tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31491232314003636292024-03-13T11:24:17.645-07:00Two and a Half (and still growing) MenAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-73205781436663214012013-12-13T01:28:00.000-08:002013-12-13T01:28:34.010-08:00Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSwBc9kZ532f5Bf5hw2J-TDRSSV98Xa6pjxTJn51V8WH78TK80YV1QZ67-BTTYLD5SsiLd6lEzvxAfhCaGnUujlSK5jpMyiHE7I1QLMcK3HrCo4Yc4frzwwxxA98Z6avhBDCICMl5Me8/s1600/aasdd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSwBc9kZ532f5Bf5hw2J-TDRSSV98Xa6pjxTJn51V8WH78TK80YV1QZ67-BTTYLD5SsiLd6lEzvxAfhCaGnUujlSK5jpMyiHE7I1QLMcK3HrCo4Yc4frzwwxxA98Z6avhBDCICMl5Me8/s400/aasdd.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And so a very blessed and busy 2013 comes to an end.<br />
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I am taking a well-deserved break to spend quality time with
my son, husband and family and to get around to doing those little things one
just don’t get time for during the year.</div>
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Have a very blessed festive season and if you are travelling…
Please be safe!! My wish for you in the brand new 2014 is a prosperous one
filled with blessings all around. Whether they come in disguise or tackle you
off your feet. And if you are waiting for that bundle of love to join your
forever family, may he or she march into your hearts and lives very early in
the New Year!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span lang="FR" style="mso-ansi-language: FR;"><em>Joyeux Noël et
Bonne Année!<o:p></o:p></em></span></h3>
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<span lang="FR" style="mso-ansi-language: FR;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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Jusqu'à l'année prochaine ...</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-72681257112934123892013-12-05T22:37:00.000-08:002013-12-06T02:36:57.400-08:00To A Very Special Man<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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18 July 1918 to 5 December 2013</div>
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To the man that taught us to love, taught us that we are all
equal and taught us to never resent. We will miss you Tata.</div>
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Thank you for giving all of us the opportunity to have a
place in the African sun. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a
husband and a father in our beautiful country.</div>
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
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<span class="hps"><span lang="FR" style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jusqu'à
la prochaine fois</span></span><span class="shorttext"><span lang="FR" style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span class="hps"><span lang="FR" style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">...</span></span></div>
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<span class="hps"><span lang="FR" style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><span class="hps"><span lang="FR" style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><span class="hps"><span lang="FR" style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span> </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-57403564113779255932013-11-20T01:52:00.002-08:002013-11-20T01:52:49.860-08:00Birthday Celebrations!!
This year’s theme was all about the little cute guys from
Despicable Me and Despicable Me2… The Minions… Loïc’s favourite at this stage.
So on Saturday we invited all the friends and family to celebrate Loïc’s second
birthday and like the year before, our mission was to send all the children home
on a sugar high… Mission accomplished!! I even hired a candyfloss maker which
was a huge hit with both the kids and parents.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pO6oPJy_kyqLXDCIOtvMYahks_rUnDpdUE-YZsxtUSPq1JJDqEHS5x0uixCJcOqvLArDQZWd1m4N_QBnSH6nLPcWamPNczGqX6OtX7hk0FvhyphenhyphenVAs9w3vCdTGfyyr0jXAAsjTq1KZKFY/s1600/IMG-20131119-WA0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pO6oPJy_kyqLXDCIOtvMYahks_rUnDpdUE-YZsxtUSPq1JJDqEHS5x0uixCJcOqvLArDQZWd1m4N_QBnSH6nLPcWamPNczGqX6OtX7hk0FvhyphenhyphenVAs9w3vCdTGfyyr0jXAAsjTq1KZKFY/s320/IMG-20131119-WA0003.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rcAAf6OOZAxrJcMwQqY8bWntyDez98LHtrC7jaK-T8SUxUdMINrOoNDzQwwuAl1vzzg3xx0ZAA2lFe7ESBRlPYjASzbFZ8w9Vq2fhUeM7k3fq2vtzXfa-6ugaOp4jNgLtzf1iDPmZ-g/s1600/IMG-20131119-WA0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rcAAf6OOZAxrJcMwQqY8bWntyDez98LHtrC7jaK-T8SUxUdMINrOoNDzQwwuAl1vzzg3xx0ZAA2lFe7ESBRlPYjASzbFZ8w9Vq2fhUeM7k3fq2vtzXfa-6ugaOp4jNgLtzf1iDPmZ-g/s320/IMG-20131119-WA0006.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Thank you to the team at <a href="http://bakinghabits.co.za/">Baking Habits</a> for exceeding my every
expectation with the cake. It was an absolute hit with everyone!</div>
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We had a very tired little boy at the end of the day. He was
one of the firsts in the pool and the very last one to get out.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p>We asked all our guests to please contribute either nappies
or a can of formula that we donate to <a href="http://www.procare.co.za/">Procare</a>, which they then distribute to their
Houses of Safety. We were generously blessed again this year. Thank you to
every single one that contributed!! This small gesture makes a huge difference.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p>Our tradition every year is to set free three balloons in
memory of Loïc’s Birth Mom and two siblings.</div>
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<o:p></o:p>Thank you to everyone that attended to make Loïc’s birthday
a memorable one. And a BIG thank you for all the gifts. Our little prince was
spoilt rotten!!</div>
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<span class="hps">Jusqu'à la prochaine fois</span> <span class="hps">...</span><br />
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<span class="hps"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-53679516961076958342013-11-13T02:51:00.001-08:002013-11-13T02:51:44.172-08:00#EmotionalDayOfBirth
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>“When your
eyes are shining brightly it is so nice to see, that one day you will for
certain become all you're meant to be. You are to simply everyone a special
little man, who brings the kind of happiness that nothing is greater than. Every
day you bring to us all the joy that life could hold, you're such a special little
boy from the day you were born. Like teardrops on the roses kissed by the
morning dew, you're the treasure that gives us pleasure in everything you do.
