Friday in the office was great. Final day to make sure we had things covered and accounted for. I think the staff is excited about CRM and I think it will make their lives better in so many ways. It will take some getting used to but I think that it will be good.

We said our goodbyes and headed out. Kia had posted on facebook that she was in Sydney and had a huge response from family that she found out lives in the area. They put together a improptu family gathering in Parramatta and so we caught the ferry out there. Tonight was the first night that I wished I would have had my jacket and had to end up in the cabin for the majority of the ride so I didn't freeze.

Kia's father is originally from New Zealand and they have a lot of Maori blood. It was great to see this culture up close and personal. The men's greeting was what I found the most interesting. When greeting family the men stick their foreheads together and close their eyes and breath in. It is a very personal and touching greeting. You can sense the love that they have for eachother in this simple greeting. I was very moved by it and have thought back on it many times since.

Sadly they chose a buffet at a "Bowling Club" to meet at (i reallly have to avoid those places in the future, lol) but it was good company. The bowling club is like a community rec center/lawn bowling/casino. It was an interesting place that was mostly attended by retired people. We have nothing like it in the states that i'm aware of.

Kia was nervous to see all the family but also very excited. It was fun to be able to be there to support her and meet her family. We learned some interesting history of her family including the fact that her dad and most uncles were labor missionaries and went all over the pacific building churches and schools and that is how her father ended up in Hawaii and met her mother. Some amazing stories of faith and love.

I met a man named Shahn (pronouned Shaun) and that brings the total number of ways that I've met to spell my name to 22. Crazy right!