Play-aunts

Yesterday, Tabita, Anette, Sofia and I went out to look at the horses. We also walked over to Maurice's house and visited his family, as his youngest daughter Sadika is of the same age as Tabita, and they play a lot together - or should I say, looking and smiling at each other. Sadika has finally overcome her fear for me, and so I held her in my arms, and Sofia carried Tabita who was slightly sick and did not want to walk barefoot on the sand.
"I see Tabita has got three aunts now!" Maurice said happily, and yes, that's really true. Everywhere she turns, there is someone for her and she has picked up a lot of things since we arrived. Her favourites are tickling us in the back and washing up with whoever has enough patience to bear the shower involved...

Anette - which should by the way be pronounced "Aaaaaa....nETTe!" - has been the best of play mates and Sofia and I have had to accept coming second place... :-) Unfortunately for Tabita (and for the rest of us as well!) Anette will be leaving on Wednesday, together with my father, who will be rejoining my mother at the hospital. My mother was supposed to come with Miriam for the Christmas holidays, but they had to cancel their flight due to a number of sudden complications surrounding my mother's health. Things have been really tough for her lately and so we are glad that at least my dad is rejoining her, even though we would have wished - of course - to have them all here. God is near though and I'm so thankful, because without him, I don't know where we'd be right now.

Greetings!
Ishtar