I am the youngest of five sisters and I absolutely love and appreciate them with my whole heart. My mother was an only child and as a mom she raised us with a firm and loving hand. Her rules were clear and our relationship was somewhat of a love/fear kind. Love because she was the one we loved the most and there was nothing else like it. Everything about her was done out of the purest form of love. She was the only one who loved us the way she did and knew us so well and we never even realized the pureness of her love until we became moms. Fear of disappointing her or hurting her feelings. A tremendously strong and fearless lady with self-confidence, self-respect and the kindest heart. She fought our battles, the kind of battles you fight on your knees.
In her absence my sisters would step in to help wherever they could. They would cook, clean, change diapers and dress me. That’s how we were taught, I could never speak of the things they endured throughout my life, the sacrifices, the tears, the support in raising and the love they have for me. Recently I went through a rough patch and my sisters got together without my knowledge, arranged a ‘party for sisters’ but when I arrived they actually had an intervention about my state of well-being. We laughed, cried, chatted for hours but the part that I appreciate the most is the love, compassion, support and concern they had for me. They had my back!
Sisters are not only blood relatives. A sister is a person who’s been where you’ve been, someone you can call when things aren’t going right. More than just family, a sister is a forever friend. Let’s celebrate each other. Whether it’s body goals, professional goals or just making it in this world, make a fuss of it and support each other. Do not compete with other women; we all have our own journey that God holds in his hands. Listen with an open heart & mind and be kind, don’t hold grudges.
An insert in an article in the Huffpost discussed sisterhood;
The fact is we are not just connected, as women. We are interconnected. So why
does it seem that at a time when so many of us (and it is about “us”) are
getting ahead and doing amazing things that far too many of us are being left
behind? The truth is, many women despite our achievements or power are just too
scared, too selfish, or too insecure to help other women. And that is what real
“sisterhood” is all about, because the reality is, if we don’t help each other,
who will? And if not in this time, when?
In the final analysis to be a sister is to be a friend and to be loyal. It is to give a smile, lend a hand and practice friendship. It is to be forgiving, lending a helping hand, be a fierce advocate and builder of other women. Being a sister means you value other women as you value yourself.
Let us put the ‘sister’ back into
the word sisterhood. It starts with you and me, right here and now.
Cut pears in half in lengths (keep stem and intact)
In a small bowl stir together butter, cinnamon and vanilla essence. Using your hands, rub the butter mixture all over pears. Place the pears, cut side down, in a big enough baking dish to lay them side by side.
Mix ¼ cup of lukewarm water, 3 Tbs caramel syrup and 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar then pour into baking tray.
Bake the pears for 30 minutes, remove from oven, turn the pears and add the rest of the mix (no.4)
Continue until pears are soft. Pierce it with a fork and bake for about another 30 minutes more.
Dish pears on a platter ,drizzle with caramel syrup and sprinkle with 2 pinches of coconut
On 17 January this year we celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. It sounds like a big number but yet it feels less than a decade.
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” John 15:12
Two kids later, career changes, sickness, health, a house we made our home for 22 years and plenty of lessons along the way. I cannot imagine these experiences with anyone else.
I’m writing this article in celebration of many couples hard at work on their relationships. I cannot pin point the secret to a long lasting marriage but I do know we all have our ups and downs and work extremely hard to stay happy. So far our journey has been filled with quite a bunch of lovely experiences and I can safely say that we are in a happy space.
Let me give credit where it is due, In good or bad, Mario has been the person I’ve turned to for over 22 years and whose presence alone gives me great delight.
And now these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
As the years have gone by, we’ve learned a few key lessons that have helped us grow together in love and patience.
Communicate with God “PRAY“
He is the only one who knows our hearts. Kneel in prayer and supplication as with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known to Him who strengthens you. Without having God as the center of our lives I believe that we would never make it this far.
Communicate with each other
Constant communication was one of the first things Mario vowed to do before we even started our union as husband and wife. Share the good and bad and find ways to improve all the time. Communicating with one another sets a tone of kindness and willingness to mend the situation and hurt that is or could be triggered.
Make time
For so many years we’ve had the tradition of having a date night on a weekly basis. We might have missed some of these along the decades but this should be a definite must in every relationship. Our date nights are anything in between being fancy and not-so-fancy but it is the one night that we look forward to especially and do something soothing even just catching up and reconnecting given the fact that our weeks are so busy.
Being You
Imagine how important this factor is. It brings about so much happiness and contentment with who you really are in a marriage. In the beginning of our relationship we had some struggles with the two different personalities clashing but soon enough we started accepting and respecting each other for who we are and that alone brings joy and serenity.
Laugh
His laughter was the main attraction for me and the funniest thing is that he laughs at his own repeated tales all the time!
We spend an entire day travelling to get to our destination. The extreme layovers brought some nice excursions, delicious food and some interesting folks.
It’s been my first time travelling abroad and I remember feeling so blessed and in awe of the planet, clouds and the sky. It is the most beautiful thing to see from above. Excitement with a bit of anxiety filled my lungs while enjoying the luxury even the naps, conversations and mainly the view.
So we arrived at this beautiful Town called Porec, a Popular summer destination on the coast of the Istrian Peninsula in Western Croatia.
We stayed at Zelena Laguna Delfin Hotel and were met with a pretty classy lobby that directed us all the way to our rooms. The accommodation is within walking distance of Porec Zelena Laguna as well as an oceanarium and a theme park.
We attended the Dance Star World Dance Masters competition in Croatia where my son was one of many dancers from South Africa who competed against countries across the world. An experience we’ll treasure forever!
Hip hop Dance SA
The hotel boasts with a beautiful balcony and a stunning sea view where Islands are spotted all around. In a very close proximity you’ll find a picture perfect walkway surrounded with trees and dreamy views. Our holiday was in beach season where blissful sunny days and dreamy deep blue seascapes were perfect for sunbathing and swimming in the sea.
Delfin Hotel, Porec
Crazy Dance Moms and millennials enjoying the vibe
There’s so much more to this trip but I guess this is it for now. We will forever treasure the memories spend in this beautiful town with these beautiful people.
A few reasons why we loved Croatia❤
Croatia is one of Europe’s sunniest spots
It’s good value for money
It felt safe to walk around in the streets
It has the Game of Thrones appeal
There are spectacular beaches
Beach life can be combined with soaring mountains
Its capital is absolute heaven for coffee lovers
It is the birth place of Marco Polo
You can even spot dolphins
I’m sure you will love Croatia too and who knows you might even visit soon!
