My Life...Or Something Like It!

Forgotten Pictures

2011-10-28T09:20:00.020+02:00

I was browsing in my picture folder today and I found a bunch of pictures taken from vacations that I had completely forgotten about. We had a few outing to some amazing waterfalls and "bassins" and I wanted to share the pictures with you. Have a lovely day!

Trois Bassins in St. Giles
1st

2nd

3rd

So Far..

2011-09-25T16:21:00.004+02:00

At the airport en route to Reunion

As you know Phil and I have moved to Reunion Island. Since we've been here so much has happened and I've been a little lazy to blog about it.
It's been exciting to start things all over again, and I'm very thankful to my family for all their support, advice, and helping us get set-up.

Highlights from the past months I've been absent:

Spent time with my sister visiting from France
Set up in our own "little house"
Had my first job interview
Got a job!
Celebrated Phil's 26th birthday
Made new friends

I'm so glad we made the decision to come to Reunion. It hasn't always been easy and we miss South Africa and our friends a LOT! But so far it really feels like a step in the right direction. Just being able to find a job within a month of being here is a miracle! I know there's lots more wonderful things to come and I'm eagerly looking forward to them.

Ups and Downs

2011-07-15T16:59:00.003+02:00

Something I forgot to post:

Not everything works out perfectly. Well, when I think about it most things don't! But then again maybe what I thought I wanted, was not really what I needed...
The past few months have been a little discouraging in the way that, things I had hoped for didn't turn out. Most recently I was looking forward to belly dance and Bollywood shows in Malaysia. The organizer didn't follow through with his promises and so we couldn't go. At first I was really bummed. I had been looking forward to these shows for a few weeks now and it felt like just another thing that "had" to go wrong for me this month!
Time seems to change our perspective. Now when I think over the past months I can only remember the things that did work out for me.
-I passed my driver's license.
-Phil and I were able to sell a few things before leaving.
-We got to see most of our friends in the last week.
-I got to dance one last time for a very appreciative audience.
-Phil's ticket was booked easily and we got the same flight and even the seat next to me!
-Our move went better than expected.

I tend to be pessimistic at times, and it really helps if I take a few steps back and look at the full picture. Things aren't usually as bad as I make them out to be. One of my favorite quotes that make me smile: "When life gives you lemons, take them. Because, hey...FREE lemons!"

I'm a Driver!

2011-07-05T17:06:00.002+02:00

I'm so excited I got my driver's license! This has been such a stressful time for me, learning how to drive from scratch in a short amount of time. But now it's all over and I can just relax and enjoy. A big thank you to everyone who sent well wishes and prayed for my test--you guys are wonderful!

To anyone here in Pretoria looking for a good driving school I recommend My Driving School. They have very nice, easy-to-drive-cars, and good instructors.
http://www.mydrivingschool.co.za/

Costume-ing!

2011-07-02T17:15:00.004+02:00

Here's a belly dance costume that needs a little help. It's one of the projects I'm working on at the moment. Tina gave it to me a while back but I haven't had time to work on it till now. Notice the the nipple-flowers! I have a lot of work ahead of me. When it's done I'll post some pictures and then you can see the "before" and "after".

Yum-Scrub!

2011-06-24T20:35:00.005+02:00

In the cold and dry climate we have here in Pretoria it's hard for me to keep my skin happy and healthy. I had some recipes for DIY body scrubs and I thought it wouldn't hurt to try. After all I have most of the ingredients in my kitchen. No need to go buy some expensive moisturizer or scrub! I found a lot of different recipes online and some helpful articles as well...( it's not a good idea to use anything you find in your kitchen!! )

Here's the concoction I made:
4 tbsp coffee ( I used "used coffee grains"
3 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp olive oil ( use just enough oil to moisten and barely cover the other ingredients )

Mix well together and store in a little jar. Voila! You have your very own body scrub.

Start out making a small amount as these scrubs won't last too long. It's also nice to add some essential oils to give your mixture that extra special touch. My scrub already had a lovely coffee scent so I didn't need to add any more. I just used this recipe last night and it was amazing! The coffee smelled so good and scented the whole bathroom. My skin felt so soft and smooth--all in all it was a success. I'll be trying different recipes in the future.
Nice article with helpful tips on how to make your own body scrub!
http://www.cancerlynx.com/bodyscrub.html
Easy-to-make recipes.
http://www.freebeautytips.org/body-scrubs.html

Improve Your Life

2011-06-23T17:54:00.005+02:00

I just found this today while trying to organize the collection of files on my laptop, it's called "49 ways to improve your life". I don't know where I got it...it think it's one of those things a friend sent in an email. I first thought, 49 ways whoa someone has a lot of time on their hands. But then I realized we're all trying to improve our lives in some way or other. It doesn't matter if it's 1 way or 49 ways, we can learn much from others if we are open to it. So here are 5 of those 49 ways...( I thought 5 might be a little easier to start with )

1. Radiate Joy

Smile at everyone—yourself in the mirror, your boss, your family, strangers, co-workers, the clerk at the store. Smile, just because. Smiling creates friendship, acceptance, understanding, and it’s more fun! (Kalama Hochreiter )

2. Take a Risk

Do something outside your comfort zone. Whether it’s talking to someone outside your social circle at a party when you’re shy, offering to help someone with a project that will require learning new skills at work, or trying a new ethnic restaurant instead of the usual Pie ‘n Burger, you’ll expand your horizons and, with them, your ideas about who you are and what you can do. (Liz Pruyn)

3. Learn Something New Today

Stay open to learning. Be accepting of growth and change. There is something to learn every day. From an experience, a person you know, a book, a course, a film, your child, your parents…stay open. Life is about growth and learning. Growth and change bring us life. The more we learn, the more alive we are. And remember, your mind is like a parachute, it functions better when open. (Elizabeth McCollum )

4. Consider Points of View Other Than Your Own

If you judge people, you’ll have no time to love them; so try not to judge or make assumptions until you know the whole story. Be thankful for everyone you know. People are our greatest assets, so be kind and generous to one another. What comes around goes around. We tend to get back what we put forth, so if we plant seeds of faith in one another, we will receive an abundance of faithful friends. (Roberto Hemerez)

5. Show Your Appreciation

Let no one be invisible, some people spend their lives searching to be heard, appreciated, and valued. Sometimes it just takes 5 seconds to make someone’s day brighter. Whether it is asking how a person’s family is, or complimenting someone on their new haircut. Try not to let anyone go without stopping and showing interest in them. (Hannah Smith)

Coaching Seminars

2011-06-19T11:21:00.008+02:00

Just yesterday Phil and I had the privilege to assist Francois with a Self-Discovery Seminar. It's so amazing to see the changes in each person that goes through such a seminar. Before taking the training to become a Life Coach I went to the Self-Discovery Seminars 1 and 2 and I can tell you that it was such a fun time of learning and growth! I love how no one seminar will be the same as another. Everyone is so different, and the life experiences and conclusions we come to bring so much color and life to those around us. I'm sad we were only able to help out for the first day, but also happy we were able to help at all! :) Hopefully there will be many more in the future.

