IT'S A NEW YEAR FULL OF FUN

DEC -- JAN & FEB 2009

Christmas and all the fun around that
The build up to Christmas was busy in the church with each department having their year ending function. We hosted the young adults for a dinner and Tan cooked her FIRST gammon (smoked ham) and it turned out delicious. We had fun putting together little gifts for each of our group, Tan spent many moments in between changing nappies (diapers) hand painting little coffee mugs for each one. We have had so much fun this year making our pressies to bless others.
We spent our Christmas celebrations in Durban and Pietermaritzburg with church family and our extended families it was a lovely time to remember Christ’s birth and His coming to earth. This was Troyden’s 2nd Christmas and so much fun was had by all. His favorite pressie was the swing we hung in the tree in our little garden. (We spend many hours out there on the “winga” – as he says so lovely). First Christmas for Treyson and Tryston and they played their part in our family carol service as adorable little angles. We had a wonderful evening of song and dress up as several families with little children depicted the nativity, the Wilby family were “angles”!
We had a few days of holiday with Mark’s folks and his sisters and their families at the beach – the weather and fellowship was great fun, this was the twin’s first trip to the beach and they so enjoyed it.

TROYDEN WITH HIS NEW FOUND FRIEND FATHER CHRISTMAS, HIS CHRISTMAS HAT AND HIS FAITHFUL PRESHIE (passie/dummy)

TREYSON (left) and TRYSTON (right) AS OUR LITTLE ANGELS

TROYDEN ON HIS NEW SWING CHRISTMAS MORNING

FIRST TIME TO THE BEACH SEE HOW WE SLEEP!!! (don't you just love the hats!! Mark thinks they look like little doylies!! - spelling sorry?!)

Annual Holiday to Kei Mouth
This was an adventure that took many months planning for us travel by rail, road, air or boat??? We were nervous to do our first holiday with the twins but will say that it went of really smoothly and we all had a great time of rest and relax. The drive by road in the end took us 9hours and the boys were so good. Troyden really enjoyed this holiday as he is now talking a whole lot more and can associate concepts better. A highlight for his holiday and no doubt ours too was taking a ride up the river on the boat to watch the Fish Eagles swoop down and catch a fish!! As Troydie says (boat - birdie, weeeeee down, fishy) while saying this he has his arm up in the air and as he says weeeeee down comes the arm in a swoop!! Too cute.
Our holiday was a great time of FUN IN THE SUN, we lazed on the beach, fished hard (caught nothing), visited with one another and enjoyed the outside walking the beach and the cliffs of Morgan Bay - we all came back tanned and rested to start the new year of ministry that has started with a bang!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009 - TREYSON (left) and TRYSTON (right) 4mths old


WALKING THE CLIFFS OF MORGAN BAY

TROYDIE ENJOYING THE BEACH AND THE BOATING

Ministries at church
Mom’s Bible Study – Kingdom Kids Ministry
Huge blessings, we have 7 moms that are meeting every 2nd Tuesday afternoon for a time in God’s word and encouragement for each other. Tan is writing the material and another mom is teaching the study and it is going great. This has proved to be a huge growing experience for the other mom who has been so challenged it has been a blessing to watch. The Kingdom Kids ministry has launched properly and this gives Tan the opportunity to do some ministry from home. She is coordinating newsletters that go out to each mom at the several milestones in mommy’s pregnancy and babies growth and development. This mail ministry is to encourage the moms and dads as they grow in parenting their children. Linked to this ministry is the mom’s bible study that meets regularly and then a family day were the whole family is invited to join once a month for a meal or outing. Please pray much for this ministry as it grows and encourages new families into the body of Christ.
Preaching & Pastoral Ministry
Thank you Jesus! Is all we can say for the growth and opportunity Mark has had in this ministry. Please be in prayer for Mark as our senior pastor is planning his 3month sabbatical (April, May & June). Mark will be given more responsibility overall and extra preaching opportunities while the other pastor is away. We are finding the pastoral ministry a stretch and leaning on the Lord as we encourage and counsel those who are hurting in our body of believers - pray that we have the right attitude and words for those in need.

