We had a wonderful weekend. I am really trying to get the last of summer in to our systems before our party gets rained out. Literally. We spent some time in Noordhoek which they boys loved. I have never seen them love a place that much. We will go back really soon. I love watching our boys climb rocks and dunes and enjoy the outdoors. The boys LOVED Newlands forest on Sunday too, just as much as Noordhoek. Our friend Candice took a few pictures of us this weekend, and I am tooooooo excited about them. She photographed our wedding too and has some mad photo-taking skills!
Noah. I have no words for how wonderful you are right now. You were in such a good mood the whole weekend. You have begun to understand and articulate so much more about your little big world. You are so sincerely happy and satisfied. We were talking about it on the way home from the forest. We were watching you familiarize yourself with your new surroundings, and become more outdoorsy. You were a little bit afraid of the stream and all the rocks, but I saw a sense of adventure coming alive in you. I saw it with my own eyes. I saw how excited you were to follow your friends in to it. We had to drag you out eventually. You're a different child since we moved here. You have friends, more nature, a social life, adventure and this new little spirit inside you. You're so happy little Nu. You have no idea what that means to us. Seeing you explore a forest barefoot makes me the happiest mother alive right now. When we got home you complained a bit that your feet hurt, but it's fine. We will beat the Joburg out of you one way or another.
I know that there are forests in and around Joburg (somewhere) but none that we had seen or felt were safe enough to explore. I think the most nature that our boys were subjected to there was the local Garden Shop and Zoo Lake. Maybe I sucked at finding places there. Maybe we really just love it here. I am an ocean and nature kind of gal because that's how Grays and I grew up. We had the ocean and sugar cane fields on our doorstep. As a child, I spent many weekend mornings at Enseleni (forest) with my dad, and some weekends on my parents' game reserve in Hluhluwe. I don't mean to say that Joburg is a bad place, I just mean that it is not my 'natural habitat' as I grew up differently. Some folks and parents and kids looooooooove it there. I just love it HERE. That is all. Pictures!