Here are some pictures from a Business Coaching Seminar a while back.

If you want to find out more about Let's Live and Life Coaching look here:
http://letslivecoaching.com/
http://letslive.co.za/

Birthday Pictures

2011-06-17T18:01:00.011+02:00

Phil took me out to a nice restaurant for my birthday. He said I could have whatever I wanted...how sweet is that? We had cocktails to celebrate, and yummy dishes that I don't remember the name of. Here are the pictures

Some of the yummy food and drinks we had.

Back to Blogging

2011-06-14T12:39:00.002+02:00

I've decided to start blogging again. It's been a long time since I last posted something and I realize I miss it a little. I miss having someplace to share photos and memories of the good times...and even the bad times :) So without any further ado the next thing I do will be to post some random photos I have on my camera. Cheers!

Oriental Fire

2011-04-11T16:42:00.015+02:00

Since coming back to South Africa I've been dancing with Tina and the Oriental Fire Bollywood dance group. It's been lots of fun and great exercise. Here are some pictures taken at our photo shoot a while back.

Becoming a Life Coach

2011-04-11T11:01:00.022+02:00

7 Day Training
Absorbing all the "learnings"..

Let's Live founder and owner--Francois Janse Van Rensburg

Faiza and myself

Phil and Jan

Laughing.....waaaay too loud

Beautiful Jessica

Coaching assignments, practicing techniques

Group study

Phoebe, Jessica, and Danie having a good laugh

More exercises

Faiza

Group shots

Studying

Francois

Receiving my certificates...Hurray!
So happy to be a Life Coach, NLP Practitioner, Time Quintessence Practitioner...etc...See how big that smile is?
Phil receiving his certification.

One Year!

2011-02-04T22:58:00.003+02:00

To my love...

It's been a year now that we've been together. It's funny how time flies and it almost feels like it was yesterday that you came for me. Thank you for being a part of my life. Thank you for loving me.

If I could have just one wish,
I would wish to wake up everyday
to the sound of your breath on my neck,
the warmth of your lips on my cheek,
the touch of your fingers on my skin,
and the feel of your heart beating with mine...
Knowing that I could never find that feeling
with anyone other than you.

- Courtney Kuchta -

Missing You

2011-01-31T18:19:00.003+02:00

NY Pictures Part2

2011-01-07T19:24:00.006+02:00

NY Pictures Part1

2011-01-06T19:20:00.015+02:00

Happy New Year!

2011-01-05T18:26:00.003+02:00

Christmas Pictures

2011-01-04T12:25:00.016+02:00

Christmas Decor

2010-12-22T19:49:00.009+02:00

We Got a Tree!

2010-12-13T17:19:00.007+02:00

December is upon us, (has been for a while!) so I decided that it's time to start decorating. Phil and I found a tree at Macro and after a few minutes of debating it was ours. This was the first time I bought a tree and I'm quite pleased with my choice. Last night we had a little "tree party" and put up and decorated the tree, while most everyone else was in bed. We wanted it to be a surprise! No one knew we bought a tree and they thought we'd go without one this year. Here are a few pictures of our little tree "fete".

Everyone diligently arranging the branches.

Trying to sort out the tangle of lights. We only had 3 sets; one would blink, and the other 2 had the lights bunched on one line. It was a mission to figure out how they would go on the tree.

Phil is trying to fix one set of lights so it wouldn't blink. It took at least 1/2 hour.

Ta-da! The finished product. Do you like it? I'm quite pleased with it and I may say so as most of the praise and glory belongs to Ella and Phil. We'll try to find a star next time we go out. But for now it's going to be angels announcing the birth of Christ.

A lovely glass bauble. We don't have any kids in the house so it's pretty safe.

The lights look okay after all!

Dream Big

2010-12-02T15:32:00.007+02:00

Step Ahead is an Early Childhood Development Seminar developed and conducted by Focus on Action, a South African based organization.
The goal of the Step Ahead program is to provide training to assist parents, teachers, and caregivers in becoming proficient educators thus helping to maximize the child's potential even before the years of formal education.

Topics covered in course material:
Childhood Development
Motor Skills Development
Vision and Motivation in Teaching
Behavior Management
Learning Through Play
Early Reading
Building General Knowledge
Pre-Writing Skills
Communication Skills

This is the awesome project I get to work on! Since I got into teaching it has been my dream to have seminars where I could teach parents and teachers all that I had learned. Teaching is like a never ending journey full of excitement, accomplishments, and sometimes setbacks. I do miss it at times. But with Step Ahead I'll get to teach again, and this time to adults! There is still work to be done, a few tweaks to make, so we hope to start giving seminars March 2011. I am so happy that I get to do something I love and believe in. Every time I see a child lacking love, attention, and proper care it hurts. I wish I could take that child and give him everything I know he deserves. I'm just one person though and I know that by myself I'll hardly make a dent in the sea of neglected children. But if I could educate the parents and teachers then they could make a lasting difference the lives of their children and students.--and that is my dream.

You Make Me Smile

2010-12-01T23:12:00.002+02:00

It's the first day of December and I'm excited. It's a new month a good time for a new start. Or put in the words of Michael Buble "It's a new dawn, a new day, a new life....and I'm feeling good!" One really cool thing about Christmas is that this will be my first with Phil. That thought makes me smile. What makes you smile?

Life Coaching & Let's Live Seminars

2010-11-29T19:34:00.010+02:00

This month has been crazy hectic ( seems to be a trend lately...). I've only had one day-off and most of it was spent sleeping. Most people don't understand my need for sleep, and lots of it, but I just try to explain that since I'm so short I've got a lot of growing left to do. Of course this produces the usual bulging eyeballs and the "uh-oh this one's crazy" look.
Well I'm sure you've seen on my Facebook page that I'm a Junior Life Coach now.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, I'm pretty excited about it. Life coaching is something I've been interested in for a long time now. I know I still have more to learn and I still want to go through the complete training and get full accreditation. But this is a good start. Here are some pictures from the 3-day training on the 19th--21th of this month.

Face Painting

2010-11-03T22:30:00.006+02:00

Today we learned some face painting techniques. Thanks to Mary, Niki, and Melody! They invited us over to their place and we had so much fun. One cool thing about face painting is that it's a lot easier than it looks. I've only done it once before so it was helpful to learn a bit more like: what paint is best/economic, what brushes are good for what, how to use a sponge properly...and more. Joyce and I are ordering some face paints, we'll get them in a week and then we'll see how things go from there!

