2 Years + .....in a nutshell
It has been a really long time since I have shared any "Clan" news. Our comings and goings. I decided that it might be best to put it down in point form....in a nutshell so to speak. At some later stage, I will share some photos of the more special events and memories.
Life has been kind of crazy for the Erasmus Household over the past 2 years +......so here goes...
November 2009 - Oupa (Nic's Dad) passed away suddenly and it really shook all of us. He went into hospital for tests, had a heart attack, had an operation, developed gangrene and suddenly passed away. It all happened within the space of 12 days. Our geyser burnt out on the day of Oupa's funeral and that resulted in us not having hot water for 2 months. It was a very trying time.
January 2010 - Madison and Liam entered the public schooling system for the first since being home schooled for most of their lives. It was a tough adjustment for them and for me. I cried for 3 days solid. They were at school in the morning and I was working every afternoon....so I barely got to see them. I had started working at an after school centre, helping children with their homework. Nic was not working and we needed an income since our savings were almost depleted. We simply did what needed doing and was appropriate for that time. Our car broke down and my brother Allan came to our rescue! I'm glad to have brothers who know how to fix things. It is amazing to me now as I look back....we got through it!
March 2010 - Nic started working again....Yippeeee! I remember feeling really blessed at the time. Unfortunately he did not re-enter the workplace at the same level/salary scale he was at when he left.....so I still needed to work. At that time I was offered a position to do remedial coaching at Discovery Primary School, 3 mornings a week. So now I could at least be home in the afternoons with the children. Isn't it amazing how Heavenly Father just blesses us when our desires are righteous and we are doing all that we can,
June 2010 - Nic was released as Elders Quorum President and I was called as Relief Society President. That began a year of many tears, much learning and spiritual growth, and a greater understanding of the inner workings of the church. Certainly one of the toughest things I have ever had to do and life changing for me. My family will tell you though that they very often felt neglected....and that is something that I regret, that I wasn't better at balancing everything and that I did not ask for the help that I so often needed.
July 2010 - Another tragic loss. Little Adriaan, Nic's 2 year old great nephew, choked on an apple and suffered severe brain damage that finally resulted in death 3 weeks later. He died on Nelson Mandela's birthday. This tragic loss of such a sweet little boy shook the entire family to it's core. We all still are battling to come to terms with it.
August 2010 - Neal Moore, a dear mission friend, CNN IReporter and Modern Day Huck Finn (as he became known after a 6 month adventure down the Mississippi River) came to visit for a few days
. It was a wonderful experience to see him again after 17 years!
October 2010 - A bittersweet experience. Riaan, Nic's nephew, brought his Irish bride and 40 of her family and friends to South Africa for a month. We spent 4 days celebrating their union in Cape Town. It was a wonderful experience for all of us and alittle sad too because we were all too aware of our missing loved ones so recently passed.
November 2010 - A month of many awards! Liam won a "Best Reader of the Year" and a "Top 10" award. Madison received 5 Gold awards, and the "Top Achiever of the Year" Trophy. Wonderful achievements for both of them! The result of hard work!
December 2010 - A wonderful surprise...all the way from Australia! On Christmas Eve we received a special package containing the family Christmas Tree and all our beloved, long-collected ornaments from my brother in Australia. This was the same tree that my mother used to put up year after year. This deeply touching surprise buoyed our spirits and made us fell grateful for loving extended family members. Thank you Terry and Suzie, for being so generous in spirit.
January 2011 - I started working full time (out of necessity) at Discovery Primary School as an assistant teacher. My job basically involved moving between the five grade 1 classes and assisting wherever I was needed. I took care of all the oral assessments, did group and individual work, supported children with barriers to learning, did brain gym with groups of children, filled in when teachers were away, developed worksheets and made learner support material. I mostly loved it. I moved Liam from Gustav Preller Primary to Discovery purely for convenience sake and he was happy for the change. Madison continued on at Roodepaark High School.
May 2011 - Nic was awarded a full bursary from FNB to complete his B.Com Degree. What an incredible blessing! Of course, along with the blessing came the responsibility and pressure to do well and pass every examination to ensure that he kept his bursary. How grateful we were and alittle scared too.
