I love to swing!

Ahhhh....it's the most wonderful time of the year

After my crazy week, Friday came and with it a beautiful surprise my husband gave me before he left for the STC; all our Christmas decorations down from the attic. With an 8 month old and a crazy puppy I found decorating the tree and house was no longer able to be a one day process. Tonight I sit finally finished and happy in my Christmasy(is that  word?) home. Here's the finished product, though I left out the wreaths on all our doors. To preface this, my mom was a star and shipped all our family's decorations and THE TREE over from the states a few years ago. God bless her. Christmas is my favorite time of year and the time I miss the most being in a warm climate. Thanks to my mom though, I can have our family tree to share with my family now. Enjoy the pics.

O Christmas Tree!

Our new addition, not ethnically correct, but it's a candle holder.

Asher's room decor. Mom bought this guy
years ago, but he's perfect.

Coming soon...Advent and Christmas traditions. I want to hear yours as well please, I love adding to ours.

Two days in...

Jeff is off at the Summer Training Camp(our end of year camp we do for students who have been involved with our ministry all year long, this year it is only 9 days long due to financial constraints on our ministry as a whole). I will tell you more about that later friends. For now, let me share a little of my life since he's been gone. Jeff is leading the STC this year, woop woop! Great opportunity for him for many reasons, can't get into that now because it will take too long. The caviat, as I am sure many of my friends who have husbands in ministry and leadership roles(yes, Sheri and Jen G. you are both at the top in my mind as I write this :) ) is that your husband is incredibly busy and unable to be as helpful as he usually is with all things family and home,etc.  Normally, wives and kids go with said husband to this and all other camps throughout the year. The Viljoens, however, are the exception to this rule as we have a 13 year old sweet girl who only finishes school the first week of December. Well, for this year's 9 day STC, we will be having a nice weekend visit with the awesome university students we love so dearly. All that is par for the course, but as I said, I wanted to share about my life since Jeff's been gone, mind you he only left Tuesday midday. 


I have fallen apart at the seams it would seem. :) I really thought it can't be so difficult, it never was before when it was just me and Casey. Oh no, no, no, the Lord had something better in mind for me this year. I have an 8 month old and a puppy to also take care of. I made a list of things I wanted to do before STC ended to proudly show Jeff when he arrived home. At this stage, I will settle for survival.  Tuesday and Wednesday I was holding on by the skin of my teeth. Asher has been recovering from an ear infection, not fun with a icky feeling baby :(  Max, the puppy, is dying to run around and play with everyone all the time. Joburg has entered the rainy season and we have had two incredible rainy days in a row(not good for a Jack Russell who needs lots of exercise in a day).

Game for Max, but not for me.

Also Max doesn't want to go outside to use the restroom during the rain, so guess what he has been doing??!!!

Today, however, majorly takes the cake(it's only been two days since Jeff left for STC).  This morning two guys from Joburg water show up to shut off our water. WHAT?! Yes, that's right. They show me a paper saying our account is in arears and they are here to cut it off. Asher is just waking up from his nap when this happens. I begged the guy for a long time to not turn it off and even started bawling my eyes out(this is really due to loads of stress we have been under recently and the fact that I cannot believe this is happening to me at that moment). We are not late on our bills. I phoned the company to find out our account is up-to-date and they are turning the water back on immediately. Two departments in the same company are not communicating. WELCOME TO SOUTH AFRICA!!!!(okay, I really do love it here, but it is moments like that one where I want to get the heck out of dodge). Oh and I come to find out from our lovely landlord(whom we like a whole lot) that it happened to her last year as well. REALLY?!Oh my soul. After that I get a call from a doctor here saying they still haven't received payment from our insurance for Asher's birth(8 months ago). Unbelievable. Also, lack of communication in their own company(bill was paid over a month ago, btw). Between Casey and I, we took Max on three walks today to tire him out real good. No more hyper-active puppy for us.  No turkey for us today however, I think cooking that much for two people would've pushed me over the edge and the Lord knew that this baby girl wasn't gonna make it. I am a wimp I have come to realize and I greatly admire all mothers who survive these times. I have so much to learn.

