IT is HERE at last!!!

My passport has that little blue sticker in it that says  "Residents Visa"    Whoooooooo  Whooooooo

Sorry NZ  I DO get to stay!  These are my NZ family and I am so happy to be able to say to the grandies:

"Gangan is not going back to South Africa to STAY"  (but definitely going back to visit)


To my South African grandies......  Gangan is coming Soon!!!
Now that I will be allowed back into New Zealand I can come and visit

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Happy Birthday big boy!


Tyler you will be a whole year old and I will not be there for your first birthday. I love you darling!

To Macaela and Stacey I am coming to take pictures and to give you loads of love and kisses.  Miss you girls!
Stacey, you too have a birthday soon. Love you sweetheart have a happy birthday!

19 March 2012 A new set of Documents

In November I lodged my next set of documents for Residence in NZ.

This week I got a letter to say that my application was being attended to and being reviewed as to whether my health issues still made me ineligible for residency.

I was also asked to provide proof that we are still together as a couple. :)

yes this made me smile. We have been married 30 years so I rang up and asked if I could send the cards and photos from our 30th wedding anniversary dinner!!!

how else do you prove you are still together?? The grand children could be asked in a court of law where Gangan sleeps or where Oupa stays I guess! LOL

I am still happy and healthy. Have had a really busy time of late and found myself hitting a brick wall last week. Was actually a little afraid that I was just as tired as before I found the cancer in my right breast. Don't want to think that that was a problem... but no! I am fine just a little over-worked. Too much hay on my fork!

This week I am making chocolates, making coconut slices and also putting a demonstration of Chocolate making together. Saturday sees me volunteering to make sandwiches for the local Lionesses who are catering lunch packs for the local college centennial reunion.

I would also like to get a few things done on my sewing and quilting table. Intending to go off to visit my "Bestie" soon and with the new little girl baby coming along soon I should be finishing off some quilts!!!

I have a list of about 7 promised quilts and winter is looming large in NZ.

so I guess I will have to wiggle to get it all done........

.... but for today? I am resting.

Of babies,blood tests and our 30th wedding anniversary

Wow! what a year and it is only 27th of February 2012

Mum and Dad have been for a 3 month long visit and it was great to hug them both again.

The opening of a new bridge at Kopu saw me meeting the Prime Minister of New Zealand.

I now have 6 grandchildren!!! With another on the way by May this year.

I will then have 6 granddaughters and 1 grandson. What a joy!!!

So much for giving up on life! ME ???? NO WAY!!!

I live in an awesome country and love everything about it. My health is really good now even though I am exceptionally active I still book myself an "off" day once in a while and no longer feel guilty when a PJ day is declared!

I am quilting, babysitting, knitting, building community and delivering meals to sick friends..... AND I LOVE IT!!!!

God has been good to me and given me a heart for those who are ill and in need of helps. I am enriched by the care I receive in return.

6 February saw my Dh and I married for 30 years. What a privilege to still have my school sweetheart by my side through all that we have been through .

On the health front... My bloods are all good and my mammograms are great!!! As for bone density scans? 100%, In fact, they are better now than when I was first diagnosed. HOW GOOD IS GOD!!!

I have been invited to resubmit my residency application in NZ and did so in November and now I wait.

Still on a work permit until next april but ever hopeful that soon I will be resident in this amazing land.

DH has entered the New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year Competition and we are delighted to have come through the first phase of the Regionals and have now completed the 2nd phase too. AND NOW WE WAIT!!!!

9 March 2012 is the Awards dinner and we will hear how we have fared.

EXCITING! even if we do not place it has been an awesome experience for us both. Culminating in a really good celebratory awards dinner where our competitors are also honored.

Whoooooop Whoooop I am soooooo HIGH on LIFE!!!! BRING IT ON!!!

