It was a solid forty-eight hours of traveling. Yes, forty-eight. I spelled it out so you would be sure. Two nights trying to sleep on an airplane. A long London layover in between. A four (turned three-ish) hour drive from Joburg to Bloem at the end of it all. All I can say is, if you said a prayer for us, thank you. It was occasionally a little challenging, juggling the baby and the big boy and wanting to rest but needing to hold, but by God’s grace I would actually call that little trip across the pond amazing.

Seriously.

When I watched all the other parents on our flights who just had one kid to handle struggle to eat their meals while both the boys were sleeping peaceful-quiet and the Hubs and I were cutting into our smashing British Airways Chicken Curry and watching Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, (loved it the second time!) I felt kind of guilty.

But, I just kept eating.

 

{I’d like to score another photo like this one of the Bear with Tiger Tank in Goo-Goo and Gammy’s garden here in Bloemfontein, but it’s a little too cool for this clothing option (remember it’s autumn in the southern hemisphere) and he doesn’t have those cherub curls yet. When dat baby gone get some hair?}

Since arrival we’ve basically just managed to get over jet lag and get a SIM card so we can at least have some (limited) internet access. And, we picked up a few essentials at Pick n Pay (my old grocery store/supermarket/happy place). I may or may not have been teary-eyed when the cashier asked me for my Smart Shopper card. I wistfully looked down the aisles with my sorrowful reply I don’t have one anymore…

Now why I still feel more at home in a South African supermarket where things are packed in grams and kilograms and prices are in Rand, I’m afraid I don’t know. Except I think maybe the American grocery stores purposefully try to confuse you so that you’ll spend more money sometimes. (I have substantial proof of this, but it’s a story for another day.)

The reunion with the grandparents has certainly been very special — the Bear is delighted to be back chasing cars around the patty-table {patio table} with Goo-Goo, Tiger Tank decided to take his first steps (in excess of three) walking directly to his Gammy just yesterday. I bought two boxes of chicken spice which I am very excited to stuff in a suitcase and bring with me back to North Carolina.

I’m hoping to post some photos of the excitement around here soon. With a little encouragement here and there for good measure. But in the meantime, I think I forgot to tell you about the Hubs’ first North Kakalaki family photo session, which I think went terrifically well. And I take ten percent of the credit, because I passed out the jelly beans. Here’s a link to the magical shoot. {The tractor shots are my favourite!}

Thanks again for your prayers, friends! More from the deep, deep south soon! (And we still have a wedding in the bush ahead of us!)

xCC