August News!!

Seeing as August has been such an action packed month we thought we should do another update sooner than later!!!

We have continued to have a house full of people – Sophie and Fi, Stu, Jane and Eva, Mark’s folks and Bryan and Jane. It has been great fun getting to spend time with all these people and have had some special memories over the last few weeks!

Revision Schools!
August has been the school holidays. It is a 4 week holiday and we planned 3 revision schools during that time.

The first was in Mufakose Township to the south of Harare. We were at the number 2 senior school, where we had recruited 3 of our 15 students from. The head teacher welcomed us back with open arms and was so grateful for the assistance with lessons. We focused on Maths for the week. Mark and Stu were able to teach together again and I know Mark loved having Stu back as a teaching companion. They taught 120 O-level students Maths revision classes and 70 A-level students revision classes. I think the most amazing experience was to watch our 15 students throw themselves into one-on-one tutorials with the O-level students and love it. Especially the three that came back to their school. They all felt so passionate about giving back to their community!! Jane and I took the kids out one day so that we did not feel like we were missing out on too much and we enjoyed a morning with everyone. Sophie and Fi again were invaluable and we felt it was a lovely way for them to finish their trip to Zim.

Our second revision school was held at Mabvuku High School another township to the east of Harare. What an incredible school. Just shows that good leadership makes such a huge difference even though they are working in such tough conditions. Again were teaching a large number of O-level and A-level students. Jane and I went out for one day with the kids and it was so special to feel slightly a part of what was going on. Jane also got to spend an afternoon at the High School and Stu and her interviewed our 15 students. Hopefully some of this video footage can we used to promote what we are doing!!! Mark also had a past pupil from many years ago (Gladman Taranhike - nicknamed Mr T for the week)come and teach - Physics - which was brilliant! He is a teacher in the States and was here on holiday. The school welcomed us with such open arms – it was humbling. Here is a letter from the Headmaster received a few days after we had finished the week –

Dear Mark

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the service you rendered to my students. This event will remain indelibly imprinted in their minds and the impression will last forever. I have always wanted my students to strive for academic excellence and with your program I feel the Lord is answering my prayers. Please give the whole team my appreciation and we as a school will always cherish your support for the disadvantaged communities. I hope our partnership will continue to inspire my students. I am deeply grateful and indebted. May the good Lord continue to shower you with the selfless spirit you have shown. We will always remember you in our prayers.

Thanks
I remain
Joe

Our third revision school was a short one day event held at our boarding house purely for our Biology students and a few invited students from Mabvuku High School. Jane Hall is a fantastic Biology teacher who came out for two weeks with her husband Bryan. She led this day and we know the students benefited greatly from it.

We feel like the hard work and long nights that went into the revision schools was so worth it. I think what Mark and I loved most to see our 15 students serve in these schools – some of them it was their old schools. They all seem to have caught the heart of giving back to their community, especially now that they have been given such an opportunity. Destiny, Terrence, Brian and Tinashe R went beyond the call of duty and ran their own revision school at their old school. They ran Maths clinics from 7am to 8am for two weeks. They got resources and stationary from Mark and that was the extent of our input! We were so proud of all of them!

The revision school team:

Visitors!
We were so sad to say goodbye to Sophie and Fi, as they had really become part of our family but we know we will be welcoming them back again one day! We had a games night on their last night here with the 15 students and it was lovely to hear the students voice their love and appreciation for these two young ladies, as well as hearing Sophie and Fi’s love for each one of them!!!! Our kids (Matt and Zoe) particularly miss them – all the cuddles etc!!!! They were easy visitors in our home, thoughtful and very servant hearted!!! We miss you guys!!!!

It was wonderful to share our home with Stu, Jane and Eva! What fun for Zoe to have a little play mate her age – they got on so well and most of their home time was spent on the trampoline. Stu and Jane threw themselves into our lives for the 2 weeks they were here and were able to participate in the two revision schools. I know Mark loved teaching with Stu again!

Between the two revision schools we were able to squeeze a one night trip to where we lived in the rural areas and stay the night on the floor of our old cottage!! What fun it was to share the beautiful place we lived with them, as well as taking them to meet Peter’s family!!! Stu was able to share about Peter’s commute with our 15 students and Peter’s family and they got T-shirts and bracelets too! We had a lovely morning visiting Peter and were even taught how to make bricks! The local community is trying to rebuild the high school and each household has to produce 2000 fired bricks!! We were watching the initial stage before they got fired. We know that our 15 students were inspired by what Stu shared with them about Peter’s commute and were also amazed that people would actually do something like that to raise money for them. The quote they used for the comute was ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world'. They presented a beautiful canvas with the quote printed on it to hang in the boarding house to remind them to keep going!!!!