TWO YEARS ON from when we left SA

Today it has been exactly two years since we boarded a plane to visit New Zealand! I have spent a little while tonight reflecting on these two years. I had so many lessons to learn in such a short time. Have I learned them all....? I really hope so. Can't imagine doing this for forty years! Here am I after all I have been through and I am EXCITED about life again. Mum and Dad are coming to visit in November and staying until January. New baby arrives in November too... now that has also been so fast! My girls are all growing so tall. Jennifer woke up to tell Tamryn that she "feels four" the other day.... Bless! she was told that when she is four she can go to kindy every day for the whole day. So when the move was over and the local kindy had space for her to go to them in the mornings three times a week she suddenly "felt four!" So "feel 21" does that count ???
It the age of 47 I am starting my own business. I am an independent consultant for Lorraine Lea Linen. (see www.linenparties.com ) I really love the fabrics and the products. Cannot believe I can actually own this lovely linen and fill my home with it and I earn money visiting friends and having fun. I LOVE my job!!!
Who would have thought that I would feel this way again after having given up on life less than two years ago?
please leave me a note if you think I should continue this blog. If I am helping even ONE person I will do this until I am asked to stop.

a new day and another hurdle

Some days are diamonds..... some days are coal!

Woke up today to a morning of errands and an afternoon of sewing. Yay Time for ME TIME! ..... after the erands I feel too exhausted to go out this afternoon. So i will be having a rest today.... tomorrow is time to catch up again.

And the rain came down and the tides came up....

An almost forgotten Sunday School song is ringing through my head!

"The Wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wiseman built his house upon the rock and the house upon the rock stood firm
....... The rains came down and the floods came up!
....... The rains came down and the floods came up!
....... The rains came down and the floods came up!......
....... and the house upon the rock stood firm!"

Some of the things we have experienced lately have been floods and some have been like rain and some of the moments have been pure rainbows! Little moments where God shows me exactly how much He loves me. I am unworthy to be a child of The King of Kings, In my own strength I am nothing. Through Jesus I have the honour of being shrouded in love so that when My King looks at me he no longer sees my disgusting sin, He sees the purest love ever given. Love greater than any one has ever given. Love that cost Life and Blood and Humiliation and degradation to buy! It cost everything to give and absoltutely nothing to receive. Freely given.

Before all of this started to happen I had a dream..... I dreamed that we had bought a little house at the seaside. When we moved into the house the tide was out and the house was strong and solid. Then the tide turned.
The water came up to window height and as I walked from room to room I saw each room belonged to a member of my family. The rooms were all roomy, open and peaceful places. I LOVE the peace that reigned in this dream house. The walls were thick and strong and the windows held firm against the waves as they beat against the window. I was safe and protected. I knew when the tide went back out my house would still be standing.... Just before I awoke from my dream I stepped over the doorstep to find that my house was not on the sand at all. I had no fear because under my feet was a really hard, rock layer. Now I understand!


The house is a representation of my family. Each room having the resident family member. The open plan bedrooms are the individual members and represent their "closeness" to God and the purity of their lives. all the room doors were open. No locks so no doors barred. The tides were representing troubles ahead and the Rock????

The rock foundation is obviously the foundation of God in our lives.

Praise be to God! He is such a gentle person. This was my warning that tough times were on their way..... His way of letting me know that I needed to fix my eyes on Him I would not waiver or be weakened. He would secure me and keep me safe!!!
Thank you God that You did not leave me standing on quick sand . You are my strength! AMEN!!!

Sunshine!

Sunshine!

Good morning! It is a beautiful day and the sun is bright and cheery. I had the first decent night's sleep in absolute ages. No waking up at 3 am! no tossing and turning. One full night of deep and undrugged sleep! Whooooo hoooo. Amazing what sleep and sunshine do for me!

My DH is up and about again today after a brush with flu left him flattened this week. He is not perfect yet but definitely on the mend!

On the Cancer front all is calm and so am I. I got a letter from my oncologist confirming that my radiation is complete and that is for immigration. I am so happy that that is one more step completed. I am beginning to feel stronger and ready to do more again.