Parenthood.....

It's 10pm I've just been to Kate's room, she's been spiking a fever all day and I asked Ian when he gets up to take the puppies out at midnight he must pls check on her, he wakes me, it's just after 12pm, Kate is boiling up. I have to get her meds in, she's restless so I lie down with her, have her lie on my chest and feel my heartbeat, she settles down and soon the fever is down and she's sleeping. I lie with her thinking how your life can change when you have children. I envision where I would've been on a Saturday night at 12pm no more than 5 years ago and I can tell you this it was certainly not worried about a baby with a fever on my chest but right now I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world.

Yes we were all young and carefree and my biggest concern was paying the rent and what I would wear on the next night out and oh boy did we have nights out! Not all that I am proud of but I don't have many regrets, I lived....perhaps more than some others...I pushed the boundaries...I've never been one for rules but that brings me back to a good foundation..yes my parents laid the bricks of our values and even though we all strayed at times we all ended up doing okay and for that I will always be grateful.

I read in the newspaper about yet another baby or toddler being abused somewhere in the world  and it reminds me of our Minister of Health that recently visited the Zambezi Region to inform the young girls of their options to a better life, that they too can get a good education and don't have to live the life they are so struggling to live at the moment...a few weeks ago a couple of kids discovered yet another baby in a black bag under a tree...a mother that just did not see another way...it breaks my heart and I want to make a difference. 

About four years ago a little boy named Ricardo landed on our doorstep, myself and Ian tried to help but soon we had a little boy infront of our door everyday, we contacted the social workers but were advised that "these kids" are streetwise, they "want" to be on the street, I personally cannot imagine any child "wanting" to be on the street, and there's not much we can do. We decided to give him a hamper with food every month and well a long story short we do 25 hampers a month now...it's not much I know but 25 street kids we know have at least a few good meals every month they can rely on....this month is quiet...I guess they have also gone on home to what It could be they can even call home, needless to say we have hampers and someone needs to get them. We'll go out onto the streets today and distribute what we have left, I think it'll be a good lesson or should I say foundation for our son who's hopefully old enough to understand....even if he doesn't perhaps a person will get a much needed blessing today they so desperately need.

"Blessed to be a blessing" 

2013....a challenge it was!

So it's almost over, I think myself and Ian will remember this year as our toughest yet. It's been a gruelling 12 months of long hours of hard work, utter dissapointments, sadness, fear, heartbreak and this past friday after a pressure cooker exploded in my face also hurt, and alot of it. 

Our year started with my mother-in-law being gravely ill, this started actually two years ago and just got progressively worse over the months, with the help of Ian's sister she bought and we renovated the house next to us to move them closer and give mom some freedom back in a bigger wheelchair friendly home. This transition as a young married couple having parents next door has been a challenge in it's own but seeing mom getting stronger by the day makes it all worth it. 

Then renovations started at Matota which was a huge blow to our finances...thereafter the fall with my bike...the break-in at our house...our kids both in hospital for ear operations (Alex twice!)...the missing passports...the break in next door...Ian's car accident hitting a guinea vowl...the pressure cooker incident...my canaries both dead upon return from holiday...our kids nanny going into labour at full term 2 weeks after we only get told she's pregnant..Annie & Cayote, our oldest two pugs both having to be put down....the game viewer we are still trying to get fixed....the list goes on and on and on

In a sense I feel like Job, it is afterall one of my favourite books in the Bible..Job is a story of faith and trust and when you have nothing more to give to keep on believing only to be rewarded with two-fold. I like Job.

There comes days now when we'll sit by the fire and we'll just giggle, the struggle we faced this year will not let us down, we will get African Monarch off the ground, we will get the funding in 2014 and we will help thousands of students reach their dream in the years to come...

Last year this time both our families packed to go to the coast, this year the four of us are staying behind, we are going to be home, spend much needed quality time as a family, re-connect and recharge to face 2014 head on!

We will however go visit Matota at the end of this month for a few days, so keep your eyes out, It's rainy season up there and we're sure to have some fun in the mud!

To end this year was the greatest lost of all...our Hero...our nations father..Madiba may you rest in peace and may your long walk to freedom be a lifelong lesson to us all.

Merry Christmas, remember what this day is about and keep the faith!