A year ago today!

A year ago today we touched down on Welsh ground.

I brought my little girl home.

I gave my little girl, not only the gift of a Mummy, but also that of a family and an even bigger community.

I am so thankful for the year we have had.  It has been one of the most challenging, yet rewarding years of my life.

And you know what?  I would do it all again in a heartbeat.........

Cos look at what all the heartache, hold ups and hurdles were for.........

And she was worth every bit of it!

Malaria facts!

Following on from my blog about mosquitoes, I thought I'd follow it up with the facts about malaria.  I have seen malaria make a fit and healthy little boy look like he was at death's door.  I know how quickly it can make someone become unwell and can even take their life.  It is a cruel disease but one that is treatable and preventable.  So there is a positive side to this blog, it's not all doom and gloom.

Did you know...............
Half the world’s population is at risk of malaria?

781,000 people die of malaria every year!
That in itself is a scary statistic but lets make it even more real!

• A child dies every 45 seconds of malaria.

Malaria No More UK is a current campaign to reduce malaria deaths.  All the facts in this blog have been taken from their website and the photos are also in relation to their campaigns.  So here are some more facts for you to mull over.......

• Over 90% of the 781,000 malaria deaths are in Africa
• 8% of all children who die before their fifth birthday die of malaria
• 40% of public health spending in some African countries affected by malaria is spent on the disease
• Malaria costs Africa over £8 billion a year in lost economic output
• It is estimated that up to 200,000 newborns die each year as a result of malaria in pregnancy and malaria can cause anaemia and death for pregnant women
• 40% of drug expenditure in affected countries is spent on malaria drugs

The good news, like I said earlier, is that malaria is preventable and treatable.  So far the successes have been: 

• Since 2000, over one third of the 108 malarious countries have reduced the number of malaria cases by more than 50%
• Household net ownership reached more than 50% in 19 malarious African countries in 2010
• £5 is enough to buy, deliver and hang a mosquito net for a family in Africa, helping protect two people from malaria.

Malaria is cruel because it is mainly prevalent in the poorest of communities in the world.  The areas where £5 for a net may be more than a family can afford.  If it's a choice of feeding your family tonight or buying a net, what choice do you make?  I guess for some, taking the risk of malaria is the only thing they can do.  How sad is that?  I mean, £5!  I'm guessing this is less than we would think of spending on most Christmas gifts???

And so......Prevention is Paramount.

Organisations like Malaria No More UK and other organisations are able to hand out mosquito nets to the most vulnerable.  Mosquito nets are the first line of defence against the deadly bite of a malarial mosquito.  It’s estimated that when 80% of people sleep under a net, the entire community is protected.

But it's no good having a net if you don't know how to use it.  So education is also key.  Knowledge is power.  Mosquito nets are no use if they lie under beds or used for other purposes, they won’t prevent malaria.  If people understand how they should use them consistently and properly, the malaria rates will go down.

Malaria testing can now be carried out in many local clinics to get people treated faster.  Again this comes down to charities raising the money needed to offer this service to all. 
And along with sprays and medication, malaria can be successfully treated and/or prevented. 

If you've been phoning in to I'm a Celebrity to vote for your favourite, then you've helped Malaria No More UK raise some extra funds for the excellent work they do.  If you haven't, why not add them to your Christmas list and donate £5?  It could be a life saving Christmas present.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..................

And yes it is!

I remember last year, that I really felt I had missed out on all the festivities in the run up to Christmas.  After all, this time last year, we were still stranded in Uganda, waiting on Lutaaya’s VISA.

It brought back so many memories reading Bethany’s blog last week.  She was reminiscing about Thanksgiving.  In the midst of our chaos, we shared such a special day and it really did feel like we were with family.  I reminded Lutaaya of our day last year and how we took popcorn to Jaydn’s apartment as a gift to them to remind them of home.  We just had to break out the popcorn this year, as a new tradition!  These Welshies are having Thanksgiving!

And the festivities grew over the weekend.  Our town lights were switched on for Christmas.  We were able to take part in having a festive stall outside Mum’s shop. 

The weather has turned colder so there is that extra feeling of Christmas in the air!  We all wait in anticipation of the snow!  I remember seeing photos of home last year and finding it hard to believe how much snow had fallen! 

So as a late Thanksgiving blog I wanted to say how thankful I am for family, both near and far, who have come into my life through birth, adoption or friendship. 

Let’s join in the Christmas spirit and share more magical moments at this special time of year.