October Fun

2010-10-27T22:22:00.026+02:00

Karoke Bar.
For Joyce's birthday we went to the karoke bar and invited some friends to come as well. Singing, pool, and beer with friends...what's not to like? Well, of course it gets pretty uncomfortable when some drunkard gets up to sing, but I guess that's the beauty of karoke "freedom of singing" for all.

Out Shopping!

Chinese Restaurant.
Poor Joyce we embarrassed her so bad! A bunch of dumb foreigners eating at a Chinese resto...sigh...but it was so fun. It was hard to communicate with the waitress and there was a lot of sign-language going on, but once again Joyce to the rescue. She spoke Mandarin to the waitress and it saved a lot of trouble, and a lot more sign-language. We got so much food we couldn't even finish it. Chinese food is awesome! Check out the plates of food.

Back home...

Collection of Pictures

2010-10-15T18:48:00.012+02:00

...from the last long while...

Our Beautiful House

2010-09-16T21:44:00.012+02:00

Just some pictures so you don't need to imagine what our house looks like....you'll know! I'm sure you'll agree that it's beautiful and we're soooo blessed to live here!

Val de Grace

2010-09-01T09:25:00.004+02:00

...Our new neighborhood. We are moving, finally! After some time in "moving mode" (you know, with boxes everywhere and labels on everything) I am so excited to finally get everything out of our old house and set up the new place. Last month has been really busy with seminars, fund-raising, and friends leaving. So it feels good to start the new month fresh!--In a new house with new friends and co-workers.
Tout et bien qui finit bien!

At the Wheel

2010-08-11T21:55:00.003+02:00

Last week Phil got his driver's license, and I got my learner's!! I'm so excited to learn how to drive and my goal is to get my license before the end of the year. That might be a little unrealistic but I'll do my best to make it happen. Just yesterday Phil took me out for my first driving lesson. It was a bit scary at first but really lots of fun. Before that I didn't know anything except how to start the car. Yesterday I leaned lots, went to 3rd...and don't worry no one got hurt! :)

A Day At The Beach

2010-08-05T11:49:00.027+02:00

Lil' me

Beer commercial

Young lovers...

Sunset at the beach

I Love Capetown!

2010-08-03T18:33:00.024+02:00

View of the waterfront with Table mountain in the back

Sitting down for the breakfast buffet

A funny old man we found on the walking street

Having coffee and enjoying the scenery

The beautiful view at night....and the next day.

Showing off my new dress

Home...Sweet Home

2010-08-01T23:16:00.004+02:00

We just got back from our mini vacations yesterday afternoon, and back to work. The first of the month started off with some changes: Crit and Lisa moved out, and we spent most of the day cleaning and setting up the office. Looks like August will be a busy month!
The time in Capetown was wonderful!--and so needed. I will post more pictures of all our many adventures. I just need some time to organize the pictures. All I'll say for now is that it was the best 3-day vacation ever, and Capetown(especially the waterfront) is beautiful!

Shosholoza Train Ride and.....Capetown!!!

2010-07-28T01:14:00.012+02:00

Capetown!

2010-07-26T01:39:00.003+02:00

This week was full of events, and lots and lots of work. Most notable happenings are:
-I attended a 2 day life-coaching seminar
-helped with preparations and hosting of the seminar
-learned balloon sculpturing
-went to the restaurants Friday, Saturday, and Sunday making balloons for the children

And here's the best news yet: I'm going to Capetown!!!....tomorrow! We have to get up early and we're taking the train down. I've always wanted to go to Capetown it's hard to believe that it's actually happening. :)

What I've Been Up to Lately...

2010-07-08T23:16:00.002+02:00

Playing2Win in Hatfield

2010-07-02T18:46:00.019+02:00

Skits and plays

Talking with the fans...and getting "I was there" photos

Free face painting

The dance groups performing

Coffee Break

2010-06-30T11:45:00.006+02:00

Tim and Phil enjoying their tea and coffee
My mug of cappuccino....yum!
Strawberry cheesecake anyone? I had actually started eating before I remembered I wanted a picture of it. Notice the bite missing on the side..:)
Tim and Phil posing with a giant Jabulani ball in Menlyn. It was all scribbled on by football fans, so I took my pen and scribbled my name and a few words as well.

Playing2Win

2010-06-28T17:56:00.011+02:00

On Friday I went to Hatfield with my "Playing2Win team member" shirt ready for action! Here are some pictures as promised. Phil really wanted to come along but he was still feeling sick and weak from the measles so he stayed home. We set up on a street corner and had skits, plays, dances, and free face painting done by the Playing2Win volunteers. It was lots of fun! I met people from all over. Everyone was so friendly and lively, just so excited to be alive and take part of the World Cup ambiance.
We didn't have a professional photographer on site so I ended up taking pictures of people(who got a free face paint) that will be posted for them on Facebook. A team of Playing2Win volunteers went down to Durban and Bloemfontein for the weekend, and that where our photographer was. Check http://playing2win.com/ for updates and pictures!

Yipee!

2010-06-24T18:38:00.004+02:00

You know that feeling, when you've been looking for something for a long time and then you finally find it!? The other day I finally found the paper with my traffic register number that I've been looking for since I came back to South Africa. I knew that I had packed it in one of my boxes as I wanted to start on getting my license right away. I looked in all my suitcases and boxes. I was so upset that I couldn't find it, that I looked in my boxes almost every other week just to be sure. Then just the other day when I wasn't even looking for it, I found it. I thought it was just some junk crumpled piece of paper...then I opened it and realized what I was holding. My smile was from ear to ear and I couldn't speak for a good moment.---I am so happy!

Another good piece of news is that Phil is doing better now! A big thank you to all of you who prayed for him. It's so nice to see him up and around. Now he's raring to go be part of the Playing2Win team! Stay tuned for pictures. :)

Some Pics I Found

2010-06-17T23:08:00.006+02:00

I'm missing Joy and Audrey...sniffle, sniff!
Joy and Fatty, with Gina at the airport.
Enjoying the warmth and fun of being outdoors.
Showing off her chunky thighs...
Fatty with Aunt Gina.

MEASLES!

2010-06-16T22:52:00.002+02:00

I don't really know what to say about how upset I am about the measles...but you who have had it know what I want to say. It's pretty much horrible!
Phil has it pretty bad now and is suffering a lot. It's hard for him to eat and even drink, his fever goes up VERY high during the day, and he's coughing constantly. The coughing is very bad and keeps him(and me) from sleeping at night. The best time has been in the mornings when he is able to get one or two hours of solid sleep only after painkillers. Please send your thoughts and prayers this way, it's very needed and much appreciated.

Things so far..

2010-06-14T18:16:00.005+02:00

A lot has happened in the last little while, here are some updates:

Joy and Audrey went back to Reunion.
Having Joy and Audrey was so much fun! Audrey has grown so big and charms everyone around her. She is very playful and just thrived on all the attention she got while here. I miss both Joy and Audrey but I am so thankful for the time they got to spend with us.