Happy birthday to our dear Loïc who couldn't be more loved. We turn to God each
day and night to keep you safe and sound, we join you in your night prayers as
to the guardian angel you call, please protect and keep your light on for this
special little boy. May God bless you our sweet prince…”<o:p></o:p></em></span><br />
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Love Papa & Dadda<o:p></o:p></div>
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The exact proceedings of 13 November 2011 I cannot recall,
but I’m sure it went a bit like this… Morne and I were woken up by our
screaming alarms at 6 in the morning. We swung our tired bodies out of bed and dragged
our feet to the coffee maker. We lit a cigarette and stared in to the far
distance playing out the day ahead in our heads. Jumped through the shower,
said our good-byes to each other, got in the car and fought our way through
traffic.</div>
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Let’s call her Angela (not her real name)… Her day possibly went like this…
Highly pregnant and uncomfortable. Her heart and head heavy with emotion because
of difficult choices that lay ahead. She gets her day started with her fellow pregnant
housemates. As she struck up a conversation with a fellow housemate, she felt a
familiar sensation of warm fluid running down her legs. She calls for the
housemother and they make their way to the hospital. They are met by the Social
Worker at the hospital and they are all concerned that this is happening a
month too early. Angela gets taken to her hospital bed to give birth…</div>
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY our special boy, our prince, our baby boy!! You
are 2 today and we are so excited with you!! Opening presents with you and
seeing that excitement on your face melts our heats.</div>
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Thank you for choosing us as your parents. We love you more
than words can describe. We love you!! We love you!! We love you!!</div>
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For the first time ever I’m experiencing a day full of
emotion especially when I think of Angela. Does she remember 13 November? Does
she want to remember this day? I wish I could help just a little to make it
better. Sometimes I wish we had a relationship with her if only just so that we
can share with her special days like these and to let her know that he is loved
beyond means. That he’s taken care off and that he is happy.<o:p> </o:p></div>
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Our heart and thoughts are with you Angela. We love you!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p> </o:p><br />
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<span lang="FR" style="mso-ansi-language: FR;">Jusqu'à la
prochaine fois ...</span></div>
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<span lang="FR" style="mso-ansi-language: FR;"></span><o:p></o:p> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-71911774178709915842013-10-15T01:46:00.000-07:002013-10-15T01:46:19.626-07:00Precious Moments
Morne is an absolute music lover. He goes nowhere without
his iPod and on business trips it’s his travel companion if I can’t accompany
him.<br />
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Whom I kidding… Even if I’m with him he still prefers his
iPod.</div>
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While running a few errands this weekend, Morne and Loïc
worked through Morne’s playlist while driving around. They came across <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frv6FOt1BNI">this</a>
song by Kylie Minogue and Loïc had an instant attraction to it. When they
arrived home Morne called me to come see this. He put the song on… Loïc belted
out the phrase “Higher, <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Higher, Higher” every time Kyle sang fire or higher. He even
incorporated a little hand gesture with it by lifting his hands to the sky. It
was so cute to see that I played the song at least three times thereafter just
to see him perform.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is amazing how much of our gestures our children pay attention
to. Last week I walked in on Loïc where he was sitting at the kitchen counter
in front of his Dad’s laptop talking on Morne’s cell phone. He was chatting
away in his own little language. I even thought for a moment that it would be
really funny if there was someone on the other side, but wasn’t too concerned
as Morne had a lock on his phone. At one stage Loïc pulled the phone away from
his ear and my eye caught a glimpse… There was a call in progress. I
intervened… He was busy chatting to his Oupa and that conversation lasted for
almost 10 minutes. Oupa had such a giggle and for him it was such a precious
moment. Although he could not understand a word Loïc was saying he enjoyed
their chat thoroughly.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOTTfHcfWzWu6GbRJ7cf8AQumqxWLwqpi8Cxo2g5bbFtGc3gfInVukpK55tItlcRR_n2HKUWtt85tAbpsWrkoXfe34eDwll9aUOr3GoS7zP7RU7idNHisQbbVoDVs935nz54Jo2QiV8Q/s1600/20131007_162213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOTTfHcfWzWu6GbRJ7cf8AQumqxWLwqpi8Cxo2g5bbFtGc3gfInVukpK55tItlcRR_n2HKUWtt85tAbpsWrkoXfe34eDwll9aUOr3GoS7zP7RU7idNHisQbbVoDVs935nz54Jo2QiV8Q/s320/20131007_162213.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Later that same week we gave Loïc the opportunity to make another
call to his grandparents. This time he decided to talk to them while taking a
stroll through the garden… Just like Morne and I do when on the phone. My heart
melted. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sunday was a hot and perfect day for ice-cream and what a perfect
way to end a weekend. We went off to <a href="http://smoochsmile.co.za/">Smooch</a> and filled our tubs to the brim.
Loïc decided he had enough and found his Dad’s wallet more interesting than the
ice-cream. With a bit of encouragement I said to him to go buy us more
ice-cream. He knew exactly what to do… He took one of Morne’s cards out of the
wallet and handed it to one of the gents behind the counter. He then proceeded
to take out another card and hand it to someone else. I did not get more ice-cream,
but the patrons in the store had a good laugh.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I absolutely love these precious moments!!</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jusqu'à la prochaine fois ...</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-55964020365560193902013-10-02T00:11:00.000-07:002013-10-02T00:11:39.526-07:00Family Photo ShootAlthough we have accumulated a lot of photos of Loïc over the (almost) past two years, we never got around to do a family photo shoot. So about 2 weeks ago we made it happen.<br />
<br />
Bronwyn from <a href="http://www.heartandsoulphotography.co.za/">Heart & Soul Photography</a> came highly recommended and we liked what we saw in her portfolio. Here are just a few of her amazing pieces of work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixG0wUkp_6OKrTz1EEsoL5k8fmfw8s8gngkLSqoZ3ea5noTCHl5xXwt5fjujt6JWRP80J_RX84WAFa5eoHYLKtFthtsHF_Q-bt5wpI-Ycq7v8cK5pCv-fOmji7oHcN7NRnw6fSaxhX-So/s1600/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixG0wUkp_6OKrTz1EEsoL5k8fmfw8s8gngkLSqoZ3ea5noTCHl5xXwt5fjujt6JWRP80J_RX84WAFa5eoHYLKtFthtsHF_Q-bt5wpI-Ycq7v8cK5pCv-fOmji7oHcN7NRnw6fSaxhX-So/s320/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+094.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPx9VtYFZ6OFXyYOOwk8JDg5IEz-YRb4d08-bSmP17HElkcRki-PaeCtuRVt07X-T1XeCiInmvQFxF-7Qz7fNR8hFGXk5J7qCWFs2cImVZXfc94xSUiwOazaIsgaDMQ9VjuO1wvv91Nk/s1600/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPx9VtYFZ6OFXyYOOwk8JDg5IEz-YRb4d08-bSmP17HElkcRki-PaeCtuRVt07X-T1XeCiInmvQFxF-7Qz7fNR8hFGXk5J7qCWFs2cImVZXfc94xSUiwOazaIsgaDMQ9VjuO1wvv91Nk/s320/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+187.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUKNOHQOZLxACd2lGqgtEILwIOWv2zT-Wj6wFN_jtbSSYPSVBtaOBqITy1REmBOVnPiH6P2iUIlVkOGw8IGfukSDKskIvYEYSMiwLWpam5BvXomIzB3QfoDgTq6gf559kizF6Nr1MepU/s1600/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUKNOHQOZLxACd2lGqgtEILwIOWv2zT-Wj6wFN_jtbSSYPSVBtaOBqITy1REmBOVnPiH6P2iUIlVkOGw8IGfukSDKskIvYEYSMiwLWpam5BvXomIzB3QfoDgTq6gf559kizF6Nr1MepU/s320/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+228.