Auld Lang Syne

There is nothing like a weekend spent with some of your very best friends to make you stop and wonder at how truly blessed by God you are.  This most certainly was the case for me this weekend.  I've often questioned how God was going to make living apart from my support system and most dear people in the world work for my greater good and His greater glory.  Well, I may not completely understand this, but I feel like I do have some insight.  It may sound cliche, but I appreciate them SOOO much more now. 

This weekend began with Larry and I heading down to see Rachel and Grant with their two little ones Ava Grace and Nolan.  We really haven't seen these little guys in a while and its amazing to see how fast they grow!  Ava's vocabulary is getting enormous and is taking to being a big sister really well.  We are very into princesses and I was dubbed Cinderella upon entering the front door =)  Nolan is crawling/army crawling and is just the sweetest baby ever!  Please Lord let us have kiddos like these two!  R & G hosted a really great NYE party at their house and my how times have changed!  We had 3 babies and two tottlers and our discussions revolved around these precious angels and what everyone had been up to since we left.  Ugh, who could blame us though....look at these cuties!

Reed, Nolan, and Noah

Ava, Riley and Nolan

We, of course, ate well.  Rachel is a truly fabulous cook and anything that I have made of hers makes me an instant hit at any gathering and provides pats on the back for Larry with comments of his excellent marriage choice.  I'm quick to pass the credit to her, one because she deserves it and two, because I'm desperately wanting her to do her own blog and share these delicious recipes with the world!  I'm thinking peer pressure is the way to go!  I had such a blast shopping with Rachel and then going to Whole Foods.  I love that place and wish we had something like it in ole CS.  I hear there is a farmers market and organic grocery store around here somewhere....I need to look into that.  I also got to meet Rachel's old friend Kyra and her son Jake.  Absolutely precious people.  I look forward to hanging out with these girls again soon!

Sunday morning we visited our old church, First Colony COC.  I love this place so much.  It was where I really got to know and love God.  It was so great to see old friends and mentors and the song service is wonderful!  Very fitting for this weekend's activities, we heard a sermon on friendship.  I have chosen so wisely in my friendships, if I do say so myself!  I don't really like new year resolutions, but if I had to pick one it would be to be a better child of God, wife, and friend.  Its really my daily resolution to honor God in these ways.  Pray for my growth!

Rachel & Sheila - love these sisters!

We were supposed to go watch the Jags and Texans play, but this game just wasn't meant to be!  The night before we found out that the game was moved from 12 to 3 and that just wouldn't work because we had house guests arriving at 3.  Not just any house guests, but Bekki and Alan were in from Africa!  I never would have believed that we would have seen them again so quickly after our visit to their home.  We all picked up like no time had passed.  Andrea, who hadn't seen Bekki in forever came over and then several more of our friends.  We ordered Wings n More, and used our time driving around getting food, drinks, etc to sing along to the Mama Mia soundtrack.  Haha I love those girls!!  We stayed up late catching up.  What awesome memories.  I have no idea when the three of us will be together again, but I cherish the moments we are!

 Sara helping me get ready for the group

 Birds of a feather.....

Sara

 Blanton and Jenn

Bekki and Alan

 Andrea =)

Catching up....Sara's dog macy is under the sheets of our very un-finished bedroom...I'll get to it this week, maybe?

But as for me, I will hope continually, And will praise Thee yet more and more

Psalms 71:14

Joy to the World!

What a great Christmas this year!  Its really fun to see the traditions unfold for our little family of two, and I look forward to creating more as we go through life together.  I like to let traditions happened naturally and not put too much pressure on "its Christmas...we MUST ______________."  It seems that Larry and I usually do a private celebration on the 23ed, exchange gifts and just spend the evening together.  I may even get to listen to a Christmas song that does NOT include George Strait, which my husband thinks is the ONLY quality Christmas music out there.  This was our first Christmas in our first home, and it sure was memorable!

Christmas Eve my mom, brother Trevor and his girlfriend Martha came to our house.  We have our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of tamales and mexican food....YUM....and open gifts.  Yes we are Christmas Eve present openers.  I can sure understand why people wait to Christmas morning, but its just the way both Larry and my families have always done it.  I knew we were meant to be together!

