Friends

A person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection.

Gratitude

The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness

These two things mean the world to us. With small families and family members living far away, our friends are our everything, like family. We invest a lot into our friendships and spend a lot of time with our special friends and their children. And giving back to them, long on them and showing our appreciation towards them is something we hold very close to our hearts.

And we are suckers for tradition…

So this year, we decided to host our very own FriendsGiving.

We invited a few of our favorite couples (hard to invite them all!) for an intimate dinner in our home. We cooked a three course meal, decorated our table, lit some candles, stocked up our drinks trolley, played some background music, wrote a few thank you cards and celebrated a casual but very important evening together.

Things I am grateful for this Thanksgiving:

Having a Father in Heaven who loves me beyond belief.

Meeting and marrying a man that puts me and our marriage first, above anything else. A man that treats me like a Queen, even when I don’t deserve it. A man that isn’t shy to show the world that he loves and respects me. A man that is the most devoted Daddy and whose heart truly walks around in three little princesses. A man that has a capacity like no other, and who works harder than anyone else I know – to provide, to achieve, to inspire and to lead. He is a man of God. 

Three healthy baby girls that fill our hearts and home with endless love and joy. Three very different personalities that light up our lives with their confidence, their sense of humor, their determination, their giggles and the unique bond that they share with each other. Three little humans that share our very own DNA and that we couldn’t love more if we tried. 

Our life-giving Home that is still a dream come true. Our sanctuary, our forever home. The space that provides warmth and comfort, is filled with love and kindness. Doors that are open to family, friends and those in need. A place that God visits and watches over, a space He has blessed from it’s very inception and very first brick. The structure that holds our tears and fears, our prayers and dreams, our laughter and fun, our traditions and memories – and so much more! 

Friends – that are like family, that love on our children like their very own, that celebrate our successes and achievements and support us through challenging times, that laugh with us and dance with us, that drop everything in the middle of the night to be with us, who walk with us and lift us up in prayer, and who inspire us and motivate us to be so much more, but mostly who love us and respect us for who we are, and never try to change us.

Our City – for the warm weather and climate, the hot sunshine days and the cooler evenings. For the vast blue ocean on our doorstep and the sunrise views over the sea on the school run. For being small enough to get somewhere quickly and avoid major traffic but large enough to allow us new introductions and walking into a new church home and meeting the most wonderful and God-fearing friends and families. For being a rainbow nation that stands together though challenges and turmoil, and who will rise above discrimination, corruption and politics – because our faithful God lives at this address too.

And life wouldn’t be the same without Five Roses tea, Oyster Box Swedish massages, Star Kinekor movie popcorn, my Simplified Planner, walks on the promenade, SJ’s eyelashes on closed, sleeping eyes, EN’s big sensory squeeze hugs and ZB’s morning bed hair and dimple, weekly blow drys, Smartie Eggs, finishing a good book, Nikoz Greek dinner and reading your amazing blog comments.

What are you thankful for today? Happy Thanksgiving friends.

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