Heart of Red, White and Blue

After a month of being away from Dana, we reunited as a family in our new home in Columbia Maryland!  Sophiya was thrilled to see her daddy after so long and instantly jumped into his arms at the airport and has been glued to him ever since!  We had a couple days in our empty apartment to get semi-settled, our container of belongings in still en route from South Africa, due to arrive end of October, if we're lucky.  Dana's parents arrived that Friday and we headed down to Washington DC for the weekend with them!

We left our hotel on foot first thing in the morning and were go go going all day!  We saw the Arlington National Cemetery, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, Theodore Roosevelt Island and Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Washington Monument, Dana rocking his Springbok Rugby birthday t-shirt, love it!

The new Martin Luther King Jr. monument, "Stone of Hope"

Jefferson Memorial

Keeping Nana and Papa busy touring Washington DC!

Capital Building

Obama's residence!  The White House, wow!

Pool Time with Papa and Daddy

Needless to say, Sophiya was kept very busy (just how I like it!) and we were all exhausted by the end of the day.  We went to an amazing restaurant that evening called the Founding Farmers, had a lovely dinner with delicious local ingredients and impressive architecture.  "The Founding Farmers name represents a combination of ideas: it is a celebration of the land and the American family farmer; it is a nod to the founding fathers of our country, many of whom owned and farmed land that surrounds Washington, D.C.; and it is a place where true, sustainably-farmed, grown, and harvested American foods are brought to our guests."

After being overseas for so long, spending the weekend in Washington DC was so appropriate for our re-introduction to American way of life.  We felt the energy of being at the heart of our nation's capital, everywhere you look there are people from all over the world, a "Rainbow Nation" (if I can be allowed to steal from South Africa's nickname), a place of rich history, culture, pride and power.  It is here where the decisions of our country's future are determined and the leaders of our great nation are debating (heatedly these days) issues that will affect generations to come.  We reflected on our country's history and contemplated the path of our country for our posterity.  All this while simultaneously chasing after a one and a half year old, luckily it was four against one toddler, so adults won (most of the time).

After our weekend in Washington DC, we headed down to Williamsburg, Virginia for a week.  Williamsburg is a special place in America as it represents one of the first founding settlements of the original colonists, where the idea of "America" was born.  The town has preserved its rich cultural history by restoring the original town center and turning it into a "living museum".  Townspeople dress in traditional colonial garments, speaking in character as members of the 18th century Williamsburg and embodying their role as the town shoemaker, doctor, tavern owner or African American slave.

Besides touring colonial Williamsburg, we spent lots of time at the pool, took a trip to the Virginia seaside and visited the Norfolk Botanical Garden.  Sophiya had a blast swimming and playing all day with Nana and Papa, enjoying every moment with them.

Virginia Beach, where the ocean water is warm enough to swim!  yay!

Norfolk Botanical Garden

Nana and Sophiya

 

 It feels so good to be home, especially after being spoiled with all of our family time.  Sophiya is certainly loving being closer to her grandparents and so are we!  It was tough saying goodbye to Nana and Papa, but luckily this time we know we are only a 5 hour flight away, not 25+!!

 Sliding and learning to rock climb at Centennial Park

We are settling into Columbia nicely, everything is going very well.  Dana is enjoying his new job with Cultural Vistas and will be going to China on a work trip in mid-October.  He'll be doing presentations at universities, recruiting Chinese students to join the internship programs Cultural Vistas offers.  I'm so proud of him to have this exciting upcoming opportunity and to have found such a great job!  Sophiya and I will be visiting Seattle during the time he'll be away (15-28 October) to see Nana and Papa again, and attend my sister-in-law's baby shower.  We are really looking forward to this!   

I'm doing well, 22 weeks pregnant now with our second little one, feeling healthy and enjoying the second trimester much more than the first.  Columbia is such a great place to live with kids, there are endless parks to visit, trails to take walks, libraries and the schools are the best in the country.  We've got a membership to the local Lifetime Fitness, so I've found some great yoga classes to attend.  We have still yet to visit downtown Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay area, but we will be doing lots of exploring! 

