the countdown begins!

I had a wonderful baby shower a couple days ago. My missionary teammates threw me a great party and it was so fun to have so many of my favorite women all in the same room. Including the kids who came, there were 25 of us – I felt very loved!!

I want to “introduce” you to some of the women in my life here through this photo.

In the back row: Zanelle (the friendliest lady at Jabavu church. She and her husband just took over pasturing another local church…I miss her!), Sarah (OC team), Denao (my friend Buhle’s step daughter), Maria (she is translating the Bible studies and health lessons I have been writing into the Sotho language for me), Trully (a Sunday School teacher at Moroka church – helped a ton with our short term team), Ria (our office receptionist), Lunga (Buhle’s daughter, one of my favorites!!), Michelle and little girl Tori (missionary with Impact Africa – she and her husband helped us a ton with short term team planning, they’ve done it for 17 yrs! We watch Survivor at their house every week – they are only 2 seasons behind in Africa. I am trying my hardest not to cheat and look on the web to find out who wins!), Heather (OC team), Corina (we trade books back and forth), Barbara (OC team), Angie (Zanelle’s daughter, she left Jabavu to start a church plant with her finance), Buhle (the friend I do the most ministry with – I write about her all the time!) and Annie (OC team daughter). Middle row: Mpumi (Angie’s cousin), Makhotso (I have been informally discipling her about a year now), Marci (another missionary friend with Impact Africa), ME, Heather Witherow (OC team – came to Africa the same time as us), Lesedi (Angie’s son), Jenny (OC team, Annie’s mom). Front row: Isabelle and Michaela (OC team, Barb’s girls), and Skyler (Michelle’s other daughter).

I am positive that is more info than you wanted or needed, but at least now you can refer back to this photo when I write about these ladies!

As I write this, we are exactly 3 weeks away from our due date. We have been in meetings all day for the last two days, hosted mom’s group at my house, had one shower, one to go this week, am planning a 40th birthday party at our house for Friday morning, then am coordinating 2 Christmas parties in the next two weeks…not to mention Thanksgiving. Thank goodness I only have to make pies! I am tired and feel even more so thinking about what is ahead. Baby Miesha can come anytime after Thanksgiving and then I think we’ll be ready. In South Africa, most everyone takes their vacation between Dec 10 and Jan 10 and the entire city of Johannesburg (the size of Los Angeles) feels like a ghost town. The business you'll experience in December with year-end everything and all the holiday parties...that is November for us. I am looking forward to our slower schedule in December to adjust to being a mom!!

As I am sure most of you know – my husband is amazing. A couple months ago Dan decided he’d love to make the baby crib and changing table. He went to a baby store, found a crib he liked, took a couple photos, went to Builder’s Warehouse (a sorry substitute for Home Depot!) and bought all the stuff he thought he’d need and came home and made this fabulous crib. Here are a couple photos of the process.

Our Doctor keeps saying he is convinced Miesha is going to come early. I am not sure to believe him or not. Regardless, she is coming a lot sooner then we originally expected and I am glad that she is coming before the heat of summer really kicks in. It is really starting to get hot here.(remember, seasons are opposite…southern hemisphere/northern hemisphere!) The waiting game begins!!