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsodUnvU7xUR8DkgIF6s7XAgJYsEycfAMLHkwO_vPcCVezTOlfds8FDudNAwuOSHjnfj9L0nV8nUV3k6FTxhjExhp4fqDB_34iGPMM19fWfKYY_ZalZ4jmpbA7CgK4O3wayRj7NSpt-c/s1600/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsodUnvU7xUR8DkgIF6s7XAgJYsEycfAMLHkwO_vPcCVezTOlfds8FDudNAwuOSHjnfj9L0nV8nUV3k6FTxhjExhp4fqDB_34iGPMM19fWfKYY_ZalZ4jmpbA7CgK4O3wayRj7NSpt-c/s320/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+321.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisa8aeT9QGtVGYQOOPjn_w4wWjfr5GNUSoheGO41ND7cnNtoPoVrsj1cciLIDjgFyjbqOsLnCxHTKxBqoPawaFOF4p_0oC84sgkU6F2krCQwRai9VKRUHFwBgsI_3sdRqLLGr3U8BPgGc/s1600/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisa8aeT9QGtVGYQOOPjn_w4wWjfr5GNUSoheGO41ND7cnNtoPoVrsj1cciLIDjgFyjbqOsLnCxHTKxBqoPawaFOF4p_0oC84sgkU6F2krCQwRai9VKRUHFwBgsI_3sdRqLLGr3U8BPgGc/s320/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+356.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Dj2XyqRFjxTk4GCx3vzZNPl196CDIdhyphenhyphen_pnQtQNSutYmsSZ8fbVXGVKMPvTQTpO5dXPjsFkXm7-OKS5ZkL9n6N-wh8wbNTjqmWNIrUBj2bX2srSDpkbZ-42v_kM6k6i6Jzsf8I3WTBc/s1600/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Dj2XyqRFjxTk4GCx3vzZNPl196CDIdhyphenhyphen_pnQtQNSutYmsSZ8fbVXGVKMPvTQTpO5dXPjsFkXm7-OKS5ZkL9n6N-wh8wbNTjqmWNIrUBj2bX2srSDpkbZ-42v_kM6k6i6Jzsf8I3WTBc/s320/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+375.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXYAIt1JrORjm7BBY99GufQWz43NiA-zeoSji3lxOjc9psRqFCW6B6KakMVYUNizSXi4z1OPEbidLDmXj6tO-tdXpyincuCPbdmmuQ1MSIYobaAMaW6x6SnW5DTzJlGYQJwqx7Hd98VM/s1600/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXYAIt1JrORjm7BBY99GufQWz43NiA-zeoSji3lxOjc9psRqFCW6B6KakMVYUNizSXi4z1OPEbidLDmXj6tO-tdXpyincuCPbdmmuQ1MSIYobaAMaW6x6SnW5DTzJlGYQJwqx7Hd98VM/s320/Manie,+Morne+and+Luick+518.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We had such fun shooting these everlasting memories and because it was done in and around our home, it was stress free and the duration was just perfect. Nearing the end of the shoot Loïc made it very clear that he was done playing model for the day. He got on his scooter and rushed off to go do what boys do best... Cause havoc in the Bosch-Serfontein household.<br />
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<span class="hps">Jusqu'à la prochaine fois</span> <span class="hps">...</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-73333607730983196472013-08-21T00:54:00.000-07:002013-08-21T00:54:12.652-07:00Your Baby MagazineThe <a href="http://trinityheart.co.za/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Adoption-Your-Baby-Sept-2013.pdf">Your Baby Magazine's</a> September/October issue is featuring an article on adoption
in South Africa, issues around it and advice for people wanting to adopt.<o:p></o:p><br />
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They have asked a few couples to share their story. <a href="http://www.theblessedbarrenness.co.za/">The van Wyk's</a>
and us, together with other couples, had the privilege to be part of this
feature.</div>
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The September/October issue will be available on shelves from the 28th
of August 2013.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-23226756467767706142013-08-20T01:30:00.000-07:002013-08-20T01:36:36.430-07:00Books Every Family Should OwnFamilies are made-up of many different shapes, sizes and
colours and that is what we want to teach our son. There is no mould for the “perfect
family”.<o:p></o:p><br />
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I started doing some research and came across these
wonderful books that every family should own. They can be ordered from <a href="http://www.kalahari.com/">Kalahari</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://www.adoptmom.co.za/">Terri Lailvaux</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
Needless to say… We own them all…<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRHx81Luy07sU-xq8UoAcevcKIkdi9lFSQYeE0UCxJu2VYtZp-iZYR7ykvilBwaF3N3wij7gcaRwsZtNj5Ywf6EStB4HuHgLwjdKekyPOH7xIsKBP4XFGUue9zIb7sQQc3yZXIrc7CNo/s1600/A+Tale+of+Two+Mommies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRHx81Luy07sU-xq8UoAcevcKIkdi9lFSQYeE0UCxJu2VYtZp-iZYR7ykvilBwaF3N3wij7gcaRwsZtNj5Ywf6EStB4HuHgLwjdKekyPOH7xIsKBP4XFGUue9zIb7sQQc3yZXIrc7CNo/s1600/A+Tale+of+Two+Mommies.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiov4B3ezqZVEI3AzCW9Cy1jfOzz9GM3VdCpYPVwQ4PtjFcwQyTV1m4dUDfVu6c3k8IbxYPlOSQerr8-GxRw4qpy4CvSjf4CWtc5EQo6oBbrE1Zb2C0gGjCMY-KDDdpX0AYJm21li8Ditg/s1600/A+Tale+of+Two+Daddies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiov4B3ezqZVEI3AzCW9Cy1jfOzz9GM3VdCpYPVwQ4PtjFcwQyTV1m4dUDfVu6c3k8IbxYPlOSQerr8-GxRw4qpy4CvSjf4CWtc5EQo6oBbrE1Zb2C0gGjCMY-KDDdpX0AYJm21li8Ditg/s320/A+Tale+of+Two+Daddies.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-56505041189040721812013-08-16T03:55:00.000-07:002013-08-16T03:55:43.937-07:00Talk SA's Episode On AdoptionOur interview on our adoption journey aired sooner than we thought and on short notice.<br />
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On the 6th of August, just after 09:00, I received an email from the producer of Talk SA advising that their episode about adoption was airing the very same morning. It was very short notice and to make matters worse, I wasn't at home to set the recording function on our satellite decoder.<br />
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Thank goodness for a full-time domestic. With a few instructions and guidance we manage to set a recording. I had a few requests from friends and family to notify them on when the show was airing, so I jumped on Facebook and hoped for the best.<br />
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Here is the link to the Talk SA episode on adoption:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/4zo3KOI5BSM?fs=1">http://www.youtube.com/v/4zo3KOI5BSM?fs=1</a><br />
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<span class="hps"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-3699622108561434972013-07-15T01:12:00.000-07:002013-07-15T01:12:17.867-07:00And Action!!On Saturday we welcomed the television crew from Talk SA into our home. They are currently working on an insert about adoption that will be aired in the next 4 to 6 weeks on SABC2.<br />
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We got the opportunity to share our story and brag with our gorgeous son. They have promised to keep us posted on when this insert will air, so keep an eye out on Twitter for further details (@ManieBosch).<br />
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<span class="hps">Jusqu'à la prochaine fois...</span><br />
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<span class="hps"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-8454044948433436382013-05-21T00:18:00.000-07:002013-09-19T02:50:24.700-07:00How Wrong Was This Boertjie!!We have been in isolation for a full week. Totally blocked
off from the outside world. Just us and our son… Bonding and finding a routine
that works for him. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Cabin fever was starting to set in and Morne and I were
dying to get out for a cup of coffee and a meal. We haven’t been on the other
side of the four walls surrounding our house for a full week. At the same time
we were nervous. With a nappy bag packed with enough bottles, nappies and
clothes to last our son a good couple of days, we set off to the mall. <br />
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Ever since we started the adoption process we were never
fazed or concerned with the opinions of others, negative once mostly, but at the same time very aware that there were individuals with objections. We were
in it for us and our baby only. Naturally, we were a bit anxious appearing in
public after being sheltered in our home. </div>
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We made our way to the nearest restaurant and grabbed a
seat. As we settled in, we saw out of the corner of our eye a lady approaching
us. My heart sank to my shoes. This was really too early for this BS… She was a
white female, late twenty to early thirties, Afrikaans speaking and her husband
had joined her at the table behind us. </div>
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She came up to us, placed her hands on me and Morne’s
shoulders, peeped into the pram and opened her mouth… My heart was racing, my
fight mode was starting to kick in and I was about to utter: “It’s on bitch!!”
