My Holiday and a New Home!

Thursday October 1, 2009

WOW! I just got home from the most outrageous holiday ever. I went to Kruger National park with Rohan, Vivian, and Jurgen Stroebel. (Rohan is a Rotarian) It was so so cool. For those of you that don’t know, Kruger is a HUGE game park full of wild African animals… I can’t believe what I saw… We saw the “Big Five” (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, and buffalo) just about every day we went for a ride. Not only did we see the bug animals, but we also saw giraffes, zebras, CHEETAHS, hippos, etc… and countless BEATUIFUL birds!! I mean, we saw so many giraffes and zebras, that by the end of the week we didn’t even stop the car to see them… we just drove by them like you drive by corn fields! It was a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and could not have been possible without the generosity of the Stroebel Family. They were so kind and great to be with for the week. (They all also speak Afrikaans as their first language… so it was cool to hear the language and get a taste of a new culture)

After arriving back in Grahamstown after a long day of driving, I made a HUGE move to the Benyon’s home! My “small” suitcases were waiting for me to unpack into my new room when I walked through the door. I have stayed with the Benyon’s overnight a few times, but I’m finally moving in! I will be here all of October, November, and December. I’m looking forward to this stay! I now have two little sisters Jessica- 11 and Paula-7. It will be a fun, hectic, crazy, loving, memory-making 3 months! :)

Rob recently got back from a trip overseas. He went to Texas for a business thing.. He asked me to give him a list of things to purchase from home. On my list were gushers, reeses peanut butter cups, twizzlers, and laffy taffy. He managed to buy all of the candy, and in HUGE amounts! Haha (he thought you bought gushers by the single package! So we have boxes, and bags of American candy that nobody in the family is really crazy about!) Everyone tried the candy (they say “sweets” here) and they weren’t too nuts about any of it! It was fun to share a little something from home with them.

As you can see… I’m busy and many exciting things are happening! But even though all these happy things are happening… I desperately wish I could share them with my family, Cari, and Jen. I’m sitting here typing.. telling you all about how great it is here and for some reason tears keep running down my cheeks. I’m missing a good laugh with my girls, a deep conversation about some outrageous topic with my dad, and a sweet hug from my little momma. I think every time I move to a new home is when I feel the most homesick. The realization of being so far from home sinks in deep and gets to me. **Don’t get me wrong, it has NOTHING to do with the people I stay with. They have all been SO sweet and caring.** It’s just me… Growing and changing trying to deal with all the odd emotions and small battles on my own. I know in my heart this was the path God wants me to take, and I believe he’s just keeping me in check. Home really isn’t so bad after all.

Sending Lots of Love-

Alison