June 2011 - I was released as Relief Society President (an answer to a prayer) and then received the biggest shock of my life when I was diagnosed with an aggressive, infiltrating, fast growing form of breast cancer. I immediately had surgery and started an aggressive chemotherapy regime. In that moment life changed forever and little did I know back then just how much it would change and how much this would affect my family.
July 2011 - I received a surprise visit from my brother Terence, who had come all the way from Australia to see me. He stayed for 10 days. His visit was such a blessing to us. He helped out around the house, repairing some things that needed repairing and replacing doors to make our house safer. We had suffered two break-ins towards the end of 2010. Our children had been deeply affected by them so we were very pleased to have these new doors.
November 2011 - Madison and Liam proved again that hard work always yields good results. Liam received an award for "Outstanding Creative Thinking Abilities, Most Reliable Learner and Most Well Liked Learner", a Platinum award for English and Natural Sciences and a Silver award for Mathematics in the Scholastic Olympiad. Madison received her academic honours scroll, 5 gold awards and "Top Achiever of the Year". She was also nominated and elected to the Representative Council of Learners and became a Prefect. Nic passed his exams. Many reasons to rejoice :)...I also resigned from my work at Discovery Primary due to my failing health.
December 2011 - Nic's brother Martin came down from Botswana where he is doing missionary work for Campus Crusade For Christ among the San to visit with us. It was lovely to see him again.
January 2012 - Madison started her senior and last year of high school. Liam started his home school year and both Nic and I enrolled with Unisa. At the end of January I finished the weekly chemotherapy sessions and started daily treatments of Radiation Therapy. I started teaching daily seminary .
April 2012 - Nic was called as Young Men's President. I finished the daily radiation treatments and my hair started growing back.
May 2012 - Madison turned 16! She was called as Laurels President.
June 2012 - Both Nic and I wrote exams and passed! So pleased about that. Liam turned 12 and was ordained to the office of Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. It was a special day.
Sunday July 8th 2012 - Liam passed the sacrament for the first time. He was reverent and humble and looked like a priesthood holder. So proud of him!
So that's where we are now.....there have been many ups and downs....but we are still here....."Therefore by the grace of God go I...."
Life has been kind of crazy for the Erasmus Household over the past 2 years +......so here goes...
November 2009 - Oupa (Nic's Dad) passed away suddenly and it really shook all of us. He went into hospital for tests, had a heart attack, had an operation, developed gangrene and suddenly passed away. It all happened within the space of 12 days. Our geyser burnt out on the day of Oupa's funeral and that resulted in us not having hot water for 2 months. It was a very trying time.
January 2010 - Madison and Liam entered the public schooling system for the first since being home schooled for most of their lives. It was a tough adjustment for them and for me. I cried for 3 days solid. They were at school in the morning and I was working every afternoon....so I barely got to see them. I had started working at an after school centre, helping children with their homework. Nic was not working and we needed an income since our savings were almost depleted. We simply did what needed doing and was appropriate for that time. Our car broke down and my brother Allan came to our rescue! I'm glad to have brothers who know how to fix things. It is amazing to me now as I look back....we got through it!
March 2010 - Nic started working again....Yippeeee! I remember feeling really blessed at the time. Unfortunately he did not re-enter the workplace at the same level/salary scale he was at when he left.....so I still needed to work. At that time I was offered a position to do remedial coaching at Discovery Primary School, 3 mornings a week. So now I could at least be home in the afternoons with the children. Isn't it amazing how Heavenly Father just blesses us when our desires are righteous and we are doing all that we can,
June 2010 - Nic was released as Elders Quorum President and I was called as Relief Society President. That began a year of many tears, much learning and spiritual growth, and a greater understanding of the inner workings of the church. Certainly one of the toughest things I have ever had to do and life changing for me. My family will tell you though that they very often felt neglected....and that is something that I regret, that I wasn't better at balancing everything and that I did not ask for the help that I so often needed.
July 2010 - Another tragic loss. Little Adriaan, Nic's 2 year old great nephew, choked on an apple and suffered severe brain damage that finally resulted in death 3 weeks later. He died on Nelson Mandela's birthday. This tragic loss of such a sweet little boy shook the entire family to it's core. We all still are battling to come to terms with it.