when she said… “I have SO much appreciation and respect for what you have done.
It is truly beautiful.” She turned on her heels and returned to her table to
join her husband.</div>
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Morne and I sat there in awe for a minute. Completely taken
aback on what just happened. She fitted the profile of the people that would
generally run their mouths about adoption and or gays (in no particular order).
How wrong was I? How wrong were my perceptions of the white, Afrikaans speaking
population? Please don’t get me wrong… I’m one of them. A white male, Afrikaans
speaking with a strong Free State boer (farmer) bloodline.</div>
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Morne and I finished our meal while Loïc was taking a nap.
We asked for the bill and started preparing for the trip home. The same lady
got up from her chair and walked over. “Sorry I could not wrap this. For your
little boy.” and handed us a bag. In it was a bib and beanie from Naartjie. I
was floored. As we looked over to their table, we mimicked the words "Thanks You"
to her husband and he acknowledged us with a smile and a nod of the head. We
were complete strangers, but they made us feel like we old friend that bumped
into each other at the mall. </div>
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We left the mall and returned home with a restored faith in
humanity.</div>
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To the lady that was so kind to us in Clearwater Mall… If
you are reading this… THANK YOU!! Thank you for showing me that I was so wrong
all this time. Thank you for the gift, but more so, thank you for your
kindness, your respect and for your acceptance.</div>
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We have met so many people that have embraced us as a family. Although we are not sheltered from the mean people in this world, we choose to surround ourselves with the ones that have chosen to embrace the beautiful diversity of our country.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-74846680185645286832013-02-27T01:35:00.001-08:002013-09-19T02:50:02.030-07:00ThanksgivingToday we give thanks. It has been exactly one year since we held our son in our arms for the first time. Today a year ago was the day we became parents. Today we give thanks. We have proclaimed the 27th of February as Thanksgiving Day.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Today I give thanks for having the most amazing husband. Thank you for excepting me as I am, for your support and for always being there.</div>
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Today we thank God for intrusting His child to us as his parents.</div>
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Today we thank Loïc for choosing us as his parents.</div>
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Today we thank God for choosing 2012 to be the year that we become parents.</div>
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Today we are thankful for meeting Terri Lailvaux. Thank you Terri for taking us under your wing when we thought that the world was against us. Thank you for guiding us and for becoming our friend.</div>
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Today we are thankful for ProCare for inviting us for a cup of tea and taking the time to meet us.</div>
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Today we are thankful meeting our Social Worker. Thank you is not enough to describe how much you have changed our lives. Words can never express our gratitude. Thank you for becoming our friend, not just our social worker.</div>
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Today we thank our parents for loving Loïc and us unconditionally.</div>
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Today we give thanks to our parents for standing by us.</div>
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Today we give thanks to our family for their support and unconditional acceptance.</div>
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Today we give thanks to Gabriella, Loïc’s “sister”, for all the love you show to your brother.</div>
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Today we give thanks to our very dear and loving friends for being part of our lives and joining in our joys.</div>
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Today we give thanks to everyone that has been a part of our lives, whether it was though Facebook, a SMS, an email or a phone call.</div>
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Most importantly we are thankful for having the most amazing son in the whole wide world.</div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
This morning we celebrated with a little gift to Loïc. We also sent cupcakes to school for a celebration with his friends.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-81441205615387807282013-02-26T01:41:00.001-08:002013-09-19T02:48:45.660-07:00We Meet Our Son!!!The alarm clock went off at 05:00. We might as well not have
set it. The excitement kept as slumbering. Not sleeping. There was no chance
that we would miss this flight. It was just too important. Everything was
planned to the T. Wake up at five, leave the house at six, be at the airport at
7. Meet or SW. Book in. Have breakfast at a restaurant. Get on the flight on
time. Arrive in Cape Town.<br />
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Further then that we could not plan. We had to play it by
ear. As long as we got to Cape Town we did not give a damn. We were close to
our son and having him in our arms was all that mattered.</div>
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As Mornè and I were packing the car, we checked, checked and
re-checked that we had everything. Bottles? Check. Nappies? Check. The
Coming-Home-Outfit? Check. Baby toiletries? Check. Receiving blankets? Check.