Sophiya is growing with leaps and bounds.  She is 21 months now, I still find it hard to believe she is going to be two soon.  These first couple years have really flown by, note to self to remember with the second one!  Sophiya's vocabulary and ability to communicate is increasing everyday, it's amazing to see the way she tries to say new words, attach meaning to different phrases and starting generally get her point across with the few words she's got (intermittently with frustrated cries and shouts of course when I don't understand!)  She has really gotten into coloring, which keeps her occupied for ages, it's fantastic.  I know there is going to be a day that crayon will end up on the wall because she is such an art enthusiastic, but so far so good!  The other activity she is intrigued with is cooking, so I try to get her involved as much as possible with meal making, hoping it will result in her eating well, which has been helpful on a few occasions.  I'm not a big baker normally, but I think I will give this a try in the next few weeks as I'm sure she'll love it.

Reading with Daddy, notice the new hairdo from Nana??

That is about all for now.  Fall is upon us in Maryland, so I'm enjoying seeing the tree leaves turning colors and the crisp autumn air.  Looking forward to an official Halloween next month, we'll finally be able to carve a pumpkin again and dress Sophiya up in a ridiculously cute costume, yay!

Welcome to Merry Land

It's been entirely too long since I last updated this blog, I feel very guilty about this, but once you read what's been happening in our lives the past few months, I hope you will understand and forgive me!!

Firstly, following onto the last blog post, which was deciding to leave our life in Cape Town, some exciting and surprising news popped up in the shape of two parallel lines.  At the end of May, I was bathing Sophiya in the evening and Dana was getting ready for a job interview which was starting in fifteen minutes.  After seeing these two parallel lines, I had to interrupt Dana's concentration and let him know that not only was our life changing in three months with the move to the USA, but it would be changing yet again at the beginning of February with the addition of another little girl to the family!  Again, this is another example of life's way of throwing us curve balls when least expected, but we are absolutely thrilled and Sophiya is going to be a big (though still little) sister after she turns 2!!  I've always wanted kids close in age though, so things have worked out very nicely!

We have been extremely blessed though after packing up our house and getting our belongings on an overseas shipping container, we moved in with our dear friends Andre and Rebecca for the last few weeks of our time in Cape Town.

Last Photos in Cape Town!!  I was bummed to not have a last surf with baby bump, but here is Dana!


During this time, Dana was offered a position with Cultural Vistas (formally AIPT-CDS) as their Director for the Global Career Launch in Columbia, Maryland.  He's very excited about the position and he's the perfect person for the job!  He's been in Maryland for just over a week now, survived an earthquake and hurricane and all the while managed to find us a car and a place to live and started work this week!  I know I married the right man!

I will be continuing to work for Projects Abroad from home, so happy to have this flexibility with the two little ones.  It's very strange, but I actually lived in Columbia, Maryland for just over a year with my family back when my dad worked for Kraft in 1992!  I don't remember much about the place when I was younger except for some vague memories from elementary school, but it's been ranked number 2 as Money Magazine's Best Small Cities to Live in 2010.  I'll know more when I finally get there next week Tuesday!

Sophiya and I braved the long flight from Cape Town to Traverse City, Michigan a few weeks ago.  All went as well as can be expected from a 30+ hour travel with a 19 month old, but needless to say, I was very happy to finally land in Michigan.  I've spent the past few weeks with my family relaxing at their holiday home (excuse me, cabin, for all you Americans snickering) on Lake Michigan, eating delicious food, chilling at the beach, boating, jet-skiing, kayaking, paddle boarding and sailing.

Sophiya has kept very busy with her grandparents, Aunt Nicole and Uncle Jamie (weird!) and of course the dog Maddie.  She's been digging in the sand, going on long walks, picking blueberries, eating popsicles and running around outside.

 Swinging high with Grandpa!

Sitting nicely (for a total of ten seconds) with Grandma

 Pretty in Pink

 Blueberry picking is fun, she even knew which ones were ripe to eat!

 Teeny bikini

 Chilling with Mom and keeping Jamie company before paddleboarding

  She was lucky enough to meet her great-grandparents (my Dad's parents) and we were able to get a four generational photo!  It's amazing to think that my grandparents have seen their children grow and have children, and now their children have children!  Oh the cycle of life!

It's amazing how age changes your perspective on a place.  It's been 6 years since I was last at the cabin in Traverse City and being older now, I feel like I can really appreciate the place so much more now!  Traverse City is the Cherry Capital of the USA, so fields of cherries are seen everywhere you go!  It is a quaint, vacation hot spot for both Michiganers and those out of state!  

 Winery just down the road from our cabin, Chateau Chantal, great views of Lake Michigan and of course delicious wine!

 Historical "General Store" - awesome pickles and root beer!

