Right royal treat!

Kenya was where Prince William proposed to his bride  and to mark their wedding day our kids acted out their own version of the big event.

And it was a perfect opportunity to dress up and have fun with Rose and Hassan taking on the roles of Wills and Kate.

And then after a photo-shoot there was time to settle down in front of the newly installed television to watch the fairytale pageant from start to finish.

Waiting for a wedding!

Eyes, the world over, are waiting for their first glimpse of a very special bride.

And at the Happy House our kids are joining in all the excitement of the Royal Wedding watching the ceremony on television and learning a lot about the future King and Queen of England in the process!

While Kate Middleton may feel a bit jittery about walking up the aisle in Westminster Abbey our little, Rose, our Happy House bride, isn't a bit nervous. As a tribute to the Royal couple, our kids will be acting out their own version of the big day.

And in London, Happy House friends, Lesley Pidcock and her daughter Kathryn, who sponsor Janet and Natasha, are amongst the crowds having travelled from Doncaster last night to bag a ringside seat! They sent us this picture this morning.

What's this then?

As the world gets ready for the Royal Wedding the Happy House family isn't being left out.

With a huge television, very kindly donated, only used for screening dvds until now, Sue has decided that it's time to give the children a window on a wider world ... by installing a satellite dish.

Putting the dish together was a little like a jigsaw puzzle, and one little girl had it all figured out. Even though she wasn't sure what magic saucer shaped object was going work, Mwende was definitely overseeing the operation!

Viewing restricted to news and educational programmes, but we think it is important that our children grow up knowing what is happening in their own country and around the world.

And of course, tomorrow, they'll be watching that very special wedding.

Bridal bonus

Now to another special wedding that of Tom and Caroline Stoker (pictured)  and to John and Pip Stoker on their recent for their generous donation to the Happy House thanks to our friend Chris Franklin  ( who is also our webmaster) .Chris said:" It was great do the 700+ Cf10ten (http://www.facebook.com/wisitmaster?ref=ts ) photos for two wonderful families and thanks Pip for the flowers."

Mama's home ...

A blast on the car horn from Papa Dave signals to the kids that Mama Sue is back home.

From every part of the Happy House the kids run to the gate, as fast as their legs will carry them, the toddlers toddling up the rear.

Everyone wants to be the first to greet her.

They surge forward as she gets out of the car, kissing and hugging her. Uncle Billy, Rose, the mums, aunties, cook Habel, gardeners and all want to welcome her back home.

Just two weeks without her has seemed like a lifetime to the kids, who clamour to tell her their news.

Excitedly they share in the things she has brought back from the UK - including a ladybird tent and colourful wind socks for the baby banda, bought with some of the money raised by Lesley Pidcock's students at the Hub,  Doncaster College.

There are seeds for the garden, some of which the children will plant and nurture, and other much needed things too. How many people go home with a solid wheel for a wheelbarrow in their case?

Billy tells me: " At last Mama is here with us!  The family was hysterical....we couldn't have waited another hour for her arrival.

 "Our garden looks radiant of course as a compliment for mama.

" After exchanging pleasantries with all the family she went on about opening the gifts, showing us the new  brochure, and then on to putting up the the baby tent. It was a beehive of activity!

"Baby Harry too was happy to have an extra cuddle from mama"

 

Rainy day and waiting for Mama

The sun doesn't always shine on the Happy House ... it's the rainy season and today started with a downpour.

The kids are spending the morning indoor, playing or helping with the chores, the girls in the kitchen and Evan and the boys rearranging the books in the library.

The babies are just carrying on as normal - with potty training high on the agenda for the older ones

Rose says all the kids are marking time, impatiently waiting for their Mama Sue to get back.

Her plane landed safely in Mombasa at 3am, and she'll be back at the Happy House just as soon as she's caughrt up on a little sleep.

You've not long to wait now, kids!

That's magic!

Our Happy House kids could hardly believe their eyes when Oscar tried out a magic painting book,

They were so excited when, by just adding water, the picture turned from black, grey and white into a riot of colour.

