Weekend together

We had a pretty relaxing day, although we did quite a lot. We went to IKEA and got some bedside tables for the main bedroom (something we’ve been needing ever since been in Dubai) and then over to Home Centre for some bedside lamps. We also thought we’d pop into ACE Hardware …

Nathan had fallen asleep just after IKEA and slept through the hour and bit we were at Oasys Centre, looking for lamps at the Home Centre a few other things at the Babe shop. Anyway, he woke up just as we arrived at ACE and must’ve thought he’d woken up in heaven.

Those of you who saw how much fun Nathan used to have in Dad and Ma’s garden in South Africa will appreciate that he was just a little ball of excitement in this “Supermarket” for outdoor goods … ACE has a very large garden section, and it took us forever to get Nathan to walk away from the hose-pipes, lawn mowers and water jugs. It was even harder though to get him our the boat, which was in the next section.

We left ACE not having found what we were looking for, but one thing is for sure, Nathan enjoyed the half hour we spent there through and through.

We were home at around 6, and then went to the pool with our good friends Julio, Slovanka and Sebastian …

Burger King home delivery for supper and then to bed for an earlier than usual evening …

Two years in Dubai

Praise the Lord, we’re still here :-)

Today, exactly two years ago the Verrips Family arrived in Dubai for the first time and made it our home. In the last 731 days a lot has happened, but to put in ten words or less: God has blessed us richly! (And continues to do so)

Here’s a link to the posting we made back then on our website: 30th July 2002

Amazing how quickly time flies …

The Book

The story is told of a distant relative approaching Baron Rothschild to assist that relative’s son financially at university. The great man listened to the plea and discovered that the student is reading for a degree in economics at a prestigious university. In due course the student received a book pertinent to the subject. Some weeks later the Baron in turn received a letter from his distant nephew thanking him for the book but stating his desperate need for financial assistance. In reply the Baron wrote: “If you had cared to open the book I sent you would have discovered the amount requested available.”

So many have the BOOK, the Bible, with the answer in it. Many feel compassion and sponsor Bibles for those who do not have any, but they themselves seldom if ever open their own Bibles. What treasures await those who will regularly spend time in that Book.

Nathan Art

Nathan drew some pictures using my P900 – You can view them and some action shots by clicking on this image …

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Nathan’s insight

Just after I came home this afternoon the entire family were in the lounge and Rachel was a bit grumpy from a wind having just finished her feed … (Like with Nathan, Angela sometimes goes for a walk with Rachel around the villiage pushed in the pram)

“Should we go for a walk, Rachel?” asked Angela

“Momee, Rachel can’t walk” replied Nathan :-)

Feeling a bit better

My wonderful wifie gave me a lot of tender loving care last night – That, a slight overdose of cough-mixure and a good night’s sleep has me feeling a lot better, Praise God

Nathan was also really cute and came and lay by me as I was nodding off: “I’II hold your hand and you’ll feel better, Dadee” – He was right, snuggling with did lighten my day.

*cough cough*

I’m rather sick at the moment – Seem to have caught whatever it is Rachel has as I’ve been coughing all night (nice wet cough) and have that “post-nasal” run-down the the back of my throat.

I think Angela is also developing something as she’s been waking up with a headache every day this week – Must be something in the air, or perhaps the season change, now that we’re into the full 45C heat of summer?

Pray we all get better soon, especially Rachel.

Yours in Him

Roy

Rachel Movie

Even though she’s still got a wheazing chest every now and then, Rachel still has time for a little giggle and “chat” with her mom.

Here’s a little movie we took – You need Quicktime 6.5 to view it, and it’s a biggish download (700 Kb) – We think it’s really cute!

Click here to downtime the MP4 movie of Rachel Smiling

Rachel doing ok …

Rachel is ok, and only needs the Nebulizer twice a day. She is however still noticably upset and clearly not feeling too well.

We pray she will be herself again soon.

My dah’jing ?

Nathan has started calling Angela “My Dah’jing” (My Darling, with a long “a” and squished palet “l”) – This is probably from the fact that I call her that, and she calls him (and me) that too. It’s terribly cute!

He’s also started describing things as “Perfect” and “Boootiful” (with a very long pronounced “ooooh”)

His favourite movie is still “Finding Nemo”, though we had to renew the Rental of “Thumbelina” three times this week ’cause he wanted to watch it again and again – (Angela and I suspect Thumbelina has something to do with him wanting to be a butterfly)

Darth Rachel

Like “Darth Vader” in Star Wars Rachel has developed a “gish-gush” way of breathing due to what we believe to just be a bad cold. When she’s not coughing it sounds as though she’s gurgling the wheazing is so bad, but it only lasts for an hour or so, and then she’s fine again.

Scariest of all is she’s still sleeping extremely well – Not feeding to hot sometimes, but still enough to keep her fluid level well within the expected daily limit?

We pray she will recover quickly.

Roy

Not just a night on the town?

After our exciting evening last night it seems Rachel does afterall still have something. This morning she was “wheazing” again so Angela took her to Dubai hospital again and spoke with the Pead’ this time.

