Babies - Babies - Babies

This week has been a pretty epic week in that three people I know gave birth to their babies. All three babies came a few weeks early - it's like they just wanted to come out and meet everyone in the world.

On Monday morning, Nuzhat gave birth to Ninja Noah. Ninja is not his name, it's what we're calling him until the naming ceremony on Saturday. I'm pretty excited to meet this little boy.

On Tuesday afternoon, Anne - David's step sister gave birth to Nathan. We went to visit him on Wednesday evening. He is just the cutest little thing ever.

It was also really special to watch Haley, his older sister interact with him and ask her parents if she could hold her little brother. When we arrived George was like "you can hold him", which I did. He was sooooo tiny and light.

On Wednesday afternoon, Chaana had Isabella. She was in the same hospital as Anne so we got to pop in and visit Cha and see her brand new bundle of "baby-ness". When we arrived Cha also said that I can hold her. When I tried to scoop her up I was soooo scared I would break her, but I think babies are a lot more resilient than we think. When I held Isabella it was the most amazing thing ever. This little bundle was literally brand new and everything was there in the right place, her hair and nails and little feet. Meeting Isabella was also pretty special because Cha has been sending us pictures of her ultra sounds and keeping us updated about her progress. It's like we already knew her before we had even met her.

During the whole drive home I was thinking about how God has designed us in such a way to carry a baby, but also how He is able to take two cells and then mould them into a whole person. Not only does He put your body together perfectly but He makes you with SUCH love and with a planned adventure for your life filled with so much purpose. It's amazing!

xKx

Egg Donation - Another form of human trafficking?

While we were in Franskraal I decided to buy a Cosmopolitan magazine, (Cosmopolitan, January 2016, volume 32, number 11), for beach reading. One of the articles in the magazine was on how women in South Africa mostly aged between 18 - 25 years old are getting exploited for the eggs. When I read this I was like "Pardon?" 

The article started the same as most of the stories that I've read about people getting exploited. They made a friend who told them about this opportunity. In this situation is was how you as a women could earn some extra money by donating your eggs. This "market" has grown from the increase in couples who can't fall pregnant wanting babies. The increase in safe abortions and people using contraceptives have decreased the number of children up for adoption. When I read this, I was like where are people looking to adopt. There are thousands of children world wide who want forever homes through adoption.

To jump along in the story, you've been told about an amazing opportunity to donate your eggs in Indai for a free holiday, while donating your eggs. The first step of the process is to give you hormones so that you start producing more eggs than the one you naturally produce a month. The second part of the process is where the eggs get removed from you. In situations like this, you are given way to many hormones and produced too many eggs for your body, which has then been extracted from you. This is harmful to your body and illegal. Legally only  certain number of eggs may be donated over a certain number of months and you can't be paid for donating eggs, (can't be paid for human life).

I read this article after I had just finished going through Dressember and reading up on human trafficking. Is this another form of human trafficking? Women are being lured by free luxuriant holidays and the only thing they need to do is donate some eggs. Little do they know they're going to be donating a lot eggs, being exploited to satisfy a demand for something without knowing the dangers of it.  Just a thought...

xKx

2016 - The Adventure Continues

WOW! We're almost halfway through 2016 - how did that happen. Ok, I am exaggerating a little but before we know it, it'll be the end of the month....

This year started off quietly in Franskraal with a couple of friends. David and I went up just before new years to run a 10km race. We thought it was a road race but half way through it turned into a trail run - I was so not prepared for that but we pushed on and finished it. The rest of the time up there was spent at the beach swimming, body boarding - this requires a full costume as a bikini is not safe in the waves, eating good food, colouring in and hanging out with my Noo and friends. We got home three days before I started work. The first two days were were spent laying in the sun, swimming and eating water melon and the last day was spent with my mom and brother. David and my brother painted his plane together - oh how it makes my heart happy when they do things together.

When we planned the trip up to Franskraal we decided not to do touristy things and just be on holiday there and enjoy the beach - I think it was the best idea yet. It's day two of being back at work and I want the lazy, sunny beach days back.

Here are some pictures of our holidays....

 

 

xKx