You would have thought that we were all still 10 years old by the amount of presents under the tree!  Everyone was so thoughtful in their gift buying.  My favorite present is a dead tie for my new camera....THANKS Larry!....and my framed pictures my mom put together.  These things are absolute treasures to me and I can't wait to find the perfect spot in our home for them.  They are pictures of my grandparents and great-grandparents when they were younger, my great-grandmother and my grandmother walking down the street looking for her wedding gown, wedding pictures, etc!  Love, love, love them.  Martha and Trevor are awesome gift givers as well!  I was thrilled by the many gifts they gave Larry and I.

Christmas Day all of Larry's family came in, minus our brother-in-law Christian, who was busy getting a couple of projects around his house finished so his family could move back in their home.  I can totally understand making the most of every second you have off!  Most importantly he sent his son, Ewan, so we could love on the little guy.  Absolutely precious!

Margaret did all the cooking.  I'm so lucky to have a mother-in-law, who is such a great cook!  I hardly did a thing.  By the time I finished eating I'd walk in the kitchen and it would be spotless!  Now that's the way to host =)  It was so great to see everybody and we enjoyed as a family one of the best sermons I've ever heard at A&M Church of Christ.  So inspirational....it focused on who we should be as Christians and the abounding Grace that should spur us to live our lives in obedience to Him.  Death to self!  Life in Him!  AMEN!

Merry Christmas to All!!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Parting is such sweet sorrow

So our fairytale vacation was coming to a close.  Parting is a sweet sorrow....on one hand we were so sad to leave, but at the same time filled with such joy, love, and happiness for our time together.  We cooked up some of Alan's sable and made mango sorbet.  I miss mango!  I also wanted to get a few gifts for family back home and see the Pemba beach hotel before I left.

We are so happy for the life that Bekki and Alan have made overseas.  As much as I miss my dear friend, its hard not to want her there.  She is very much at home, has great friends, plus what a magnificent place to visit again!

Larry got a new bow for Christmas, so I guess we need to start planning our next safari =)

The priest answered them, “Go in peace. Your journey has the LORD’s approval.”

Judges 18:6

Where the wild things REALLY are - Part 2

Derrick warned us that buffalo hunts can last up to 2 weeks, walking 6-10 miles a day, and hunters sometime still come up short.  I was nursing my burnt (and still swollen) leg and the thought of having to walk that long just did not sound smart.  So I sent Larry, Bekki, and Alan off at 3:30am and did my best to sleep a bit.  Paula was going to take me to Lugenda, the photo safari camp, later that morning for a bit of relaxation.

The problem about that evening is that I did not sleep a wink!  In my logic, the only thing protecting me from wild animals ready to eat me was a canvas piece of material.  I probably heard ever flap of the tent and rustle of the leaves that night.  I dreamt of African animals outside our tent and this was only encouraged by our "bedtime" stories from the professional hunters (PHs).  It never failed that a close encounter of spitting cobras or lions chasing prey through the camp story would be told.  "Don't shine your lights at the elephants, they might attack, but make sure you take them when you go to your tent to watch for snakes."  I was a nervous wreck.

The group left at 3:30am and it gets light around 4:30am.  It seemed that I finally dozed off when I was awoken by a loud thump on top of the tent.  My worst fears were coming true.  Surely it was a leopard on top of my tent, sniffing out his next prey.  And there I was...by myself, in camp, without even a sharp stick nearby!  I can't tell you the things that went through my mind.  What was I going to do?  Lay as still as possible?  Anyone that knows me would know I could do that for about 25 seconds....I'm a doer!  Yell for help?  The nearest folks were probably about a 250 yards away and it didn't seem like a good idea to draw attention to myself in the tent.  Try to scare it?  Haha yeah right.  Then the thump happened again...I found it highly unlikely that a leopard would use my tent as a trampoline and the curiosity was getting the better of me, so I crept over to the window to see what I could only imagine was going to be the death of me.  At that moment a grey streak flew by.....monkeys!  Why didn't someone warn me about the monkeys!?!? 

Around lunchtime the gang made it back to camp with their heads held low saying the hunt was too difficult to continue so they decided to come back and go hunt something easier after lunch.  Well I don't know who they were kidding, I know them WAY better than that.  There is very little on this earth that would keep these boys from pressing on in pursuit of one of the most coveted game on earth.  Sure enough, I was right!  In under 2 hours the group had tracked, stalked, and killed a cape buffalo!  This is just not done in this kind of time frame so needless to say a celebration was to be that evening!