Car seat? Check. In times like these I don’t know a thing about doing anything
in moderation. Rather too much then too little I always say.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We got into the car and off we went.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mornè and I arrived at the airport. Luggage in hand we made
our way to the Domestic Terminal. We met up with our SW and booked in. At the
Mugg & Bean we ordered our morning coffee and breakfast.</div>
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At about 10:20 we boarded the plane, our SW in the window
seat, me in the middle and Mornè in the aisle seat. I dreaded the flight. Two
hours standing between us and our son. The three of us got so caught up in
conversation that we completely missed the captains announcement that we were
about to land and that we needed to fasten our seat belts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxf6_qYg3X3DYwrdNGHkb__Upp24tfn_zc7OtCYWigEwNVQOsmgrRYVewHnvhSvqUPse1-2-nrj13T11uFSUOQWDw1rzHGsTfMTM2deGE_R7NKf7PVkcjXvkzN8kCCo13NtdzFeQOV1k/s1600/DSCF0930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxf6_qYg3X3DYwrdNGHkb__Upp24tfn_zc7OtCYWigEwNVQOsmgrRYVewHnvhSvqUPse1-2-nrj13T11uFSUOQWDw1rzHGsTfMTM2deGE_R7NKf7PVkcjXvkzN8kCCo13NtdzFeQOV1k/s200/DSCF0930.JPG" width="200" /></a>Upon arrival at the Cape Town International Airport, Mornè
went off to collect our hired car and car seat while our SW and I waited for
the luggage. With the car packed (again…) we made our way to Bellville where we
would spend the night at an awesome guesthouse called Old Oak. </div>
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With an entire day to kill, the three of us set off to go
and have lunch in Franschhoek and afterwards we strolled around in the little
shops. On the spur of the moment, we decided that an ice-cream on Camps Bay
will round off the lunch perfectly… And off we went.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
In between all the gallivanting we got to chat to our SW
about everything. What to expect at the court, what to expect when we go to
meet our son and everything else that we wanted to know about everything and
anything. It goes without saying that 90% of all our questions were about Loïc.
It being summer and Cape Town being on the west coast we were not use to the
sun setting so late. It was 19:30 when we got back to the guest house, the sun
still high in the sky. This day was over and we were only a few hours away from
meeting our son.</div>
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I’m sure it goes without saying that falling asleep and
staying asleep was a nightmare. The excitement was overwhelming. We were up at
06:00 this Monday morning. Lounging around in the room and slowly starting to
get ready for the big day. At just after 08:00 we made our way to the communal
lounge area where our SW met us minutes later. We sat down for breakfast. I
can clearly remember what we had: Muesli & strawberry yogurt, coffee,
orange juice, a croissant, sausages and a fried egg… medium done.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
At 08:45 the three of us made our way to the Bellville court
as our appointment was at 09:00. On arrival we followed our SW as she led the
way. Up the stairs and left into a corridor where we were shown to a wooden
bench in front of an office. She finalised all the paperwork and formalities
while we waited. In the days leading up to our ‘court appearance’ I could not
help but imagine that scene from “Fiela se Kind”. The day she appeared in front
of the magistrate pleading to him to give Benjamin back to her.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6SsK8kZkqEDA1en0b8C4CMsfP3Pfg2memGT-yL3ietHQVVepxkvXW2V51SYVdrv8LheDiHidXXNIhntNRDmHK2C7ce_k2-FoflZQqxc8n6PhExZ5iTfK8DBFLvqc3TH9CWu9bkS74h8/s1600/IMG00533-20120227-0900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6SsK8kZkqEDA1en0b8C4CMsfP3Pfg2memGT-yL3ietHQVVepxkvXW2V51SYVdrv8LheDiHidXXNIhntNRDmHK2C7ce_k2-FoflZQqxc8n6PhExZ5iTfK8DBFLvqc3TH9CWu9bkS74h8/s320/IMG00533-20120227-0900.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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At 09:25 it was all over. The paperwork was done and the
adoption was legalised. This was a technicality that did not faze me or Mornè
in the least.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
We got back into the car and our SW directed us a few streets
up to a ‘House of Safety’. This is where we were about to meet our son. On our
arrival we got shown to the lounge where a Procare colleague (Eloise) from their Cape
Town offices greeted us. Loïc was staying at a house of safety in Swellendam
and they haven’t arrived yet by the time we got there. Eloise phoned them to find out where they were. They were minutes away.</div>
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As we sat in the lounge we had a view of the gate that led
into the yard. As we anxiously stared at the gate we saw them pull up. They
removed the car seat from the vehicle with its back facing us. We could not see
Loïc. They took him up to the second floor of the house to change his nappy
before he had to meet his dads.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFdISUvuUq4OdXhaedfNQixeVUjOYDqkBDQ7bbMNhODM9CA_dz1p2YYhkvfAx9zXAH-xlNl28Vy-rZfxmPjlFWig1PbvAdR0DDXKpEet2ZAjzBzdmK3cOGx0Ig-gp0Puc4D0NX-jVm3o/s1600/DSCF0931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFdISUvuUq4OdXhaedfNQixeVUjOYDqkBDQ7bbMNhODM9CA_dz1p2YYhkvfAx9zXAH-xlNl28Vy-rZfxmPjlFWig1PbvAdR0DDXKpEet2ZAjzBzdmK3cOGx0Ig-gp0Puc4D0NX-jVm3o/s320/DSCF0931.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcH21DLBXJfkQLy6XyZSzBbTztJByGFpxwbBqufnDWQghkxIIHEtnaFefh4NCoLTCsJlLhFJyj6JhqoZWJ8GwhbpdplkGMqhgGWYXZVACXexZNBgvZ88_3xc9uGUbteJWIorWkP6cgAGM/s1600/DSCF0932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcH21DLBXJfkQLy6XyZSzBbTztJByGFpxwbBqufnDWQghkxIIHEtnaFefh4NCoLTCsJlLhFJyj6JhqoZWJ8GwhbpdplkGMqhgGWYXZVACXexZNBgvZ88_3xc9uGUbteJWIorWkP6cgAGM/s320/DSCF0932.JPG" width="320" /></a>And then they made their way to us. Our SW grabbed our
camera to take a picture. On her way out she closed the lounge door. We were
staring at the door knob… Waiting for it to turn.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDdhPJs4DQJRNxPNtbe44F71ZCh5ld9BSNe-i3AZ6UPb5mA6tRwG9WxU6JDcE1frZzfX8_g3fUH1xBSHwO2MzZaM9eNeQXV2NW6OS5HGCOBihL1NzOTLwsWD-UWNHb1QsUZJi3oyRjo0/s1600/DSCF0934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDdhPJs4DQJRNxPNtbe44F71ZCh5ld9BSNe-i3AZ6UPb5mA6tRwG9WxU6JDcE1frZzfX8_g3fUH1xBSHwO2MzZaM9eNeQXV2NW6OS5HGCOBihL1NzOTLwsWD-UWNHb1QsUZJi3oyRjo0/s320/DSCF0934.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
In came the most beautiful boy in the entire universe. He
was full of smiles and SO tiny. We held him, kissed him and we were happy. We were
a family.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RvZrYexKyoXG0Knx6K5BSpvukpTANvEiMkMrxhgXLC2YplPIR643q2F-PinLIHugo7umly3JGbgnvgleiDs3QnaWcJ7_Jb27NFe6SHxMhgO4tAGN8okTqruKyI-WvNOo7EwPZqbN5Z8/s1600/IMG00534-20120227-1000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RvZrYexKyoXG0Knx6K5BSpvukpTANvEiMkMrxhgXLC2YplPIR643q2F-PinLIHugo7umly3JGbgnvgleiDs3QnaWcJ7_Jb27NFe6SHxMhgO4tAGN8okTqruKyI-WvNOo7EwPZqbN5Z8/s320/IMG00534-20120227-1000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="hps">Jusqu'à la prochaine fois</span> <span class="hps">...</span><br />
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<span class="hps"></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-34569167986791664962013-02-25T22:43:00.000-08:002013-09-19T02:42:30.895-07:00And So The Preparation BeginsI always wondered how I would go about sharing the news with
my parents that they were going to become grandparents. Would I phone them, get
them both on the line and break the news to them that way? If not, how do I
avoid being biased and telling the one parent first and not the other? How do I
avoid hurting one’s feelings and sparing the other’s?<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Luckily for me my parents decided to take a trip to Zambia
to go and see the Victoria Falls. They flew out of O.R. Tambo the Monday after
my birthday party. So naturally they had to return to Johannesburg before
catching a flight back to Port Elizabeth. On their return they decided to spend
a night or two with us before going home.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I fetched them form the Gautrain Station in Sandton on
Monday the 5th of December 2011. This was the perfect time to tell
them both the news. We were leaving the car park, when I turned to them and
said:<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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“You are becoming grandparents!!” <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Their first response was: “From whom?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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“Us of course!!” I said and filled them in on the little
detail we had. I have two younger siblings and that caused a bit of confusion. In
their defence, none of us thought that we would get ‘That Call’ so quickly.</div>
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We were notified of our son’s birth very early compared to
how it should happen. Usually you only get the call at day 56/57 of the 60
days. We got ours at day 17 of 60. There was still that risk that the birth mom
could change her mind. This however, did not stop us from going on a shopping
spree. We started off with a bag of nappies and a set of bottles. Soon we
bought clothes and then it just spiralled out of control. The weeks felt like
they were dragging by.</div>
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Soon it was Christmas. The tree was up and the gifts were
bought. We decided that, when Loïc came home, we would celebrate with him and
only then would the tree come down. The festive season of 2011 was a quiet one.
