Arrivals: In mid June, about the time of Winter Solstice in NZ, the star cluster Matariki (known by the Greek name Pleiades) makes its appearance or arrival in the night sky just before dawn , a sign to the Maori that it’s time to bid the old year farewell and welcome the arrival of the new. It’s a time to mourn ‘te hunga kua whetūrangitia’ – those who have become stars, and  a time to start letting go of grief and begin afresh.  It's the New Year. The celebration is also the arrival of a feast like a “New Zealand Thanksgiving” celebrating the recent harvest of plants, seafood and birds stored up for the winter as well as flying of kites, because, according to ancient custom, they flutter close to the stars. web photo This week Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also celebrated an arrival, the birth of her baby girl.  Congratulations to the PM!  The baby arrived during Matariki! Another arrival this week: We had a break between semesters and got to make our f

Friday night was the YSA 1940’s Ball.   No pumpkin coach or glass slippers but we went anyway.  This was a great “ Back In Time” night complete with lots of era dress, hair do’s, and dances.        Again, we got to teach them some of the dances (had we known about the “teaching dance” part of this mission Lou might have paid closer attention as a little girl at “Grace Oram’s Dance School” and Vance may have stuck with the tap dance lessons his mom made him take then too).   We admit we are rookies,  but it’s lots of fun. We were invited to have dinner again with the great Periera family. Mom Larissa is an amazing cook, and we love their family, dad Ricki, Keani, Dentzel, and Calvin .   Takes us “back in time” to when our kids were that age.    After dinner we joined the Periera’s at their ETERNAL FAMILIES institute class in Redoubt Stake. Great class and it took us “back in time” when they quizzed us on How do you know when its right to marry someone?