Taking time to coast…

Late nights.

bikinis.

short shorts.

flip flops.

sunglasses.

sunshine.

loud music.

beaches.

road trips. 

SUMMER AND FREEDOM…

I guess these are the words that pop into my head when Spring and Summer come rolling around!!

It has been such an intense few months that have been overloaded with millions of things. Winter this year wasn’t bland at all. There were so many new friendships and opportunities and it really was awesome but it was just as intense with many new truths and principles and a lot of change.

But I don’t know, I get excited and super pumped up when the new season starts and we get to enjoy a whole different kind of warmth again. I guess it is also because I grew up at the coast with the beach basically in our backyard and when you move to a city with none of that, the seasons definitely affect you more. Just not used to Winter and I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it.

So with Spring here, I’m excited that I’ll be going home in just over a week from now! I really need the time at home to just settle a few things in my heart…just get some peace. Usually I run home when I need to just escape from all the craziness and get some peace, I don’t know what it is, but I just have such magical moments and experiences with God when I’m home…

Anyway, apart from that I’m keen for the road trip home as well as fun adventures and experiencing amazing things. And I’m keen to see some friends..

So times with my boys and then think I’ll wana spend some time with one of my girlfriends! Would be great to catch up and do some fun summer girly things. Try new recipes, sip cocktails and just share some love and so on and I have the perfect friend in mind. Keen to see Kerry-Lee Greco!!!

But that’s the fun thing about Spring and Summer, there are endless things to do! New recipes, wine and dine evenings, parties, night swims at the beach, tanning, getting up early for the sunrise, watching sunsets, taking pretty photos, going on little exploring adventures and just spending quality time with people!!! I don’t know what more a girl could want to keep her heart happy! I truly am blessed in every way possible with all these amazing treasures just waiting to be discovered!

Then, this weekend my mom flies up to visit from the coast, my one very close friend marries her prince and then next week it’s just coffee and fun and then the great road trip home!!! I think I’m too excited to sleep or think about anything else!

My lovely Em – crazy but totally loveable

Then today, is a very special friend’s birthday. My lovely Em is celebrating it today and it sucks that I can’t be there to celebrate with her. She’s the lucky girl who gets to live in Mozambique and just have fun in the sun all the time! Unfortunately, I didn’t get to go see her in Mozam this past July holiday, so I’m totally bummed. Having separation anxiety as my sister would call it. But will definitely make a plan to go see her SOON!!! Anyway, this lovely lady is actually the younger sister of a friend of my sister and once dated my best mate Ryan. I love her to bits and pieces and she’s very chilled and I guess we both love making a good thing of situations, we kinda always hope for the best in people. Anyway, she can be outrageous and fun, she’s always fun… and laughs a lot. I don’t know how but she found such a special place in my heart although we haven’t seen each other in ages, we always have good talks! So I dearly love this crazy child!!!! And I am so happy to see her modelling a little for Rip Curl in Mozam! It has been something I have prayed for her, as she is just amazing and deserves such beautiful opportunities!!!

Em’s pose for the Rip Curl shoot

So happy birthday my gorgeous friend!!!! Hope you have one super blessed day and that your heart will continue to shine with love and light. May all your opportunities be blessed and may you have the greatest moments. Cherish each one! Have a fun-filled day, enjoy the partying, love, laughter and all the crazy cake moments!!!! You’re always loving and inspiring! Enjoy it! Miss and love you lots Em xx

And with that, I want to say, enjoy this Spring and Summer and may all of you be blessed. Get ready for sun, fun, sandy hair and salty air!!! Just live it up and enjoy all of it! It really is a blessed time…

Dad’s 50th Weekend

2 weekend’s ago (10^th-12^th May), I went home for my dad’s 50^th. It truly was a blessed weekend as I got to see family and just spend quality time with my parents. It was a bitter sweet weekend as it really opened my eyes to the situation at home and how my parents are struggling financially and the time at home was way too short, but I had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the deep conversations I had with my parents. We really opened up to each other and my dad really appreciated us coming home for his birthday and my mom was happy we were there for mother’s day. We also laughed a lot and my dad told lots of stories, I got to share details with them about the new budding relationship in my life and also just share my heart with them. It was great being able to lie against my dad and keep warm while talking on the couch and awesome to chill on my mom’s bed and just watch a movie with her. The weekend weather was cold and rainy, so it gave us a lot of time to spend indoors chatting and catching up. I also got to see one of my best mates, Stubbs, on Friday night for coffee and then we cooked supper for his mom. We both got to share and talk about new opportunities and prospects coming into our lives and what our future’s hold and just talk deeply about God and a bunch of stuff, sharing jokes and stories and coffee – it really was a blessing.