Meeting Mrs Banga - our house mother!

We also climbed Domboshava with them and visited a local private game park.

I took Jane on a shopping trip into the crazy bit of town and she loved the experience of picking up some bargains – all fabric to make things!!! The kids had a ball together and it was just so wonderful to spend some family time together. We managed to pack loads into just two weeks. They brought loads of stuff out for the project, shared their hearts and I think at the same time leave a little of their hearts here in Zimbabwe. Their openness and hunger for more of Zimbabwe was wonderful to see. They truely wanted to capture the hearts of the people and what Zimbabwe life was really about!! We love you guys and wish the distance wasn’t so big!!!! Thank you!!!

Bryan and Jane arrived just before Stu and Jane left and they had a whirlwind tour around Zimbabwe for 10 days. We met them up in the mountains at the end of their trip for 3 nights together. What a special time to get to know them better and also share another part of Zim with them. I love the fact that they kept saying that they will be back too one day!! Jane came out 4 years ago and did a revision school with Mark then and we loved welcoming her back but with her husband Bryan this time. Our kids fell in love with them both and we were spoilt rotten by them – not only personally but also by all the equipment they brought out for the project. Jane thank you for your time with the students on your last day here!!! We loved getting to know you guys better and know that this is not the last time we will see you both!!!

Mark’s folks have arrived for 3 weeks and it is wonderful for the kids to have their other grandparents around and special for us to have them around too!! They also came up to Vumba (the mountains) with us! We look forward to the next 2 weeks with them!

Fundraising
We will be doing another big push with companies in Zimbabwe over this next term to try and secure money for next year and we have a presenation of a big cheque from a local Bank next week. They have sponsored two students!

A special friend in Zimbabwe has arranged a fundraising event at her childrens local school this coming weekend. It is a father and sons campout. We will be helping with the running of this event and the proceeds will come to the project. Thank you Ange for all the time and energy you have put into this, we so appreciate it!!!!

Family News!
Unfortunately, Mark was robbed at the office he sometimes uses two weeks ago. Three men tied him up and locked him in the office. They had knives and asked for keys to a safe which they thought must be in the office. They took his laptop (….lots of very important stuff!), some money from his wallet, mobile phone and most upsetting his wedding ring. They robbed seven other people having a prayer meeting in the same building. Thankfully no–one was hurt. Good thing is it has made us more vigilant with locking our front and back door come 6pm and keeping the front gate locked at all times!!! Felt a little like we’ve had a few big things to deal with over the last few months – particularly pertaining to Zoe’s health – so your prayers for protection would be appreciated!! We also were unsure about sharing this as crime in the country is so different to other countries particularly South Africa for example. Amazingly Mark has felt quite peaceful and matter of fact about the whole thing and we are just both thankful he is safe!

The kids are all doing well and loving having varied visitors around!! I’m feeling baby move regularly now, which is lovely and all seems to be progressing well!! Matthew particularly loves feeling baby move and the baby is often rocked to sleep by Zoe's chubby little hands gripping my tummy and rocking me!! Very precious!!! The medication I’ve been put on for preterm labour has made me feel terribly exhausted and dizzy but hoping I will adjust to it soon!

Zoe celebrated her 2nd birthday in August! She so knew it was her birthday and loved every minute of it! We took them to a little theme park in the morning and then she had a birthday tea in the afternoon. We love her so much and feel so blessed to have her in our lives!!! She was whispering from her bed the other morning to Matthew – saying ‘Matthew, I love you’! She has a big, courageous heart!!! We all love you too Zoe!!!

We continue to see God’s hand on our lives and look to him for our strength and stamina!!! We hope to update you in our next blog entry on our plans for next year!!!

A few photos:

It's getting hot - do we really have to wear clothes? They both had their welly boots on at one stage!!!

Finding a little place to get away from it all!

Johannes and the kids having a little fun in the garden

Zoe and I in our Spanish aprons from the Mansfield's!

3 Chefs!

Day out with Stu, Jane and Eva

Steamtrain visit with Granpa and Granny!

Sleeping beauty!

Sharing the motorbike!

Finally a June, July and a little of August update!!!