Mornè and I celebrated Christmas low-key with a Christmas lunch for two.</div>
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New Year’s Eve arrived and soon it was 2012. Eagerly waiting
for the 13th of January to arrive. The day that the 60-days would
expire. For some reason we weren’t worried at all. We trusted or SW
completely and knew that she would not put us in a situation where the birth
mom could possibly retract he decision.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8z2GKJMpm3nt97C-pfEPP4FVbjcM39Lt2fSUz-TIn0AANtkJLqJJYu-Pm3fUZ3x6080slzUVsewfWRNCJTJrjv4KUuKT_D0j4hI_gYvJvgR851RXHcrGc4Ytw_fCo6RaQgXT21vHIhBg/s1600/DSCF0806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8z2GKJMpm3nt97C-pfEPP4FVbjcM39Lt2fSUz-TIn0AANtkJLqJJYu-Pm3fUZ3x6080slzUVsewfWRNCJTJrjv4KUuKT_D0j4hI_gYvJvgR851RXHcrGc4Ytw_fCo6RaQgXT21vHIhBg/s200/DSCF0806.JPG" width="200" /></a>In the weeks to follow Mornè and I were blessed with three
baby showers. We each had one at the office with our colleagues and one that
was thrown by our friends. We were showered with gifts and truly spoilt. Loïc
was not going to need anything. We were ready for his arrival.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDLjL8fyfJ9xN6U1Dzcf_e9XeW3WiLt1YD1nhTcCOhBSzKOC6eCEA2QKaduGhT_nrvUnM8auITjP5xTKww8bDZihq-uc76nO4bbACjBj6TP2NIPby5rEeYiD-DP943hQR3vR6CqnCWKs/s1600/DSCF0836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDLjL8fyfJ9xN6U1Dzcf_e9XeW3WiLt1YD1nhTcCOhBSzKOC6eCEA2QKaduGhT_nrvUnM8auITjP5xTKww8bDZihq-uc76nO4bbACjBj6TP2NIPby5rEeYiD-DP943hQR3vR6CqnCWKs/s200/DSCF0836.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Close to the end of January, I got a call from or SW. She
discussed with me the final details of the placement that was going to take
place in February. The very next morning Mornè and I booked the flights,
accommodation and arranged a rental car with baby seat and all.</div>
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The reality was starting to sink in. With the baby’s room
ready, travel arrangements in place and (P/M)aternity leave booked, we counted
the days to the 26th of February.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZYfZENFtDMM5NSHNz3aVttlGDSu-upkBN3jN73dqrESuifH6cvIJIzENYTx4dstQz85-6XXGsn5DBoVntY6qHi10DLOWncr0xoImwgwQ0sdn-PsN6K19Sr_FktBvTKiWDk1I3mSSLTM/s1600/IMG00499-20111226-1754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZYfZENFtDMM5NSHNz3aVttlGDSu-upkBN3jN73dqrESuifH6cvIJIzENYTx4dstQz85-6XXGsn5DBoVntY6qHi10DLOWncr0xoImwgwQ0sdn-PsN6K19Sr_FktBvTKiWDk1I3mSSLTM/s320/IMG00499-20111226-1754.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerRX3CDkIm7BJyNs8g5I1qBTs2sgXfb-BDs9AN32Q0eytvoEfhoOOmehdi_uv-lq0xsR9mcmChcN1DhTdctHCEeDvfbYR5oHO7-QZEp6ygeGo3lW1Ukqhxj8-u6q9hV3IlfiABZ69v-A/s1600/IMG00498-20111226-1754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerRX3CDkIm7BJyNs8g5I1qBTs2sgXfb-BDs9AN32Q0eytvoEfhoOOmehdi_uv-lq0xsR9mcmChcN1DhTdctHCEeDvfbYR5oHO7-QZEp6ygeGo3lW1Ukqhxj8-u6q9hV3IlfiABZ69v-A/s320/IMG00498-20111226-1754.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="hps">Jusqu'à la prochaine fois</span> <span class="hps">...</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-16605443627489159412013-02-07T04:46:00.000-08:002013-09-19T02:40:05.011-07:00You Got MailThe weekend kicked-off with family arriving from all over the
country to join in celebrating my big 3-0. I planned a dinner at a quaint little
French themed restaurant in Parkhurst with thirty of my closest family and
friends. <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
If celebrating your birthday wasn’t eventful enough for one
weekend, my Gran decided to land up in hospital after fainting in the
restaurant’s restrooms. We still joke about the fact that she stole the limelight
from me that night.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Earlier that same day, we took our cat to the vet as she wasn’t
looking well at all. We left her there over night as the doctor wanted to
do some tests. We returned that Sunday morning to fetch her. The doctor had bad
news… She had leukaemia. The vet did not say much, but we gathered the obvious. It was heartbreaking and we cried all the way home.</div>
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In between all of this we had my Gran still in hospital.
