Skip to main content

Happy 4th birthday, Jorja

An extract from Jorja's journal:

My dear Girl

In just a few hours we will celebrate you: Your life, your voice, your faces, your feelings, your character and your childhood.

We are far from home, but still find ourselves surrounded by family who love you. Your cousins, great Aunts and Uncles are getting to know you now and there's no doubt that they'll never be the same again!

This year, instead of the usual party in Cape Town, by God's grace we're on a family holiday overseas. What a way to start! Whether we dress up, or go out, bake a cake or sing happy birthday to you every hour on the hour, this will be a truly memorable day.

Every year at this time, I think back to the days leading up to and eventually your birthday on 5 June 2009. I'll never forget the entry you made nor the way I felt when I first realized that the little baby girl I held in my arms was real. Our gift.

Each birthday comes around so quickly and by then you've grown so much taller and learnt maybe 1000 more words. You do not tire!

In 2010 we piggy backed on the Fifa Soccer World Cup and had shared fun in the sun, with balls and bubbles. By 2011 you hosted your first tea party, complete with tiger-striped bicycle, xylophone, jelly cups and a pink velvet coat. For 2012 a home made set of ribbon armbands and flags kept you dancing and prancing to David Foster and Friends and a common caterpillar named Hermie helped you learn some good lessons... Seems like you've brought out the fun loving hippie in the previously tight lipped, straight line, control freak in me! The World thanks you.

This evening when we played catch outside and I heard you shriek with laughter (and helped the freshly cut grass roll into your hair), I thanked God for sending you into our World.

Dear Child, you are unique. There aren't enough colourful words around to fully describe all that you've shown us in just four years! My prayer for this year is that you will take time (in the midst of all the other things that you're always busy doing) to listen closely, sit quietly, speak confidently, sing loudly, follow willingly and continue to trust your Dad and I as we look after you. Our precious gift.

And as per our discussion - Heaven is real. Drinking a McD's milkshake too fast will give you a brain freeze. Not everybody has a Hello Kitty scooter and Jesus loves you.

Happy Birthday Jorja Sarah!

Comments

  1. DJacobsJune 5, 2013 at 8:57 AM

    Beautiful entry!!! I hope to write as heartfelt as you do, cousin!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Robyn Hendricks KlaasenJune 5, 2013 at 11:31 AM

    I miss her extra today... my not-so-little girl <3

    ReplyDelete
  3. michelleJune 5, 2013 at 10:54 PM

    What beautiful thoughts! Wishing you all a wonderful day.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The week that has been...

"Life as we see it", right? My time so far at the cycle tour office is reminding me of just how demanding life in this age can be - a time seeking instant solution and gratification: We want it now! We won't wait! This is what makes a relaxing, easy going activity seem so rewarding! We've always been fortunate enough to cook with pleasure - obviously more for mine! And since returning from BA, we've also found great enjoyment from leisurely strolls in the neighbourhood or at Sea Point promenade. Take time for this! Here's what we've been a part of this past week: We were encouraged to see a group of students from Bishops come out (even in the rain) and join with the FBC team in painting a mural on the school's new diningroom and kitchen wall. For news and updates visit: http://www.fbcschool.org.za/ We joined over 15 000 walkers in a quest to feed the hungry children in the Western Cape, by participaing in the Blisters for Bread walk on Sunday. We tackl...
1 comment
Read more

Week 22

In no apparent order, some of the highlights of the last week have been: Carolling around a log fire with a Yankee Swap, cookies, coffee and new friends Last Friday evening we set off for somewhere near Norwich for our Adult Bible Fellowship (ABF) Christmas party. As visitors to the church, there's already an element of insecurity...now to be heading into someone's home, as Dear Husband would say, "socially awkward levels were at an all time high" - Was the gifts we brought to swap suitable? What was a Yankee Swap anyways? Could you bring something besides sugar cookies to share? Do you have to take off your shoes at the front door? Are you allowed to park people in when the alternative is further up an un-lit, ice covered hill? There were so many unknowns! But once I saw the wood burning in the fireplace I relaxed a lot . Yankee swap was fun! DH was no. 2 to pick a gift, and landed a torch  umm...flashlight, as the locals call it , and it looked as though h...
1 comment
Read more

The Great Update

If you've stuck around, ever hopeful of a new blog post, I'm here to reward (?) your long-suffering. Read on... If you'd prefer the abridged version here it is: The last post before today was published in March 2020. Today is August 2021.  It has been a minute. What a year it has been. Since our last post we've gone from school-at-home in March to June 2020, to summer holiday under our first "lock-down". School for the kids was back in-person for the entire academic year beginning August 2020 until June 2021 and their reward was ten weeks of summer holiday ... and now here we are, one week away from the 21/22 school year - masks and all. Somewhere in between that, I graduated from college and participated in our online graduation ceremony as the 2021 student speaker! ( Yes, I don't know either... ) Completing the two-year degree felt really good and I'll admit that a part of me misses it already...but don't tell anyone I said so.  It seems as thou...
2 comments
Read more