Phil has the measles.
It's final! This time we know for sure that it's measles. He has the rash and all the rest of the symptoms. Please keep praying that it will be a very light case and that he won't get any secondary infections, and to be able to to sleep well at night. This is the second week that he's sick and in bed. It's been difficult especially for him as he's missing out on the World Cup excitement and activities.

FIFA 2010.
The kickoff to the World Cup has come and gone...I officially have "FIFA fever"! We went over to a friends house to watch the first match: South Africa vs Mexico. I was a bit disappointed at first as the SA team wasn't doing so well, but that goal by Siphiwe Tshabalala was just perfect. Then that evening we went out to watch France vs Uruguay at a nearby pub. I was one of the only French supporters....too bad! I almost wish I had painted my face and brought a flag along, just for fun...heh. I'm not really a patriotic person but the World Cup is one of those few times when it really comes out.
We're feeling a little "left out" here at home as we have no TV and we're not able to watch the matches. But thank God for internet! We have been following the games of interest online and so far it's better than nothing.
Good news is that all the work put into website and accessories for Playing2Win team members has paid off. As soon as Phil is better we're hopping to join the teams and meet fans from all over the world, and hand out the new tracts. Check out the site playing2win.com

Fun with Joy and Audrey

2010-06-02T18:24:00.015+02:00

Last Sunday we went out to the mall with Joy, Audrey, and a couple of friends. We hung out at Cappuccino's for a bit; eating and drinking, the usual stuff. Audrey had lots of fun playing with a balloon and then trying to steal food from the table, but after a while she got tired and became a little grump. I tried taking pictures of her and Joy but she refused to smile. But after a little nap she was back to her normal self again, squealing and squawking at her balloon!
I took lots of pictures throughout the day but here are the best ones. Gina was hiding from the camera, as usual, so there are no pictures of her face.

Dancing

2010-06-01T21:38:00.004+02:00

Last week-end we invited a bunch of friends to go clubbing for my birthday. We had actually planned this a while ago but ended up postponing it till now. Joy wasn't able to come along, she had to stay home with Audrey. But we still managed to have fun. I hadn't gone clubbing in 1 1/2 to 2 years so I enjoyed myself very much. Unfortunately most of the pictures taken didn't turn out....you know how it is, the weird expressions, bad lighting, etc. This is one of the few that in my opinion turned out very well! Enjoy:)

Some Favorites

2010-05-22T21:04:00.007+02:00

Gold Reef City

2010-05-18T23:44:00.017+02:00

Went to an amusement park for the first time! The young people from the XD were all going and Gina paid for Phil and I to go, as her birthday present to me.--Such a sweetie pie. Thank you Gina!
It was a full day of fun and scary things. I went on the "anaconda" roller coaster first, crazy idea since it was my first time on a roller coaster and this ride was probably the scariest. When it ended and we got out of our seats I was shaking...heh. Ok, so it wasn't that scary but it went upside-down a lot! We also took Audrey on the Farris wheel, her first ride at 4 1/2 months. There was a very nice view, but I think she was mostly concerned with trying to slobber on the bars. Yes Papa and Mommy, it was very safe, there were bars like a cage around the seats.

Anyway, I'm sure you can imagine the fun so I'll stop talking and let you look at the pictures. There aren't many pictures as I was too busy running around and having fun. But if I can get some more pictures off Joy's camera I can post them at a later date.

Kiddie Pix

2010-05-13T23:46:00.005+02:00

Charlie
Brendan

The older kids (Aisha, Kiara, Sean, and Brian), showing their latest art project: cardboard boxes we made and decorated together. :)

Family Day...With Joy and Audrey

2010-05-09T20:49:00.010+02:00

Thanks to Papa and Mommy I now have a camera to take pictures with--yeah! Here are some pictures taken today. Joy and Audrey left for the XD, but before that we had a nice little "family day" together. I hope they have fun, but I miss them already.

Birthday Time

2010-05-09T19:30:00.005+02:00

I usually don't like birthdays because they're so embarrassing. You know how it is when you're minding your own business and everyone comes into the room and bursts into song...?? Well, that's so humiliating for me, it's hard not to crawl under the table when that happens. This year wasn't so bad and once again I got to have my sisters with me to celebrate.
Phil worked it out for Joy, Audrey and I to go out and meet up with Mike and Gina. We had lunch out together. Poor Audrey was teething that day so she was a little miserable. Then Joy decided to have a cheese dinner for my birthday. We spent the last 20 minutes running around the supermarket grabbing cheese, olives, salami...etc. In the afternoon I was teaching the kids at Woodlands so I missed all the action at home. When I came home the boys had prepared a huge spread of cheeses with all the trimmings.....ahhhhh, it was wonderful. We had a nice time of fellowship together--Thank you Joy it was such a nice meal! Then Gina and Mike had to go home so they asked if I could open my presents first. It's so fun getting presents from far away. I do believe thanks are in order.

Thank You...
Papa and Mommy for the camera!
Sara for the beautiful necklace!
Mama for the jeans!

..and lets not forget the others, Thank You...
Joy for the pants.
Phil and Joy for the nicest coat ever!
Gina for treating Phil and I to Gold Reef City!

You guys are wonderful. Thank you for making my birthday special. :)

Hectic!!

2010-05-04T23:52:00.002+02:00

I have a really good excuse this time for neglecting my blog: we just went through a crazy move. We moved into our new house on Saturday and have been cleaning and moving since then. The house was so dirty (and when I say dirty I mean it! So filthy you can't even imagine it if you try..), we spent so many hours cleaning and it's still not clean enough for me. Well other than the cleanliness standard everything else is okay.
Gina and Mike are in South Africa, and Joy and Audrey are also visiting and will be staying with us for a bit. I'm so happy to have Joy here, she's as crazy as usual so it makes the day a lot more foolish. And it's so much fun to have my adorable niece around. She just loves me! I would love to post hundreds of pictures of her cuteness but as you know my camera was stolen..
So it's busy, busy, busy! Thanks for all your prayers during this time. A lot of us have come down with the flu so the move hasn't been easy. Kisses to all, and good night!

Miles of Sunshine

2010-04-24T16:23:00.004+02:00

It's been one of those weeks where nothing really special or out of the ordinary has happened. A few things have been bringing be down, mainly health related. I've been very discouraged lately with my different health problems. I tend to get sick easily, and I seem to be going from one illness to the next. I just got tonsillitis (I'm pretty sure this is the first time in my short, little life), and boy is it painful!
Then it seems that no matter how hard I try to get daily exercise something has been working diligently against me--namely the weather. It always seems to rain at the wrong times. Or if I look at it a different way: the right time to spoil my exercise plans. So I've been a little frustrated and discouraged to say the least.
Then this morning I read something on Mama's blog that made my day. It fit so well to what I was going through and was just the thing I needed to make it through another day. I'm sure you're wondering what the post said, so I'll be including it here for you.