Tomorrow I have to finish tying up the water bill issue(yes, even though the glitch is not my fault, I still have to go to them to sort it out), then I will spend the rest of the day decorating our home for the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.  My amazing husband surprised me, before leaving on Tuesday, by getting down all our decorations and the tree. Oh how I love him. This way I can keep up the tradition of Christmas decorating the day after Thanksgiving. Pictures to follow. Until then, I am pouring myself into my bed and leaving you with this picture of my sweet boy and his mama. Exhausted!

Hallelu...jah!

A good word for us all year round, but seems especially fitting during the coming Advent season. I hope you are encouraged. Hallelu...jah! -Kris
From Pastor John Piper:

     The English word “hallelujah” is a transliteration of two Hebrew words, "hallelu" and "jah". The first word, "hallelu", is the second person imperative of “praise.” The second word, "jah," is the short form of "Jahweh" (or "Yahweh").

     So when we say, “Hallelujah!” we are exhorting others (people and angels) to join us in praising Yahweh.  What gives a punch to my singing, “Hallelujah,” is that Jah (= Yahweh) is not a generic word for God, but the personal name of the God of Israel.
To shout, "Hallelu Jah!" — "Praise Jah" — is like standing in the council of the gods and boldly saying, “Not to you, Molech!” “Not to you, Baal!” “Not to you, Dagon!” “Not to you, Artemis!” “Not to you, Zeus!” But to Jah, and Jah alone, I give praise. And I call you to join me! Praise Jah! And not only is Jah God’s personal name, but it is the one he gave himself to distinguish himself from all the gods. And it is thrilling in meaning.

     When Moses asked God what name he should use to identify God in Egypt, God said, “I am who I am. Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14).
The name Yahweh is built on the words “I am”. So God put his absolute, transcendent, self-sufficient being at the center of his identity. “All the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but Yahweh made the heavens” (Psalm 96:5). So, the next time you sing “Hallelujah” pause for a split second between “hallelu” and “Jah” and say it like a name. We praise you . . . Jah! You are above all gods . . . Jah! Join me, all you heavenly hosts, and praise . . . Jah! He is! He simply, eternally, absolutely, independently, gloriously Is! Hallelu . . . Jah!

A little competition

I am not a proponent of pushing your child into loads of competitions and being a show mom, though I love acting and performing on stage myself. Asher will be his own man regarding those things. However, we saw this fun and free photo competition about a month ago, the prizes included a four day family getaway at a game lodge. Our family could use a getaway, so I thought it would be fun and harmless. A photographer took some shots of Asher and then we chose one to enter into the competition. Here's the shot we chose.

He looks like a newsie ready to sell papers on the corner

After that we waited until 5 November for the prize-giving day, which came and of course we showed up late to it. We arrived at the shopping where loads of parents and their babies(aged 0-24 months) were waiting to hear the news. As we walked in I found myself nervous and hoping Asher would win something. You want your kid to do well and achieve things on their own and of course you want everyone to think your little people are cute and likable, etc.  So we walked in and I was nervous and as I saw all the other kids(who were all sooo adorable), I saw other nervous parents standing anxiously awaiting the news as well. Then I realized we were all in the same boat. Shrugged off any more nerves and waited to hear the news. Of course we got there a bit later than expected(happens all the time and yet I still think this time will be different, we will leave and arrive on time and it never happens that way) but as we walked in I saw our cousin with his little boy, also eagerly awaiting news. Then I hear Asher won something and of course because of our tardiness we missed his big moment.

I walked up to the front with him and we were able to claim his prize.  Asher came second in his baby category(0-6months) and we got a gift certificate to a nice restaurant, which was great as we love to eat out and Primi Piatti is a favored place of ours. Here's our winner's picture. It looks like Asher is kissing my cheek. Sweet boy. Overall the experience was fun and we got some cute professional pictures plus a nice meal out from it all. 

P.S.On the facebook competition page where you had to like the baby's photo to vote, the kid who won had 898 likes. Good night! By far the winner of the free birthday party prize for sure.

Asher's next appearance is in our old church's annual Bethlehem day in December. He'll be playing baby Jesus. Haha. :)

Happy Birthday/Anniversary!

