A few photos from our time in Norway...

Engagement Party

Last Saturday the family arranged an engagement party for the two of us. It was really fun! Thanks so much guys for all your time, help and effort! Both me and Shane had a really good nite :-)
I will put up photos as soon as I get them.

It's not usual for us Norwegians to have engagement parties, but I seriously think we should start that trend! You get two sets of presents! :-)

I got to meet more relatives and friends, it was quite a few people. We had good food, good music, and a CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN! Never seen one before, but I loved that thing. You know how a water fountain look like...? Well, just imagine that there's chocolate coming out, not water! It was amazing.
We also had a few games, and my bridal party dressed me up in a wedding dress made of toiletpaper! (not sure if I'm gonna put that on flickr :P)
Then we cut the cake. It almost felt like a wedding. So I guess I'm well prepared for the big day ;-)

The proposal

Many of you may have seen the webpage Shane made for me when he proposed over the internet last year. It was very creative!

So I was surprised when I got a SECOND proposal in Norway :-) (Well, he already told me he was going to do that, but he didn't tell me when). So on the night to our 13 months anniversary he took me out.
This time on a romanting outing at the beach that I grew up by! He had gotten two of our good friends to arrange something special for me, so when we rocked up it was all set with blankets, candles and good food! We even had a view to the sea and the sunset :-) (Hope to put a photo of it on soon)
It was the best night I'd had :-) He was very romantic and did very good in proposing a second time. He had written a song to me, and he sang it too!
After that he kinda got on his knee and asked me to be his wife... awe! :-)

So guys... I really am getting married! On the 8th of September in Chiang Rai, Thailand. It's not long till now. For those of you who aren't gonne be there... We're planning on sending the wedding live on the net! Isn't that crazy!? Anyways, more info will come on that. So hopefully you'll still be able to see us getting married :-)

Thank you so much honey for the lovely surprise! You really did surprise me, hehe :-) (You can hopefully read more about that later on on Shane's blog)
Jeg elsker deg! You rock my world ;-)

From Norway to Australia to Thailand (soon...)

Currently I'm in Perth living at the Beckingham's palace :-)
It's winter here right now, but it feels like Norwegian summer!
Berit and Gunnar came a week later than us and have also been staying here. They've now found an apartment where they'll live during their studying.

Me and Shane had a wonderful time in Norway. Just wish we could have stayed abit longer. The wedding was sweet. Berit and Gunnar were SO CUTE together! They had put together an amazing party.
Shane got to see Norwegian wedding traditions, so we have some ideas for OURS now ;-)

On our way to Perth, we got to spend a whole day in Hong Kong. That was SO cool! It was a crazy city filled with sky scrapers and jungle. That's how it seemed like anyways.

I'll see if I'm able to put on some photos for you later on...
God's blessings to all of you

Almost there

My sweetheart is coming in 3 days, and my excitement is getting higher and higher each day.
We haven't seen each other since November last year, that's over six months! I am so thankful that we don't have to wait anymore, and best of all we don't have to be apart.
Shane will be here on wednesday morning on the 30th, and the DTS is arranging an engagement party for us that same night!

We have a pretty hectic schedule for the next few months, but atleast we get to be together.
That helps a lot.
So Shane is coming with me to Norway for about three weeks visiting my family and friends, and then I'm traveling back with him to Perth in the beginning of July. We'll be doing wedding preps and such for about 5 weeks before we go back to Thailand again to join the DTS workshops for 10 days. After that we're planning on visiting my relatives, but are not sure yet if that will be possible. My mom and sis will already be there, and we would love to travel with them back up to Chiang Rai. By the time we're there it will only be two weeks untill we get married:-)

Life is busy, but i love my life as it is. We just had Dan Baumann teach here for the week. That was really good, and i had a lot of burdens lifted off of my shoulders. GO GOD! :-)

Update

Ummm... I was thinking of something clever/fun to write, but I can't think of anything. I'm completely out of ideas. So I figured I would just give you guys an update on whats been happening lately in my life.

When it's comes to school, everything is going great. The students seem to be more into the program, and I think it's been going easier for all of us. Something sad tho, is that two of our Indian students have to leave back to their country next week cuz of their visa situation. It sucks. It may be a possibility that one of them is able to come back if she gets a new visa. So I would appreciate your prayers in this.

My weddingplans are slowly coming together. There's lots of stuff to consider and think about, but we're getting there :-) I found a really nice wedding dress in Chiang Mai which I might be using. It's SO beautiful!

Friday night is International Night, that means that we'll make a meal or do something that represents our own country. I will make RISENGRYNSGRØT and RISKREM! Mmmmmmm!

Songkran and second outreach is coming up soon... Songkran is the celebration of the Thai New Year, and throwing loads of water on each other is a part of that :-) I can't wait to get cooled down, it's seriously HOT here right now.

My good friend, Katie, from Alaska just arrived a week ago! She will be helping the school with the accounts.

And last but not least, SHANE is coming (finally!) next month to Chiang Rai! We haven't seen each other since November last year!!! Crazy, I know. So I'm just counting down the days now ;-)

MY DAD AND ADRIANA JUST GOT MARRIED!!

Isn't she beautiful?

They are SO cute together!

May God bless your marriage.

On the 23rd of March 2007 my dad married Adriana. I'm so happy for them! My dad really deserves an amazing woman like Adri. I'm sad tho, that I couldn't be there for their wedding... But my heart still overflows with joy for my dad and his wife!
Adriana, I really look forward to get to know you more. You seem like an awesome woman of God! I'm really glad that you guys are gonna spend the rest of your life together :-) Me and Shane will see you in June. Jippie!