(Jesus:) It's been a tough day and a rough week, as "problems tumbled about you, and heavier came each task," and while you longed to "see joy and beauty," "the day toiled on, gray and bleak." I'm really sorry about that. My heart goes out to you. Into every life, a little rain must fall, and sometimes it seems more like a downpour than a drizzle! You look up and see dark clouds and gloomy skies stretching across the horizon.
But it never lasts forever, you know. In fact, those rain clouds and the rain itself are just a tiny layer of gloom and doom when compared to the millions of miles of sunshine and warmth and light above you, which is only hidden from your sight for a little while. The rain and the clouds will pass, your day will once again be sunny, and the weather forecast or eternity is blue skies and smooth sailing forever!
There's a lot to be thankful for, even in the midst of the storm, and praising Me for the good is what helps to drive the rain and clouds away. You can be thankful that you're so far down that you can only go up, that things can only get better. You can be thankful for the clouds and the rain, the trials and tears that help your spirit to grow.
You can be thankful that you're a mess and can't do anything right, because then you know that only I can do anything good through you. You can be thankful that in you, in your flesh, dwells nothing good, because then there's more room for Me to live and move and work through you (Romans 7:18).
In everything give thanks, even in discouragement and depression! Thank Me for the problems and mistakes, for your shortcomings and failures, for your weaknesses and lacks, and for My love and care and help and mercy and grace and salvation in spite of it all!
Thank Me for everything that you can think of to be thankful for. As you do, the gray skies will clear, the rain will stop, the sun will come out, and the Sun of Righteousness will send warm and comforting rays of peace and hope and strength down upon you, brightening your day and illuminating your way!

Ho-hum..

2010-04-22T22:17:00.002+02:00

I've run out of things to write. At times like these I usually resort to posting pictures--easy escape. But sad story: my camera is lost and most likely stolen! Sniffle, sniff, sob... And those are no fake tears. I am and truly upset. If you find time please send up a quick plea that I can find it if it's not stolen or if it is that the Lord will supply a new one.
Other than that things have been going good. There have been the now frequent attempts to burglarize our house, and the cold and rain, those have been pretty regular this past week. We're hoping to move into a new house by the end of the month. Moving again--exciting! I'm looking forward to "living" in a home again and not having to live out of suitcases and boxes.
I'll update you all when I have more news to tell. Until then...goodnight!

What's New?

2010-04-14T21:43:00.001+02:00

I'm back to teaching!--Well, part-time at least. The center in Woodlands are short on teachers and caregivers so we offered to help out for the rest of April and May. I will be going over to help with the youngest ones in the afternoon. The "younger ones" are Brendan 1 1/2 and Charlie 11mo. It's so fun to be with them! Charlie can't talk and Brendan can only say a few words but we seem to communicate without any trouble. Brendan is very sweet to me now and he seems to remember me, he gives me hugs and kisses and is very obedient. It was very hard for me to leave Kiara and Brendan last year but this way I get to see them often and it's so nice to see how big they've gotten. Next time I go over I will bring my camera so I can take pictures of the cuties.

Of Night Visitors and Stolen Laundry

2010-04-09T22:49:00.004+02:00

We've had some excitement around our little house lately. Visitors in the night, stolen items, alarms, police...the usual. Well, the truth is that we have had visitors to our house in the night, and it seems they have been regular visitors.
One night Jim heard some noises so he went around the house to check. From the kitchen window he saw someone just about to go into our garage. So Jim opened the window, yelled out real loud "HEY!!", then shut the window and ducked( in case the man had a weapon). But the thief got scared and ran away. Jim called the police and what happened after could be a whole long story, but don't worry no one was hurt. However we discovered the next morning that a few items around the house/courtyard were missing: a pair of tennis shoes, our iron(from the laundry room), cologne(snatched through a window)..and other things I can't remember. It's a common joke now whenever we can't find something to say, "hey, maybe the robbers took it."
Then just last weekend Angela woke up in the night hearing funny noises. She looked around the house to make sure everything was okay when she thought she saw her reflection in the window, after moving around a bit she realized it wasn't her reflection it was someone outside. She woke up Jason for safety and to make sure she wasn't imagining things. Jason crept to the corner where Angela saw the person when all of a sudden he saw someone in the window right next to him. He had a club in his hand and his plan was to hit the bars, make a loud sound and scare the creep away...but he accidentally smashed the window! It was loud so I'm sure the creeper got scared and then Jason yelled out at the top of his lungs, which scared the man even more and he ran for his life. The neighbor heard the yell and came out of his house in time to see the thief dashing down the street. He called the police for us and they were here before long. They checked out the property with their flashlights and guns, God bless them. The next morning we saw that the night creeps had tried to get into the kitchen door and had nearly pried it open. I don't know what stopped them, it could only have been the Lord. We also discovered to our dismay that they had stolen everything hanging on the line, which was Phil's and my laundry. They took everything except the towel. Phil is missing a good amount of clothes and I'm pretty upset!
So all that to say we never lack for excitement around here, but we do also appreciate your heartfelt prayers for our safety.

"I got a verse for you"

2010-04-09T22:26:00.003+02:00

Today I went out with Angela to see some friends, to fellowship and minister to them. We spent quite a while talking and updating them on our latest projects, and hearing about what they had been up to. Then the daughter, Olivia, pulled me aside and asked if she could show me something. She brought me to her room and we spent a while talking about her and her vision for the mission. I was able to encourage her and she was very inspired by the end.
But when we first walked in she let me listen to one of her favorite songs. Before the song was over she stopped it then said, "Hey, I don't know if this is weird, or if you'll think I'm weird but...I got a verse for you!" I was a little surprised but very eager to know what verse she had gotten for me. She looked it up and it was 1 Peter 2:9 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of the darkness into his marvellous light."--a verse the Lord has repeatedly given to us in the Family. How cool is that?

Ramdom Thot

2010-03-29T20:32:00.003+02:00

I think the French/Philippine mix is awesome! :P

Updates

2010-03-25T09:10:00.003+02:00

-We found a really nice house that will suit our needs perfectly. Please pray that our sponsors will come through for us and that we will be able to move in as soon as possible. Right now our team doesn't fit in the house we have so we're renting a flat down the road. So as you can imagine we're all looking forward to having a place where we can all fit comfortably.

-We got a car! Hooray!!!

