I have some MAJOR news to tell all of you but I feel I must do a quick update first of what has been happening the past two months. I can’t believe it has been that long since I’ve written!
PLEASE KEEP READING TO THE END OF THE POST. If you read this post, then I don’t have to answer so many difficult questions later.
Since they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here, I decided I was going to take on the role of making the whole dinner (minus a few desserts) by myself for about 25 people. I think I’m crazy, but with some help, I pulled it off and they all said it tasted YUMMY!
Our First Thanksgiving Portrait! Catie and Nonny loved eating all the new foods- well and some old ones!
We then enjoyed putting up a Christmas tree for the first time and listening to as many Christmas songs as I could get my hands on! We were SOOO blessed by everyone who sent gifts, cards, and extra special Christmas financial support! Thank you for the love and the encouragement! Being away from home was hard, but being to Skype with my family and extended families really warmed my heart!!
Before the Agape 4 Special Needs School went on holiday/summer break, I hosted a Christmas Cookie Baking day! The kids- and the teachers- loved helping in every step of the way- but especially eating them! Over the holidays, I also hosted a cookie day for the girls of Agape with about 15 girls ages 6-17. We had loads of fun!
The 3 pics above are from Catie’s Christmas program at school. I decided to be a “good mom” and volunteer to make the masks for all of the animals for the Noah’s Ark show- all 22 of them. I enjoyed helping and love crafty stuff- but it took LOTS of time!
Catie and I went to our first “Noddy Party”- a Christmas show for kids. She loved it and we took along friends from Timbers, one of the poorest parts of Grabouw.
We enjoyed some warmer weather and my baby learned how to crawl!!!! Boy did I have to do some quick rearranging of my house!
We enjoyed two Christmas Carol events with friends Jacqui (in pic) and Mel, two friends from Village of Hope. I will say it was weird singing Christmas Carols in a tank top and skirt!
Santa brought presents from my family for Catie and delivered MOMMY’S presents to her as well! You read that right she started calling me MOMMY!! 
My Catie Belle and I on Christmas Day!
Watching a Skype wedding- Amy, a long time on/off volunteer with Agape got married in Texas, but we were able to watch and hear the whole thing! It was so neat!! The kids LOVED being able to be a part of her special day! Then part of their honeymoon was a trip to see us!
I had some of the older Agape girls come for a sleepover on New Year’s Eve and we had fun, but I was the last one asleep! I couldn’t believe it!
So as you can see, we’ve been busy girls!
Relocation:
I’ve been toiling for a month now how to write this part of my blog, so here it goes. The directors of my organization and the social worker felt that it was best to move Nonny into a different foster home with the newest couple they have recently added to their staff. So on December 21st, I said goodbye to Nonny as “my baby”. It was the hardest day of my life. I still see her often, but it isn’t the same, and it is very hard for me. They did allow me to have her back for her first birthday, Jan. 3, so I could still have the party I had planned for her.
While this change was happening, it was also decided that Catie would attend a boarding school starting in January, in which she would only be able to come home on the weekends and holidays. Today I dropped my big girl off at her new school. Even harder than the first change in both of our lives.
Am I heartbroken? Absolutely.
I can’t explain all of the reasoning, and quite frankly, I don’t understand it all. Please just pray for peace of heart and mind for this “former full-time foster momma” as I adjust back to “normal” life. The past month has been tough, and it will be even harder now as they are both gone. Please pray for both of the girls as they continue to adjust to their new homes.
Also pray for me as we discuss what my role will be now.
Riots:
For the first time in all of my experiences in SA I was afraid last week. The farm workers decided to strike for better wages most of last week, but were being destructive in their protests going through the townships, robbing stores,burning tires, and throwing rocks at cars, along with burning down one of the factories and in return the police several times had to control the crowd with rubber bullets and tear gas. As long as we stayed inside Agape’s walls we were safe, but fire goes where ever it wants. After some discussion, it sounds like they’ve come to an agreement. Thank you for those of you who have prayed for a peaceful solution to this mess. Please continue prayers for peace.
Thank you for listening, loving, and encouraging me through these trials and triumphs. I couldn’t do it without all of my Warriors from back home!!!
~Megan
