Saturday in Snapshots

Saturdays in the Wilhite household are usually reserved for weekend chores, but once those are done, there's nothing more fun than playing outdoors with the neighbor kids. 

It's apparently more fun to play with crutches when you have 2 good legs :)

Josh helping David lay bricks in the patio (a.k.a. stoop)

Tonka trucks on site make the work load easier.

My heroes who saved the day and helped rid the house of one pesky mouse.

We had a bit of an "mousecapade" this afternoon. I was mixing up a batch of muffins when the oven began to smell weird. Great, the mice are back. They have this annoying habit of chewing through the wires and stealing insulation. The great mouse-hunt began. 5 boys + 2 airsoft guns + a rubber mallet + needed brooms, boxes, cell phone (kids reasoning: the noise will scare it, right?), bamboo sticks, etc. = one dead mouse. The office, kitchen and scullery were in state of chaos at the end, but now this girl can bake in peace once again. Well, as soon as we repair the oven, that is. I have no pity on the beast that comes between me and my mixing bowl. I rest my case. ;)

Let's Play Ball

I glanced out the window this morning and saw Dad tossing a rugby ball to Josh. 

Soon someone else noticed the ball being thrown around, grabbed his "deflated" basketball and trotted out to play .

Mother's Day

We had a full weekend, celebrating close to 30 years of motherhood for my Mum. Life is so much more grand when your mother isn't just your mother, but your friend. Seriously, this lady makes friends with anyone and everyone. Readily found that out when she was away and complete strangers would walk up and give me a hug, ask how the family is, etc. "And you are??" Gotta love Mum. 

I meant to get a picture of the kids and Mum all spiffed up, but the day got away from us.  Pardon the late night smiles :)

Honoring the Mothers in attendance. 6 total. 

 Praising the LORD for a decent turnout to services Sunday morning. During Sunday School, I was attempting to describe what boils were (10 plagues) and used the word "bubbles". One little 4 yr old exclaimed, "Oh! like the bubbles you blow with your mouth!" Not quite, Hun. Later on, we were talking about the Angel of Death and our little chatterbox piped up once more, "I know! Like when you lose a tooth and the Tooth Fairy comes and takes it away!" Help.... :D

Love Dad's expression

 We invited folks back to our place for a meal, Bible study and game. Dad's Zonk/Wham is a hit down here. The teams were quizzed over the Book of Ruth, which was the topic of the morning's message. 

Uya got the best reactions to his Zonk circle :)

11 kids, 2 son-in-laws, & 8 grandbabies (1 in Heaven) later....looking good!

He came up and with a hug said, "Chocolate & banana?" He's now my little chocolate. Love this boy 

Perfect Ending to a good day...Family reading & prayer. 

What happens when you're trying to brush your teeth and your 2 big brothers walk in the room...

::Saturday::

They grow veggies big here :)

Coming Soon!! Lemon Curd, Lemon Bars, Lemonade, Lemon Bundt Cake, Homemade potpourri, or just a squeeze of this fruity goodness in a cuppa... 

Random Twists

Brianna and Buddy catching some winter sun.

All ready for company. So thankful for a room that meets my needs and doubles as a guestroom. 

Need I say more?

Of Mommas and Dramas

She's Arrived! Mum flew in a week ago, but before the renegades could run her over, she and Dad took a weekend and visited our dear fellow missionaries, the Norbergs.  The Bloemfontein Fair had commenced, giving the two couples an opportunity to set up a booth and talk to people about the LORD. 

As crazy as it may sound, the theme of the fair was "The Wild West". African cowboys...quite the picture! 

[Catching a rare nap]

Just hours before Dad and Mum were to drive home (8 hrs north), Joel tried to reenact a stunt of his. This boy loves flipping off buildings, walls, trees, etc. Anything high. Only, this time, it didn't work out so well. I can't thank the LORD enough that my friend, Michelle, was there to help out. 3-4 hrs in an emergency room with a broken arm can get pretty tedious. Joel was a real trooper, putting up with all the poking, prodding, shots, teasing, and such like. He is now the hero to 9 big/little kids around the Plot. 

 

Thankfully, no surgery was needed. Just a cast for 4-6 wks. Though he's bummed about the no-more-flips rule, he certainly couldn't hold back a smile at the thought of less chores!

Mum found Joel just laying out in the middle of the yard, fast asleep. On cool autumn days, you take whatever sun you can get :)

Couldn't help but add a couple "sweetness" pix. The nieces sure do love their Aunty Dy.