August 2010 - Neal Moore, a dear mission friend, CNN IReporter and Modern Day Huck Finn (as he became known after a 6 month adventure down the Mississippi River) came to visit for a few days
. It was a wonderful experience to see him again after 17 years!
October 2010 - A bittersweet experience. Riaan, Nic's nephew, brought his Irish bride and 40 of her family and friends to South Africa for a month. We spent 4 days celebrating their union in Cape Town. It was a wonderful experience for all of us and alittle sad too because we were all too aware of our missing loved ones so recently passed.
November 2010 - A month of many awards! Liam won a "Best Reader of the Year" and a "Top 10" award. Madison received 5 Gold awards, and the "Top Achiever of the Year" Trophy. Wonderful achievements for both of them! The result of hard work!
December 2010 - A wonderful surprise...all the way from Australia! On Christmas Eve we received a special package containing the family Christmas Tree and all our beloved, long-collected ornaments from my brother in Australia. This was the same tree that my mother used to put up year after year. This deeply touching surprise buoyed our spirits and made us fell grateful for loving extended family members. Thank you Terry and Suzie, for being so generous in spirit.
January 2011 - I started working full time (out of necessity) at Discovery Primary School as an assistant teacher. My job basically involved moving between the five grade 1 classes and assisting wherever I was needed. I took care of all the oral assessments, did group and individual work, supported children with barriers to learning, did brain gym with groups of children, filled in when teachers were away, developed worksheets and made learner support material. I mostly loved it. I moved Liam from Gustav Preller Primary to Discovery purely for convenience sake and he was happy for the change. Madison continued on at Roodepaark High School.
May 2011 - Nic was awarded a full bursary from FNB to complete his B.Com Degree. What an incredible blessing! Of course, along with the blessing came the responsibility and pressure to do well and pass every examination to ensure that he kept his bursary. How grateful we were and alittle scared too.
June 2011 - I was released as Relief Society President (an answer to a prayer) and then received the biggest shock of my life when I was diagnosed with an aggressive, infiltrating, fast growing form of breast cancer. I immediately had surgery and started an aggressive chemotherapy regime. In that moment life changed forever and little did I know back then just how much it would change and how much this would affect my family.
July 2011 - I received a surprise visit from my brother Terence, who had come all the way from Australia to see me. He stayed for 10 days. His visit was such a blessing to us. He helped out around the house, repairing some things that needed repairing and replacing doors to make our house safer. We had suffered two break-ins towards the end of 2010. Our children had been deeply affected by them so we were very pleased to have these new doors.
November 2011 - Madison and Liam proved again that hard work always yields good results. Liam received an award for "Outstanding Creative Thinking Abilities, Most Reliable Learner and Most Well Liked Learner", a Platinum award for English and Natural Sciences and a Silver award for Mathematics in the Scholastic Olympiad. Madison received her academic honours scroll, 5 gold awards and "Top Achiever of the Year". She was also nominated and elected to the Representative Council of Learners and became a Prefect. Nic passed his exams. Many reasons to rejoice :)...I also resigned from my work at Discovery Primary due to my failing health.
December 2011 - Nic's brother Martin came down from Botswana where he is doing missionary work for Campus Crusade For Christ among the San to visit with us. It was lovely to see him again.
January 2012 - Madison started her senior and last year of high school. Liam started his home school year and both Nic and I enrolled with Unisa. At the end of January I finished the weekly chemotherapy sessions and started daily treatments of Radiation Therapy. I started teaching daily seminary .
April 2012 - Nic was called as Young Men's President. I finished the daily radiation treatments and my hair started growing back.
May 2012 - Madison turned 16! She was called as Laurels President.
June 2012 - Both Nic and I wrote exams and passed! So pleased about that. Liam turned 12 and was ordained to the office of Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. It was a special day.
Sunday July 8th 2012 - Liam passed the sacrament for the first time. He was reverent and humble and looked like a priesthood holder. So proud of him!
So that's where we are now.....there have been many ups and downs....but we are still here....."Therefore by the grace of God go I...."
So lovely to read your nutshell. God bless you all.
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