To Dad,
You are my hero
You have shown me so much of God's character
Wise words and advice you've given me,
and you've loved me
I know I can always come to you
and talk to you about everything
Thank you for being a part of my life,
for always encouraging me

I thank God for giving me such a godly and wise father like you
Thank you for teaching me how to follow Him,
and to love Him with all my heart
Thank you for printing His words into my heart
You have been such a good dad
and you still are
May God give you many wonderful years with Adriana!
I love you so much!

Your Daughter

"Tikken"

Well guys... I've just been taken. When i was a kid we used to play this game alot; someone "has it", and then has to pass it on to another person, by saying "tikken" and touching that person, and so this person then has to pass it to another one. (obviously you can't try and touch anyone when you play it thru blogger... Not that we usually play this thru blogger) Does it make sense at all??
I don't really know how to explain it in a better way...
Anyway, this game (on blog) works like this; if someone has - let's just call it ticked - you, that means that you have to write 6 weird/funny things about yourself. You also need to write the rules for this game down. Then you have to "tick" 6 new players, and list their names. When you've done this, you need to go to their blog, and leave a comment, saying that they've just been "ticked", and that they have to read your blog for more info.

Slik fungerer tikken på blogg:

Hver spiller starter med å skrive seks rare ting om seg selv. Bloggere som blir "tatt" må skrive seks ting om seg selv i sin egen blogg, i tillegg til å angi reglene for spillet. Til slutt velger spilleren seks nye bloggere som "har den", og lister navnene deres. Etter det er gjort, skriver han eller hun en kommentar på bloggene til hver av dem, for å la dem vite at de har blitt "tatt", og at de må lese bloggen til den som tok dem for mer informasjon.

1. I wear warm clothes when it's hot, and less clothes when it's cold.
2. I can't sleep good, if i know i didn't brush my teeth or washed my feet.
3. I was born and raised in Norway, but i'm not Norwegian (except for my citizenship) i'm half Finnish, a quarter Thai and a quarter Chinese, i talk with an american accent, and i'm getting married to an Aussie.
4. I sometimes talk to myself in English (when no ones around), even when my first language is Norwegian.
5. I always eat something that I know I don't like, just cuz I think I might like it this time (it usually ends with me spitting it out again).
6. I like vegemite (for some weird reason, I didn't spit it out the last time I tried it) :P

I "tick" Shane, Irene, Grayce, Therese, Ryan and Elise Kristin!

YAMAHA X-1

Well everyone... Kim just got herself a license and a MOTORBIKE! Are the roads here in Thailand ever gonna get safer!? Just want to let you all know, that i've only driven into a car and fallen into a ditch ONCE since i got permission to drive. The first time went fine, the second time i got some bruises and scratches and i cried like a baby. BUT... and there's a big BUT; i haven't yet had any accidents on my new (secondhand) bike! Praise the Lord! He knew i needed one.
So there she is...Isn't she a real beauty? Wow, is this what it's like when it comes to guys and cars?
Anyways, this is me and Shane's bike that God blessed us with, so that we can use it now and for the nextcoming DTS. It's really good to have a bike around here, cuz it's so much easier to get around.

God is good. Pray that he'll keep me safe while i'm driving, cuz the traffic here can be crazy. Or maybe it's just me?
....
Nope, i'm pretty sure it's the traffic.

Love you all

Being a Mother...

DTS is already into its 3rd week, and i'm having an awesome time! The students are amazing, and i really enjoy being around them. We have a total of 37 students, and they're all from 11 different countries! I love the wonderful mix that we have here, and just to see how well everyone goes with each other.
We're getting close to our first mini-outreach. I'm gonna be leading a team with Ek, and we'll be helping out a guy named Luka with his ministry. He works with the Aka people (one of the tribal people here in north). It will mostly be practical work, but we'll also have opportunities to evangelize to the people we meet.
So far we've been taught about "Hearing the Voice of God" and "The Nature and Character of God". Other than that i'm leading smallgroups with Josh (we have the best smallgroup ever:) This is a place where we can share openly with one another and pray for each other, and just to have lots of fun.
My other jobs are to be dorminspector and schoolnurse. This means making sure the room's are clean (if they are, the students get a coupon which they can use to get a free coffee/snack) and also to take care of the sick ones.

As staff i'm learning heaps... I just want to share one thing that really moved my heart. Picture a mother who has just given birth to a child. She holds the child close to her heart and looks at it with pride in her eyes. Her whole being is just glowing because of this baby. And what has this child ever done to her? Nothing. (Caused alot of pain during the labouring, that's for sure). But this child hasn't done anything for her. It's just there, laying in her arms. And she is the happiest mother in the world...
That's how God looks at us. We haven't done anything to deserve his love, but still he loves us and looks at us as his most precious possession.

My God encouraged me during my quiet time with these verses the other day: "Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would never forget you! See, I have written your name on my hand".
Isa 49:15-16

In His love we are secure.
I encourage you to read the poem "I AM" (that i wrote on my last blog) again, if you haven't yet read it.

Love, Kim

"I AM"

Oh gently lay your head
Upon My chest
And I will comfort you like a Mother while you rest.
The tide can change so fast
But I will stay
The same through Past, the same in Future
Same Today.

Oh weary, tired and worn
Let out your sighs
And drop that heavy load you hold
Cuz Mine is light.
I know you through and through
There's no need to hide.
I want to show you love that is deep and high and wide.

For I am constant.
I am near.
I am peace that shatters all you secret fears.
I am holy.
I am wise.
I'm the only One, who knows your heart's desires.

Oh gently lay your head upon My chest
And I will comfort you like a Mother
While you rest.