10 sleeps

Colin left for America this afternoon and is currently flying somewhere over Africa on his way to Dakar where they will refuel and then carry on to Washington. He will arrive in Orlando tomorrow about 18H00 our time. I miss him already and don't know how I am going to get through the next 10 days without him! Will just have to keep very busy I suppose .....

The house is very quiet. I just put Andrew to bed and waiting for Robyn to be dropped off. Michael went out with friends and Richard is sleeping out. Not scared, just very quiet.

Michael brought his new computer home tonight and it is now lying all over my diningroom table. I don't know where he is going to keep it yet, our house is not exactly huge, but we will make a plan tomorrow. Can't live with my diningroom looking like this!

Anyway, of to bed now ..... first night sleeping on my own .....

Thanksgiving

Colin and I attended a Thanksgiving service at church tonight and it made me think ......



What am I grateful for:

1. That Colin supported my decision to leave Freshmark.


2. That I was able to buy A Scrap Above.


3. That Andrew did very well academically this year.


4. That the Lord healed me and set me free in many areas of my life and thereby strengthened my relationship with Him and with Colin.


5. For our Growth Group.


6. For my friends - you know who you are!


7. For a domestic worker that is reliable, trustworthy and a Christian.


8. For parents that are healthy and supportive.


9. For Jan Kriel school.


10. For all my children.


11. That I have a car that takes me where I need to go.


12. For Medical Aid.

Actually too many things to mention!

My little green monster

I was sitting on the couch this afternoon watching Jamie eating and was again absolutely amazed at how beautifully and wonderfully God created her. The way her claw can take the smallest piece of food and hold it so delicately in order to eat it. All it is is four toes that look like dinosour toes and they work so well! And the balance - absolutely amazing - no trouble with eye hand control there!

She is not a very popular bird though, people are very scared of her, because she bites, not gentle little nibbles, but vicious bites that leave people scarred and bleeding! She came and cuddled on my shoulder and spent the next half hour purring and kissing me and turning herself in all directions so that I could kiss her everywhere and she was just to gorgeous for words. Unfortunately Colin and I are the only people that ever experience that, because by the looks of it she accepts us. People can't understand how it is possible to love such a vicious little thing, but when she is so loving, it is impossible not to love her. I remember her from when she was still a baby and eating porridge, sleeping on my chest with her little claws curled up and stretched out. What is not to love? Anyway, who can even begin to understand the relationship between human beings and their pets? She will continue to be loving and occasionally biting me, and people will continue looking at her with fear, but I look at her and see a gorgeous, unique being, created by God and given to me to look after.

My beautiful son turns 21

Tomorrow morning at 07H10 my firstborn will be turning 21. We had a very nice family braai for him yesterday and everybody enjoyed it very much. Robyn made a poster and I named it "Michaels journey to 21".

Looking at the poster afterwards I realised just how far we have come in the past 21 years. He was this gorgeous little baby that screamed a lot and drove me almost insane, but very proud that I could create such a gorgeous little thing (with a little bit of help from Colin of course!)

It was really lovely having the whole family here and catching up with them a bit. Max tried to convince me that it is much further from Fish Hoek to Brackenfell than what it is from here to Fish Hoek, but we still felt very honoured having him, Aunty Judith and Karl here with us. The amazing thing for me was that Max quoted " Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass - its about learning to dance in the rain" for Michael in his birthday card and then when I opened my e-mail this morning there was a mail from Stefanie with exactly the same quote! Must be God at work as I felt it to be a very apt quote!

I just realised that my little boy has grown up into a gorgeous young man that I am very proud of. For those of you out there with the appropriate age daughter - he asked me to add his cell number, but I think you can rather phone me for it!