The Fey Family

Today, I finally took care of a problem that started about 6 months ago. You may recall that I cracked a tooth on a piece of pasta (overcooked pasta) on New Year’s Day. My dear husband used a nail file to take off a sharp point that was cutting my tongue and it has been mostly smooth sailing since then. That all changed about 3 weeks ago. I started having a lot of pain in my tooth, which then spread along my jaw and into my ear. Yesterday, I finally called a dentist and made an appointment to have the tooth checked out. This morning, Darin took my into Hammanskraal to investigate a new dentist. The “head” dentist is someone well known by Mama Mina, so I felt pretty comfortable going there, but I was relying on Darin to get me out if he felt the situation was bad. We arrived shortly after 9 and were seen almost immediately for a consult. The consult cost 130R, which is +/- $13 at today’s exchange rate. During this consult, the dentist gave me my options; root canal with a cap, toot...

A couple weeks ago, I put together a meal that I am still thinking about. I know, nothing like patting myself on the back, but for real, it was good. I told my mom I’d pass it on and thought if I was going to the trouble of typing it up for her, I might as well post it on the blog. You’re welcome. Blue Chicken This recipe is from Rob Toornstra, pastor of Sunnyslope Christian Reformed Church, my old stomping grounds located in Salem, Oregon. 2 Tbsp margarine 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved 1 cup sour cream 4 oz blue cheese 1 tsp salt Dash pepper 1 clove minced garlic ¼ tsp onion powder ¼ tsp paprika Melt margarine in frying pan; add chicken, brown on both sides. Set in a baking dish. Keep the frying pan hot, add the remaining ingredients and stir until melted and blended (mixture will bubble quickly). Pour over chicken and bake for 1 hour at 350 F (180 C). If the sauce has separated when you remove it from the oven, whisk together. *I only...

On Thursday  we celebrated two years of living in South Africa. When we landed in Johannesburg on June 13, 2011, we were full of plans. During our first few months of living here, we spent a lot of time searching for the best place to live so that we’d be close to a good school for our kids, the petrol station and the ministries we planned to work with in Hammanskraal. A lot of our first year was spent working on projects with Mama Cathrine at Tshwaraganang. We were also kept busy home schooling Tyson and Jori (or perhaps I was busy feeling overwhelmed with the idea of home schooling and not a whole lot of actual schooling took place, but that is neither here nor there). My parents and Darin’s mom and brother visited us this first year, making us feel both closer and farther away from the people we love. Sometime near the end of our first year, we started to think that perhaps the petrol station would be a long time in coming, if it ever came at all. Around this time Darin was...

Man, it is easy to fall behind on this blog. We have had a busy couple of weeks in the house. I’ll see if I can even remember what has all gone on. Last night Darin and I took Amo to the casualty ward (emergency room). It was an experience I’d be fine never repeating again! We put her to bed a bit after 7 and around 7:30 we went in to check on her and she had vomited and seemed to be having a seizure. We got her to the hospital, saw many things that will leave us shaking our heads for days (be ever so thankful for the access to health care that you ALL have, even those who see Obamacare as pure evil should just be grateful!). Darin left to get Amo’s mommy and daddy. They came back and we all sat around watching her until a little after 1 when she was admitted to the children’s ward. They allowed her mommy to stay with her, which is a total miracle as it is usually only mothers who are still breastfeeding that may stay overnight with their babies at our local hospital (can you pare...

Here are some final pics of the house. I hope you now have a better idea of where we are staying! Braai area, through door leading off of lounge area Playground Picnic Table, courtesy of Uncle Hans Swimming pool and Harding cottage Mama Joye's house (with green overhangs). The entry to our breezeway/kitchen door is next to the brick wall. Laundry lines, driveway, gate leads to trampoline Kitchen window and lounge window (higher) Looking from laundry lines Laundry room, across from kitchen My sitting area, courtesy of my dad Looking out our bedroom window to our sitting area

Here are some pics of the baby room and the playroom. Pray that we will be able to fill the baby room with lots of little ones needing a safe place and that the paperwork to house more children will land in the right hands! Looking in from dining room Looking in from dining room. Right now Amo sleeps here and soon Baby B will join her. Playroom! The gate under the white board leads into the dining room I have arranged and rearranged these drawers and shelves so many times. It's an illness people! The "box", looking out on the outdoor play area. Feeding and changing area. 

We recently rearranged some furniture, and by we I mean me and Mama Sarah. Darin is so not into my obsession with changing rooms around, but we are all happy with the results this time. This is the hallway looking back towards our room. The dining room is on the right and the lounge is on the left through the two arched openings. Dining room before. Lounge before Lounge before (looking into playroom) Lounge after! We moved it into the old dining room and it is so much more cozy now. Dining room after! It is easier to move around the table and there is a chunk of space to do therapy with the girls.  The bookshelf now holds all the girls' therapy supplies. We are happy with our new spaces!