Sister Time

I had forgotten how much fun it is to be with family. Now that the FDTP is over Gina is here staying with me. It's so fun to be with her and this is the first time it's been just the two of us. We get to spend lots of time together, and I'm trying to catch up on all the years of her life that I've missed.
Here are some recent pictures of when we ate out together.

Gina looking beautiful...

Chowing down those chips. Mmmm!
Gina's giggling because she's feeling nervous that I'm taking a picture of her eating.

At the end of our meal we got our waiter to take a few pictures of the two of us together. He didn't really know how but he tried his best and I guess they're not too bad! Gina has this bad habit of closing her eyes right when the picutre's taken. She did this a few times and we had to ask the poor guy to take quite a few before we had one with her eyes open. It was so silly we kept laughing and it was hard to stay still for the pictures.

When we were done Gina wanted some ice cream. So we went wandering off to the next restaurant to see if they had ice cream. I started asking around for ice cream and the manager or head waiter comes and starts offering all these other deserts. After hearing him out for a minute or two I finally tell him we just want ice cream. The whole time Gina is being very shy and trying to hide behind me while giggling at the same time. We sat down and started eating our yummy desert when I got a text that our ride home was here and waiting for us! Gina and I had barely starting eating from this big glass cup and now we had to go. I didn't feel like wasting all that yummyness especially since we paid for it. "Let's ask for a plastic cup!" Somehow this idea embarasses Gina but I go ahead with it anyway. I asked the waiter for a plastic cup, she looks at me with a strange look and hands me the cup. I come back to the table all triumphant, "Look we have a plastic cup! Now we can take the ice cream with us." I scoop all the ice cream in the cup and I'm ready to march off when Gina starts her giggling thing again. In between giggles I discover she wants a spoon to eat the ice cream. Oh well, nothing's too difficult to get for a little sister. So again I go to the counter and this time I ask for a plastic spoon. Weird looks are exchanged between the waiters, they don't know where are the plastic spoons or if they even have any. A cute young manager comes to the rescue and dissapears into the storage to get us our request. He comes out proudly and hands us the plastic spoon. We thank him and others before dashing out the restaurant. Once outside Gina started laughing herself silly at the whole situation, and I couldn't help but join in.

I'm Gonna Learn to Drive

I finally got a booking for a learners test.--Hooray!! My test date is set for Sept. 18, so you can pray that I will pass. Today I had to go to Centurion to pay for the test and get an eye test. We got lost along the way, but we did get there. The Lord set it up so that I met some really sweet and helpful people. Two angels were there and they helped me get through the long queues. I went to the cashier to pay for the papers and the eye test, then found out I had to get photos. So I had to walk all the way out and around the building compound to get my photos taken. On the corner of the road was a taxi van and that's where they took my photos. I had to sit inside and they had a white cloth hanging up....it was an experience!

Radiant Beauty

I dare not say anything...it might spoil this lovely picture. But isn't she gorgeous?!

The Events of Last Night

It feels like it was just a bad dream, but seeing the policeman downstairs I know it really happened.
Around 3 in the morning Steve got a phone call. It was Nora, telling us that someone was prowling around in our house and that we should stay in our rooms and pray. We heard the girls next door also getting calls and then the sound of moving furniture. They put a desk or two in front of the door just in case. There's nothing worse for your nerves than doing nothing, but nothing was all we could do for the moment. So Steve and I stayed in bed ears tuned for the slightest noise. He sent a few texts to Jim to make sure Laura was okay. Laura was using Noah's room and his room doesn't have a lock. So we were very worried about her. Then Steve got dressed, put his shoes on and sat on the bed to wait. We heard a car coming and the first thing I thought was, "Oh no, first they send someone to scout out our house then they come with a vehicle and take everything away!" But thankfully that wasn't the case this time, our sweet neighbor had come to our aid with a flashlight and a little hand gun. Our front door was open (from the thief(s)) so he just walked right in. He went around the whole house to check, but whoever they were, they were gone.
Calls had already been made to the police and we got a text that it was safe to come out of hiding. Steve went ahead downstairs and I didn't want to stay alone in our room so I went too. Liz and the two older kids were gone for a mini vacations. We saw that Liz's drawers had been taken out and sorted through. There was one in the classroom and one in the hallway. They were probably looking for money and jewelry.
Everyone by this time had congregated together at the foot of the stairs and people shared their different sides to the story. We discovered that he had broken into the bar door and left through the front door. Janet was the first to discover the intruders as she heard them trying to open her door then Gabe and Nora's door. Janet usually doesn't lock her door but she did last night! When she first heard the noises she thought she was just imagining things but she sent a text to Gabe. After a while and more noises she finally called Gabe. Gabe woke up with the call and set off the alarm. Only those in the central part of the house heard the alarm. Those of us on the balcony didn't hear anything. Gabe then called Jim and the rest of us to alert us to the danger. The intruder must have run after hearing the alarm, since he was nowhere to be found by the time our neighbor arrived.
Someone stayed in the living room to keep guard since the bar door couldn't lock. The rest of us went back to bed. After all this excitement it wasn't easy to go back to sleep.
Anyway, happy ending to this story--we're all okay, no one got hurt, and nothing too valuable was stolen. I love you. Thank you for keep us in your prayers!

La-la-la

Kiara trying to strike a pose, and Brendan not quite sure what's going on.

"Just monkeying around...looking cute--the usual stuff!"

Mr. Blue Eyes just loves his pacifier. He'll find it in his bed and start chewing on it. I suppose he thinks it's fun, plus it soothes his gums.

Study time!

Redeeming the time by reading on the potty.

Oh Joy!

I know she's still "in the oven" but I think she already looks beautiful.
It must be such joy to have a little one. And a funny sensation to know he/she is growing inside you. I'm so proud of Joy for how she handles the prospect of motherhood. I know it's not going to be easy but she has so much faith it puts me to shame. I'm happy she's the one becoming a mother and not me. Honestly, I'm not sure I would handle it so well.
I'm proud of all you mommies out there! Especially my own Mum who had eight children--you're amazing!

Week-end Party

Suzi the birthday girl, and Blossom.

Mike (we've missed you!) and Kathy.

The birthday girl with family.

Me and Steve

Goofy smiles

Trying not to laugh..