Monday, December 16, 2013

Letter to Richard - 16 December 2013

Dear Richard

So we’re on holiday now J Andrew is also off this week, so we’re all together as a family!

The kids enjoyed their last week at school, with a water slide on 2 days, and face painting and just playing with their friends. I finished off work last week with finishing those manufacturing videos, attending 2 graduations and our year end function. So mostly a fun week, but it is good to think that I don’t have to think about work for 3 weeks now! It was pretty cool though that at one of the graduations Allan Gray (as in the founder and owner of the company Allan Gray) received an honorary doctorate. It was very interesting to hear in his speech that he gave how much his ethics and values have played a part in his success, including having a good marriage relationship. And although people will have temporary success without these values, to have true success you need to be following a Christ-like life!

Joshua’s best friend had his birthday party on Sunday, so because we couldn’t go to it we went over on Saturday afternoon to take him his present, and for the kids to play a bit. I also helped his mom with making the party packs a bit. This is the family that we had the missionaries help move, and we’ve had some good discussions about the gospel. I gave them a copy of the Joy to the World DVD, which she seemed happy to watch. She was also there when I gave the seminary manual and Book of Mormon to one of the other moms, and seeing the word Mormon, she and her husband had been discussing whether or not we were Mormons. And it turns out that her grandmother and aunt were/are members. He had also heard Sister Pam calling into Cape Talk and saying something about the church. So with all of that she was still happy to watch the DVD, she wasn’t rejecting it… So good progress there J Over the holiday we’re going to be doing a few things together, so hopefully we can have a few more good discussions while we’re spending time socially ;)

Andrew finally finished tithing settlement yesterday!!! It will be so great to have him home a bit earlier than 18:00 on a Sunday afternoon! The kids will also be so glad to have him at home! Yesterday I also had to do reverence training for Josh and Hannah when Andrew did get home. They responded to it quite well, so hopefully I can start using this more effectively now, especially with Andrew getting home  a bit earlier in the afternoons.

We’ve been swimming just about every day, and it’s been so great to see how Caleb is just taking off in the water! We’ve got him jumping into the pool, swimming between us and to the wall. We just have to put a bit of pressure on his back to help him actually move forward, because his body isn’t mature enough yet to propel itself forward. But he’s loving it! And Josh and Hannah are like fish! It is so amazing to see their progress summer by summer J

We had one of Andrew’s cousins stay with us for a night last week. He’s got a 3 month contract here in Cape Town, which may turn permanent. So he’s not moving his wife and 2 kids down here until he knows for sure. But we were lucky that he very quickly found a place to stay a 5 minute walk from where he’s working in Pinelands. But him coming did prompt us to finally get the bathroom door sorted out so that we can lock it :P 6 years in the house, and it’s only happened now! We’ve also been married for 9½ years now! It is just phenomenal how quickly time goes past!

Josh gave his second talk in Primary yesterday, which went really well. We also attended the baptism on an 8-year old convert who has been coming to church and been fully participating for ages! And with Cindy coming home the kids were all very excited to see her! Caleb took a while to remember her, but he seems to have it now. Unfortunately he’s not going to remember you at all really L But it won’t take long for you to win him over, I’m sure ;) You’re just such an awesome kind of guy :P

Hope you’re surviving the heat! We’re thinking of you often J
Shelly

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