Dear family and friends,
It is already six weeks ago that Hope joined our family and I bet you are all eager to know how we have experienced those first few weeks!
Before the delivery my mum came over from Holland. She helped a lot during and after the delivery. She would help organizing our home, cooking food and teaching me how to bathe the baby etc. It was really wonderful to have her around and Hope enjoyed her grandmother very much. The pleasure increased when grandpa (my dad) also came over from Holland after the first two weeks. That day we were celebrating our “born house” which is a baby shower after the baby is born! We are very grateful to all the friends on the campus that joined the celebration. Hope was blessed with prayer and we were spoiled with gifts.
The spoiling continued as we received various packages from the Netherlands that my dad had brought with him. It was really an encouragement for us to receive this from our friends in Holland.
Together with both my parents we enjoyed a lovely time of fellowship as they got to know their first granddaughter. On October 23rd we celebrated Hope’s dedication service in the local Hawaiian church called “Mokuaikaua”. It was so special that my parents could be a part of this. Hope wore the dress that my father and myself had been baptized in, which was sewed by my grandmother. Please see the photos as she truly looks like a princess . It was very special as my parents were able to pray a blessing over her, as well as Hope’s spiritual parents (ChongHo and Kris Won) and spiritual grandparents (the Hamiltons).
After my parents left Hope had her first month visit at the pediatrician. She already gained 2 pounds (1kg) in 1 month and she grew 2 inches (5 cm). She is doing really well, which made us proud parents! She is also getting better at sleeping in the night. At first she would be up for hours, not wanting to sleep and Jackson would have to take her for midnight walks so that I could get some rest. Nowadays she does fall asleep, usually from 11pm till about 3 am and then again till 8 am. Of course she takes several shorter naps during the day.
Apart from the sleep deprivation we are both doing well and really enjoying our daughter. It is such a major change in our lives that has made a huge impact. Of course we love her very much and this makes me reflect a lot about how God loves us so unconditionally. I am often in awe at the beauty of this tiny human being, what a miracle!
Until the end of this year Jackson will be finishing his Biblical Studies Outreach which is going really well. He is teaching in 2 different churches as well as several schools on the campus. He is also studying Hebrew online and has been able to read parts of Genesis already. In January he will continue with a different course until March.
We hope to be travelling to Nigeria and Cameroon for 6 weeks in April-May 2012. During this visit we will be continuing our relations in Nigeria, looking at the land in Calabar as well as visiting my in-laws in Cameroon with Hope Shekinah.
After that we will be visiting the Netherlands! I plan to arrive there mid May and we will stay till the end of June!
So those are definitely some exciting things to look forward to!
Love and blessings,
The Ndechecks
Dedication of Hope Shekinah
Born house