     My loving husband organized for my friends and family to join us at my favorite restaurant, Doppio Zero, for a birthday celebration. We had a great time and laughed a lot. We left Asher home with his second cousin, Connor, and two babysitters. The boys were going to sleep at 7 and 8 respectively so all would be quiet when we arrived home. So at the restaurant we enjoyed good food and good friends.

I blew out the candle on a slice of cake :).

     We came back to our house with our cousins, Dylan and Andrea to collect our boys and say goodnight. Upon arrival both boys were up and about having a great time with the babysitters. This is at 10:30 at night. My first thought was that something was terribly wrong. Apparently, Connor and Asher were too excited to be with each other that they simply refused to sleep. GREAT! Anyway, our cousins took their little guy home and dropped off our babysitters back at campus(across the road). As soon as they dropped the girls off, Andrea says Connor dropped off to sleep. Asher as well, as soon as all the excitement left our house, he was sleeping fast. What a crazy night for these two little guys! Unfortunately for me, Asher was up at 6 a.m.

So here is my much needed answer for the early riser(coffee, for me not him) 

     This brings us to Jeff and my 4 year Wedding Anniversary. Yes, we got married the day after my birthday(which I was quick to point out was a completely separate occasion than a birthday). This year's gifts were fruit/flowers. Seems odd to me, but we exchanged nectarines from our fruit bin in the fridge and went out for a lovely breakfast at one of our favorite breakfast spots, Mugg and Bean.

     My mom, Ouma, stayed home with Asher as we strolled the mall doing what married couples and parents do on such occasions; pricing christmas gifts and looking at cool electronic gadgets we would love to own(well not TRULY love, but things our hearts momentarily desire). After that fun and new pair of running tights for me(thanks babe!) we returned home to a happy boy and Ouma.

         Casey lovingly spoiled us for dinner by making her specialty, meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

She likes the part where she can use her hands to do the mixing :)  We had a lovely finish to a few days of celebrations. I am a very blessed woman and am so thankful to my Father for making it all possible.

Worth it

Okay, so since I had Asher in March one of the hardest things to do, has been to get back into a running groove. I never thought I would be that girl, the one who struggles to get back into a running routine. I never ran a day in my life before moving to South Africa(unless you count that one day at Elon when a bunch of friends decided to run on campus, ohhhh my shin splints Stacey, which I don't because it was followed by no running for several years). So a few months after having Asher, I "trained" for a 10K with my good friend Chandre. We ran it, in record time for me since I hadn't run consistently in a year at that point. After that, however, I went back to my lazy ways.
I have run here and there and often take Ash with me in the BOB. We love the BOB. Thanks to my dear friend Heather, who suggested the BOB Revolution for average(non-marathoner) runners.  I knew my parents were coming for an Asher visit and that was my motivation to start running again. My mom would stay with Asher, while he slept, and tell me to go run. Which she did today :) Thanks mom. The run was great and got the old endorphins going again. I really do love running, but here in Johannesburg on a lovely spring day, the best part of a run is this...

The Jacaranda is a local tree that sprouts these beautiful purples flowers for a few weeks each spring. All over the Gauteng Province you can see droves of these trees. They light the sky up with bright purple splashes of color.

Okay, back to the running. I am setting up a challenge for myself and for anyone else out there who is up to it. Today is the 4th of November and by the end of the month I am going to run a 10K again.You don't have to run a 10K, but set a goal for yourself, one you know you could reach by patiently and diligently pushing yourself each week. If you are in the states or somewhere that is getting increasingly colder, I think the end of November might be the latest you could do it before it gets really cold, unless you are in Atlanta or further south. Thanksgiving is coming up friends and I know there will be turkey trots happening all over the country, so find one near you. We can do this! I have confidence, especially in the new/young moms. We need to keep the energy up as the little people drain us throughout the day. So, what do you say?? Who is with me? Feel free to add other good ideas for getting in/staying in shape, especially in holiday season. I will add a page on here for the challenge if anyone is keen to jump in. I am pumped now girls(and guys). I love a challenge and now that I have gone public with it, I know i have to do it :)

...and now The Challenge!