Merry Christmas!

We would have been in Port Elizabeth this December holiday. Plans changed somewhat when my sister and her hubby decided to buy my parents tickets to spend Christmas with them down under. And leave us behind.
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Not that I'm bitter or anthing.
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So, this year we're with Dear Hubsband's family again. And the funny thing is - I don't know where I prefer to be... with my family or with his! Let's face it. Very few people can say they LOVE their inlaws. I, on the other hand, LURVE mine.
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You might be tempted to think that I'm laying this on a bit thick, because yes, they read my blog. (Hello Mom! Hello Nonks!) And you might be right wrong right...
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But even our friends LOVE my inlaws. And you can ask them if you don't believe me. Our friend Dewald (who absconded South Africa to go and live in North Carolina! Deserter!) even writes my mom-in-law letters. But not us.
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Not that I'm bitter or anything.
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Anyhoo.
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What I was supposed to be blogging about today was that I'm missing my Down Under'ers terribly today. They are eleven hours ahead of us, which makes it almost nine o' clock on Christmas Eve. My family don't do the open-prezzies-on-Christmas-Eve thing. They do the go-to-bed-early-so-that-the-night-passes-quickly-and-we-can-wake-up-to-christmas-morning-sooner thing. So at least I'm not ALREADY missing out on special family time... they're simply too far away for my liking.
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Merry trissmiss to my Down Under'ers. I miss you all terribly.
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And a WONDERFUL Christmas to all my blogging buddies out there!
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Thank you, Jesus, for laying aside Your divinity and coming to our little planet to be born as a little guy in a feeding trough in a stable on the outskirts of Bethlehem, to a little girl who was scoffed at for being knocked up when she wasn't even married and a faithful young man who was ridiculed for standing by her. You are so much more than we deserve and we are so indebted to You!

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P.S. Ms J, I promise I'll post some pics soon ok?

My Christmases are so different now!

We're in Durban again, holidaying with the outlaws inlaws. Which means that I have
(a) Internet access for the next three(ish) weeks! Yeeee haaaaaaa! So happy I am!
(b) Very willing suckers for punishment grandparents itching to look after Jesse so that I can have three minutes to myself! Yeeee haaaaaaa! So happy I am!
(c) Malls, malls and more malls nearby! Yeeee haaaaaaa! So happy I am!
(d) Unlimited coffee on tap! Yeeee haaaaaaa! So happy I am!
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Hasn't this year just flown by sooooo fast? Remembering a year ago, my little girl's very first Christmas - she was still so tiny - not even crawling yet. And now, barely a year later, she is an inquisitive marauding monster! A lovable inquisitive marauding monster. But STILL an inquisitive marauding monster. Very little is beyond her reach now. Especially since she's figured out how to move the furniture and create steps to climb up to where she wants to be. Can somebody say "Lord have mercy"?
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Gone are my days of sitting quietly beside her while she plays.
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No siree.
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Now, I barely get to take a few deep unfit breaths before running to catch up with her before she plunders the next "untouchable". Leave alone inspect the state of my grey rooted hair!
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Fun fun fun.
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I cannot comprehend how vastly empty my life would be right now, if it weren't for this little girl. How I just totally adore her! (And yes, you can remind me of that when she's throwing a a very loud, very violent tantrum in the aisles of the Pavillion in the middle of a bunch of impatient last-minute-Christmas-shopping grinches. Please. Not for the feint-hearted, these tantrums!)
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Somebody told me a few years ago that my life would never be the same when Jesus would give me children. How right they were! I wouldn't trade my NOW for my THEN, for anything on this planet! Even when I take stock of my empty wallet, grey hairs and aching bones. It's worth every second.
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How blessed am I?

My beautiful babe

The beauty of this daughter of mine just blows me away some days. Recently Robin and I spent the weekend

at a resort on the KwaZulu Natal coast, called Salt Rock. What a spectacularly beautiful place it is! I took a few pics of my two fabe people on the planet, and thought I'd share them with you. (I am still without internet at home... can you believe it????? Me neither!)