A choice to walk past

We've been in hectic Christmas mode lately meaning blogs have been few and far between.  To be honest, life as a Mammy has been very eventful so far, add into the scenario that Christmas is around the corner and you'll understand how I barely have time to sit and type the blog.  Though I will try and steal some moments to keep everyone posted.

Lutaaya is settling well.  I think the whole excitement of Christmas is carying her through at the moment.  It's hard, with the severe snow we've experienced, to go out and meet people.  We were fortunate tonight to deliver some Christmas cards to neighbours and Lutaaya met a neighbours daughter, who she will go to school with in the New Year. 

I cannot believe the amount of snow we have had fall over the past two days!  We are all snowed in.  Dad's car is a gem in the snow and we managed to go about as normal today, heading to Cardiff to finish off our Christmas shopping.  Unfortunately as we walked in the one shopping mall, me and Lutaaya on our own as my parents wanted to do some 'secret shopping', we witnessed a lady in the jewellery counter have a seizure.  I was amazed how many people could see this happening, and yet simply chose to walk past.  The girls working in the shop obviously had no first aid training and appeared frightened and unsure of what to do.  I explained to Lutaaya that I was going to go and help.  I tried saying instructions over the shop counter at first and then the staff allowed me into the kiosk to help, hands on.  I must admit I was extemely worried for the girl who had fitted.  She looked very poorly and took a long time to initially stop fitting, and then even longer to make any sense or recognise where she was.  Still people passed by without giving a second look.  Yes I could have joined them.  Yes I could have stopped my daughter witnessing the lady fitting, and vomitting blood.  Yes I could have ignored the fact I saw her drop to the floor and yes I could have kept quiet about having a first aid certificate.  But no I couldn't walk past.  No I couldn't live with myslelf if I hadn't helped and the girl had not had medical help.  No I couldn't have taught my daughter the lesson that in this situation we walk past.  We don't!  We stop and help our neighbours.  Lutaaya wasn't phased by the ordeal and I don't think she saw the seriousness of the lady's illness.  My prayer tonight is that the young lady gets the medical help she needs and makes a full recovery.

I guess my life is based on the morals that I don't walk past.  I could have gone to Uganda, as many people do, seen the children and fulfilled a gap in my own self-esteem, of being seen as helping.  I could have come home and returned to everything as normal.  I made the choice not to walk past then, as I did today.  I cannot simply ignore something going on around me and if I can, I will offer to help.  Initially in Uganda I offered to help by sponsoring a child.  I then moved onto starting the whole adoption process.  I didn't weigh everything up, I didnt doubt the finances of it all, I trusted that, if God had placed this calling on my heart, then He would provide all that was needed.  And so far, and ongoing, He is doing just that!  All things are possible to those who trust in Jesus, and having Lutaaya here this Christmas, is living proof of that.

So this Christmas, please trust your heart.  Sometimes we are so caught up in our own lives and 'problems' we fail to see those of others.  Look around you and make that one choice: Stop and help, don't walk past!   

New skills

It's quite easy to forget how far my little girl has come in her life journey.  Every day is a learning experience for her.  New people to meet and new skills to learn.  It's also really easy to forget quite how many skills she has learned.  In the orphanage where she is from, she would never have eaten with cutlery, she would have used her hands for this.  So being able to sit at a table and eat cleanly with a knife and fork is a huge achievement, that for most children, at 9 years old, we take for granted.  But how proud am I when I see her doing this.

 

The Most Magical Time of the Year

I love Christmas!  It's official.  I live all the festivities and the child inside us all that this time of year brings out.  This year will be even more magical as I get to share it with not only all my family, but also Lutaaya this year.  She has been in my heart every Christmas since I met her, but this year she won't only be in my heart but in our house.  We'll be sharing the joy of Christmas together!  I thank God for making that happen.

I am loving seeing her face light up already.  We have had so much laughter in our lives this past week or so.  She really has brightened up more than a few people's lives.  She loves watching every intricate detail of everything.  She loves seeing how things work and also copying others to see if she can do the same things herself. 

We started the day with a wonderful church service, where some of the congregation took on the Nativity roles.  It was delightful to watch.  Everyone certainly gave their all.  Lutaaya particularly loved seeing her Auntie Andrea dress up as a shepherd!  Sorry Andrea but your photo just had to be shared!

Then it was off to the giant toy shop.  I must admit it's difficult to pick up presents when you have a very nosey little girl with you!  We had some tactics to make sure we picked up all that we needed and even roped Auntie Rachel in to come over on our return and distract Lutaaya so that gifts for Santa to collect could be hurried in and hidden away from prying little eyes.

Final job of the night - put our tree up.  Lutaaya's eyes have been so bright and she's had so much energy.  She really is in the festive spirit.  We had some giggles along the way, with the tree initially not fitting in it's spot, and then baubles needing tying and then falling off.  We also have the job of distracting Gypsy, our kitten, away from the tree.  She's spotted the baubles and thinks her Christmas has arrived.  I'm wondering how long the tree will remain standing for at this rate?  Although for the time being, just like my daughter, our tree is perfect and beautiful.