 Quaint Food Stall on the side of the road

Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes

Lake Michigan has crystal clear waters with endless activities, the downtown has lovely shops and restaurants and long coastal walks line the shores.  The peninsula where our cabin is situation is also gaining recognition as producing high quality grapes for wine making.  The charm of the area and knowing that my children will have the blessed opportunity to spend summers in this special place is such a good feeling.

I certainly miss our life and friends in Cape Town already but it sure feels good to be home....

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become. -Anonymous

Personal transformation can and does have global effects. As we go, so goes the world, for the world is us. The revolution that will save the world is ultimately a personal one. — Marianne Williamson

      Change is a constant in life. I changed after graduating high school. I changed after moving to Missoula for college. I changed when I moved to South Africa to study abroad for a year. I changed when I became a wife. I changed through my experiences working for Projects Abroad in Cape Town. I certainly changed when I became a mother. Change is a good thing, I've always embraced it and craved it, while still fearing it in the same breath.

     The past five years in South Africa have been life changing, an experience and memories that will last forever. It's become a second home, a comfortable and lovely lifestyle that we will always cherish. As we've been told in the past, Africa is in now in our blood.

     We are embracing change and have made the decision to end this chapter in our lives and move on our next adventure. We are ready to be closer to our family and friends, return to our home country and give Sophiya the relationship with her grandparents and extended family that she needs. It was a difficult decision to make and one that we've weighed for quite some time now.

     A piece of our hearts will always be in Cape Town. Dana and I's marriage, our bond to one another for life was made on Kommetjie Beach. Our most precious gift was born and spent her first year and a half of life here. We've created a volunteer program that will make an impact on local communities for years to come.

     We are going to miss so much here. We will miss South Africa everyday. We will miss our friends dearly, they have become like family to us during our time here. They embraced us with the loving, warm African spirit of 'ubuntu'. We are going to miss the unparalleled beauty of this country, the dramatic coastlines, the jagged mountain ranges, the bright colored flora, rustic vineyards with history poured in each glass of wine and endless days of bright sunny blue skies. We are going to miss the friendly smiles of strangers, the inherent rhythm and music in the air, the relaxed culture of daily life.

     There are also things we won't miss here. We won't miss living behind burglar bars and alarms, looking over our shoulders and worrying about safety/security day in and day out. We won't miss the ever present wealth disparity, where the rich and poor live across the street from one another. We won't miss the poverty alongside our own feelings of guilt and daily horrific news headlines.

     Our plan isn't completely defined yet, which is scary and exciting at the same time. This is yet another lesson for me to "let go" and let things fall into place, which is what will happen eventually. We are looking to live and work in the West Coast, California, Seattle or Oregon, and so far there are a few leads for Dana and we still have a few months until the official move (end Aug).

     Aside from this massive event forthcoming in our lives, our little one is also growing and changing by the day! Sophiya is such a little girlie girl, she loves to try on my jewelry and play with my makeup. I swear, if I need a few minutes to get ready in the morning I can give her my necklace collection and my powder brush and she'll stay contently occupied (not always an easy task).

     She is full of spunk and energy, keeping us so busy!! She is learning what sound each animal makes slowly such as a cow, lion and dog. She can basically understand everything we say to her now, even though she can't quite respond yet! She is babbling in her own language, picking up words here and there, which we are trying to decipher. Her newest are "apple" and "backpack".

I've always been a bit of a picky eater, and now I am getting a taste of my own medicine with Sophiya. She has a very particular taste and from what I can see, she is a bit of a gourmet preferring olives, ostrich fillets, pate and pesto. She is very opposite to me in that she LOVES meat, something I don't eat much of at all! Both her and Dad will miss droewors and biltong back in the US!

She is learning all the different parts of the body and it's amazing how quickly she picks up on each word. The other one that I was sure to teach her was "Where is your Smile?" which is particularly useful for photo shoots like those above.

 

We are thrilled about our decision to return home and can't wait to see friends and family back home. We'll keep you updated on all the exciting upcoming news. Much love to you all.

(PS. My Blog format is all messed up, and I can't figure out how to change it, any tech-savvy friends HELP!)

Fool in the Rain

“The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.” Robert Kiyosaki

26 hit me like a foot through a broken play set platform, simultaneously saving my daughter from falling 6 feet to the ground and a subsequent neck injury.  Happy Birthday to me.  Have no fear, all is fine, just a series of unfortunate events from our recent trip.


Got your attention?  Ok, let's start from the beginning...