-I've been involved with a new project this past month. We're making audios of the 12 Foundations Stones study notes and extra reading material, compiling songs and slides shows that go with the classes, and putting it on CD and a website. Hopefully we will be able to make this available for all with maybe a small donation for our work putting it all together.
I also went to Stanza Bopape and helped give a STEPS and Teacher's workshop. It was Jan, Angela, Janet and myself. Teachers and caregivers from Stanza and other drop-in centers were there, and they all said how helpful the workshop was. They were so inspired by the end and were begging for more material and classes.

-I'm painting again! We went out to the art/crafts store in Hatfield and I was able to buy a few canvases. I checked out the price of just buying canvas material and making the support frames at home but it's more expensive that just buying the prepared canvases. Maybe I need to check out a few more art stores. So I'm painting in the evenings again...the only time I have really. But it's a lot of fun and I'll update my art blog once I have stuff to show

-Starting to play tennis...and football. I'm sure you never thought I was such a sporty person. Well, I'm not really I just like sports and getting good exercise. I've been playing football once or twice a week now. The others are all much better than me so I end up being the last one chosen on the team, doesn't bother me as I know I'm such a liability to any team on the field. :) But hopefully I'm learning and it's a lot of fun! I'm also learning to play tennis. We go a few times a week, and I can actually hit the ball and almost make a proper serve. It's not actually as easy as it looks! Phil is very helpful though and he's trying his best to teach me.

-The Lord has been so good to us and we've been overflowing with food since I've been here. Our freezer is full of meat and our fridges are full of fruits and vegetables. I was worried about loosing weight coming back to Africa but the Lord has seen to it that I "shall not lack any good thing".

When You Least Expect It

2010-03-22T21:15:00.004+02:00

I love how life tends to surprise you. One moment you think you have everything figured out and you know where you're going and what you're doing, and the next moment nothing...
I love it when love comes around and catches you by surprise. You're not even looking for it, maybe you don't even want it--but then there it is.

Life has thrown a few curve balls at me recently, but then there are always the wonderful surprises waiting ahead that make everything worth it.
I have someone to love now...and it's such a glorious feeling to be loved in return. I think if we're patient love will come around, only it might just be when you least expect it.

Kiara's Birthday

2010-03-19T16:35:00.010+02:00

This week I was invited to Kiara's birthday party. She turned 4 this Thursday, 18th--such a big girl now! As you might remember I was her teacher since she was 4 1/2 months. It's crazy to see how fast these little guys grow! I've seen Kiara and Brendan a few times now since being back in South Africa. Kiara remembers me very well and I'm still "her teacher Stephie!". Brendan didn't remember me the first time I saw him again but he has warmed up to me since. He has grown like crazy and no longer looks like my little baby. They're both so adorable and as much as I love to see them it hurts a little that they're no longer "mine". I miss teaching them and just being with them. But I know they're doing well in their new situation with new teachers and friends, so I will just content myself with seeing them as much as I can.
Kiara and her friends.

The Glaser family.
The most charming little man.
Brendan feeding me cake. He thought it was the most funny thing and had so much fun laughing as he fed me each bite.
Kiara got an art box as one of her presents. As soon as Brendan saw it he wanted it, so he promptly toy-napped it. Here he's trying to show off how strong he is and how he can carry the heavy box.
Kiara looking like a little princess in her new ballet outfit ( a birthday present from her friend).
I love this little one!

Words of Wisdom

2010-03-17T10:44:00.001+02:00

If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite, something that makes one feel aware of God, one need not go far to find it. I think that I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes in the morning and coos or laughs because it sees the sun shining on its cradle.
Vincent van Gogh

Shavathon

2010-03-08T17:39:00.009+02:00

CANSA Shavathon was held on March 6. A few of us volunteered to help out at the event in Pick 'n Pay hypermarket(Faerie Glen). People gave donations to have their heads shaved, painted, or both, to show support and help the fight against cancer.

Myself

2010-03-03T20:02:00.001+02:00

I have to live with myself, and so
I want to be fit for myself to know,
I want to be able, as days go by,
Always to look myself straight in the eye;
I don’t want to stand, with the setting sun,
And hate myself for things I have done.
I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf
A lot of secrets about myself,
And fool myself, as I come and go,
Into thinking that nobody else will know
The kind of man I really am;
I don’t want to dress up myself in sham.
I want to go out with my head erect,
I want to deserve all men’s respect;
But here in the struggle for fame and pelf
I want to be able to like myself.
I don’t want to look at myself and know
That I’m bluster and bluff and empty show.
I can never hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see;
I know what others may never know;
I never can fool myself, and so,
Whatever happens, I want to be
Self-respecting and conscience free.
Edgar Guest

Back Home

2010-02-28T18:33:00.009+02:00

Well, my home-away-from-home...(Reunion is still home cause that's where most of my lovely family is)
After four months I've finally come back to South Africa....and it's good to be back! Thanks to all of you who prayed and wished me a good flight. Except for some turbulence and a bunch of noisy school kids the voyage was pleasant. I think I got a cold on the plane, but nothing a little sleep and tea can't fix.
I'm excited about all the changes that are happening and I'll try to update my blog as much as I can. But to give you a sneak peak: I think we may have found our perfect house...!

The sweeties who came to see me off at the airport. (except for Chris who's taking the picture)

Beach Fun

2010-02-27T15:49:00.034+02:00

A collection of pictures from our many outings to L'hermitage and Boucan Canot.

Volcano Hike

2010-02-27T15:22:00.023+02:00

Punkin!

2010-02-26T22:36:00.002+02:00

Me and little Punkin--my favorite(and only) niece. Got to know her for 2months and I'll miss her very much!

February Recap

2010-02-26T22:09:00.003+02:00

A lot has happened this past month...so much in fact I haven't had time to blog till now! For your benefit I shall try to list some of the highlights.

-I got lenses

-My parents invited Leilani for a 2 week vacation

-Treated Leila for her 20th birthday

-Phil came for his 3 week vacation

-Went to the beach at least 10 times this month(got tanned beyond recognition)

-Hiked up the volcano

-All the many sorties and excursions

-Fellowship with family and friends

And before the month is over I will be moving back to Pretoria, South Africa. So that's quite a lot of happenings for one month. This is my last month, and now days, with my family and I have enjoyed myself immensely. A big thank you to Papa and Mommy for being so accommodating and making my stay here so special!

click, click

2010-01-29T21:59:00.014+02:00

...two sisters, beautiful Sunday, camera, nothing to do...

My beautiful, but crazy sister, Sara

A Painter's World

2010-01-29T21:23:00.002+02:00

I've been painting so much recently that a funny thing has started to happen. Now everywhere I look I see things as if they were painted or how I would like to paint then. This happens especially when I see something beautiful or with amazing color/lighting! Just today while swimming I was thinking how nice it would be if I could paint water as amazing as it looked that minute. To my eyes things are coming to life with color and movement. So if you see me looking spacey or in another world...it's because I am.

