I'm still here!

I haven't written much on my blog lately...we have been so busy! For 3 days this week, we rose at 5.30am, had breakfast and got dressed and went by train to the city. DH and I were doing a training course 8am to 5pm on a particular computer system which will be used in the next state election. Now we don't know when that election will be...but the present government have until late June, 2012 to call an election and the electoral commision has to be ready. So how have I got myself involved? DH is going to run an electorate and I have been made his assistant...It was a very full on 3 days and there is so much to remember...but at least I wasn't the only one 'floundering' around but DH and I were the 'new kids on the block' and I have no background in election work (unlike DH) so it was an extremely steep learning curve.
So any way these days were long and exhausting. Today was Saturday but no time for sleeping in! We were once again up at 5.30 am but this time we were driving in to pick up a 25 seater bus as DH had agreed to drive a group of people from our parish to another church in the town of Warwick about 2 hours from Brisbane.

We were going there to attend a ceremony where our former parish priest was commissioned as rector of St Marks Anglican parish in Warwick. Rod came to our parish in 2003. He came with his wife Dianne and their 3 children and we loved them all! He was such a lovely man and before he became a priest he was a vet and was much loved by those who took their animals to him.
Father Rod performed the service for DH and I when we married in 2004 and it was a beautiful service. Rod knew that my greatest wish was that I should be allowed to re-marry in a church despite being a divorcee. Thanks to Rod and the Bishop I got my wish.
I know how lucky the people of Warwick are to have Rod as their parish priest; they were without a priest for over 12 months. Our parish will now be 'in the same boat' as we wait for a replacement.

St Mark's Warwick built in 1869 (that's old for Qld)

Rod standing with some of the people who took part in the ceremony (note the beautiful embroidery on the stole of the lady second from the left)

Those of us who travelled in the hired bus. Many more came in private cars

This building was the original church and is now used as a hall (so if the present church was completed in 1869, this one is a lot older)

 Rod holding the youngest member of our parish. Rod baptised this little man in his last service in our parish



Today's ceremony was beautiful; the speeches of welcome to Rod and Dianne from community representatives were warm. I saw what a difference there was beween city and country today...their hospitality towards us was wonderful...and oh! the desserts...were yummy!