Years ago when I was still only dreaming of having a little girl, it was partly because I wanted to share girly things with her!
A Girl to dress in pink, a girl to play dolls with, a girl with whom I could have tea and cake afternoons, a girl to plan a wedding for one day, a girl who would become my best friend.
The part of dressing in pink,
and play dolls with, already came true!
A girl who would become my best friend, too.
And this past weekend another part of my dream came true:
A girl with whom I could have tea and cake afternoons.
On Monday, Heidi-Mari turned 14. In celebration of her birthday, we had a Mom and Daughter Tea, on Saturday. For months we planned, prepared and decorated the venue (we preferred it in our own home), Heidi-Mari’s dress (we wanted it to be a real lady’s tea), the invitations, the refreshments, types of tea and the table setting.
The venue was my biggest heart ache. Since we wanted to paint our dining room for ages, we decided there is no better time than now.
One weekend Christo, CJ and Josua took on the job and finished it.
They did a great job and David believed he is now living in a new house!
We also bought 6 meters of light pink and cerise pink organza and Christo made it hang from the roof to the floor, to create a special effect at the entrance.
We tied it back with pink ribbon.
It gave the room a soft, warm and rich atmosphere.
In the mean time Heidi-Mari was busy making the most beautiful invitation cards to invite her friends.
I started making her skirt. Making the skirt was a challenge on its own!
We chose different textures. In the process we chose a stretch type of fabric with normal fabric and only afterwards realized that is a no-go! So I had to improvise. The Lord miraculously (and thankfully) send me a young woman who just came back from working for six months with a well known designer in Johannesburg and she gave me some tips on working with chiffon.
Using wax wrap to put the seams together.
By laying chiffon between unprinted newspaper before placing the pattern on top, ease the cutting!
At the end some satin ribbon and beautiful white lace saved the day.
Heidi-Mari had a skirt for her Birthday Tea!
A week before the party we started baking. Since we had to work around little ones who need us almost every moment of the day, we chose items which could be baked days before and put in the freezer, until needed on the day of the tea. We baked in the morning just after breakfast, a time the little ones are used to play outside with Josua or Danika and in the afternoons while they took their naps.
Most of the time, little Michael was in the Ergo on my back, asleep or helping along!
It was such a special time for Heidi-Mari and me together, baking, chatting, laughing and sharing. I often wonder when the actual highlight of an event occurs? At the event itself, or in preparing for the event? For me surely the highlight was working with Heidi-Mari, planning and baking, with this special girl of mine.
We baked lemon squares, rum balls, caramel slices, cream puffs and
mini cheese cakes.
We also made little round cheese biscuits with apricot jam and tiny meat balls, served with cherry tomatoes and pieces of cheese.
For the table we got a beautiful rose bouquet and we laid the table with my Royal Albert tea set.
I bought this tea set 18 years ago with the insurance money I got as payback money, while I couldn’t work due to tick flea fever, which also was the reason I had my first miscarriage. So many memories in that tea set of mine!
By Friday evening all the refreshments was ready and done. On Saturday we only had to wash the floors, lay the table and help the men leave the house. Christo planned to take the boys to the Aquarium in the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. It was so special to see every one do their part, on Saturday morning. Josua vacuumed the floors, CJ washed, while Christo took care of our four little boys, Heidi-Mari and Danika laid the table and I printed questions to pass around the table.
Each guest would answer a question, and so our guests could get to know each other better and conversations would go smoothly. I also printed the letters of the alphabet, at the end each guest draw a letter and blessed Heidi-Mari with a word starting with the letter. Heidi-Mari was blessed with words like, Wisdom, Time-management, Virtue, Love of God and Listening Heart, Wonderful, Fun, Happy and Awesome Year.
Like always we started to run late and CJ jumped in to decorate the meat balls, with Danika's help.
He even arranged the savory plate!
By 14h30 our guests arrived and we had such a blessed afternoon! We had different kinds of teas, but the Forest Berry Tea was the ultimate favorite and I couldn’t boil the kettle fast enough to keep the teapots filled.
I think the girls each drank 4-5 cups of Berry Tea!
What a beautiful group of Godly girls! I thank the Lord for these friends He has sent to accompany my daughter through this season of her life! They are all homeschool girls, with the same interest. Heidi-Mari don’t see them on a regular basis, but they read each others’ blogs, meet at ballet and get together every now and then for a crafting afternoon and they live a simple, pure life!
Thank you Lord, You are Faithful. There is a new generation of Godly young Women in the making!
With love
Linnie
"She girdeth her loins with strength,
and strengtheneth her arms."
Prov 31:17
