South Africa 2011

In the beginning of 2011 we received the some what devastating news that Nate would be deploying, and I was heart broken because ti meant he would miss Ian's first birthday.  Within a few hours of the news I have already made all these plans in my head to survive, raising our little guy by myself while he was gone...

The plan? To take an extended vacation home and to make sure we were in South Africa for both of our birthdays!!!

We did miss Nate, and I do wish he was there, but in a way it was such a special time for Ian and I, we bonded and depended on each other's company, and we just made it together.  When I look back at all the pictures there is a little tug on my heart because Nate is missing, but I have so many beautiful memories as well....

This is the last time Ian and I went home, shortly after Nate's return and I was pregnant with Hayleigh and she was born the following year, my parents came to Germany when she was nine days old, and left when she was one month old.

I am so excited for my brother and his wife to meet my little girl, as well as the rest of the family, with all the new adventures that awaits us, I am not sure when we will be able to go home again, so that makes this trip even more special!

A little flash back of 2011.  Be prepared for a ton of pictures!

The Monte Casino Bird Park

The return to the beloved beach house. Cannon Rocks.

 

 

 

 
 

 

Ian turned one, at the beach house!! Lucky guy!

We spent a week with my big brother, and his girlfriend [now wife] at the time, Annelie, and traveled around the Western Cape.  Sweet memories, of my boy and his uncle!

West Coast National Park.

Cape Town.

Simeon's Town.

Table Mountain.

Ian's turning one pictures.  The lady that did our wedding pictures took these.

Pretoria Zoo.  Let's face it no trip is complete without going to the zoo with grandparents.

Some random tid bits from our visit, in several place, doing different things, but each picture holds a special memory to me.

Favorite ice-cream place.

Poor Rusty has since passed away.  He was Ian's buddy!

Every day like clock work, Ian would wait for my dad to come home from work, and it was game over, oupa was on duty!

One of my most cherished pictures of Ian.  This was on my birthday. 

Happy Birthday to me!

Looking back at these pictures brings such a flood of emotion, mostly emotion of gratitude, and the evidence of how far we have come as family.

I am excited for the new memories that will be stored forever, and cherished for year to come.  The kids and I will head out a month before Nate, and then he will join us.  This time it will be a family vacation, and not a means of surviving as a "single mom."

Feel free to read about our last family trip trip to South Africa with Nate.

Ten more days, and I will feel the African sun kiss my face.

Happy Wednesday!