The book was a gift from members of his sponsor family, Pete, Joanne and Dylan Ward, and even wise old Uncle Billy had never seen the like of it before.

As always, the children , as they are are family, all shared in the moment taking turns to have a go.

 

How's Sifa?

While Sue has been staying in Blackpool she was delighted to meet Colin Johnston, who is in Sifa's sponsor family.

He wanted to know all about how Sifa, his interests and was pleased to hear how he is showing a natural talent for the keyboard - both musical and computer!

It was clear that Colin and his wife, Anne, really care about Sifa and we know their their involvement can only enrich his life.

Safe journey Sue

Mike and I were really sad to wave Sue off today at the start of her journey back home to the Happy House.

She and I have got so much done in the last couple of weeks and really laid some plans to help take our fundraising forward to raise the money we need to keep the Happy House going and to extend the nursery school.

It's been lovely to have her here and we are really going to miss her, but I also know that Dave and the Happy House family have missed her so much and can't wait to have her home.

Our loss is their gain!

Hopefully it won't be too long before I'm able to get back to the Happy House see her and Dave and the family I love so much.

Happy Easter

The Easter weekend is a special time the world over and our kids have been celebrating by going to the special  Saturday service at church.

And when they came home, our popular cook, Uncle Habel,  dished up a real treat - egg and chips!

The older children who volunteer at the local Turtle Watch went along as usual and in the afternoon everyone enjoyed a relaxing time watching movies, reading, colouring or playing out or amusing their baby brothers and sisters who never short of attention!

And with Blackpool playing an important match, the team's little Happy House supporter, baby David, was dressed for the event!  Bet Papa Dave has told him the score....

Happy Easter to you from all our family.

 

Bath for Brenda!

When it's bathtime for  Brenda the boys like to lend a hand.

She is bathed several times a week to keep her coat in gleaming condition and to ensure she doesn't get any of the nasty infestations common to cattle in Africa.

Our boys like to help with outside chores and so Evans pulled on a pair of wellies and got to work hosing her down while some of the other boys were out and about collecting fodder for her post-bath meal.

And the result ... one very clean and happy girl!

Cracking idea!

Blackpool's cupcake queen, Vikki Clarke,  staged a whole day of  Easter cupcake decorating classes at her shop and cafe - CupCake, Church Street, Blackpool - yesterday.

And the icing on the cake is that she is making a donation  to the Happy House for every pupil booked, plus she is  selling bunny shortbread also with a donation going to our charity.

When I called in the first class was underway and  children and mums were having a cracking good time!

Wish you were here!

The holiday season is beginning and postcards are arriving for our kids from special friends - the people in their sponsor families.

How wonderful it is for our children to know that, wherever their sponsors may be, their Happy House child is never far from their thoughts.

There was great excitement for David and Lucinda when they received colourful postcards .

David's card came from Torquay where Carol Baxter was enjoying a  break.

How thrilled he was to hear all about her holiday and how the lovely weather had meant she could enjoy plenty of walks! He's already emailed , with Uncle Billy's help, to thank her, telling her what he is getting up to these school holidays.

Lucinda's postcard was sent by Patricia Spurling who was visiting London and showed her many of the capital's most famous landmarks. She going to keep it safe in her memory box along with her other treasures. 

Again Lucinda has emailed to say thank-you and to tell Tricia how she is learning to ride a bicycle so that she will be able to cycle to school when the new term begins in May.

By setting up a family of sponsors for each of our children we had hoped to create a unique and special bond and that is now what is happening, as sponsors get to know their child and also to make friends with the other members of his or her family.

Our aim is to give each of our children a sponsor family of five people, ensuring that amongst the five there will always be some who want to write and, if they are really lucky, to visit, but we still have a long way to go to reach our target number.

In giving a child, who has come from nothing and who may have no, or few, blood relatives,  a family beyond the Happy House we open a window on a wider world and let them know that others, in another land, care and love them too.

If you would like to sponsor a Happy House child, please download the sponsor form, or contact Sue or Elizabeth for details.