Avatar

2010-01-24T16:21:00.003+02:00

So I finally saw the movie that everyone's been talking about: Avatar. I wasn't the least bit interested in seeing at first, too much talk and hype was probably going to leave me disappointed. But I have to say that I really enjoyed it. First time I watched a movie in 3D! The glasses did make the screen rather dark but there wasn't much to do about that. Wearing two glasses at the same time is always an experience, try it sometime:P A few other people were telling me that the movie was too long, but I didn't notice that at all. The 3D effect really brings you into another world. It's really quite amazing! The sceenery made me think of heaven. Well, I guess I shouldn't say too much incase you haven't seen it. In all it was a good movie and if you don't know what I'm talking about I recommend going now and buying a ticket.

Some Things I Like

2010-01-20T21:58:00.002+02:00

I like:

Holding my lovely, adorable neice
Rainy days
Watching movie's with my dad(and whole family)
Painting
Listening to music
Sleeping for hours on end
Eating Thai food
Long hikes ( the kind that leave you exhausted and aching)
Laughing with my sisters
Talking till the wee hours of the morning

Times

2010-01-19T20:36:00.002+02:00

"My love is over. It's underneath.
It's inside. It's in between.
The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel.
The times that you question, 'Is this for real? '
The times you're broken.The times that you mend.
The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.
Well, My love is over, it's underneath.
It's inside, it's in between.
These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.
The times you're hurting.
The times that you heal.
The times you go hungry, and are tempted to steal.
The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.
I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.
It never ends."

-Tenth Avenue

New Years

2010-01-08T22:59:00.025+02:00

Some pictures of Dec. 31st.

A Little Exercise

2010-01-08T21:41:00.007+02:00

Camp Mamode

So it started off well: a good walk, a little work out...

Then we saw monkeys hanging around. It was a little scary at first but hey, they looked friendly so I snapped a few photos for keepsake.

Yeah, I don't know what these are called but I heard they build great muscles!

Umm, actually I don't know what's going on in this picture.

Hmmm, don't ask.

Thots On The New Year

2010-01-08T21:30:00.002+02:00

So I've thought about it...and I came to the conclusion that I had nothing profound to share about the new year, (resolutions and all that jazz). This year we will skip all that. But if I do come up with something amazingly profound, I will share it with you, if it's not too personal. :P

Unto Us A Child Is Born

2010-01-03T16:49:00.003+02:00

Audrey Vanessa Kay. Born December 29, 6:30 am.

Congradulations Joy! Your baby is definitely one of the cutest things in the world, and I know you're going to be a wonderful mother.

Life is like a Roller Coaster

2009-12-30T00:04:00.001+02:00

Life is like a roller coaster.
It's always a different thrill each day
For it's never the same ride for all.
Sometimes it's up,
Sometimes it's down.
Twisting and turning
Through thick and thin,
Up and down,
Which way will it go?
People scream, people shout,
Others cry, others laugh.
No matter how hard
This ride seems to be,
You just gotta get through it.
Just have faith in yourself!
If you follow the track,
For it will take you home.
Life is like a roller coaster,
It's the best ride there is.

Stepfanie McCaffrey

Joy's In The Hospital!

2009-12-28T20:21:00.002+02:00

Please pray for Joy everyone. She's in the hospital in labor but there are some complications...the baby's heartbeat slows down when Joy has contractions, and the doctors are thinking of doing a cesarean. Thoughts and prayers for her are much appreciated.

Au Resto....Avec Dad et Mamie

2009-12-27T16:50:00.017+02:00

Christmas Day

2009-12-27T16:24:00.019+02:00

Noel Chez Les Caroni's

2009-12-27T10:31:00.040+02:00

Mery Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful time celerating the birth of Jesus.

At Christmas

2009-12-24T08:25:00.001+02:00

At Christmas
(Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959)

A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season’s here;
Then he’s thinking more of others than be’s thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.

When it’s Christmas man is bigger and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrow seem to vanish for awhile
And the true reward he’s seeking is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling and somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas he is almost what God wanted him to be.
If I had to paint a picture of a man I think I’d wait
Till he’d fought his selfish battles and had put aside his hate.
I’d not catch him at his labors when his thoughts are all of pelf,
On the long days and the dreary when he’s striving for himself.
I’d not take him when he’s sneering, when he’s scornful or depressed,
But I’d look for him at Christmas when he’s shining at his best.

Man is ever in a struggle and he’s oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that’s in him is the master of the good,
But at Christmas kindness rules him and he puts himself aside
And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is opened wide.
Oh, I don’t know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be.

Christmas Shopping

2009-12-23T22:07:00.010+02:00

Sara and I got stuck on the walking street, it was raining cats and dogs! Mommy and Joy were supposed to pick us up one block down and we had to make a mad dash through the rain. Thankfully we had an umbrella, so we ran together laughing the whole way. All the other shoppers were prudently staying under shelter and we were the only ones out in the rain. We caught a few strange looks but we were having too much fun to be bothered.
Dripping wet
"I'm singing in the rain" or more like laughing....
"It's raining and pouring"
Get a wiff of this!
Shopping in Carrefour...Letting Pailine's ipod down out the confusion in the store.
Pailine trying to hitch a ride on the trolley. We were actually helping Mommy with the home shopping.
Joy and Sara waiting in line.
A glimpse of the traffic jam of people blocking the aisles.

Christmas Quote

2009-12-22T21:50:00.002+02:00

Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and for sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and old friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages. But mostly it is for love.

Family + Beach = Fun

2009-12-21T21:39:00.009+02:00

A Picture Of Me

2009-12-17T23:13:00.002+02:00

Some people were griping that i haven't posted many pictures of myself. So this evening I asked Sara to tabke a picture of me. And here it is....

Baby Rush

2009-12-08T21:24:00.002+02:00

So I've neglected my blog, again....Sigh, when will I ever learn? Well, I do have plenty of good excuses up my sleeve! Let's see, uh...um, hmmm, oh well, I forgot them!

Actually, the main reason is that December's just a really busy month, it is, there's a never ending stream of work to be done. But not only that, for the Caroni family this month means that most of us will be turning into Aunties, Uncles and Grandparents......yes, Joy's baby is due on the 18th of December. And I say 18th in good faith, as the doctors haven't quite made up their minds but Joy is set on having the baby before Christmas. This new addition to the family is proving to be a lot of work. Just today Joy and I washed and hung three loads of baby clothes! There's so much that a baby needs and sometimes I sigh and wish for the days when babies were born in stables and needed nothing but swaddling clothes and a manger. But no matter, what must be done must simply just be done! So we're: changing rooms, putting together the baby bed, trying to find a mattress for that bed, looking for newborn clothes, hoping for a changing pad....and many other things that modern day babies seem to need. Keep us, and Joy especially, in your prayers as we're a little behind and these items are proving difficult to find. So it's "baby rush" time, and we're scrambling a bit. I'm so happy to be here and be able to help Joy, it's lots of fun to be with her again and helping her prepare for this exciting new part of her life. We have two weeks to prepare so off I go..........

