The Good Life: The simple life...

About Us

Based in Pretoria, South Africa... My name is Loren, I am married to the LOVE of my life and on 08/08/08 we welcomed our first child into this world! Malakai is healthy, he is precious and he is the light of our lives... oh and he has a little something extra (commonly known as Down Syndrome).
On 29/01/2010 we had our second boy - Harlan. We are so excited that Malakai & Harlan will grow together as brothers and friends!
This is our journey into acceptance, love, the understanding that today is our greatest gift, and the celebration of our beautiful, perfect, amazing sons!

Blessed

Blessed are you who take the time to listen to difficult speech:
For you help us to know that if we persevere,
We can be understood.

Blessed are you who walk with us in public places,
And ignore the stares of strangers,
For in your companionship,
We find havens of peace.

Blessed are you who never bid us to "hurry up",
And more blessed are you
Who do not snatch tasks from our hands to do them for us,
For often we need time rather than help.

Blessed are you who stand beside us
As we enter new and untried ventures.
For our failures will be outweighed
By the times we surprise ourselves and you.

Blessed are you who ask for our help,
For our greatest need is to be needed.

Blessed are you when you assure us,
That the one thing that makes us individuals
Is not in our peculiar muscles,
Nor in our wounded nervous system,
Nor in our difficulties in learning,
Nor any exterior difference.
But is in our inner, personal, individual self
Which no affirmity can diminish or erase.

- Author Unknown

Monday, January 26, 2009

The simple life...

Dearest Malakai,

This last weekend was the first in many months that I didn't have a photo shoot to go to... Although I want business to pick up, I was also basking in the fact that I didn't have to go somewhere or do anything that I didn't absolutely want to do! (Not that I don't enjoy taking photos, but... it is work...).

So! We went to watch horse show jumping (wow those creatures are HUGE!) and then *my absolute best*... then we spent the afternoon at the Irene Country Lodge. We spread our blanket on the grass under an ancient Oak Tree with a view of the lake and the corn fields and the birds and the grass and the beautiful sky... We just lay there and relaxed... you slept next to me on and off and I was just in heaven! Good friends, beautiful day, stunning outdoors - what more could I have asked for??? Sunday was also just about lounging around the house, watching corny movies on the Hallmark Channel (yes... I admit to watching very soppy, very 'happy-ending motivated' films when I get the chance), staying in my PJ's ALL DAY LONG!

The simple things - not having to rush out the door (which I expect Monday to Friday, but mostly have to do on Saturdays and Sundays as well.), enjoying a WHOLE DAY with you...

The simple things - those are the things that stuck with me from this weekend. Nothing exciting, nothing dramatic... just simple and abundant days filled with you!

You are all my Reasons for Being,
Love,
Mom

4 comments:

Life As I Know It... said...: Just the way I like to spend my weekend too!; January 26, 2009 at 8:36 AM
Cathy said...: Sounds wonderful! Unfortunately it was 4 degrees F here all weekend. No outside activities.

I love your beautiful letters to your son. He is going to be so blessed to get to read them someday. All children should know they are as loved as Malakai is :); January 26, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Cheri said...: So sweet! I LOVE PJ's all day long...we do it lots, or try to at least! :); January 27, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Melissa said...: What a great weekend;)
I just had a chance to finally check out your blog, how BEAUTIFUL!!! Malakai is just so precious & you are blessed!!

I admire the love you have for your son for I do have the same for my special little guy! Thank you for your encouraging comments on my blog, it meant so much to me!

Hope that you get to have another relaxing weekend soon!; January 27, 2009 at 11:25 PM