The Buckland's Visit

Once again, I have dropped the Ball with regards to keeping my blog updated.

Liz and myself had the amazing privilege of hosting the Bucklands at our house for a weekend, while they were in SA in February.

It was so so wonderful to see them again .

I got to meet Hannah and baby Hezekiah for the very first time.

 I was amazed at how big Rachel and Ruth had grown, such special children.

Rachel put a play together and the girls put on a wonderful show for us.

 Liz and I felt so privileged to have these special visitors.

Uncle Theo and Auntie Hanlie enjoyed some special time too. 

 This was a highlight especially for Rachel as she has always been close to Uncle Theo and Auntie Hanlie 

 My cuddle with smiley Hezekiah was just what I needed 

 On the Sunday we had a bring and braai, giving folks the opportunity to catch up with the Kiwi's.  We were slightly concerned that Brendon may have forgotten how to braai so I made sure backup was on hand:)  Just kidding Brendon

 A very special moment

 Another very special moment with Ruth.  She had come to say 'good night' and we fell onto the mat together laughing:)

MISS YOU GUYS

A Special Memory

This is terrible...

Have been wanting to publish this post since after Christmas but the past 4 months have been crazy.

Will share in posts to follow.

Though Christmas 2011 is long gone, these photo's represent memories of a very rare and special time together as a family.

My brother (Cristo), his wife (Lee) and |Lee's son (Anton) spent Christmas with us. They came all the way up from Durban. It was wonderful seeing them for the first time in over a year.

I am really close to Lee! She is a very special person!

It was also nice to finally meet Anton.

A nice cuddle with father Christmas, who is actually smiling:)!

Father & Mother Christmas "under the Christmas tree"

We had much fun with this "photo shoot". Lots of laughter

Anton's initiation in the Coetzee family was that he had to play "Father Christmas" on Christmas day and hand out gifts

A new start

At the end of October I handed in my resignation to the school with immediate effect!

That afternoon, Samaria Mission arrived at my flat with their trucks, combi's and trailers. I was moved in one clean scoop. It took not more than 2 hours to load all my stuff and move me into the house with Liz.

I felt overwhelmed by the love and help which I received from these amazing people.

A BIG "THANK YOU" to:

William & Sharyn

Mark & Alicia

Doug

Joseph and

Rahab & Francinah

May you be richly blessed by our dear Heavenly Father.

That very next Monday I started my new job as Personal Assistant to a well established insurance broker in town. Charles van der Walt.

For someone of his stature to employ a person with my limitations in such a position is nothing but a miracle. I know that this job is straight from the Hand of the Lord.

The timing was perfect because the weekend after I started at CJ Makelaars, we all went away together for our yearend to a game farm in Vivo for the weekend. This was a wonderful opportunity for all my fellow workers to get to know me for who I really am.

We had some really delicious meals and there was no shortage of food. Was so peaceful sitting at the dam Many swam in the reservoir but the vehicle was parked in such a way that I could sit and watch
Charles' son giving me a hard time but I managed to finally give him a good run for his money when turned around and chased him with my chair

The lodge itself was stunning

Cherio Gardens

During September, the four of us to Cherio Gardens. Matt had to buy Azalea's for his mum.

The trip was so very therapeutic for all of us but especially for me!

Liz and Matt kindly took my electric wheelchair along so I was as free as a bird in such beautiful surroundings

3 very happy ladies surrounded with God's amazing splash of colours A rear picture of Lizzie as she was the one taking most of the photo's. She was also in her absolute element!I so enjoyed having the freedom of getting around independently without getting tired so quickly!

Liz and Matt are truly an awesome couple, not to mention extraordinary phsyio therapists!

At one point of the trip, I got a chance to slip away by myself and I found a wonderful "cave" of flowers. I reveresed my chair into the cave and had such an amazing time of prayer. I found such a great sense of God's peace with regards to what I was facing at the time at the school.

The sense that He was and is still in total control was very tangible. I wonder if this place is a small resemblance of what heaven will be like!

Two Very Precious People

Not too many people are aware of the fact that I have left Northern Academy.

I was planning to resign at the end of September in order to escape the chaos of October through to March as I felt that I could not longer cope. Sadly, things got pretty ugly and I ended up resigning at the end of October with 24 hours notice as well as four broken ribs cauesd by more falls due to the stress of that time.

However unpleasent things were, I knew that God is Sovereign and that He was and is still in control.

Francinah had great fun dressing up as a school girl for Casual Day.

Francinah and Rahab were/are two incredible angels. They stood by me through that terrible last month at the school. They packed my entire flat up for me. They worked extra hours in the shop for me, doing stocktaking to help build my case.

They cried when I left and visit me often.

May God richly bless these two amazing women of God!

Feisty Pheobie Shows who is Boss

Charlie, our dog which Liz rescued from the grounds of Mankweng hospital and Phoebie are the best of friends. Charlie is well aware that Phoebie has a sharp end

Phoebie loves being nibbled by Charlie and purrs like a steam engine!

Sometimes the nibbling gets a bit rough but Phoebie lets Charlie know in her own sharp way

Liz and Matt often bring their dogs over to play with Charlie but this pack of dogs do not faze Phoebie at all. In fact, she takes great delight in teasing Denise especially

She loves to stay within their sight but just out of their reach

Denise gets warned by his dad and Phoebie enjoys every minute of it.

Phoebie ready and waiting to take a swipe at Denise

She is such a little tease.

A kitten with a lion's heart!

Phoebie Cat

I went home for the first time in June since January! At home, I met and fell in love with the new addition to the family, "Tiddles"! Tiddles is my mum's little ginger kitten which she found stranded and brought home!
Prior to meeting Tiddles, I felt that I was not ready to have another cat after Tigger had died. But Tiddles brought me SO much joy and I realized that it would be good for me to get a pet again!

The hunt for a kitten began.
I prayed that the Lord will bless me with a cat who had a loving personality.
We hunted the farm sheds which are normally overrun with kittens but we found none! Upon returning from Tzaneen, I called Polokwane SPCA feeling very sure that they would have a variety of kittens looking for a home. Much to my surprise, they had none!

Two weeks later I returned home for my uncle's funeral. Sitting outside that evening I got home, I laughed when my mum suggested looking in the paper for kittens advertised. Much to my surprise, there was one advert. Mum called the number and learnt that there were eight little ones looking for homes. He told us that there was one beautiful fluffy female. We asked him to keep her for us as we would only be back from Johannesburg a few days later.
Well the very kind man did keep her and when we went to fetch her, she was the only one left. He mentioned that everyone had wanted her and I was so thankful that he had kept his word and saved her for me.

I called her Phoebie and she has just brought Liz and I such joy from day one.

Meet my little Phoebie
Matthew, the owner of the house in which Liz and I stay, loving Phoebie

Matt's wife (also Liz) adores Phoebie!
Matt and Liz are both physiotherapists and have become very close friends with myself and Lizzie

Phoebie exercising her hunting skills!

Loving the scratch tower I got for her!

"Give me more of dat cat knip, hmmmm"

Queen of the castle