Birthday Party

We were so blessed to have our friends over today to celebrate Samuel's birthday.

As we have had more rain than usual, we converted our lounge into a play area for just in case. However God provided a wonderful sunny day and we were even able to spend some

time in the pool.

Play area

Jabulani friends
Enjoying the pool in the safety of Marina's arms

My special birthday cake from the Goldhawk family

Cutting the cake

Does everyone like ice-cream as much as I do?

Ray's "Happy Birthday" was quite unique, Samuel loved the bagpipes

Is he not the cutest golfer around?

Samuel, sweetie pie, we know you had a wonderful fun filled day.

Love you lots like jelly tots :)

Happy 2nd birthday Samuel :)

"Samuel, today was your special day - 2 years old!

You have grown so much and developed in leaps & bounds.

As I watched you dancing in playgroup today,

I thought back to your 1st birthday

and was filled with an overwhelming feeling of how much God loves you.

You have been an amazing blessing to all who know you

and although you don't know it, you have taught us so much.

We love you."

Samuel loves music and Psalty's Praise party Collection cd is one of his favourites.

I just love this song as it says it all:

God has a plan for my life

God has a plan for my life

God has a plan for my life

I just can't wait to see

What's in store for me

'Cause God has a plan for my life

Before I was born

God was watching from above

He paid close attention

As I was formed with love

He knew just how special

I'd turn out to be

'Cause God has a plan for my life

It won't all be easy

But God will understand

Through all the hard times

He'll be there to hold my hand

He knows just how special

I'll turn out to be

'Cause God has a plan for little ol' me

"Thank you Lord that you have a plan for Samuel,

thank you that You know how special he is,

thank you that You were watching over him right from the start,

Thank you for Samuel's life"

Absolutely adorable!!

A quick post to give an update on our friend Tim. Tim & Felicity have been in South Africa since Monday and after numerous tests, sonars, etc., the doctors have decided to operate on Tim this coming Monday, 8 Febr. Please continue to pray for them and their family.

I also wanted to share these precious moments. I was doing cupcakes for Samuel's birthday tomorrow and he managed to get hold of some of the "tools". These photos say it all..............

Whatever this is I want more.

This was good stuff.

How can one not love & adore this face?

If you want it back, you have to catch me.

Thank you Lord for Samuel.

Thank you, that after a stress filled day at school, he can make the girls laugh till their faces hurt.

Thank you for the opportunity to love this precious little one.

Urgent prayer request

We were in the country about 2 weeks when the girls & I walked down to the golf club to meet the pro (Tim) and organise lessons. After knowing Tim only 3 days, he invited us not only to their church but also into their home. Tim & Felicity went out of their way to make us feel at home in Zimbabwe. Felicity organised horse riding, beading and ballet outings for the girls as a way for them to meet other children. Tim had the utmost patience with us women in learning the game of golf & never allows the girls to feel as if they won't be able to master the technique. They also prayed with us during our adoption and loved Samuel to bits right from the first moment they met him.

Today we learned that the pain Tim had put down to a rib injury in December, is in fact a tumor in his abdomen. At this stage doctors want to operate as soon as possible and scheduled surgery for Friday, to be done here in Harare. However another doctor suggested Tim rather go down South to Johannesburg, as facilities are more advanced and medical supplies readily available. The second scenario will leave Tim away from his wife & daughter, Natani, as well as his spiritual family for an undetermined time.

As both Tim & Felicity strongly believe that only God can lead in a situation like this, I ask tonight that we pray that God will clearly reveal to them the plans He has for them at this stage.

Lord, tonight I bring Tim, Felicity & Natani to the foot of the cross

and place them in Your loving care.

Lord, please fill their hearts & home with Your peace & presence

in the time leading up to the surgery.

Lord, we trust You for an outcome that will

glorify Your Name.

Thank you Lord that they are a family who love

and trust You.

6 months.....

Samuel has now been home 6 months and we cannot imagine what our lives would be like without him. It just feels as if he had always been part of our family. Samuel now weighs just over 10.5 kg and stands about 76cm tall - he thinks its funny when we try to measure his height, constantly wriggling. And since he has discovered walking, he is busy,busy,busy.......

Us girls started organising his 2nd birthday party this weekend (yes, I know way to early if its only 4 Febr, but this is Zimbabwe) and in the process I looked back at photos taken last year this time and was just blown away by the plans God had for this little man.

I sent this photo to Kelly almost a year ago when Samuel managed to sit on his own in the bath. We were so happy for the progress made in just 2 short weeks.

Now..... the little man tries to get out by himself when he has had enough - which doesn't happen often. He loves water!!! :)

This is a photo Mariette sent me when he had his first haircut & the thought that I was not his forever Mommy, almost broke my heart - thank you Lord that You knew.

This is our little man after his "grown up" haircut today. Innocent (the barber) thought it was time for a change in style. I love it & Samuel knows how to use it!! :)

These past 2 weeks the "parents-in-waiting" have been in my heart constantly. Many prayers have been said for paperwork, court dates, passports, visas & travel mercies not only for the children in Ghana, but also for those in Haiti and other countries waiting to go home. I ask that we continue to pray for each child-in-waiting; each family-in-waiting; each child waiting.......

