When did destruction become ok?

This morning when I woke up I heard on the radio how the students who were protesting at UCT about how there is not enough accommodation for students had set alight a Jammie Shuttle, (the bus UCT uses to transport students to different campus's), as well as set alight a car, burnt some paintings that were in two of the res's and stoned a bus. When I heard this I was completely shocked that people could do something like this. 


When did violence and vandalism become ok? When did setting things on fire and destroying things become ok as a method of proving a point or showing you disagree with something?


When I got to work this morning I saw this on News 24 http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/uct-to-suspend-protesting-students-will-file-criminal-charges-20160217


I really hope that UCT follows through with the criminal charges. They need to show the rest of the students that you can't go around destroying things because you don't like the way things currently are. I remember when I was still studying, like forever ago that if there wasn't space in res for someone they would rent an apartment, do flat share or move into a digs. I don't understand why students should demand res accommodation from the university, let alone be destructive about it. I also know for a fact if we did something like that we would have been expelled, which is also what I really hope UCT follows through with their threats - these students need to learn that they still have to respect things that don't belong to them even when they are protesting about something they don't like.

xKx

Valentines Day

When it comes to Valentines Day I often just roll my eyes and say it's a ridiculous day. Deep down I am a romantic at heart and I really do like doing romantic things and being swept off my feet by romance BUT when it comes to this day of the year I can't help but roll my eyes. The main reason I get irritated by this day is because it puts so much pressure on guys to perform on this day, to pull out all the stops to make their special girl feel extra special and loved. The shops are full of super expensive flowers, (why must they triple in price???), cards and chocolates. The radio and TV is full of adverts about taking your girlfriend or wife out to a restaurant for supper or going to the beach to watch the sunset ect. etc. What I think should be done on Valentines day is that if you want to celebrate it and do something to make your significant other feel loved and special is to do something that fills their love tank. Do something that they will like, listen to what they don't like about the day and then do something they would like and that makes them feel loved and fills their love tank.


This year David totally blew me away with what he had planned for Valentines day. He planned a picnic in our Garden and my favourite movie. He projected it onto a sheet hanging in the garden. The most special thing about this was that I felt like really heard me when I said I don't want to do what everyone else does for Valentines day. He also did something he wanted to do with me in our garden for a while. He also spoke right to my heart and filled my love tank by spending quality time with me.

 

 

I didn't plan something as wonderful as David planned. I booked a table at Rhodes Memorial because it was the place that it all began again for us four years ago. It's the place David chose when we went on our "first" date on 24 September 2012.

 

To sum up my Valentines day this year, I think it was the best ever!

xKx

 

27 for Freedom Race

On Saturday, Terri and I did the 5km option of the 27 for Freedom Race, out in Paarl.

The race was a bit random in the sense that it was supposed to be 5km but it was actually 6.2km and it had two water points. I used Strava to record the time and speed of our running and when it said "5km" and we were no where near the end Terri and I were sooooo confused. This also messed with my head a bit because I was mentally prepared for a 5km so the last kilometre was super hard for me and I stopped like a 100 times. I promise I am fitter than that... I also blame the heat for that last kilometre. I took serious strain.


This 5km was the fastest I have ever run - I think that's because Terri kind of set the pace, except for the last kilometre. She's a lot faster than me and fitter. I now know what it feels like to run at the speed I want to eventually reach.

The best part of this race was running with my bestie, as well as the drive there and back. It gave us LOTS of time to chitter chat about life and everything in between.

xKx

Bye - Bye Facebook

For a while now I've been thinking about and discussing how I want to deactivate my Facebook account. The main reason for wanting to deactivate it was because it stole so much time from my life. I would spend tons of time scrolling through pictures, watching videos and reading random stuff that didn't add any value to my life at all - I would say that it did, but the reality is that it didn't really. I would often discuss with David how I don't want it because I waste so much time on it but then I would be scared of missing out, also know as FOMO and then not do it. For the past few weeks I had deleted it off my phone which meant I would read a real book on the bus and not waste the time of Facebook, but it never really solved the problem of wasting time in general.

This morning while I was on the bus I was thinking about the whole Facebook thing and how it really impacts my life. Besides the standard - it helps me stay connected with family and friends overseas argument, it doesn't really benefit my life in all. I also don't think it impacts it positively either. If I really want to connect with family and friends overseas I can email them or Skype them - I have other mediums of technology available to me, which makes my argument null and void.

I find that Facebook steals real life connecting time from me with my husband. I would spend time on Facebook when I could be talking to him. I think I often look at Facebook before I even say good morning to him... this is not good for connection in marriage. I decided that this needed to change and the only way to do that is to deactivate my account.

Another reason I decided to activate my account is I would get SUPER annoyed with what I would see. At the moment there's a lot of racist , white privilege, and let's slate our president and ruling party posts. This makes me really angry when I see this. As a Christian I am called to honour the people who are in charge - no matter what they do. When I see other Christian people jumping on this band wagon of posts I get really angry. I also don't want to see stuff like that.

I also get annoyed with all the random stuff Facebook makes me look at like adverts. If I want to look at adverts for things I'll go and look. I really don't need anymore temptations to buy shoes etc. from Zando.

The third and last reason why I've deactivated my account it how it sparks gossip. I saw a post by a friend yesterday that got me  questioning something. I then discussed it with David and after thinking about what we spoke about and what I said I was left questioning if it was gossip. I've also started conversations of "I saw on Facebook.... " or been in conversations with people where it starts like that, which could be classified as gossip. I don't like gossip and I certainly want to remove a source of gossip from my life, which is why I decided to deactivate it.

I may let FOMO get the better of me and reactivate my account later today, next week or next month... but for right now I don't want it anymore.

xKx

 

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