Roger & Rosaleen's Overseas Adventure

Archive for 2011

Holiday Touches

Monday, December 26, 2011

~ Delightful holiday touches fill our home and quite times seeped the memories ~

~ Praying the holidays are a joy for you and yours ~

~ Merry Christmas ~

Family + Jeriah

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Just a few snaps to capture the new love in our life and of course frame the beauties that have been growing our hearts for some time!

Winter is falling from the heavens in crystal miracles ~ each alive with the unique finger print of a glorious Master. Like lace it garnishes my world, I feel these stiches of creation’s grace and beauty knitted into the fabric of my heart and the life of my babe.

Long months ago I wrestled with the loss of a baby. My whole world was in the mothering countdown of a precious addition. I longed to care for a neglected baby, everything Innocent to be nourished by my love. And when the adoption fell through I felt I buried my own, when I left Africa I left my heart. I still cry at night wondering if he lives, well and innocent. I wonder if he knows me and my love so far from him.

In the wake of my loss the Lord whispered a breath and a hope into my womb and I loved deeply and fully. I slipped my fears like fingers into the hands of God asking for the faith to trust him through the vulnerability of another mothering experience. And then one morning I bleed. Hope flooded out of my body. My hours were simple stumbling from one prayer to the next. Later that week we watched a screen and saw one heart aflutter and another slipped away to heaven. Joy and Grief were mixed equally into that moment.

These months of growing this gracious kiss from heaven I have had my life, heart and hopes humbly bowed, knowing that this babes life was God’s, requiring of me a full dedication, a complete return of this gift.

In the final days of life hushed inside me, new-life was placed on the chest of another Mother, a friend in another city, the only hours given were that of a heart failing into the beauty of heaven. God is so fearfully near during pain.

A few nights later my own son arrived, so quickly he was born into the hands of his father, the midwives still en-route.

So much peace filled our home ~ our hearts. God had seen.

He was named with a blessing:

~ God Has Seen ~

~ Jeriah Peter Milner ~

"According to the family tree of the Hebronites, Jeriah held pride of place. In the fortieth year of David's reign (his last), the Hebron family tree was researched and outstanding men were found at Jazer in Gilead, namely, Jeriah and 2,700 men of his extended family: David the king made them responsible for administration of matters related to the worship of God and the work of the king in the territory east of the Jordan—the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh."

1 Chronicles 26 : 31-32 The Message

Our gift came, miraculous and perfect!

We are blessed ~ We are humbled!

~ Corner for a Cradle ~

Saturday, November 19, 2011

~ Roger suggested I show up sometime on these pages, kindly informing you sweet friends that travesty has not hit ~

~ Simply tiredness ~

~ I am greatful and highly relieved to share that I finally managed to prepare for my upcoming sweetness ~

~ Still a precious ~ Gender ~ mystery ~

~ Due to lack of space in the other nursery we are tucking this new one into a corner of our master bedroom ~

~ All is ready for this grand anticipation to be replaced with love at first sight ~

~ My endearing midwife visited my home this week and said all was good to birth at home and at anytime now ~

~ Blessed music for this waiting mama’s heart! ~

{ I must admit how much I love this ‘corner for a cradle’. I knew exactly what I wanted, but could not find those ‘perfect’ pieces anywhere or at least not in my budget! When all my things came from Africa I told myself to become resourceful and put all this ‘extra’ stuff to good use. The crib bedding was sewed out of curtains which were used in Africa, the chalk board and baskets and tins were all items used in our home in Africa, even the cloth hearts were made by my dear friend who lives in Africa, I feel her love and nearness were added to this special space. What we were still in need of I was blessed to find used. I have always wished for an organic cradle mattress but the steep price was never justified, until this fourth baby of mine! A beautiful never used organic baby mattress was on kijiji for a quarter of the regular price, thrilled to say the least! I have also found all the ‘gender neutral’ baby blankets and little outfits organic and gently used from thrift shops and oh so cheap! My heart is full of blessings every time I see this space it makes me thankful to the Lord for his provision and his mercies sent with the newness of life! }

Ahhh…

Monday, October 24, 2011

~ Its evening and the hush of babes is to be savoured for a few hours! I have found my seat… finally having a moment to introduce yet another ~ and last of our new pets. Our fluffy sweetness joined us this spring and has been a great asset to the ‘mousy murder rampage’ that takes place on every farm! ~

~ Her name is Moppet ~

~ Like all the animal names on this ‘farm’ we have taken them from the enchanting pages and wonderful imagination of Beatrix Potter. Just yesterday Davina was asking if we will be naming our baby after a Beatrix Potter character! ~

~ Barns ~

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

This land provided a great amount of little barns which gave room for a little creativity…

The barns were built on the lowest point of three slopes so they all needed to be lifted and a proper underground drainage system needed to be installed.

We then went about painting them which was coming along great until it rained (a rarity out here) and we found that the roofing was incompetent at keeping moisture out! So new roofs it was!

A chicken run was added with a beautiful handmade gate. The inside of the chicken coup was white-washed, a window and chicken boxes installed, allowing my flock of feathered friends to receive a warmly welcome!

Loads of chips were added to the area pulling everything together just in time for the leaves to cover the area.

I love this space. We have a few ideas of future animals we would like ‘welcome’ to these barns, though I am thinking I will wait until my children can take on the majority of the responsibility! In the mean time I will love to complete this area with touches of charm, a fun thing to plan and look forward to next spring.

Of course the credit of the handy work for the above must be given to my older brother Jason and my Dad, two handymen extraordinaires!

Now that one major project is complete you would think we would breathe for a moment or two but no…

This week our things from Nigeria arrived leaving 117 boxes in the wake! I have unpacked them all but my house looks sadly disarrayed… and we ordered a year’s worth of food from a Natural Food distributor which arrived last night all wanting to be organized! I am praying now that my nesting instincts will kick in full force and I will whip around get everything set in its place!

~ After ~