They’re not too sure what could be causing it, perhaps just a cold, or an allergy to dust or something.

However to counter it all Angela was given for Ventolin and some other goodies that Rachel will need to inhale via Nebulizer three times a day (or as required) – Angela seems pretty in control of it all as this is what Rachel went through with the RS-Virus back in April?

Love to you all

Roy

Rachel’s idea of an exciting afternoon

Angela got very worried this afternoon at around 3:15 when Rachel only drank about 30 mls of her feed and then started wheasing heavily and was very short of breath – Angela counted her respiration and it was 88 per minute: Aparently it’s serious if it’s as high as 60, so we figured 88 good enough to be considered an emergency.

Nathan went to visit Sebastian while Angela speeded to Dubai Hospital (via Grand Hyatf Dubai to pick me up) and into the emergency ward we go … (We reached here just after 5)

Within 10 minutes an emergency ward Pead’ was examining what must’ve looked to him like a perfectly healthy and normal baby, which seems to be the case as whatever it was had cleared during the trip to the hospital. Her heartrate and breathing were fine and her lungs sounded clear and healthy. What idiots we must’ve looked like when Rachel smiled and gurgled at the doctor …

None the less we three are now in a short-stay ward for observation. In about 45 mins we’ll see the Pead’ again and then probably head home.

Very exciting afternoon it turned out to be :-)

Paradox of our times

We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;
wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;
we spend more, but have little;
we buy more and enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families;
more conveniences, but less time;
we have more degrees, but less common sense;
more knowledge, but less judgement;
more experts, but more problems;
more medicine, but less wellness.

We spend too recklessly, laugh too little,
drive too fast, get too angry too quickly,
stay up too late, get up too tired, read too seldom,
watch TV too much, and don’t pray often enough.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom and lie too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life;
we’ve added years to life, not life to years.

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,
but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.

We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space;
we’ve done larger things, but not better things;
we’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
we’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice;
we write more, but learn less;
plan more, but accomplish less.

We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait;
we have higher incomes; but lower morals;
more food but less appeasement;
more acquaintances, but fewer friends;
more effort but less success.

We build better computers to hold more information,
produce more copies than ever, yet have less communication;
we’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and upset stomachs;
more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
more leisure and less fun; .

These are days of two incomes, but more divorce;
of fancier houses, but broken homes;
tall men and short character;
steep profits, and shallow relationships.

These are days of quick trips, throwaway morality,
one-night stands, and pills that do everything from
cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the show window,
and nothing in the stockroom.

Think about it.

Nathan

Nathan woke up this morning in a very good mood and proudly proclaimed: “Today I am going to be a beautiful butterfly!”

Rachel

Rachel is still teething – Here’s some pictures of her smiling (and drooling)

Price of a Miracle

A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes.

Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgust ing sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

And what do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages,” he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

“Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,” Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. “He’s really, really sick… and I want to buy a miracle.”

“I beg your pardon?” said the pharmacist. “His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?”

“We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I can’t help you,” the pharmacist said, softening a little.

“Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.” The pharmacist’s brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?”

“I don’t know,” Tess replied with her eyes welling up. “I just know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can’t pay for it, so I want to use my money.”

“How much do you have?” asked the man from Chicago. “One dollar and eleven cents,” Tess answered barely audibly. “And it’s all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.”

“Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the man. “A dollar and eleven cents—the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.” He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”

That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn’t long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place. “That surgery,” her Mom whispered. “was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?” Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost… one dollar and eleven cents ….. plus the faith of a little child.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law…… (A TRUE STORY)

It’s that time again …

Rachel is not feeding well … Only about 140ml of her 180ml bottles, and only with difficulty. She has a terrible nappy rash and a very loose tummy, and is in a rather bad mood when she’s awake, which isn’t much as she’s been sleeping a lot more than we’re used to.

Yup, it’s that time again … as with Nathan, when it’s time for teeth, expect anything. We think Rachel’s top front tooth is pressing hard against her top gum. Nathan had his first tooth at 3 months, seems it’s a family gene :-)

Love to you all

Yours in Him

Roy, Ang, Nathan and Rachel

Lunch with Mark and Christine

Had a lovely lunch today with Mark and his wife Chris from Uncle Rohan’s side of the family. If you remember Mark and I caught up with each other a few weeks ago but it was nice having the whole Verrips family present to meet them both.

Angela made lasagne and we just hosted them at home here in Sahari Villiage as it’s been a rather draining week for all our whole family.

It was pretty much a relaxing time for us all, except Nathan who was very eager to show all his toys to Uncle Mark and get Uncle Mark to help him built a helicopter out of building blocks. Rachel was very happy to sit in Aunty Chris’ arms and watch all this …

We pretty much spent the rest of the day relaxing as well, just popping over to Spinneys for a few small “daily’s” and then to bed in a little bit.

Rachel’s lil’ habit

Rachel can’t sleep without here lil’ bunny-blanky (was a gift from our friends Julio and Slovanka)