Vancouver and beyond

It has now been a week since we crossed the border, no we didn't get locked away by customs, but it sure did take a while for Mr 11515 to 'process' our immigration papers, or Raoul's to be precise. Apparently it was the most complex he had ever done. The kids and I amused ourselves by making a game of 'beginning with the letter ' whatever'' out of the confiscated items display. After a few (too many) hours we made our way into beautiful Vancouver. We unfortunately could not see it through the heavy rain, but it was nice to be over the border and getting ready for the next bit of the adventure. It has felt a little like treading water this week, we are really ready to be out of hotels and begin cooking and cleaning again! We did manage to go to Stanley Park, which is truly beautiful and very large. We have seen one squirrel (from a great distance), two deer, and signs warning us about feeding raccoons and a recent sighting of bears. The boys have been go-karting, but most of the time we have been doing practical things like getting phones and Raoul organizing business meetings. On Friday we travelled over to Kelowna, about a 5 hour drive. Again it rained, very heavily, but we still saw some big rock faces towering over us which was pretty cool. We also saw a semi-trailer on its side and a SUV with its side window smashed, we think from a rock fall. We are considering encouraging winter visitors to fly straight into Kelowna. Did a drive by the house we have rented over the internet, and heaved a sigh of relief, it looks really nice, and so does the area it is in (soccer field close by, and signs saying "slow down, our kids are playing"). Tomorrow we are visiting a church, which has Elijah excited and Caleb a bit nervous. On Monday we move into the house and real life here begins, Raoul will start work (although it is labor day over here, so he might not be able to get everything done that he wants to), and the rest of us will start schooling again. All in all a strange week for me. I have felt quite homesick, I think it has been the first time I have had much of a chance to think. The rest of the trip felt a bit like survive the day by comparison, this week felt like biding our time until the real part began. Two more sleeps, one more hotel packup, until then, see you later and we miss you heaps.