As a friend's blog states:

"Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, orphans,

& all of the injustices in the world when He could do something about it ...

BUT I'm afraid He might ask me the same thing ..."

Tackling the new year with baby steps.

We started this year on a rather hectic, disorganised note.

We spent the last 2 days of 2009 travelling back from Cape Town to Pretoria (about 1400km) and then the 3rd & 4th of January travelling from Pretoria to Harare (another 1100km) - hair raising stuff on the last leg! Suffice to say, we have had enough of road trips for now - Samuel even resists getting into his car seat to do school runs.

Yvonne & Samuel enjoying a break during the trip down to Cape Town - yes, we did have a little tantrum when we had to get back into the car :(
Yvonne was so great with him at all the play areas!

However having said the above, we loved seeing our family and spending time in Cape Town. Samuel loved the beach; the girls were "snap happy" as they tried to capture each family moment on "film" and spend as much time as possible with family. For some of the family it was the first time meeting Samuel - Samuel handled it so well and they all loved him to bits.

Samuel meeting Toerien in Kimberley - one of his cousins

Assisting on the guitar during a "Band Hero" session at my brother's house

We were also blessed to meet up with the Paul family, Samuel's foster family from Ghana

On Christmas Day, I really wanted to believe that this was Samuel's first steps, but is really only was a stumble and then an attempt helped along by my brother, Theo

And then ..... amidst the craziness of unpacking, first school day and rotten flu for both Ellen & me, Samuel blessed us with his first steps on 6 January 2010!!!:) Praise God!!!!

Marina scarcely had time to capture this image of him getting up on his own and then 2 seconds later he walked 2 steps!!!

There were so many tears of joy!! I remember clearly sharing with my friend Anne my concerns regarding our new foster baby when we collected him almost a year ago. He had very little muscle control and could not even keep his head up - in short, he was like a newborn and this about 3 weeks before his 1st birthday. This holiday he was also able to communicate through baby sign - more & please was a sign often used when Ouma sat down with something nice to eat.

After the initial steps on the 6th, Samuel decided that the only person who warrants his efforts, is Yvonne. Mommy begs & pleads, but he only smiles, turns his back on me and starts crawling away. Then his sisters come home from school and its a whole different ballgame - literally....

George & the girls were hitting a few golf balls on our front lawn, when Samuel decided that he preferred cricket. He used a miniature bat that Oupa gave him , got up and stood the way Gretch taught him on the last day of our holiday! All on his own!! :)

And today Samuel went on his 1st bicycle ride around the garden with his Daddy.
Yes, again a small tantrum as he did not want to get off. He is definitely getting close too the age of 2!!!

For us the most amazing thing is watching Samuel try and try again until he is able to stand up on his own; master the steps in the house or build a tower toy. He listens attentively when we explain how to do it and shouts of joy & praises himself with a "well done" sign when he is able to do it. He trusts us unconditionally. He teaches all of us to listen, learn, not to give up and take joy in even the smallest achievement.

Thank you Lord,

- for the ongoing amazing healing process in Samuel's life;

- for our extended family that love him unconditionally and take

pleasure in each of his milestones;

- for an amazing Daddy & sisters that just poured love & attention into him this holiday.

Help us Lord,

- in this new year to be more like little children in listening, learning & trusting You;

- to take joy in all the baby steps / milestones in our lives that You enable us to achieve;

- to be obedient to You in all aspects of our lives.

Special Times

When our holiday started on 8 December, I had every intention of blogging daily - posting loads of photos, downloading new backgrounds in line with the season, etc. Then it just seemed as if there wasn't enough time in the day to get to everything. I just loved watching George and the girls interact with Samuel and the impact of their "full time" stimulation & attention.

Samuel loves the beach and the water no matter what the weather!!!! The girls are so good with him, building sandcastles, digging water trenches and just enjoying him enjoying the water.

The girls go for early morning runs with their nephew, who being in the British Armed Forces, is a hard taskmaster. Samuel just loves the wind and being on the beach.

This being Samuel's first Christmas at home, we really had to work hard at not spoiling him too much! It has been so long since we had a little one in our home for Christmas, that we spent hours in toy shops just "window shopping"! Just when the girls & I had our spending under control, the bug bit George who wanted to buy & buy! In the end I would like to think that we spent wisely, that his first Christmas home was about the Right Gift and that he would remember it as a time when he was loved to bits.

In this photo Samuel is with my brother and his son. Samuel loved his new t-shirt - an amazing gift from the two buddies at his side.

Late afternoon we went for a walk on the beach - yes, the wind was blowing more than normal and the water icy, but we loved being outside. The girls got cameras for Christmas so I will post some of their photos tomorrow. In the meantime, George took this photo at Gordons Bay - so awesome and amazing.......Only the Master can produce a picture this perfect.

Thinking back to last Christmas, we never in our wildest dreams could think that our lives this Christmas would be so different, so blessed - absolutely beyond what we deserve!

Thank you Lord for ......

- The greatest, most precious gift of all , Your Son;

- The gift of our son, Samuel;

- Our 3 daughters, who during this year had to adjust to a new country, school, new way of life and stood strong in You throughout a very difficult time at school;

- For our family, loved ones and friends.