It is now almost the end of May, can't believe where the time has gone, Joshua will be 2 months old next week, he is growing so fast it is truely amazing, he is now 10lb 6oz, gurgling and smiling and so much fun! We are planning to return to Africa on the 8th July so are starting to get prepared now, as I womder round Tesco's I try to think through all the things that I will be desperate for in a few months time and what I can take back to make life a bit easier. We are just loving our time at home, catching up with so many friends and family and having doting Grandparents around is just so precious.

We will be hosting an Africa evening on Thur 18th June at Ebenezer Church in Filton, Bristol 8pm, there will be spices and other African things available and we will be sharing some updates of the project work for the vocational training school and more about life out there, please do come and join us if you can.
For now here are more photos of the little one.

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Some more Joshua photos, 2-3 weeks old. He is now 8lb sleeping and feeding well. He is lovely, we are amazed by him and loving it!

Introducing Joshua Andrew Kittow

Joshua Andrew Kittow arrived at 4.02pm Sunday 29th March, 6lb 12 oz. 48 hour labour, but we praise God for a speedy recovery for Julie and Joshua is already back to birth weight. We have just loved every minute of this first 10 days with him. Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers for us.

From one extreme to the next!
Well I have been home jut over 2 weeks now and I am loving the English weather! From the mid 30's + high humidity to 0 degrees centigrade - quite a change but so much nicer - believe me!
I have put up some photos with various explainations so won't write too much here. Alex and I are half way through our time apart. He has been very busy with lots of paperwork for the vocational training school and a ground beaking ceremony (finally after 3 years) happening on the 24th Jan (for photos and a short video follow the link to Roxannes blog) in fact she is much more gifted that I am at keeping these things up so reading her pages will give you areally good idea of what life is like in coastal Tanzania!
Alex is now in his last week before leaving for Kenya for a conference with the rest of the team and some relaxation time, he flies home (horray) on 21st Feb landing at 5.20am (very inconsiderate)
I have loved my last 2 weeks, I get to wear proper maternity jeans (thanks mum) rather than holding my normal jeans together with elastic bands! I have had a great time catching up with friends and family in Guildford and Bristol, my lovely girlfriends in Bristol threw me my second baby shower so I am truely spoilt. I am living with my parents and brother at the moment as he has just handed in his masters dissertation, I don't think mum ever thought we would both be at home again, but we are all enjoying being together. I have also seen a midwife for the first time and with only 7 weeks to go it is not a moment too late, Everything is fine with the pregnancy and the baby so we praise God for that.


My gorgeous team girls threw me a surprise baby shower. Alex had managed to keep a secret, I was totally surprised!
The amazing food, consisted of BLT sandwiches (you have no idea how precious bacon is – thanks Rich) peach iced tea, tortilla baskets and proper cadburys chocolate – amazing – oh and chocolate cake with creamy icing for dessert!



A baby shower - complete with pressies – I am so spoilt



Lovely ladies


The Girls!


My last Sunday in Africa, one week later I had a lot more clothes on!
Megs (great friend who runs a volunteer program, Roxanne, me and Paula


The Last day
It was Paula’s birthday the following day so we threw her a little surprise birthday party – choccy cake and pressies! (This is our lounge)


The Official Team Photo
Back Row – Rich, Alex, Jason, Hans, Anneli
Front Row – Paula, Romi, Julie, Roxanne and Annikah, Doro, Nasia
(this photo is missing baby Joel)

Christmas 2008

Hope you all had a very happy Christmas and we are wishing you a wonderful 2009.
It has definitely been a different Christmas for us this year. The heat and humidity make it pretty hard to do anything let alone feel 'christmassy' we have missed the cold, the twinkly lights, the rush, the Christmas trees and most of all time with friends and family, but were so blessed to be reminded that Jesus was born into a culture and climate similar to this one and Him coming to Earth is really what is important.

We had various events happening, the main one was a Christmas party for our local friends with plenty of food and a story about the real meaning of Christmas, for most it was the first time they would have heard this. It was a great day, we played Christmas music, Alex did some fire juggling and balloon modelling (my husband is so talented) prepared a tonne of food thanks to the help of the ladies that work in our houses, played games and spent time chatting.

