Big Game



youtube.com photo
This week we were surrounded by some big game(s).  On our “bucket list” of things to see in NZ was an ALL BLACKS  International Rugby game.  We did it!  NZ vs. France.  . Guess what they start the game by doing…you got it, the HAKA of all Haka’s! 
The Stosich's had the chance to buy 4 tickets from a friend.  A bit pricey but an adventure!
Our photo of the Haka from the stands eons away...(the youtube photo at the front is more exciting). 
We learned heaps more about rugby.  Like a score is a "try"  We tried to get three of these signs so Sister Stosich could use them in her church calling with the little ones in Primary for visual aids in the song Jesus Once was a Little Child..."So little children lets you and I try to be like Him...TRY TRY TRY!" 

Sold out stadium.  Final score, All Blacks - 52, France - 11.  Surprised at the heaps of beautiful French people there as well.  Great sport but don't know as I would travel that far to see a game.
We also got to go see some of the "big Game" at the Auckland Zoo.  
Amanda Henry, one of our YSA at AIB was here from Washington State to study at AUT for a year and leaves to go home in a few weeks.  She wanted to go to the zoo so Elder Downs and I and her friend James went with her.  We think the only way to shoot these beautiful animals is with a camera, so a few of them:
Maybe 100-125 animals.  We were impressed at the large and roomy enclosures that were as close to natural habitats as we have ever seen in a zoo.



This guy was a talking parrot.. "hello" being his favorite line.

Doesn't look like what we pictured a Tasmanian DEVIL looking like, but this is the real thing, the "Taz" in the flesh.  
Nothing quite as regal as a tiger .



Illusive red panda and the wallaby's


Capybara...a rodent the size of a Saint Bernard!

Little NZ native blue penguins


The grand-kid's favorite...mere cats

We got to see and take pictures of the mysterious kiwi, a nocturnal shy bird that is rarely ever seen in the wild.  In a large dark enclosure with one way glass so the birds couldn't see us.  We entered with a noisy bunch of school kids and didn't see any birds...when the school kids left the birds started running around.  They are fast and stealthy, and much bigger than we thought. 
reddit web photo
 And they lay very big eggs, the egg is 1/3 the size of the female kiwi, and almost as big as an ostrich egg!  

Bug-lab entrance and human size orchid mantis display...great bug exhibit.


Big Game Hold-up
Institute at Waterview stake, we love 'em
And our last “big game” experience of the week was the Big Game everyone at the AIB has been playing, the Olympic aerial guy (a gift from the David Summerhays' family) and MAN it has been a hit!  Pretty hard to get the gymnast spinning and then have him land on his feet and score. 

Scoring and winning can be a challenge in many games…but life has taught us that there are greater accomplishments than the final score in a game.   The above is one of Lou's dad's favorite quotes.  Gratefully, if you play the game right, you may lose some battles but you do win in the end.

Hang in there!  Keep TRY-ing.
We love you,
Elder and Sister Downs
Vance and Louenda 







Comments

  1. Tim Carver10 June 2018 at 12:49

    It's strange to see you in winter coats while we are baking in 90 degrees!

    ReplyDelete

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