Luckily she was given a clean bill of health and she was discharged.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The Monday arrived with the weekend’s events still very
fresh in my memory. At least I still had my actual birthday to look forward to.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The big day arrived and it was official… I was thirty!! The
day was filled with wishes, cake, presents and a standing tradition. A dinner
for two… Just me and Mornè.</div>
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The 30th of November started off like any other
work day. The birthday had come and gone and the countdown to the December
leave has now taken priority. At around 11:00 in the morning, my boss and I
popped out of the office for an early lunch. On my return I found this email in
my Inbox:<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<strong><em>From: Our Social Worker</em></strong></div>
<strong><em>
</em></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<strong><em>Subject:<o:p></o:p></em></strong></div>
<strong><em>
</em></strong><br />
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<strong><em>Bel my bietjie as jy 'n kans kry asb, het nuus vir jou!<o:p></o:p></em></strong></div>
<strong><em>
</em></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<strong><em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> x</span>xx<o:p></o:p></em></strong></div>
<br />
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Translated:<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<strong><em>Phone me if you when you get a change, have news for you!<o:p></o:p></em></strong></div>
<strong><em>
</em></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<strong><em>xxx</em></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
I grabbed my phone as fast as I could, dialled her from my
phone book and waited for her to answer.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Me: Hi … How are you? I just got your email.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Her: Your guy’s baby was born earlier this month.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Me: WHAT!!!??? (Trying to contain myself)<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Her: Ja! (Giggling)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Me: This is the biggest birthday present I could ever ask
for!! Is it a boy or a girl?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Her: Is it your birthday?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Me: It was yesterday.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Her: Congratulations!! It’s a boy… The 60 days expires on
the 13th of January and placement will take place early February. I
will send you pictures of him as soon as I get them from my colleagues in the
Cape. Congratulations!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Me: Thank you. Bye!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Her: Bye<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
I dropped the call and dialled Mornè. For a moment I could
not remember where “M” was in the alphabet. I scrolled up and down by phone book
and remembered I stored it under L for “Liefie”. I dialled:</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Him: Hallo<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Me: Our son is born. I just got off the phone with the social worker.
He was born earlier this month! She says he is beautiful!! The 60 days expires
on the 13th of January and placement will happen early February!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Him: Are you serious?!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Me: Yes!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
There was silence. It started to sink in. We're becoming going to be
Dads!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Him: Ok, see you at home! (Ecstatic)<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Me: See you now-now! (Ecstatic)</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The rest of this day passed in a haze. We could not believe
it!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Jusqu'à la prochaine fois ...</div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-33442964253344985722013-01-18T04:13:00.000-08:002013-09-19T02:38:01.933-07:00The Next 83 DaysA Happy New Year to you and if you are awaiting that very
important phone call, may 2013 be that very special year that you become a
parent.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
We left ProCare’s office after our first meeting, with a
stack of paperwork. This did not intimidate or put us off at all. We were
excited, because it meant we were one step closer to becoming a family.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
That evening we got into bed and began completing the questionnaires.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of it very straightforward.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Unfortunately, I only started writing this blog months after
our son came home, so the exact details of the next 83 days are very vague. You
can go to <a href="http://trinityheart.co.za/wp/the-adoption-process">http://trinityheart.co.za/wp/the-adoption-process</a>
for more details on what to expect.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
What we do remember very clearly was the 22nd of
August 2011… This was the day of our panel interview. The deciding interview… A
reassuring fact was that we would not have made it this far if ProCare thought
we were not suitable. But still, it’s was not over until the Social Worker sang…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
We arrived at Procare’s offices, got shown to the boardroom
and helped ourselves to a cup of tea. A few minutes later, in came walking our social worker
and her colleague, Elsabè. We had a seat and the panel interview commenced.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
It was nerve-racking, but fun. They went through our
application, confirmed a few additional details and asked Mornè and me a couple
of questions. We spent the remainder of the interview asking the few unanswered
questions we still had.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Out of nowhere, they got up, put out their hand and said: “Congratulations,
you are now ‘pregnant’.” We were thrilled!! This meant that we were approved
and that the wait to that very important phone call had officially started.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
We left ProCare’s office an hour later. Overjoyed and
excited beyond expression. While Mornè was driving I called the family
including Terri.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Our social worker and we joked about us being ‘pregnant’. I often
joked with her saying that it could go three ways. Our pregnancy could either
be like that of a canine, a human or an elephant. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Little did we know… </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Jusqu'à la prochaine fois ...</div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-44589411849857156472012-12-09T23:31:00.000-08:002012-12-09T23:31:59.741-08:00I Wasn't Expected, I Was Selected...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://simplymejustbe.wordpress.com/">http://simplymejustbe.wordpress.com/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Jusqu'à la prochaine fois</span> <span class="hps">...</span><br />
<span class="hps"></span><br />
<span class="hps"></span><br />
<span class="hps"></span><br />
<span class="hps"></span><br />
<span class="hps"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-73201948662895319062012-12-06T02:04:00.000-08:002013-09-19T02:36:57.916-07:001 June 2011With me in the passenger seat, Morne steered the car towards
Arcadia, the radio blurring in the background. We were feeling nervous and
excited, unsure of what to expect from this meeting.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
I don’t know about you, but I never had any dealings with a
social worker before and the only thing I knew about “their kind” was what I saw
in movies. They show-up unannounced and at the most inconvenient times. They
are always the bearer of bad news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their
unexpected visits make you nervous and stutter, obvious signs that you are
trying to hide something. Their supernatural sights don’t miss a spectacle of
dust making you look like a slob.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Nervous and Excitement was fighting the battling against
Scared… Scared was winning!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
We pulled up to ProCare’s offices and parked in the bay
right in front of the pedestrian gate. Without a word we got out of the car and
made our way to the intercom. The buzzer went and we pushed the gate open. At
reception we got a warm and friendly welcome from Miemie. I good sign… Or so we
hoped… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got showed to the reception
area and were offered a cup of tea. Jacaranda FM was playing in the background
and the smell of filter coffee made these offices feel more like a home.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The office door on our left opened and out came a lady,
dressed cosy and warm. She walked up to us, stuck out her hand and introduced
herself, in Afrikaans: “Hi, ek is julle Maatskaplike Werkster. Kom saam met my.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
She walked us to her office and offered us a seat on her
couch. She introduced herself as our Social Worker and asked us a couple of questions.