Another event was Christmas Eve with the Osborn's, games, Home Alone 2 (to get us in the mood) and of course food, If you saw my oven you would be impressed with what was produced (with help from Paula with the stuffing, bread sauce and mince pies (you rule girl!!) all of which Has to made totally from scratch.
Alex and I had the day together on Christmas day we enjoyed some games, DVD's and talking to our families on the phone, apart from a puncture (thankfully in our drive way) that took 2 hours to sort out the day was good.
On Boxing day we had a team BBQ (more photos below) It was the first time we have been all together so that was very exciting we did secret santa and watched some photos of each others previous lives.
So that was Christmas for us this year. I leave here and return to the UK in just over 2 weeks and Alex follows 5 weeks later (contrary to some rumours which have me having this baby all by myself with Alex remaining in Africa)

Looking forward to seeing you all soon

Christmas parties wouldn’t be complete without Kristmasi (real word) tree

Set up 10 am 34°C + humidity


Our lovely helpers

Alex practising his balloon modelling skills

Roxanne and Paula demonstrating ‘duck duck goose’

Key ingredient to any party!

Alex providing a little entertainment

Our Christmas party for our local friends

Paula and I (and bump) with some girlfriends

Christmas eve meal

Check out the food, we had stuffing and everything!!

All the team girls together – First official photo

Team boys – doing what they do best

Christmas day – playing cards. Alex thinks the bump is cool – so do I

Us- with 4 months to go!!



Some local wildlife – Pumba is getting good at catching them



Basket Shopping with Rich and Paula



Team Beech Day



Rich and Paula



Jason, Roxanne and Annikah



It is pork ribs so Alex has a double portion

Baby Kittow 20 weeks

This is baby Kittow at 20 weeks, the sonographer (is that a real word!!) was very thorough in measuring every body part and everything is just as it should be, this news came as overwhelming relief as it is fairly terrifying having lots of random pains (+plus a sever bout of what I now know is food poisoning) with no medical person I can have a check up with. Praise God for this little life!

Our current plan is for Julie to return to the UK mid Jan and live with her parents in Guildford for 5 weeks until Alex returns towards the end of Feb.

Alex returned from a conference in Dubai for all the project managers of our NGO – Partner Aid International a day before we had the scan. It is great to have him back I was home alone for 10 days, but with great team mates having me round for meals it worked out ok.

Paula and Rich Osborn have arrived and are living with us for a few days until they move into their own place. We are really enjoying having them here.

October 08

Life is heating up!
So sorry for my laxness at keeping this up to date, I have started feeling full of energy and less sick in the last 3 weeks which is fab. Alex is pleased as well as he can at last start eating again as I can cook!
We had a great conference for fellow workers in East Africa last week it was a wonderful, refreshing and relaxing time and the speaker was a Brit so we got to speak our heart language rather than just American! We returned home to find the temperature was soring into the high 30's with about 85% humidity I know that you all having had a cold summer will have no sympathy for this but you are welcome to come visit and try it out for yourself!
A team update is needed at this point. We have Rich and Paula Osborn arrriving on Friday to join the work out here, we are so excited to see them, Paula was one of my beautiful bridesmaids.
We have LOVED getting to know Jason and Roxanne Engstrom in the last couple of months they are fab and Roxanne is a godsend for me as a great girlfriend!
The Andersen family will be moving on in mid Decemeber. After many many months of team struggles they felt it best to leave the team and our organisation has relocated them to Kenya. They will be hugely missed and we are sad that things didn't turn out as expected but in the long run it is a good thing for everyone involved.
Baby news - I think I have started to feel movement in the last week, very exciting, but I am not sure if i could really tell the difference between baby and tummy gurgles!
We have a 21 week scan booked for 10th Nov in Dar.
Next week Alex is being sent off to a conference in Dubai!! Alright for some. I will hold the fort here and some fun girlie things planned.
I think that is most of the news for now. We are so looking forward to seeing everyone when we are back for the birth in the new year.
Bye for now!

Pregnancy cravings!!

Not everything is available but the pictures should help Julie!! even if the real thing doesn't make it out there.



Even though these are salt and vinegar Julie likes ‘ready salted’
Chocolate (not peanut) m&m’s