Can’t believe that another two and a half months have gone by! We have to start this blog entry with some exciting family news!!! We have another Albertyn on the way!! It is very exciting, unexpected and a true miracle!!! We feel incredibly blessed at God’s precious gift to us. I am 16 weeks pregnant!!! All going well so far, just been exhausted. I am under brilliant care here and even hoping to prevent the onset of preterm labour this time with a trial drug! God is good and we trust Him for His provision and protection for this little one!!! Matt is thrilled and keeps asking how big baby is – currently the size of his Postman Pat figure and he comes up with slightly off the wall names!!! Zoe keeps kissing my tummy and patting baby to sleep! We have another new addition to the family – a little kitten which we got when it was 4 weeks old! The kids love her and she is so tolerable of all the cuddles from them. She is slightly crazy at times – so fits in perfectly!!! Matt has named her Jessie after Postman Pat’s cat!!

Boarding House and School News
We have continued to have a very busy term with the students and the running of the boarding house. We have had a games evening and another baking session – which the students thoroughly enjoyed and a few career lectures – Micheal Rapson (former student of Mark) on Mechatronics,

Irene an Architect (together with a couple of visiting engineers)

and Anne Coniber (former student of Mark) who is doing a PhD in Chemistry in Australia.

We also had the chance to introduce the students to Tim and Julie Lewsey (both former students of Mark..and now married!). They are travelling from Cape Town to London (..and back again) in their home on wheels.

The students have enjoyed being exposed to different careers and have found these lectures quite thought provoking.

The students have just written their end of term examinations and they should be proud of their achievements thus far. They are on target for where Mark wants them, as it is such an adjustment going from O-levels to A-levels! We keep reminding them of this and that if they continue to work hard they will achieve fantastic results.

I have continued to love my times on Thursday night with the students. I really feel like I have had such a special opportunity to get to know them personally and see God working in their lives. We have had some wonderful evenings together, sharing some really deep stuff and then other evenings just having good fun together. Each one of these students hold such a special place in Mark and my hearts and we feel so proud of them. Four of them were baptised by Mark and I on Wednesday in a cold swimming pool (it’s the end of winter here and no such thing as heated pools). What a privilege and honour!!!!

They also played their first basketball matches against another school and I was so so proud of them all! Their conduct on the field was such an example and they held their own fantastically!! I felt like a proud Mum cheering on my 15 kids with Matt and Zoe copying every little shout I made!!!
The spectators!!

First game which we won 4-6!

Taking a walk at half time!

Second game which we lost 12-8.

Mark had noticed that two of the students were really struggling to see textbooks and board work. My Dad kindly arranged free eye tests for them and then managed to get free glasses for Mike and Tinashe R. They are soooooo thankful for the gift of sight!!!! They felt like they were swimming the first few days but are now used to them!!!

Two students from Benenden have been out to visit. They are with us for just over 6 weeks. Sophie and Fiona!! We have loved having them in our lives and they have been such a help to Mark with one-on-one tuition, helping with lessons, collating exam papers, invigilating, etc. They have thrown themselves into Boarding House and School life and the students have loved having them around.
Working in the garden at the boarding house.

They have also enjoyed 9 days of travel round Zimbabwe and I think I can say have fallen in love with Zimbabwe and it’s people. I was also able to take them out to Turf and they so loved experiencing rural life. We were able to do a morning with Grade 0 and see the amazing jungle gym that Rachel (who stayed with us in March) and her local village in Kent donated!! I so loved being back out there and serving them, I just wish it could happen more often!! We also took Peter (one of the students) with us to visit his family and they were so generous to us – we had a lovely meal with them and Sophie and Fi loved experiencing his world – life in mud huts!!! We also took Peter back to his junior school and painted a few black boards!!! Being pregnant I used that as my excuse not to be exposed to the fumes and enjoyed an hour or so socking up the winter sun!!!!! Sophie and Fi are with us for a few more days and we shall be sad to say goodby to them.

The kids love them to bits!!!!

We disappeared off to the mountains for 3 nights this last weekend, a much needed break for Mark and I, and time for Sophie and Fi to enjoy a different side of Zimbabwe. We loved our time away!! They will also help with two revision schools we will be running during the holidays at two town ship high schools. These two school are where we got a few of the scholarship students from and want to feed back into the communities. The 15 students will also be volunteering their time at these schools, to do one on one tuition with those about to write their examinations.

The term has felt incredibly long and we are so looking forward to a little break. We have three weeks of revision schools and one week off during the holidays. Close friends will be here the first two weeks – we quite literally can’t wait to see them and share our lives with them and they will be helping out with the revision schools too. A former colleague and her husband will be here during the last two weeks. We are looking forward to having them in our home too and Jane is a Biology Teacher so we will run a Biology revision school with her in the last week of holidays based at the boarding house!!!