You know… The basics: “Tell me a little about yourself?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
She then proceeded by telling us about the process, what
we can expect from her and what she will need from us. She handed us a stack of
papers and explained to us, in detail, what she would require from us and by
what time. She then handed us a couple of those VERY important profiles so that
we could get an idea of what ours needed to contain. She gave us the
opportunity to ask her all the questions that we felt needed some answers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And she answered every single one of them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
After saying our goodbyes, we left her office and exited the
building. We left Anxious, Nervous and Scared behind. We were now bursting with
excitement. I phoned Teri and gave her an update on our first meeting. “The
verdict?” she asked… “It went very well!” I replied.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
We walked out of ProCare with a completely different
perception of a Social Worker. “Their kind” was friendly, warm, kind, caring,
loving and nurturing. They were not what I thought they were.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Morne and I could not wait to get home and get stuck in the
paperwork…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Jusqu'à la prochaine fois ...</div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-43538131697631773132012-11-20T03:03:00.003-08:002012-11-20T03:03:50.588-08:00The BIG CelebrationWhen I started my blog, I had every intention of keeping everything in chronological order. From beginning the adoption process all the way through to placement. And then I thought about it... Why should I?! I want to share our life as it happens. And if that means I deviate a bit, then so be it.<br />
<br />
Our son celebrated his first birthday last week. A whole one year old! This called for a big celebration that had to involve a cake, balloons, family, friends and copious amounts of candy. And let's not forget a good dozen or two of toddlers running around. The Animal Farm themed party went down this past Saturday.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAX4CBCmAFekvopmj8mCl10GTX27y684yOg3WJ4bxK1O4H2AEzYpn7ue_DW0-OB9p3MM5PCw1BFf0QqdRKbgPVY9ywM0APs6W7MUz99R-uSvYv7w0xGdiX_PDr7r8F5zitN0LfMFZagxA/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAX4CBCmAFekvopmj8mCl10GTX27y684yOg3WJ4bxK1O4H2AEzYpn7ue_DW0-OB9p3MM5PCw1BFf0QqdRKbgPVY9ywM0APs6W7MUz99R-uSvYv7w0xGdiX_PDr7r8F5zitN0LfMFZagxA/s320/7.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The birthday cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_br1TiBw7hyphenhyphenESxzyFvY5p4fT1UN6vSyK3LZ65wPoH49BXoZQUMdTqWDSwN7rPMqO2ZDAuLp4KfM8QC7ObCeEPkNa5scZIpON5SSIxgMjsh4951-hXg8qnjwg6GWRRt6OUpcHoxuEPX4/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_br1TiBw7hyphenhyphenESxzyFvY5p4fT1UN6vSyK3LZ65wPoH49BXoZQUMdTqWDSwN7rPMqO2ZDAuLp4KfM8QC7ObCeEPkNa5scZIpON5SSIxgMjsh4951-hXg8qnjwg6GWRRt6OUpcHoxuEPX4/s320/4.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />
We decided to use his first birthday as a "Let's Give Back" campaign in honour of all the Kangaroo Moms taking care of our child in those very important 60 days. We asked all the guests to please contribute nappies, formula or clothes for ages 0 to 3 months. Everyone donated generously and for that we say THANK YOU!! You will never know how much we appreciate it!! I will be delivering the goodies to our Social Worker in the week for distribution.<br />
<br />
I've been to a couple of kiddies parties, but never realised that so much energy goes into planning one. None the less, all the kids and parents had an absolute blast and that is all that matters. The pool was crowded with children enjoying the cool water on this hot summer's day. Loïc (our son) was overwhelmed at first with all the attention ad gifts, but soon got into the swing of things. With a fizzer in each hand he soon became the life of the party! His party outfit lasted a whole five minutes before I had to change him into something more appropriate... his swimming costume.<br />
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<br />
We are so grateful for everyone that attended and for making our boy's first birthday so special.<br />
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Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!<br />
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<span class="hps">Jusqu'à la prochaine fois...</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-26621825406710780492012-11-15T12:41:00.000-08:002013-09-19T02:33:22.775-07:00Let's start at the very beginningIn 2007 Mornè (my husband who you will still get to know) and I decided that we felt it was time to become parents. Fortunately for us, we new that biologically it was impossible for the two of us to conceive a child. Yet, the process of adoption was something we had no clue about. We did not know as to who to contact and what questions to ask. What we were very aware of was how a selected few in society felt about same-sex couples adopting a child.<br />
<br />
So I started by Googling adoption agencies. I don't know about you, but I felt more comfortable being rejected via e-mail then over the phone. So I composed a standard e-mail that I sent out to every possible agency that offered a glimmer of hope. We paid a lot of attention as to what was said on these websites, looking for any religious undertones that could hinder our chances of being accommodated. Thinking back, we were more considerate to the feelings and views of these agencies than that of our own.<br />
<br />
If we were lucky we got a response and the response would be standard: "No." Sometimes politely and sometimes not so politely. We ended up getting a response from the local Welfare inviting us to a Adoption Information Session they were hosting. We confirmed the time and date and off we went.<br />
<br />
The whole adoption route faded slowly into the background after this very insightful information session. For most part, we were to blame. But today we call it fate.<br />
<br />
During 2007 through to 2011 Mornè and I focused on our careers and travelled the world. Until one day in May 2011...<br />
<br />
Mornè and I were on our way back from Woolies when while in our driveway he turned to me and said... "Let's adopt."<br />
<br />
We started doing our research again, but taking a different approach this time around. We came across <a href="http://www.adoptmom.co.za/">Adoptmom's</a> website and the phenomenal lady behind it...Terri. Terri and us starting chatting via e-mail and within 24 hours we arranged a counselling session with her. <br />
<br />
Me and Mornè were not sure what to expect, because this was the first time we had made it this far with anyone dealing with private adoption agencies. The person on the other side of the telephone was warm, welcoming, understanding, nurturing and she listened. Whether it was our concerns or our aspirations of becoming a family. We asked her question after question and by the end of the session we had a couple of names of adoption agencies that could assist us. There was one agency in particular that spoke to us... <a href="http://www.procare.co.za/">Procare</a> in Pretoria.<br />
<br />
The following Monday I sent ProCare that standard e-mail, just in case we had to face another rejection. Within hours I received a response with a one pager to complete and a date confirmed for our first appointment with a social worker.
We were overcome with excitement!! We had a breakthrough!! <br />
<br />
And on the 1st of June 2011 our journey was set to begin.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Jusqu'à la prochaine fois...</span><br />
<span class="hps"></span><br />
<span class="hps"></span><br />
<span class="hps"></span><br />
<span class="hps"></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3149123231400363629.post-61548299798465989362012-11-14T11:55:00.000-08:002012-11-14T11:55:35.801-08:00The First PostAnd so I begin... <br />
<br />
Welcome to "Two and a Half (and still growing) Men". I have many reasons for creating this blog. Most importantly, to share our family moments with you. Two proud dads and our son.<br />
<br />
I have Googled and read many blogs, but have failed to come across one where a same-sex couple share their experiences with adoption. I'm sure there are, I maybe just failed to find them. And this is exactly what I am setting out to achieve.<br />
<br />
I have often been asked to share our journey with discouraged gay and lesbian couples. Couples that have lost faith. <br />
<br />
I look forward to sharing our journey with you. From beginning to end and beyond. And if there is one thing I love, it's photos. They speak a thousand words, so I will make sure to include a lot of them.<br />
<br />
<br />
Jusqu'à la prochaine fois...<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11040666353866856222noreply@blogger.com2