That same weekend though, my boyfriend had been involved in a car accident, a head on collision. Our friend Michelle was in the car with him and she got hurt, breaking her collar bone and cracking two ribs, he went through the windscreen. Luckily, everyone came out alive but I was pretty shaken up when I got the news as I wasn’t in the same province and was over 700km’s away. Luckily, God has blessed us with four amazing friends, them being his two best friends and each of their girlfriends. Freddie and Ashley, Cornu and Eline went over to go see him, sending me news and photos to let me know he’s okay and reassuring me. I really appreciated it and truly have been blessed by these amazing people. My parents were with me when I got the news, so they comforted me while I cried and went through the motions of shock and processing it all. My mom gave hugs and chocolate, while my dad made tea and told jokes. It really was a great weekend overall, that strengthened relationships and really built solid foundations for a great future. It really showed me what love is and how blessed I am to have people who care in my life. I am so thankful for it all.

Special Weekend Breakaway for Dad’s 50th

In a few days, on Friday 10th May to be exact, I get to fly home and see my dad as he turns 50 on Friday. I get to go home, see the parents and some good friends and get back to the coast for the weekend.
Can’t wait to see my dad and then the beautiful coast – that bridge too… When I do – I know I’m home. And I’m excited and grateful. It is a blessing, even if it is just for a little while!

*Thanks to Stubbs and my mom for the photos.

Coastal Vibes

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Today is one windy, rainy day here on the coast. Seems like we’ve got a little cold front rolling in for the weekend! So, while drinking some yummy hot green tea, I thought it is time I posted some pics from my mom’s laptop while I’m home & update you a little. Sorry Mom.

So the pics uploaded are of my little sister’s birthday – her 19th, some sardine run pics, pics of Glenn Hall winning the Mr Price Pro as well as another surfer who totally surfed it up at the Mr Price Pro, and then the surfing conditions or rather what the beach looked like before the Billabong Pro in Jbay earlier this week.

Today is the last day of the Billabong Pro in Jbay. It is quite a bummer that it is no longer a CT event but also a great opportunity for the locals to surf it up & give some of those pro’s a go. Gonna be good to see who wins this year. Jordy Smith surfed really well yesterday, so we’re all keen to see what happens as the past two years he really has made it his own event. If you aren’t there get on twitter & facebook to get the latest updates from Billabong SA or a few other guys. Everyone is posting.

Also been getting itno shape & been out this week for a 25th. Probably gonna have a braai or something with Rachel & Shaun – the engaged couple – tonight, so I’m looking forward. Let’s just hope the weather holds up ’til then or changes for the better.

And then next week, hopefully some mates will be off from work & we’ll be hitting the beach & waves a little more often. Keen to get into some training.

Have a great day

Xx

M

4 Hopeful Women

Bad things happen to everyone. I don’t know why and I guess we’ll never be able to explain it. But I do believe good can come from every bad thing and I always have a hope that we can learn from it all and through it all, glorify Jesus. We definitely have the choice to and I personally believe, that if bad things didn’t happen, then we wouldn’t learn compassion. We don’t really know compassion until we ourselves have gone through trials. But in all the bad, I do believe that through prayer, God will heal and when He doesn’t, I know He has a plan with that too.

In my life many have died and that is hard to deal with, but I want to celebrate those who still live and I want to cherish them and learn as much from them and their stories as possible. I have 4 women on my heart today, whom I really want to lift up, celebrate and also lift up in prayer. They are amazing women, with incredible strength, love and perseverance and whom I’ve learn’t so much from.

Elicia, Riamien, Elizabeth and then my mom.

Elicia, I got to know last year by working on Tuks Missions Committee with her and we have been incredibly close friends ever since. She has Marfan Syndrome, a disorder of connective tissue, the tissue that strengthens the body’s structures. This disorder of connective tissue can affect the skeletal system, cardiovascular system, eyes, and skin. It also causes overgrowth, mainly in the long bones. So arms and leg and fingers often grow very long and thin. Because of this disorder, she is unable to do physical sport or anything as she needs to gain a lot more muscle before she can do that and as far as I know, this incredibly beautiful friend of mine also has some problems with her heart.