I have to write briefly about two people who we could not function without and we wanted to share how this project has impacted their families in a positive way too!!! The first is our House Mother - Denise Banga - Mum as all the students call her.

She is quite literally a God send!!! Denise is a mother of 4 children, who have all grown up. She was a primary school teacher for 35 years until she retired but sadly in October last year her husband passed away and she had to go back to full time teaching - she was leaving the house at 4.30am and returning home at 8pm and earning $200 per month. She applied for the post and we fell in love with her straight away! As her children have grown up she has been able to pour her life and soul into these pupils lives and has made the boarding house her home. She is now more financially secure and can rent out her house which provides money to pay her youngest sons university fees. Thank you Denise for all that you do for Mark and I and the students!!! We love and appreicate you soooo much!

Johannes -

he is the caretaker/gardener. He does anything from cleaning, gardening (we have a great veggie garden),carpentary,electrical work, fixing just about anything etc. He has an incredible servant heart and we feel so blessed to have him work for us. This job has now provided him with the opportunity to buy a piece of land to build a wooden hut for his family to live in and he can move his parents from the rural areas. He has quite literally cried with thankfulness at this opportunity as will save his family huge amounts of money on the rental of one room in a township! He has a young wife and little boy - 2 year old!

We continue to be blown away by peoples generosity towards the work we are doing. We have received some incredible donations to KST and Makomborero and we are very humbled and grateful. We feel we are on course to raise enough support to see the boarding house through to the end of the year and our personal support has been more stable the last two months. Thank you all for your love and support. It is so appreciated.

Stu Campbell – a very close friend of Mark and a former teaching colleague did a sponsored walk with the 6th Formers from his school. They called it ‘Peter’s commute’, after the student Peter and his walk to school each day last year – 30km each way!!! They raised an incredible amount of money and enjoyed an early start to school as they walked their Peter’s Commute! Here is a photo of the team on completion of the commute.

We were so proud of Stu and all that participated. Words can not thank Stu for the time and energy he poured into this event! They had special T-shirts and wrist bands made and hope to make this a yearly event. Stu and his wife and daughter our our special friends coming to stay - we can't wait!!

A former student from Mark’s Zimbabwe teaching days, Shaun Orpen, works for Acturis. Their 10km company charity run this year was run in aid of Makomborero and was dedicated to the memory of his sister. It sounded like it was a great day and again we are humbled by the money raised for Makomborero. Shaun is a passionate person who has shown support of us in this way but not only like this but through loads of emails with advice and fundraising ideas. Thank you Shaun – you are amazing!!!

Two weeks ago we have been back in Zimbabwe a year! This feels like quite a mile stone as we look back over this year - things have changed so much but also we are amazed at what we have actually managed to achieve! Thank you Lord for this year! It has been very hard at times and we have had moments of complete confusion and desperation but also it has been a time to see God’s faithfulness to us. We both continue to miss the UK terribly but we know that this is where God wants us and we are beginning to see his plan for our lives unfold!!  We still don't have the whole picture but it is much clearer!!  I also shed a few tears as it has been a year away from some very special friends who I miss so much and wish for just one afternoon I could be with!!! My heart in many ways is still in England but I’m ok as I know with time this will feel like home again but it doesn’t mean it’s not a little sore at times!!! 

We celebrated Mark’s birthday in June and Mark was so touched by the students at the boarding house. They bought him a red t-shirt (his favourite colour) and had a cake baked with a message – We love you Mr A! Mark was overwhelmed by this token and the financial sacrifice just buying that t-shirt was. It reminded him again of why we are here!! I am so proud of all that Mark has accomplished this year and he continues to work so hard and tirelessly!!!

Coconut Cake - my granny's recipe!!! Mark's favorite!!

Where we are at with KST?
We continue to come under the covering of KST and fundraise for the Scholarship Programme locally under KST. This Trust is still running, even though there is no funding. We are grateful to the Trustees to let us stay part of this trust, as it forms an umbrella covering for us. We continue to make plans for next year to bring the project into a more sustainable place and will hopefully have some concrete plans on this for next year by the time I write again!!

Family News
Zoe’s had a long haul fixing her broken front tooth but finally after numerous antibios and abscess' she was very brave and had the root canel done over 3 visits. So are trusting God that the abscess does not come back. She looks quite cute with half a front tooth!!! What a special dentist we had, felt like we knew him really well after seeing him once a week for just over two months!! Poor little girl also knocked herself out cold the other night – ran into a wall – very scary for Mark and I but she only suffered a mild concussion!!

