We're home from home.

My humble apologies. 3 months have past since I posted and so much has happened. As planned, we went to South Africa for almost 5 weeks ( Bubba only got to stay for 2 of those) and it was incredible, but more about that later...
When I returned in September our computer , which was 12 month and 2 weeks old had a complete hard drive and logic board failure. We were without it until last weekend ( mid-october) . Basically we got a new computer on the inside ( thank goodness we took out the protection plan!) which is great but our data was not backed up and so we had someone work on it and only some has been saved, we lost several HUNDRED photographs. To attempt to restore the rest could cost thousands of dollars - starting at $500 and we already put $400 into getting what we've got. Its more than just a little frustrating and I wish we had been told when we bought the Mac that we should always have an external hard drive backup - why is it not included!? So please learn from our mistake and back up your data ASAP.

That sob story is my excuse as to why I have not posted in so long. I was using our old slow laptop in the meantime and it could not have handled it. But now I am back!
Here is a start to my South Africa story:

CAPE TOWN

The purpose of this particular trip to SA was to surprise my Grandpa ( Pop-Pop) for his 90th Birthday. Not just to say Happy Birthday in person again, because it has been years and years since I had that pleasure, but most importantly to have him meet his first Great Grandson and vice versa. It was a phenomenal moment. My Mom, Aunt , Uncle and Cousin Greg walked into his flat singing Happy Birthday and when they were done, the 3 of us walked in and wished him. His reaction was perfect and he definitely got teary eyed and kept repeating "Impossible!! I never thought I'd live to meet this little man. What a wonderful surprise what a wonderful birthday present."

This was another tear jerking/ priceless moment: He watched the video of Livi singing Happy Birthday to him .

We went to lunch with him and then later that day there was a Party in the Dining area of The Rathfelder where he stays which my Mom and Aunt threw for him. It was a magical day.

This man has lived though some incredible changes in the world and some horrific things that most of us can't even comprehend. His mother died after the birth of his younger sister when he was only 14 months old. The same age Elijah was while we were there visiting. His father was abusive and he was raised on farms by some brutal aunts of his and was the epitome of a naughty boy - oh the stories!

He was a P.O.W and is still haunted by the things he endured and witnessed. But he discovered what true love was when he met my Mimi and then had 2 daughters , Athene ( my Mom) and Helene ( my Aunt).  He has become a big softy in his old age and will cry every time he talks about  walking with my Mom holding his finger and waddling along beside him as a baby. He loves his family and oh how they LOVE him.

He's 90 now and although his mind is still brilliant and he reads and reads , his body has started to give out now, but only just, which is amazing considering what its been through and for how long. We spent time with him almost every day that we were in South Africa. Its precious time , Bubba loves to listen to his stories as if he were his own Grandfather and Pop-Pop will tell stories as long as you will listen. He'd watch Elijah playing and how he was learning to walk and marvel at how our bodies go a full circle through life and tried to get pointers from Elijah on how to get up if you fall down.

Whenever I leave South Africa since the first time when I was 19 years old ( 1999) , its always hardest to say goodbye to him because he always says " This is probably the last time we will see each other my girl" and every time I come back and he is still going strong.

This time he didn't.