Celebrating with Rachel

 This week we celebrated with Rachel by having a baby shower for her.

 Bethany made the fabulous diaper cake.

We played a few games. One of which the ladies had to draw a picture of baby Flo#2 on their heads.  Rachel chose the best drawing.

 Bethany with Dianna

 Denise won the best drawing of baby Flo#2!

We had a delightful time together and are all excited to meet the newest Floreen. Rachel is so dear to us and we are thankful for the way she teaches us at Bible study every week.

Need a haircut?

I really need a haircut, was thinking about going to a salon just near our house...

Bloukop

Bradley caught his first 'bloukop koggelmander' a.k.a. blue headed lizard!

Double Digits

Today is Ami's double digit birthday.  Where has the time gone? We cannot believe that it was just ten years ago that our first precious girl was born.

Ami is a real sweetheart! She is a tremendous helper and looks out for her siblings too. 

Night Out

For Ami's birthday she and her friends went out to dinner at an Italian Restaurant in town.  Brian and I sat at a table around the corner from them. They felt quite grown up.

Allison loves ballet

While I was in South Africa with Benjamin, Brian signed Allison up for ballet. We have two professional ballerinas who teach at our school and Allison is delighted to be a part of their praogram.

Nesting

A little bird has decided to make his home very near to ours.  I don't know how he survives all the noise that goes on, but he seems to be really happy just hanging from our outside porch lamp.

Soccer League

During PE, Ben has to sit on the bleachers and sometimes he puts plastic cones on Mr. Charlton's head

Ami and Bradley have joined the soccer league at school.  It has been fun to watch them play games.  The new teachers at the Academy are great and very enthusiastic!

Bradley is on the team wearing the blue shirts.  They won their game:)

Love it

When we're all on the bed reading.

Fridays

 Every Friday is Chapel at ABC Christian Academy. Today both Allison and Benjamin's classes shared an item on stage. The four year olds are so little!

Ben's class sang a song and Alli's class said a memory verse from 2 Samuel 22 verse 31.

Favourite Soup

In our house, it's spinach soup:)

Homework done

 Once their homework is done, this is where we'll find them playing with their friends.

Making a mud crater for their lizards to live in.

Back to School

All four kids went to school today.  Several folk had wondered whether Benjamin would be able to go so soon. He did fine in his class. His teacher even said that he was very chatty, perhaps too chatty:) Some have also wondered about him possibly wearing a helmet. We are looking into getting a rugby scrum cap.  We are hoping that it will be a reminder to him and to those around him that he has a major fracture.

 It was a family affair. We all walked to school together.

 So ready to be back at school.  This is week four already, so he has missed quite a bit.

 Allison looks so cute in her uniform. I still cannot believe she is in school!

Almost 10,  almost 8, 6, and 4!

Welcome Home

 Mrs. Johnstone and the children in Benjamin's first grade class put up some fun decorations at our house.  They also wrote notes of welcome on green (his favourite colour) paper. Our fellow missionary friends' kids also showed up with a banner to welcome him home.

Tears of Joy

What a wonderful day! The kids were so happy to see each other.  Brian and I have spent time away from each other when he is at conferences etc., but this was so different.  We were so happy to ALL be together. Tears of joy flowed and lots of hugs and kisses were given. Again, we are just in awe of all God has done through this trial. His mercies are new every morning.

Doctors' reports

Today Benjamin saw the neurosurgeon and he is very happy with Benjamin's progress so far.  He has given us the go ahead to return to Malawi. We are very thankful for that! Benjamin will still have to be very careful and is not permitted to participate in any physical activites for six months. He and I counted out the days until February! 

The neurologist who I saw said that he didn't know what was wrong with me.  My dear friend joked and said she hoped he'd find a brain:) Good news is that he tested my heart and brain and all looks fine. He did say though that he thinks that what I may be experiencing is called vasovagal attacks or neurocardiac syncope. Stress is a big factor and will bring on these episodes, whatever they are. I trust that the Lord knows exactly what is going on and am thankful for the fact He is completely sovereign. My stitches are out too and so the two of us are getting packed and CANNOT WAIT to see Brian and the kids!

We  have had some great snuggle mornings, just the two of us, but we miss snuggles with the rest of the gang!

De Swardts

Sybrandt and Beth live close to the hospital where the neurologist is at. They invited my mom and me round for lunch before my appointment.

We had a lovely time with them and are thankful to have spent a bit more time with them.  The past two times we've seen them has been in an airport and at the hospital.

Thankful for your prayers and your love for our family. We are hoping you'll visit Malawi soon!

Fun again

 Ben spent the day with aunty Judy while I went to see the neurologist.

 Aunty Judy took Ben to Uncle Kev's print shop and he saw a massive machine that you can walk on. Benjamin thought that the machine he was going to see was small like a computer, but then when he saw it, he realized that it was huge.

Benjamin told me that he was looking at all these dots on the paper using a magnifying glass. "The dots were made with a stamp and some dots looked like little faces," he said.