 Buffalo tracks

Watch out for Crocs!

Trackers, Dave our PH and Alan - way to go!

Since the epic task of the buffalo hunt was over, we napped and then decided to head out in search of the elusive guinea fowl.  Basically we were going to bang about in the bush and see what kind of trouble we could get into.

 Alan's uniform

 And the celebration ensued....

 Lelipe, our host, wears a bow tie only when there are women in camp...precious!

For the next 2.5 days we spent driving around looking for a trophy sable.  The ride in the back of the truck is not exactly easy.  I don't know how people do it for 14 days!  Our hunt was broken up by a few awesome finds:

 Bekki got a guinea!!!  Thanks for putting food on the table that night =)

 Lion tracks....the trackers said it was a female...

The celebration continues....fellow hunters, wildlife researchers, and friends

We decided to give the sable hunt one more go the next morning.  We drove around for about 4 hours and decided to throw in the towel.  We got a buffalo, and that was more than we could have asked for.  We must have been only 2-3 km from camp when we came upon "the one."  He was absolutely gorgeous and the first "fuzzy" animal I've ever seen hunted.  Alan is an excellent shot and brought that sable down quickly which both I and the PHs were very glad about.  I believe they enjoyed these Texas boys, their ethics, and their aim!

What an adventure!  Certainly not an experience very many 20 somethings get to enjoy.  Life will never be the same after our African Safari!

To be continued.....

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father 

Mathew 10:29

Where the wild things REALLY are - Part 1

As I mentioned earlier, Kruger National Park in South Africa felt like an entire vacation in itself.  The up close and personal experience with some of the most revered and feared animals in Africa gave us all a sense of adventure and a bit of danger.  We were terrified to get out of the car and certainly did not exactly feel safe behind the flimsy electrical fence around our camp at night.

Well, then we went to Luwire.  Suddenly our safety net was gone.  There were no electric fences and no locked doors.  We were up close and personal with the African bush, living as Livingstone, Stanley and Burton might have along the riverside listening to the wind whip around our tents and the occasional animal call in the night.  Well it would be just like Livingston if only he had generators, hot showers (albeit river water), hunting guides, a bed to sleep on and all the wine and food that you could eat and drink.  But there were tents!

Hot showers, a toilet and a sink with a mirror...not exactly roughing it

Like I said previously, Bekki and I didn't get much sleep the evening before we left on the 9 hour trek from Pemba to Luwire, but what I didn't mention is that I was also nursing one of the most bizarre sunburns I've ever had from our fishing sightseeing trip the day before.  I used the spray-on sunscreen and somehow missed one strip right down my leg.  Of course Dr. Watts was on it and got me cream to keep from blistering, but my leg swole up like a baloon!  I was a mess, determined to be a trooper, but a mess!  I don't know if it was exhaustion or a deep desire not to let Larry say "I told you so," but I did my best to sleep through our trip and to complain as little as possible.

A really incredible benefit of driving instead of flying to Luwire was the ability to see some of the more remote villages and landscapes of Mozambique.  We tried to wave to every kid we saw.  Most of them enthusiastically waved back and the others were quite in shock that we were waving at them and starred at us slack-jawed.  There is nothing that will fill your heart more than these precious kiddos.

I don't know exactly what I was expecting this trip to be.  When Alan told us we'd all been invited up to Niassa to stay and hunt, I had no idea what was in store.  I always underestimate Africa.....always.  It unfailingly takes longer, is more difficult and more magnificent that I dreamed.  I guess my brain is hardwired to American expectations.  We met Derrick and Paula, the professional hunter and his wife who run Luwire a few evenings before and asked them 1 zillion questions about what our trip would be like.  Yet, I was completely floored when we got there.  I guess its not the same for everyone, but there is something about the African outdoors that my soul immediately connects with.  You feel closer to God, more spiritual.  The second we stepped out of the car I had that old familiar feeling that I did looking at Victoria Falls and the great Zambizi River.  You become immediately aware of how powerful our Creator is and humbled to be a witness to his greatness.  We quickly settled in and set down to amazing dinner of reed buck.  Yes, I ate reed buck....and it was delicious!  The group was going to begin a buffalo hunt the next morning and we had to get to bed early.

They have to put the white plates and cups up in the evening or else the hyenas carry them off thinking they are bones.

Sunrise



 To be continued.....

 The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall i fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1