Pictures

2009-11-30T20:35:00.013+02:00

Pictures of our fun weekend:
Papa took Joy and myself to the beach. The last time we had Papa to ourselves was quite a long time ago...so we had lots of fun! The usual stuff of course: laughing, talking, being silly, sharing stories. I love my Papa, he's the best!

Enjoying our icecream.

Papa not looking too happy at having his picture taken.

"I could eat it all in one big bite!"

Joy and the baby in her belly

Sunday we went to Ste.Marie for a picnic, and to pick up Chris and Philip from their football tournaments.

Ahhh, I love the ocean!

Joy, taking a rest on the pillow she stole from Papa...tsk, tsk.

While exploring the beach we found an interesting specimen of rock. Reminded us all of Sid's babies in Ice Age 3.

Taking shelter away from the terrifyingly hot sun.

Papa enjoying his baguette sandwich.

My Fishbowl

2009-11-25T13:32:00.002+02:00

Ever since I was 7 or 8 I've always wanted to have a glass fishbowl with a few little fishies.... I don't really know why, I just always did. I think I like fish cause they're cute, and interesting, and they're also easy to take care of.

...So, I got myself a bowl and some fish the other day. I'm going to be here for a few months so why not have some extra friends?

My cute fishies swimming around.

Le Castel

2009-11-23T13:41:00.004+02:00

Sunday afternoon Papa took us all to Le Castel and treated us to an ice-cream.

Take a look at that! It's huge huh? Well, half is mine and half' is Joy's...I got the boys to help me finish mine.

Me and my lovely sister.

Simple Joys

2009-11-19T22:08:00.004+02:00

Okay so here's a little insight to my personality. Apparently I'm "exactly like Mort" in Madagascar and the Penguin series. So he's a male busybaby and I'm a female human...not many similarities, but let's continue. Well, the wise doctors, and scientists who have made this discovery are--my brothers and sisters!

Well, maybe in some ways they're not too far from the truth. Since being here in Reunion there are things that make me really happy: Like having a wok to cook with, instead of using a regular frying pan or trying to make a stir-fry in a large pot. The time it takes to do dishes--15 min. An unending supply of cheese! And the list goes on. Basically little things make me happy and I express that in a way that makes me sound like Mort.

Frequently I am caught saying things like: "I love washing dishes!", "Oh can I help? I love cooking!" And other such things that make me sound like Mort (ex: "I love heavy lifting!"). Now how random is that?

But Mort is such a cute, sweet, little guy. He's always thinking about others....I don't think it's such a bad thing to be like him. I find joy in the little things in life! Sometimes we're looking so hard for the big things, the exciting things in life to happen, that we miss out on the special little moments right in front of us...But it's not hard to find joy in the little things. You try it!

Asian Day

2009-11-15T21:41:00.020+02:00

One of my best memories of South Africa! This happened 2 weeks before I left, I just never had the time to post some pictures till now.

The Story
4 Asians...each brought a date....the "dates" brought beer....we lounged by the pool....the Asians cooked(Asian food of course: Chinese, Japanese, and Thai)....everyone feasted!

Me and Joyce.

A bunch of happy people...maybe a little too happy.

"Who, me?"

The lovely Joyce! Oh how I miss her...she's far away in Canada now.

Phil and Joyce trying to make a statue pose on the water slide

Then the camera went funny and took some very bright photos. Some of me and Celly...

I love this one of Celly!"Ahhhh, a little nap in the sun."

Sushi time

Say "cheeeeeeeese"!

Perfect ad for Hansa!

Lizzie cute as ever...

We just couldn't stop laughing...

Chinese whisper...

Lazy boys

Rugby

2009-11-14T13:31:00.002+02:00

France won the Springboks! Yeah! I'm so proud of the French rugby team. Winning against the Springboks is a big accomplishment.

A New Chapter

2009-11-11T13:30:00.005+02:00

I'm at that point in my life now, where I'm feeling a little unsure of myself and what lies ahead. I've left pretty much everything I've known for the past 3 years: South Africa, my home, my ministry, the children I've grown to love, my close friends, and last but not least my boyfriend of two years. It's been a very difficult decision, and I can't say I haven't shed a few tears...
But the Lord has shown me it's time to move on. I still struggle and question..but in my heart I know its best to trust in Him. I'm planning on coming back to South Africa in the new year..but I'll cross the bridge when I get there. For now I'm in Reunion, arrived here on the 8th, staying with my family. It's so nice to be with family. They've been such a help and support to me especially Joy.
Thank you everyone for your prayers and encouragement. I'm really counting on them, they're what keep me going during this difficult time! I know it's just a bend in the road. Like they say, "the darkest hour is just before dawn". --And that's what I'm hoping....

Greek Party

2009-11-04T17:11:00.011+02:00

Libra Party...Greek Theme. First thing I thought was "everybody's going to be running around in sheets!", not really a pleasant thought. But the different costumes turned out to be fun and surprising...and not just made out of sheets (or curtains for that matter)! It was lots of fun and God bless the Lynwood home for organising it, it must have took a lot of work. I spent most of the time chatting with friends and saying farewell, and I did dance a bit as well. Enjoy the pictures...
Our home...before running out the door.

Me with my noble Grecian man. We actually looked up online how to properly put on a toga. It was educational! Steve's not wearing it properly in the picture, but he still looks good.

Me, and a grecian goddess I found.

More lovely laddies...

Our spartan queen--Joyce. I just loved this outfit, it was amazing!

A dashing Spartan warrior and myself

Most of the women...

Most of the men...

Leilani

2009-11-02T23:01:00.004+02:00

Surprise, surprise! Leilani came to South Africa for the PMA graduation..and I got to see her! Leila is one of those special people. The kind who you won't see for a year but when you meet again you'll still the best of friends. The kind that loves no matter what. She's so wonderful and I'm so thankful I got to see her again and spend time with her.
Leilani looking beautiful...me being piggy.

Fun times...

Joyce's Birthday Party--Casino Night

2009-11-02T22:32:00.022+02:00

Awesome party in honor of dear Joyce--a lovely Libra, on the 17th of Oct. Couldn't post pictures till now because of our bandwidth situation. Don't worry it's dress-up, we don't look like this everyday!

To My Readers...

2009-10-30T15:33:00.002+02:00

Sorry I've neglected to blog for almost two weeks now! We ran out of bandwidth halfway through the month and so we've had to cut back strictly to e-mails only as each extra gig costs a fortune. All that to say, I haven't forgotten you and I'm looking forward to posting pictures and telling you what I've been up to the past while....so hang in there!