The Last Few Months, In Pictures...

Here are a few of my favorite pictures, taken over the course of the last few months, enjoy!
Hunter, on a local safari!

Taylor, had his face painted from a local African!

Claire, on her first day of school...

Kids, one Sunday at church...

Taylor being a good big brother in Cape Town!

A recent craft in Hunter's art club, an African hut made from a phone book.

Trouble, Claire climbing in the window eating chips! Never a dull moment!

Claire was Minnie Mouse for a school festival.

Claire's class...

Claire in line(towering over everybody)

I am not sure who this is, but LOVED the pouting elephant!

Carson, our kitty, waits everyday for our dog, Lily, to come home from her walk!

Lily, hanging in one of our (half chewed) wicker chairs...

White lion at a local lion park...

My fav, the zebra, also at a local lion park...

Our last visitors, Grandma Lou and Poppy!

It Is, What It Is!

That's right, it is ..what it is! So, we are staying! Staying until June 0f 2012, with the possibility of leaving beginning in Dec 2011. Pat is needed here, and the reality of life has answered our tough questions! Tough questions like... Can you stay past contract(Ending Nov 2011)? Pat's reply, only if the family can do it. Family(my) reply...No! Morning after sleeping on it...Maybe! After many talks with many people, I am reminded of the basic truth...it is two more years of a good, stable job. Two more years of food on the table, good food!!
When we heard what was happening to our friends currently in the States and my family, we felt as if the better hand was dealt to us!
So now my reply, Yes. Yes, I know what is best. Yes, I know what we need to do, but Yes is the hard answer!
When you look at what we have been given; the area where we live, the opportunities that have been laid out for us...an outsider would say "You are an idiot for wanting this to end!" When you look at what we are missing....time spent with family; a smart person would say "I get it, I understand the hardness", but then say "You have to do what is best for the ENTIRE family", and that is Stay!
So, with that said... South Africa is home for a little while longer!

Where My Head and Heart Have Been...

I can not believe it is March, where have the last two months gone! The kids started their school year in January, both Hunter and Taylor remained in the same school while Claire started a new school! Claire absolutely LOVES school, and who would not love preschool?! I decided to mainstream her this year into a "normal" playschool; after a long stressful search for the right school...we struck gold! Here in South Africa, inclusion is not a part of the normal school system. Unfortunately children with special needs usually attend a special needs only school, and are not mainstreamed into normal classrooms. While Claire is gravely delayed in speech, she is a very bright and energetic 4 year old. She absolutely does not need to be in a special needs only school, but a normal playschool with her peers. Theodor Herzl is a local private Jewish school, but is open to all denominations. Their pre-primary(preschool) is run by an amazing forward thinking lady! She has welcomed Claire with open arms and has never questioned her need for "normal" interaction! We all decided that Claire needed a facilitator to accompany her to school, to oversee that Claire would get all that she needed. She will not need her long, in fact Claire refuses to let her help in any way(Very Stong Willed)! Claire has flourished, and I mean in all areas. Originally when I told her special needs school that I was moving Claire, they ALL were afraid that it was a bad idea....Ha! Showed them! Claire is now making remarkable progress in all areas! But most of all she is happy!
Now, on the back end of that...I now have to add all of her therapies after school, which makes for an extreme amount of time in the car and on the road. Claire sees her speech therapist 3 days a week, OT 2 days, PT 2 days and she is taking swim lessons 1 day a week (see what I mean, its exhausting just typing it out).
The boys have adjusted to their school schedules, and are finally feeling a part of the school. I have a lot of issues with their school, but they are happy. They have embraced the sports program here and continue to excel and improve in all areas that have a ball! They are making good grades, but this is where my beef comes in with the school...their academics and the way they are taught...SUCK! But with that said...I have learned during this time away from home and all things normal; that a little happiness goes a LONG way! I will not rock their boats and change schools; as they will have it rocked soon enough when we move back home(USA)
Speaking of...I would love to say that we are moving back soon! It is beginning to look like we are here for another year. I have mixed emotions about this; as some days it kills me, others I focus on the positives here. Most importantly; as many good things are in place for us here, it will never equal what family means to us there! I have shed a lot of tears over the prospect of us remaining here longer, but I always keep in mind that I believe God has a plan! I think that Claire is in the best place now...all of her needs are met and more! The boys, this is where it gets tricky...they are missing out on a lot at home. Their sports; baseball, basketball, football. Their education, it is definitely lacking here! They also are getting their immediate needs met, but I worry what damage will be done the longer this assignment is dragged on.
The one bright spot in all of this is that I am planning a trip home! If I am stuck here for sure, I am on a plane home to visit! The kids are out of school this summer(SA winter) for 6 weeks due to the World Soccer Cup being held here, so what an ideal time to fly the coop! Watch out Target, Ross, TJMaxx, Marshals..hell and even WALMART! Oh yeah, I will do some visiting with family and friends also!
SO, if you wondered where I have been the last few months....I have been in the car driving from appt to appt, driving from one sporting event to the next; and of course just regular old driving back and forth to two different schools! My mind and heart have been focused on the indecisiveness of our immediate future and the happiness of those around me!
Pics are next!