Our camping trip to Wilderness was a long awaited one for Dana and I, a chance to have some peace and quiet (or at least during Sophiya's nap and bedtime that is...), relax and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings.  Being the planner I am, I booked far in advance, we had all our gear ready to go and we were on the road!  Sophiya was surprisingly content in the car for a five hour drive, all was going so well.






By the time we got to our campsite the weather was misleadingly sunny and warm.  Wilderness National Park is absolutely stunning, campsites right on the river, impeccably clean, many different bird species, tons of hikes to choose from and canoeing (one thing I was really keen to do). 




We set everything up, had some dinner and by the time Sophiya was ready for bed, suddenly the clouds started to cover and wind picked up during our late night fire time.  "It's a bit chilly huh babe?" I say to Dana, but we just put on extra layers and cut the fire time short.  "It won't be this cold tomorrow, right?"


Long story short, the next couple days were absolutely miserable rainy, cold weather, in Fahrenheit terms for all you N. Americans reading, probably an average of 40s with even colder wind....  Those of you that think that Africa doesn't get cold, it definitely does.  (My birthday celebration/accident was somewhere in there). After debating back and forth about what to do, we ended up throwing in the towel and driving back to Cape Town to our warm home, a hot bubble bath and comfortable beds.  It wasn't fair for our little Sophiya to suffer in that cold, Dana and I also came to the realization that we are fair weather campers, and ok with this.  


Although we enjoyed our cozy time as a family (to a point) of laying in the tent listening to the rain and wind outside, cuddling together, reading stories and playing with Sophiya, this only lasts so long with a one year old in a constricted space.  Gone are the days (I suppose temporarily) that Dana and I could just grin and bear the harsh weather, sleep all day, read our novels, play card games and have philosophical conversations for hours to pass the time.


But that's life, huh?  Life doesn't always go as expected, but you do your best to make the most of the situation.  Not everyday is rainbows and sunshine (literally).  And that is ok.  Sometimes you plan and plan, and plans get thrown out the window.  I have to constantly remember this in my own life, as I'm always trying to make sure everything is order and just right, but this isn't always the case and often, you don't have control over it all!

All in all, we enjoyed being together as a family, some downtime, laughs and at the very least another beautiful drive through the Garden Route.


On a happier and much more enjoyable note, Easter Sunday was very fun for Sophiya.  She gathered her little egg trail to her Easter basket and was delighted with the contents.  New bath toys, African animals and a mini book collection.  She loves the mini books because they are perfectly sized for her hands and make for good distractions during car trips!

 

The egg open up to different shapes and colors and were almost more exciting then the Easter basket goodies!

 

She looks like a little diva in this one... Speaking of attitude, we can't be sure, but there has been a couple times where she has said "No" in perfect context while shaking her head. 

 She's got a full set of teeth in the front now and she is using those pearly whites to her advantage daily!  As she is understanding more and more, you can tell her to smile and she'll give you one of her crooked, heart melting, cheese ball smiles that we just can't get enough of!  Her sense of humor is growing and she'll find things funny like when I accidentally drop a spoonful of her cereal on my clean pants, if Daddy bumps his head with her toys while being silly or if she lets out a little toot and realizes it came from her!!

 These toddler days are ones of emotional ups and downs.  It is ever more apparent that parenthood presents you with the most challenging days of your life as well as the most joy and happiness that you could never have experienced without that little one present.

Her empathy and sympathy is also emerging as she's been very sensitive to times where I have suffered an injury (like cutting my finger while cooking on our trip) and she will point to the cut and look worried or give out a little whimper like she understands that it is pain or hurt.

One very cute thing that is happening recently is that anytime she may have a bad fall or bump, she will immediately hold out her index finger in exclamation of her injury, every time....  so even if it's the head or knee hurt, the index finger comes out first and that is the one that needs to be kissed "all better".  

 Sophiya's Party Trick (and Dad's)

"How old are you Sophiya??"

It is also becoming more and more obvious that she is unmistakably a girlie girl.  She loves clothes, shoes, accessories and her newest fascination, Mom's makeup bag.  She does a runway walk when she has on a new outfit, clip in her hair, necklace around her neck or shoes never worn on her feet for the first time.  It's absolutely hilarious.  She knows the word "pretty" as we use it everyday to compliment her on something new she's added to her outfit.

We only wish we could share her with those of you so far away from us.  Hope you all enjoyed a very Happy Easter weekend and we love and miss you!