Poor Matt got electrocuted by dodgy wiring in the house – was a very traumatic experience for all of us but praise God he is still alive to tell the tale and by some miracle I was able to think on my feet!!! Poor fella is still having nightmares. We did call an electrician to check all the wiring in the house when we first moved in and had a few little things that were very dangerous fixed but must have just missed the gate intercom plug which someone had bypassed the fuse with a wire that was sticking out the plug and made the whole plug live! It feels like we've had a few really tough incidents with the kids but are thankful that they are both ok!!!

They continue to delight us and are becoming better and better friends with each other!! They sing together, play pretend house together, jump on the trampoline, ride their bikes, read books snuggled up together – so so special!! Mark and I are doing an 18 week parenting course and are learning so much and just loving the impact it has had on our family!!! Felt like a huge commitment – yet another evening out – but it has been sooooooo worth it!!! Zoe is talking so much and we love figuring out what she is saying – Matt often gets it before we do!!!! Her favourite phrase at the moment is ‘You need a plaster?’ – if she thinks anyone has hurt themselves!! Matt is a real little man!! We love the conversations we have with him, the pretend stories he tells us etc. It has also been so special to see how close they have become to my parents – they love them sooooooo much and it is such a blessing having grandparents near by – the kids love it when they pop in or if we pop over there!!! Makes us wish Mark’s folks were a little closer!! Matt is in an incredible nursery school from January and I feel a real peace about it – been so stressful finding him a place somewhere that is not a long drive away! This place is 5 minutes in the car against traffic!!! Zoe will go two days a week to where Matt is now from January and we know she will be as happy as Matt has been there!

We also had a water tank fitted at our house with permission from our landlady!! This has made such a difference to us!! We have a supply of water for 3 days for the days we don't get water and the next door neighbour will top up the tank for free!! Amazing how much we can take water for granted!!!

Well I think that brings you up to date!!!

The hoodies!!!

Fun times with Granny!

Hello my name is Mrs Giraffe - the high heels are what all giraffe's wear!!!!

Matt eating his lunch on the top step of a swimming pool!!!

Bedtime stories!

May Update!!

Well we’ve had a brilliant start to the term. Been very full on for Mark and I but we seem to be coping!! The students came back to a house that looked more like a home. My folks had fished out a few pictures that we were able to hang in the house and it is amazing what a difference those few things made. We were able to put in place systems to help this term run better and are so enjoying having our House Mum full time with us now!!! We no longer need to do the weekly shop, duties in the mornings etc.

All the students were thrilled to be back and we got text messages over the holiday period saying that they couldn’t wait to be back! I think the holidays for some of them were tough as a few of them got back to some very tricky extended family set ups.

We have put together a co-curricular programme this term which is keeping them very busy in the mornings. Monday and Tuesday morning we have been given the use of Barclays Bank Sports Club and the students are learning to play football, volleyball, basketball and tennis. We love seeing them spend their energy this way and we have a fantastic coach!

We had a lovely ladies Bible Study host a tea at the boarding house for the students and they donated money too (which bought the jerseys for the students winter uniforms and paid for a weeks worth of food). They were so lovely and such a blessing. One of the ladies is a computer programmer and offered her services to teach the students how to use the computers. We were so thrilled with this provision as had just got the laptops up and running, free internet installed in the house etc but the students have never been exposed to anything like this before! So Jill teaches them voluntarily on a Thursday morning and has split them into groups of varying ability. She will be taking them until the end of next year and she is brilliant with them. She also says she loves teaching the 15 students as they are so eager to learn!! They will learn word processing, various different packages pertaining to future career ambitions, basic web design etc and Denise the House Mum has joined in too!

I have arranged a few career lectures for this term on various different careers to expose the students to what career options are out there. They struggle to think out the box as for many of them it just doesn’t seem like a reachable option. So it is showing them that they can achieve and follow their dreams. We have chosen a few local Zimbabweans that have successful careers but who started from nothing – hopefully to inspire and encourage them too!

Denise and I are running a Bible Study on a Thursday night for those who want to attend (all seem to come each week which is lovely) and we are studying The Purpose Driven Life. I am loving these times with the students, as I am getting to know the inner workings of who they are and being able to share life with them. It is an incredible foundational study to do with them and I feel so privileged to have this opportunity. They are so open and real and I feel excited at how God is working in their precious hearts!!!! Seeing real healing and restoration in their hearts and minds.