This is what I must of looked like when Mum came home...well, not quite. They're waaayyyy cuter!

Little Joys

* Dad has a clean bill of health, after a recent checkup.

* Perks of being home-schooled: warm blankets to wrap up in & tea/coffee to sip while tackling Algebra problems

* A gift platter, from a friend, of biltong (better than beef jerky, let me tell you!) given to my meat-hungry guys. There's no way we could've afforded it otherwise.

* Derek is to receive an academic award today for his excellent achievement in math at his college, LCCC. 

* Jeremiah excelled in his music exams and was rated in the top 2 for his grade in all of South Africa! He was awarded the Hennie Joubert Merit award.

* My Sunday School class is expanding. This past week, I was taught how to correctly color, by 2 four year old girls. Not sure if orange and purple faces are all that accurate, but they were just too cute.

* Mum flies home in a week!!! Wait. This should be at the top of the list!

* New Blackberry phone...happy girl!

Celebrations

As long ago we carried to your knees
The tales and treasures of eventful days,
Knowing no deed too humble for your praise,
Nor any gift too trivial to please,

So still we bring with older smiles and tears,
What gifts we may to claim the old, dear right;
Your faith beyond the silence and the night;
Your love still close and watching through the years.
                             -Author Unknown

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MUM!

The birth of a new granddaughter/niece.

Jeremiah's celebrating his newly acquired Driver's Permit (that's him in the green/yellow jersey).
 Glad I'm a continent (or 2) away!

13 years ago today, Dad surrendered to come to Africa as a missionary. That was probably the best decision he could have made for our family. Africa is my home and there's no greater peace that knowing you're in the center of His will, wherever He has you.

Yes, that photo was dug out of the archives. Taken about a year after moving here.

 We didn't have a party today, but we did have a lot of laughs throughout the day. 

Immitation Motherhood

Muddy footprints trailing through the house, baskets upon baskets of laundry to fold, smiles to share, bee stings, dog bites & cuts to bandage, meals to prepare, school lessons to grade, haircuts, stories to tell,...all in the life of a mother. Only I'm not a mother. Just playing the part. Sometimes feeling inadequate for the job, I'm reminded that God has a plan in all this. As Oswald Chambers put it, "We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties."

Brianna's jumped on board and is my right-hand-girl. Tonight, she and Josh baked some delicious shortbread cookies.  Jolted out of my mindset that my brothers can cook, we've had several training sessions in the kitchen. And, they're improving! 

The days seem to fly by. Mum's been State-side for 2 wks. Only 2 1/2 to go!! The house is rarely silent (hence my late-night blogging). Saturday, there were 10 kids running through the house, and only 4 were Wilhites (excluding me. I never run through the house. haha ;). Guess it doesn't matter how many kids leave the nest. We'll always have a houseful. 

 

On Holiday

For starters, I can't help but post this one darling picture. I'm a new Tannie! My sister, Deanna, had Moriah Jayne early Saturday morning, the 24'th of March. Total overload in the sweetness department! We waved goodbye to Mum on Monday, who will be spending the next 4 weeks getting her fill of grandbabies.

Tuesday was Jeremiah's last day in South Africa for a while. He's hoping to begin flight school in the next couple months, there in the States. We trekked off to the Jo-burg Zoo to enjoy our last day together.

 

Just the 2 girls left. What would I do without this blonde? Love her!

Tuesday evening, Dad dropped Bri and I off @ a friend's place for the week. Just imagine: 4 blondes in a tiny 1 room flat . Michelle and I fell asleep laughing just about every night ;) The adventures were boundless!

 

 

 Bri wasn't all that thrilled with the cable car ride up the mountain in Hartebeestport

Especially when it ground to a halt within sight of the cablehouse. Gotta love Africa and it's notorious power outages. Michelle & I seriously contemplated jumping out. Being cooped up with 2 sugar high girlies, who were singing Christmas songs at the top of their lungs....not a desired spot to be in! Ever so thankful for backup generators...

Back home, Michelle assured me that she knew how to braai. Any thoughts on the matter? Amazingly, the Wors (sausage) and lamb weren't charcoal, but simply well done :) 

Now we're home and down to just 5 kids, meaning 1/2 the Wilhite Tribe now lives Stateside. Though we miss them sooo much, 3 John 1:4 comes into play, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." I guess you could swap "children" for "siblings" :) Speaking of siblings...time to check up on the ones still running around the house.