Capture Life 365–week 19

Things that made me smile…

Walking past the house and seeing these feet hanging out the window while doing school…

Finding little reminders to pray throughout the house, put up by the littlest family member…Seeing this one taking his test – pencil, paper & cow horn…

Watching my man confirm why the taps are refusing us…

Knowing the rain water tank means we still have a way to get water without walking too far, even if it’s home to tadpoles and mosquito larvae…

The opportunity to learn to rely more on God and less on myself…

Wouldn’t have seen this beauty if I didn’t have to collect water…

Waking up to the remnants of an unfinished Take 2 game from the night before…

Discovering this incredible gold insect - who can deny God exists when faced with such exquisite beauty. I don’t know what it’s called, but I’m going with the ‘bling bug’… Best mothers day gift ever…!

Capture Life 365–week 13

Front porch turned into makeshift clinic – another burned baby at the gate, not a candle this time, but the all too common pot of boiling water. You can thank one of my weaker stomached girls for not seeing any gorey pictures!So thankful to have Medihoney on hand donated by Comvita, and non stick dressings sent from NZ friends to be able to use. Such.a.huge.help. In the words of this mama ‘thank you so much – what these people have done is ministry to my boy’.

School time at the table – enlisting the help of a big sister

Lily asked to do dishes due to the rare novelty of having water come out of the kitchen tap! How could I refuse!Found these two catching the early morning sun – both reading books from The Barn Chronicles for the umpteenth time! Such a joy to see my reluctant reader boy devouring Rosie Boom’s books!

Celebrating small victories – finally found a gas station that had kerosene to fill our lanterns!

Yes – this is in our yard, and that’s just one tiny branch from one of the two trees! Go on. Be jealous. Soon we are going to be in avocado h.e.a.v.e.n!

This. On our way to church this morning. Honey for the soul.

Capture Gratitude 10 - 17

Beauty found within the throes of daily life. Countless blessings and reasons to be thankful waiting to be discovered everyday. Recognizing, capturing and recording them before they fade into a forgotten memory.

This week, I’m grateful for:

10.   finding all 6 kids doing schoolwork on the same day, at the same time - a rare moment!

11.   sweet Lily learning new skills

12.   a sausage snack at Jordan House before coming home and grateful for the butchery that donates them each week - SO good!

13.   fun time out for just Charlotte and Mum

14.   my boy who thinks outside the box and comes up with great solutions for making stuff last longer

15.   one on one time with Josiah

16.   friends who knew how desperately the kids missed having books they haven't read, and turned up with a big pile to do a book swap with!

16.   snatching moments to watch Riana move quietly about the garden with the poise of a developing photographer. My girl is growing up...

17.   the story of redemption and hope behind these precious faces that make my life here so worthwhile

much to be grateful for...



“There is no event so common place but that God is present within it, always hidden, always leaving you room to recognize Him or not to recognize Him.” Fredrick Buechner
Click here to see the blog that inspired me to start capturing gratitude

Capture gratitude

I don't want to miss the beauty found within my daily life. The many blessings and reasons to be thankful every day. Thanks to Mandy (a fellow blogger in Uganda I have yet to meet!)for the inspiration, this is my effort to recognize, capture and record gratitude.

This week, I’m grateful for:

1   three boys that take over the kitchen on fathers day in honour of an amazing dad

2   our first taste of bacon & eggs in over 7 months - sooo good!

3   the joy and entertainment a new guard puppy brings

4   one sweet brother who offered to keep his clothes in a suitcase so another sister could move into his room and use his drawer

5   sisters who are best friends

6   the Dr who found my phone under our car in the hospital carpark and left his number on my windscreen so I could collect it from his clinic in town - soooo grateful not to have lost all my contacts

7   the much appreciated gift of a night away for just the two of us at a simply gorgeous place

8   sweet, sweet friends - yes that's you Rackley family! who looked after our six kids along with their own six so we could enjoy our night away

9   happy reminders of NZ found in railway sleeper paths and tropical alfresco dining by a pond

much to be grateful for...

“There is no event so common place but that God is present within it, always hidden, always leaving you room to recognize Him or not to recognize Him.” Fredrick Buechner