Do Not Give Up On Us......

After a few weeks of technical difficulties, we are now up and running!

And Smiling!

Been busy with daily school, sports and therapy schedules; but enjoying the chaos!
We having been "kicking it" here at home in the hot South African summer, as you all experience snow and winter!

My Apologies....

My blog has been very neglected lately! After Grandma Lou and Poppy left we threw ourselves into back to school mode and then The Cullens overtook everything! Yes, I am talking about the Twilight series. I just finished the last book, and I am actually sad to have finished. Before Lou and Mike left we were in a book store and I was asking her advise on a new book to read..she suggested reading the Twilight book because I already had it and why not! Lou...its your fault! JK! So now I am done, and the blog entries will begin...I have so much to catch up on; our wonderful trip to the wineries, our great Christmas, and the first days of school!

Goodbye 2009...

Hello 2010! Wow what a year it has been for us! We have lived in South Africa now for almost 15 months, all of 2009. We have survived what I thought would be a long and sad year, but turned out to be a fast and exciting year for us. It makes me so sad to think that these years are going by so fast, my kids childhood is passing me by too quickly.
This year has been a good family year for us, as we have had lots of "us" time. South Africa has given us the gift of Time! Time to slow down and eat as a family every night, time to actually see what pretty cool kids we have, time to watch them face some of their fears and overcome, time to watch Hunter come out of his shell. South Africa has given us time to listen to Claire talk, time to watch Taylor grow up and make new friends. Time....sometimes it is what we need as parents to do what we need to do, better! We have had time to discover a country we would have never, ever come to; and fall in love with it! Time to take our kids on safaris, time to taste some great wines. Time to build memories to last a lifetime. Time to all go and watch an owl in our backyard(just happened), what a gift we have been given!
2009 will always remain close to my heart, as this was the year for our family to overcome. To overcome the fear of new schools, to overcome the sadness of goodbyes, to overcome the fear of the unknown, and to begin to overcome Speech Apraxia and developmental delay!
I look forward to what 2010 has in store for our family! I know there will be hard days, but I hope the good ones will outweigh the bad! I hope to see us settled back in the US before the end of the year, one thing I have learned is that family is everything and being a world away is too tough!

Holiday Travels!

We have been traveling, visiting and entertaining non stop since the 10Th of December! We picked up Grandma Lou and Poppy(Pat's parents from Florida) in Cape Town on the 11Th of December. We stayed there for 4 days and then hit the wine country for 2 days. We headed back to Port Elizabeth, and spent the rest of their trip doing stuff near home.
While in Cape Town we enjoyed showing them our favorite things to do, and added some things we have never done. We started with a trip to Simon's Town to see penguins and then headed to The Cape of Good Hope. This is where Cape Point is, where the Atlantic and the Indian oceans meet...Incredible!
View from Simon's Town...

On our way to Cape Point, huge Baboon on the side of the road...

Kids being blown away in Cape Point...

We did lots of souvenir shopping, we have learned to always try for a bargain! We went to Signal Hill where you can overlook all of the Cape Town Waterfront, and get a glimpse of the 2010 soccer stadium. Pat and the boys climbed Lions Head, one of the three famous mountains in Cape Town...Pat said at times it was very dangerous, only a small ledge away from falling(had I known!). We took everyone to see CATS the musical; we had second row seats...it was awesome! We visited the aquarium, ate on the waterfront, saw Table mountain; we never stopped!

Taylor and Claire looking at the CATS playbill...

Eating ice cream on Signal Hill...

Taylor trying to strike a deal...

While still staying in Cape Town, we went to a nearby winery. This winery, Spier, is more touristy than most because of some added extras. They have an Eagle Sanctuary and a Cheetah Foundation. The kids loved it! The boys actually held one of the eagles, while Claire just was able to pet some of the owls! After tending to some kid stuff; we moved on to the fun part, wine tasting! Pat has always enjoyed wine, while I have only begun since living in SA. After purchasing some wine (average bottle R30, $4.00) we headed back to Cape Town.
Claire with owl...

My cautious child, Taylor, with eagle...

Hunter with eagle...

Kids playing in one of the craft booths...

Enjoying the wine...

Next stop, Leipzig! Pure heaven, an old wine house where we stayed one night before heading to Port Elizabeth!