Novmeber’s Journal 05
As I am back tracking as this month we lost our computer to an electrical storm! Trying to see if we can get anything off especially my pics from 05 since I have not currently backed up anything-YIKES.
We had a full month of trainings and crusades which kept us pretty busy. Doug was also wrapping up another semester teaching with Graduation weekend being the same weekend as Thanksgiving and my birthday!
Thanksgiving day we spent with a lot of our friend missionaries here that are also from the states. We went to Ben and Susan’s home and had a blast sitting outside in the sun and the kids swimming and the guys out there in the yard with shorts on playing football. It was different, but a totally relaxing day. We had turkey, ham and a rotissary chicken with all the great stuff we usually have at home. It was humerous to me that a couple of Swazi’s came by and we offered them a plate of food and the actually did not care for it.
I was shocked as I think it is the best meal on earth.
My big 30 was on the 25th of this month (the day after T-day) and Doug did a great job. Twila, Judy, and myself went to the Guava Galleries, which is a little luncheon place where you sit outside and look at all the beautiful hills and stuff. Then at lunch Twila handed me a note from Doug letting me know to be at the Royal Swazi for a massage, which was wonderful. Sunday evenings is our time with about five other missionary couples with kids around the same ages and currently are going through Growing Kids God’s Way. Well we were on our way to class and little by little I was finding out that there was a supprise pary waiting there for me. Doug had been working with Ben and Susan the whole weekend and more preparing a luau for me. The had brought in sand and completely covered the veranda with sand and palm trees people brought my favorite foods. It was the best bday party I have ever had! They had the Beach Boys music blasting and we played some games including the Limbo! I felt as if I were in high school or I should say college all over again ( as I had way more fun in life in college).
December’s journal 05
We had the best December ever! God has totally blessed us with the opportunity to go home for the holidays, thanks to our Dad’s and Mom’s and the IRS, God supplies in mysterious ways sometimes!! We went home the 6th of December and hit the ground freezing and running. Going from 
100+ degree weather here to low 30’s the day we came it was a shock to our systems. After getting our stuff and getting through customs we were off to the Olive Garden (our favorite). It was so nice to be with our family and be cold. The next few days we spent catching up on sleep and of course hitting Starbucks daily!! We were blessed by my “shopping” mother with some early Christmas presents of winter clothes, as we were not completely prepared for it being this cold. We arrived on a Wednesday and that Friday we spent the afternoon and evening in Seattle getting Santa pictures, and building some great memories. We spent that night with my brother and sis in law in their incredible new home, which I honestly was a bit jealous. Completely happy for them, but knowing in my heart they were living my idealistic dream. Saturday we got up and headed home not knowing my mom had planned surprise party for me to celebrate my thridieth. The house was full of family and friends and I was shocked. My parents gave me a silver necklace with one of my mom’s orrigional wedding diamonds in it. It was such a nice day and a total blessing as people brought us gift cards galore (that helped with our Starbuck’s addiction as we never had to pay for a coffee once!) Sunday, mom took Kylea and I to the Nutcracker in seattle which was so much fun, especially as my daughter’s eyes light up watching the ballerina’s and knowing the story. That next week we spent the week in Oregon with Genese, Doug’s sister and friends and family. We had a blast playing going on walks to the park, eating and just having fun. We came home with a fright as we got a call on our way back to my parents that my mom was being taken to the hospital by ambulience. She was having an irregular heart beat and her heart beat was increadibly fast. She was in and out of the hospital through Thursday which actually made for a nice and relaxing Christmas. We spent Christmas eve having a brunch followed by opening presents and playing games and having some quality family time. Christmas day we got up to see what Santa had brought us and then headed up to church. We came back to mom and dad’s to have a nice Christmas dinner with all the fixings.
Kylea had her first sleep over besides being with family. She has a little friend from home that has written her faithfully and we had picnic with them and the girls were having so much fun that Michelle asked me if Kylea wanted to sleep over with Megan, it was great and the girls are much more connected now, yeah!!
As is family tradition we went up to Leavenworth, WA up in the mountains for three wonderful nights with family. We were blessed with lots of snow the second day we were there. Kaden and Kylea could not get enough and Papa (my dad) had a blast playing right along with them. One time while sledding my dad went to go down with Kaden and he slipped out from under him and Kaden ended up going down on his own, well that was the end of going with others. Kaden was a little dare devil going down himself, while Kylea got tired of waiting for a sled and used her body as a sled and just ran and slid down the whole hill in her full bodied snow suit. And of course mom and I had a blast shopping and “just looking” at all of the cute little shops.We came home New Year’s Eve in time to help unload the car and pack and Doug and I took off for two night with just us while the kids had some quality time with Nana and Papa. We went to some friends that we used to be on staff with and played games and ate til after 2am. Had not been a while since doing that.
January’s Journal 2006
New Years Day we met up with our best buddies Kendra and Jeremy (with no children) in Seattle. We had such a blast hanging out and just having fun. We ate at one of my new favorite restaurants PF Chang’s and of course had our Starbuck’s and then played games and ran stairs (hahaha). We had such a blast hanging out and not worrying about anyone but ourselves, we felt like we were back in college all over again.
After many trips to Target, Costco and the mall we headed home on the 9th. We left Seattle and arrived in London 9 ½ hrs later. Exhausted and waiting for a 5+ hr. layover. As we went to check in the guy took our tickets and informed us that we were not on that flight, but the one that left two hrs. later, AAHHHHHHHH! So make that 5+ hr. layover to almost 8hrs. We were glad to get to South Africa with only a 4.5 hr. drive home.
It took quite a while on this end to get adjusted, esp. for me for some reason.
24th- Kylea started back to preschool with a different teacher, which she is very partial to her teacher from last year.
29th-I am staying home from church with Kaden as I think he may have chicken pox. It has been an interesting day to put it. Doug captured and drowned a mouse this morning in the house! Kylea has told a couple of lies in the last day or two, and now Kaden may have chicken pox. I feel so down, I think coming off of the high of being home has done it too me. I go to the grocery store and find myself completely frustrated that they do not have what I need and a lot of the shelves are bare especially after coming from shelves of food in the US that were overflowing with food. Oh yeah, and the other day we were swimming I think Wednesday or so and Kaden was sitting on the steps and I did not notice he took his water wings off and I was talking to Doug and watching Kylea and I turned to glance at Kaden and he was in the pool frolicking to stay above water, I paniced sp??. So my son could have drowned thank the Lord he did not. He freaked out pretty bad, but Doug got him back in the water to make sure he would be ok. Worst mom award here for the week!!
30th-So I think that Kaden actually has a case of hand, foot, mouth but still watching him as his blisters are pretty bad. I think motherhood should be only given if you have some sort of a nursing background too.
