of moving out of their stripped house and selling their car to the people that moved in... and playing the waiting game, just knowing that everything was going to be fine.

so the call arrived and guess where they are going? western samoa!!!!!!! this has amazingly special significance to us, as that is where doug was born! all those years ago, dougs dad was working in western samoa, met his mum and the rest is history - but doug was actually born there and moved to new zealand with his family when he was less than a year old. its is so especially exciting to us though, as it gives us the chance to visit while they are there, so doug can explore his roots and... drumroll please... hang out with his uncle and aunt who are also there and who actually have something to do with the school that mum and dad are assisting at! how exciting!! for all of us. they are due to go may 14 and are now looking for ways to fill in the time... 

but wait... there's more!! our 'little brother' clark got his the same day! it was crazy town... he is off to the olongapo, philippines mission leaving may 10. what an exciting day for all of us.