We took the students hiking up a huge rock that protrudes out of the ground (like a mountain but a huge granite rock). They had never done anything like this before and it was such fun as our kids joined us, as well as Mark’s brother and partner and their little boy Jordan. It was such a beautiful evening and we enjoyed snacks and drinks on top – a reward for our climb! The students had to go in uniform as they wanted to charge a ridiculous amount for them otherwise but they actually were thrilled to wear it and show it off to people!!!

We have also started baking lessons with the students. Once a month a friend Sian has the students round to her house and teaches them how to bake something – then we have tea and enjoy the delights of what they have produced at the end of the evening!! They have loved this – again something so new to them all!!! Sian will also be hosting games evenings this term!!!

A family friend called Liz teaches 3 of the students recorder and music on a Friday morning. They are loving this and the experience of doing something they have never been exposed to. We feel so blessed to have people who so want to step in and help serve these guys.

Academic stuff!!! Mark is doing a fantastic job of teaching these guys and they are all doing really well. His heart and soul goes into all he does for the students. Mark has found it quite a lonely teaching experience as he misses the comaraderie of working with other teachers, bouncing ideas off each other, working as a team etc. We have wonderful Biology and Chemistry teachers but as it is not a formal school setting, they only come and go for their lessons.

Mark has continued to try and raise money here. Mark and my dad have done a few presentations to various Rotary Clubs around Harare and we keep everything crossed that something will come of these meetings. We also had a company sponsor two students this month – still waiting for the money but the promise is there!!! We have amazing friends in England who continue to raise money for us – Shaun has organised a 10k run that 40 work colleagues are taking part in http://www.justgiving.com/acturis10k2011 and Stuart has arranged ‘Peter’s Commute’ which the 6th Form at his School are taking part in http://www.justgiving.com/teams/peterscommute You go guys!!! We feel humbled by peoples support of us. Thank you so much!

Family News! We are all doing well!! Though poor little Zoe lost most of her front tooth a few weeks ago!! Sadly needs a root canel but holding off as we wait for the tooth to firm up. Sadly she got an abscess this last week but thankfully the root canel is booked for Wednesday!!! She was very brave as having a root exposed was excruciating but the body is an amazing thing and it is only sore now with very cold food! The abscess was excruciating too but antibios work wonders!!

Matt is back at school two mornings a week and just loving it! They did a special Postman Pat day last week and he was so thrilled to take all his Postman Pat stuff to school to show and share with all the other kids! He has become so protective and loving towards Zoe - it is soooo lovely to watch!!

We often go for family bike rides – I push Zoe on her bike and Matt rides along on his little bike. It is so lovely and I go try and go out on the afternoons we are home!!! We live in a quiet area, so it is safe to ride on the road without constant traffic! I think the kids love the freedom of it!!

My business Zimbaby has been crazy busy but that is because I have my big launch on 26th June so busy building stock etc. I have had a few stresses with lack of electricity and not being able to sew but sure we will make it for the 26th fine! Though can see me working crazy hours this next 2 weeks! I wish I wasn’t a perfectionist! I’ve even begun to make sales without much advertising – made 10 in the last two weeks!!!

We are loving our new home and it really does feels like home. Don’t feel like we have a huge amount of time to enjoy it but it has been good. They have cut 15 huge trees down in our garden so it currently looks like a wood has been felled! Lots of fire wood and lots of mess to tidy up!!!!! The kids have built numerous T-Pees!!! We have struggled with water, as we do not get government water – just doesn’t come through our pipes – bad area and we have been relying on the well in the garden which is virtually dry due to the rainy season having gone for a few months. So been quite tough at times but our next door neighbour has been so kind and sends over a hosepipe to fill containers etc as they have a borehole.

We are thrilled to let people know that my youngest brother Richard and his wife Anni are expecting their first baby in December! We are so excited for them!!! Woo hoo!!

We have two ex students come to visit in July, which will be amazing and then very close friends the Campbell’s arrive at the end of July – we can’t wait!!! I think that is all our news!

Some photos of family life!
Snuggles in the spare bed together!

First Dress Up Party - Fairies and Superhero's! A few hours before Zoe lost half her front tooth!

The serious business of building T-Pees in the garden!!!

We went to a little game park for Mother's Day with my folks!

Drinking tea on the step with the kids! Best bit dunking our biscuits!!

Snuggled up warm watching TV

Sunset Picnic on the School fields

Best Friends!