Hello! October!

October! The month where this journey, our journey, my journey began and the month that I anticipate every year to have the opportunity to reflect, remember and celebrate all over again!

This month is significant for a few reasons for our family, and I thought I would use this month, 10 years later, to let you in on them, to enable you to get to know a little bit more behind me – Lorryn – and – hope of heart – my journey. Our journey!

6 October 2006.

The most unforgettable day.

Olav and I were celebrating 10 months of being together, of dating, of courting. It was a Friday and we had decided about a month before that we should do something to mark the occassion. I’m like that – I wanna make a fuss of special moments and in doing so etch memories into my heart. So it was set, we would go for dinner! Between setting the plan in place and the actual day approaching, after discussion with our parents, and counsel from the Lord, we knew that we were each others forever one, and had begun the process of having an engagement ring made by my very special friend, Michelle, and her family’s business. We were SO excited. We had also started the process of planning our wedding and by the time the 6th October came around, our wedding date was set! SO….the morning of October the 6th came along, and I was trying not to let my thoughts run away with me….this dinner was planned before so much else happened. My ring couldn’t be ready yet, or could it? And I tried to squash all expectation so that I wouldn’t be disappointed, but rather have the best time with my best friend!

I was teaching Grade 3 at the time at a primary school in Durban. I got home from work and about 15 minutes later Olav arrived at my house with a beautiful bunch of flowers and said, get ready, we’re going for lunch. OK. COOL. Didn’t have that planned for the day. So I got ready and we shared the most amazing afternoon sitting outside in this beautiful courtyard at the cafe where we shared our very first coffee date together 15 months before. As he dropped me home, he passed me a quick comment. See you at 6pm for dinner. Don’t wear jeans. What? Jeans are what I wear. What I still wear. My thoughts started racing and I had to reel them in as I elatedly climbed the stairs from the front street gate to my family home. A short while later, I was dressed (no jeans) and ready for a night out with my love.

As we headed to our destination, he remarked, “so the jewellers called, and your ring is almost ready.” I remember listening, responding, but my heart didn’t want to accept it!

We enjoyed a memorable dinner on the Umhlanga promenade at a quaint little restaurant with the most delicate atmosphere. It was perfect! I ordered lamb shank – such a treat! The rest of the evening was a fabulous adventure as Olav had to make plan B on the spot, as construction blocked us from getting access to the Umhlanga lighthouse. And so we took a little bit of a drive – which in itself added to the moment – as during our courtship we would often jump in his car – the battleship – stop at the nearest petrol station, buy 2 chocolate super moos – and head out for a drive and chat and chat and chat. And so here we were – driving in his car, which had by this time been upgraded to the tiger – chatting and chatting. Eventually he made a stop and as were gazing at the view, I turned around to find him on bended knee, with my ring! YES! YES! YES! I was over the moon! I was engaged and betrothed and promised to my Olav!

19 October 2010.

The day our lives would change forever. Again.

After choosing to begin the journey to start a family, I immediately fell pregnant in February 2010, however, my pregnancy and the rest of that year did not go ANY way I had planned or hoped. (To hear more of these details, find my blog post “My Story” and take a watch) After developing infective endocarditis (heart disease), our precious miracle daughter, Cianna Hope, arrived, a healthy little 7 week prem baby, via emergency caeser surgery on 19 October. This was the milestone moment that comemorated a significant part of the hope of heart journey.

24 October 2010.

My second physical birthday. A day I will celebrate forever!

Cianna Hope was 4 days old and the symptoms and side-effects of the heart disease I was fighting were presenting themself more and more obviously. After a process of tests (more details in my blog post “My Story”) I was given meds to dry up my milk, transferred to another hospital and admitted into cardiac ICU for the night. First thing Sunday morning, 24 October 2010, I was wheeled into theatre to endure open heart surgery. Infective endocarditis had monopolized my vitral valve, and so my chest was sawn open, my rib cage enlarged, and my heart, and therefore my entire self, was given another chance at life. A prosthetic valve was inserted in the place of the mitral heart valve that was destroyed by the infection and I spent the following 6 weeks receiving antibiotics via IV dip 6 hourly. But I was alive. I was a wife. I was a new mom and I had hope of heart. This day cemented the marriage of HOPE and HEART in our lives, as our Cianna and my successful surgery became a platform to display God’s glory and the hope He gives.

Throughout this year a decade ago, HOPE had been the common thread, the continuous theme, the consistent encouragement to us from the Lord. And therefore it is our daughters middle name. A constant reminder of His goodness, his graciousness and that we can always have hope of heart.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who put your hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24. The Bible.

What are the significant moments in your life? What are the happenings and circumstances that have shaped your future? What are the things that are worth celebrating?

Take the time to reflect, remember and celebrate!