Riamien, I got to know this year, by a friend whom studies with me. Francois started a prayer group for her and I felt God truly wanted me to get to know her and just support her. I have got to know her by sms, her status updates on bbm and facebook and by the messages people have sent her. She has lung cancer. There isn’t much I need to explain as I am sure you have heard of it. I remember from when I was in primary school, a close family friend who passed away from it. We went to visit her often and I remember her last days and they were horrible. But Riamien, has shown incredible positivism and a belief of getting well again. She really has taught me a lot.

Elizabeth, whom has been studying with me for 3 years now and has been an amazing friend when I haven’t even been worth the name ‘friend’ has suffered many illnesses but the the worst so far has her in bed and recovering for more than a month. She went for an operation and the doctor found stage 1 Ensometriosis for a second time. Since her operation in May, she has been in for a few operations again, they thought she had internal bleeding. We now know she has been suffering from Peritonitis, which is an inflammation (irritation) of the peritoneum, the thin tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and covers most of the abdominal organs as well as Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches by a substance that has traveled from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream (embolism). PE most commonly results from deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in the deep veins of the legs or pelvis) that breaks off and migrates to the lung, a process termed venous thromboselism (VTE). A small proportion is due to the embolization of air, fat talc in drugs of intravenous drug abusers or Amniotic Fluid . The obstruction of the blood flow through the lungs and the resultant pressure on the right ventricle of the heart lead to the symptoms and signs of PE. The risk of PE is increased in various situations, such as cancer or prolonged bed rest. Things just seem to be going wrong or getting worse. She really is struggling.

Then, my mom. The amazingly tough but stubborn women who gave birth to me struggles every day with Osteoarthritis. Many days after work she goes to bed having to lie flat on her back with stuff stretching her spine and so on. My mom is too young to have an operation and although she needs it, she won’t go, there is no money for that and it won’t be long before she would have to go for another one. Those operations don’t help much and you end up having one every few years which is pretty ridiculous. So, seeing and knowing how my mom suffers sucks too.

Each one of them persevere through so many situations every day, they have a lot of love and compassion to give, they are always willing and active, they are funny and crazy, but most of all they possess an incredible strength I wish I had. But they all have been dealing with illness and need God’s protective, healing hand and need our prayer.

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A poem written by Riamien about her unshakable hope about beating cancer.

Faith, Hope, Love. 
You need all of the above.
If you want to live, then you’ve got to be positive. 
There is a rumor I got a tumor. 
I used to be a dancer, but then I got cancer. 
I used to have hair all down my back, but now it is even shorter than Kojak.
But that is all right,
Cuz I’m gonna win the fight!!!

Healthy time

Wow! So the other day one of my friends and dear house mate asked ‘why are we the takeaway house?’…. She asked because in our digs the one recycling bin is always filled with empty take away boxes….

I’ve never had a problem with takeaways, I love cooking but this year – it has gotten out of hand! Especially when we said we’d do 40 days of no takeaways. It seems as if that was when it really spiraled out of control. ‘Healthy’ not my favourite word but she really got me thinking. Suddenly I am looking forward to this winter holiday time as it is long (long enough to get back into a healthy routine) and I get away from here. Back to going home where my mom is obsessed with being healthy and for once, I am actually glad and looking forward to her sometimes crazy obsession!! No offence, Mom.

So a few tips:

• keep hydrated with water, try stay away from fizzy drinks or alcohol – if you’re going to drink one of those, try having one glass of water for each glass of alcohol or fizzy drink
• do at least one active thing for the day & get creative if you have to work or something
• if you’re going to go to a party & you’re anything like me, that snack table will be calling & I’ll spend a lot of time there, so prepare by eating something before hand or just get a few things from the snack table & move away from it
• eat before you get hungry & eat slowly while sitting down
• get at least 7 hours of sleep in a night, I know it is hard when you’re working or a student but I really think it helps. It does energize you and it keeps your body healthy. You need to be active, but your body needs rest too
• don’t be too hard on yourself, it may not be easy but anything is possible and you have to remember that
• write down the reasons why you want to be healthy or get back to that, and often just go through the list of reasons, to keep yourself motivated and if you can’t do that, share those reasons with a friend whom will be able to remind you why and keep you motivated

Anyway, I’ll be getting back to being healthy from the 1st of July and hopefully be well on my way by the 5th when I get back home. But I want to get back after the holidays having a healthy body and mind. I want to be renewed and refreshed physically, mentally and spiritually when I get back. Want a little change and I am really glad my mom will be there to help me through it!