Youth Ministry
To start the year Mark is leading this ministry every Friday evening when a group of about 15 youth get together for an evening of encouragement in God’s Word. We are praying much for April as a team of 4 young adults trained by a youth leading organization will be joining our church to help lead this ministry. Please pray much for Mark as he carries this extra load for this semester, and for the team that will be coming to minister along side Mark, as he disciples and mentors them as they minister to those younger.
Young Adults Bible Study
The study group is up and going and working through a book of John Piper’s “Don’t waste your life”, many are finding it deep and a real stretch pray that they grow through the reading and study of God’s word as well as through the ministry of the DVD’s.
@TAP (all things to all people – community center)
We still meet to enjoy the play ground for our mom’s bible study. Pray for the leaders here as they advertise to start an after care homework center for children to come after school to do homework and hang out in a safe environment.

Great Gramps Eayrs
Is doing well and settled down into his new home in Pietermaritzburg frail care. He had surgery this last month to remove a growth on his head and as managed through the surgery very well.

TROYDEN – 2YEARS OLD!!
Troyden celebrated his 2nd Birthday and what fun we had. We chose the theme “Thomas the Tank Engine” and he even had a conductors outfit with matching hat. We had several of his friends from church old and young come around for an afternoon of fellowship and food. He really was the “big 2 year old” and just loved all the attention especially when we blew out candles on his Thomas cake and sang “Happy Birthday”.

TROYDIE AS THE TRAIN DRIVER

PARTY TABLE FOR THE KIDDIES

TROYDIE WITH IS THOMAS TH TANK ENGINE CAKE

The BIG BROTHER
Well as mentioned earlier Troydie is talking much more and making himself understood with the cutest things said. He said his first sentence the other day – Daddy, come see pipe! He was playing in the garden under the sprinkler and wanted Mark to come see.
He is defiantly our sportsman with very good eye, ball, and hand co-ords and loves to run and kick the ball. Playing outside is his favorite, swinging on the swing and in the sand pit. He is collecting matchbox cars to go with his parking garage and will spend hours at a time driving them around all over. Tan has fabric painted a floor map with roads, beach, shops, houses, hospital, school etc. for him to drive and park his cars. The talking is quite a game at the moment and he will copy anything to try say it too. We have fun trying to decipher what he is trying to say. He is generally a very happy little boy and so fun to have around.

PLAYING CAR GARAGE

WINGA WINGA (just like a monkey swinging in the trees)

FUN BIKE RIDING WITH UNCLE T!!!

TWINS grow grow grow
Can you believe it they will be 6months old next week!!! Nearly sitting and trying to be on the go. Treyson is up on all fours rocking to making his first move with the crawling. Tryston giggles all the time and rolls from tummy to back to get him where he wants to go. They love the outside too, watching Troyden all the time and enjoy playing and reaching for their toys. Mom spends 80% of her day out on the picnic blanket on the grass playing with her little boys. The time has flown by and we are so enjoying them they are too cute, very smiley and happy, really easy little babies. We are a little nervous for the next stage of development with them up and crawling all over – please pray that we can keep on the watch from any danger. Generally all goes well with them both, Tan is still breastfeeding and planning on starting some solids this next month. Bath time has become a big splash as they love the water and their favorite is standing on your lap so that they can giggle and smile at you all the time!!!

ENJOYING THE OUTSIDE!

TRYSTON FINDING HIS FEET - LOOK AT THE SMILES!!

TREYSON ENJOYING HIS FIRST SWIM!

Prayer Requests
Thank you each and everyone for your special prayers, God is Good all the time.
· For our parenting discipline and child rearing to be constant and fair.
· Our individual spiritual walks with the Lord as we nurture them and manage ministry together.
Ministry at Durban North
· Young family ministry for a bible study leader who can get the families together each week to study God’s word.
· Youth Ministry and the group that will start with us in April. Pray for Mark as he oversees this ministry in discipleship, mentoring and encouraging.
· Our senior Pastors sabbatical and the extra responsibility this places on us individually and as a family. For our senior pastor and his wife as they rest and replenish in the Lord.
· Our involvement in leadership at church and the responsibility that places on us as a family. Help us to lead by example as Christ would have us lead.
PRAISE THE LORD WITH US!!
· Our healthy little bundles all THREE thank you Jesus for the blessing of children!
· For our finances – we have had a challenge to make the ends meet especially in today’s economic climate and the addition of TWO babies - we praise the Lord for little miracles each month.