March 2013

March consisted of being swallowed up by work! My co-worker took the month off for her well-deserved holiday and the company decided to give me a welcome back present from my holiday with providing no support at work (I don’t sound bitter now do I?) Lets just say that this challenge did give me a greater appreciation for the friends and support that I have here in Cape Town and back in the states. I need to write a blog on each of my friends here, because they are pretty darn amazing!

3 highlights that I can think of are:
*Multiple dates with my beautiful friend and co-worker Rumbidzai Rosemary Boriwondo. I may never be able to say her name properly, even though if you listen, the end of her first name does sound like “die” but she has make it clear that it is NOT J We got to go watch a Broadway show called ‘The Tap Dogs’ which was amazing not only for the HOT men, but the dancing was incredible! She is one of those people who ALWAYS wins things…you know what I mean? Well, she won these tickets and they ended up being right in the middle and were perfect seats! We were probably the loudest women in the audience (and sober!) but it was so much fun! She also somehow obtained a R250 sushi voucher and last week we devoured a table full of sushi during our lunch break at Fugi. Yesterday, I wanted to go to Seattle Coffee Company to work on my pictures and blog and thought it would be fun to have her join me. She jumped at the opportunity without realizing what that would normally entail. When we got there I pointed to the magazines and told her that Zandi and I usually just chit chat and then catch up on our magazines for free…and she gave me this ‘black’ look and said “oh…fun…” Oh I was dying with laughter! Lets just say I do know how she rolls…so I brought Jenga and Uno with me and we had a ball in this coffee shop making noise and letting the blocks crash on the tile floor J The fun memories with her this month have been wonderful and our conversations about work, God, men are priceless. Rosemary, I love you so much and every day I am thankful that I can turn the corner at work and see my amazing diva friend.

Ready for the Tap Dog Show

Rosemary's idea of great shuffling!

*Varun has been a wonderful friend from the moment he transferred from Seattle 14 months ago. We went together to watch Dralion- Cirque Du Soleil and oohh and ahhhh throughout the whole show, not to mention the sunset was pretty epic that night too. We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day together at a traditional Irish Pub (what happens in Cape Town, stays in Cape Town!) and I got to cheer him on as he won the Cape Argus Cycle Race this month. If the race gives you a medal….it means you must have won!

Off to see Cirque Du Soleil

Proud moment- Varun won the Argus ;)

*Zandile Ayanda Gobhozi – My best friend for life from Cape Town and partner in crime. She set a whole day aside for me and said that all she wanted for her birthday was ‘May time’ and an adventure.  I decided that I would Google map each place we were going to, place it in an Altoid box, and then wrap it as a gift. Kind of like a little treasure hunt or something. We started off by going to a breakfast buffet at Crystal Towers cause she deserves to be treated like a queen. It was such a lovely leisure morning catching up over the past month, eating delicious food, and celebrating a wonderful person. We got our first detour of the morning by the waitress giving her a Happy Birthday Cupcake which I didn’t plan on J We then headed to Spier Winery for her adventure present. We rode on a segway for an hour through the vineyards. If you have never done it, I would highly recommend it! It was absolutely fabulous to ride through the pathways on this machine and look at the beautiful scenery around us.  I think I will get this for my kids…but it will actually be a present for me! This is also where our second detour occurred (but as I said earlier, what happens in Cape Town, stays in Cape Town) but lets just say it was hilarious looking back at the detour (love you friend!) We then headed to the mall for some pampering, Seattle Coffee, and ended the day with her boyfriend joining us for some great conversations. Zandi, you are beautiful inside and out and I am so extremely blessed to have you in my life. We can do anything or nothing at all, yet it is always perfect. LOVE YOU to the moon and back friend!

 

*NEXT WILL BE MY HOLIDAY 21 DAY OVERLAND TRIP!

Where has the time gone?

Wow I can not believe that it has been 7 months since I have updated my blog or what has been going on in my life in South Africa. I think as the months kept passing, it got harder to update as I wanted to keep everything in chronological order…and then nothing got updated! Oops. So I think at this point I should just work backwards and at least you guys can get some update. Stay tuned cause it will be good (from birthdays, to safari, to bungee jumping, and cute kids!) J

My beautiful friend of 12/14 years it all adds up to 42 anyways!

May, May, May…


I don’t even know where to begin. I could write about when we met (biology, McQueen) or when we became friends (listening to “Rockabye” on the way to and from that youth conference in Sparks, which at that point, seemed SO far away) or even the times we visited each other in Santa Barbara and Folsom and Fayetteville and Seattle. I could detail the future plans we have to visit each other in South Africa and Japan or the plans we are making for our “sisterchicks” vacation in 12 years. I could reminisce about the times we have commiserated over school and family and friends. I could even wax poetic about all the big decisions we had to make over the years, many of them coincidentally occurring at the same time. Our “big” moves to Fayetteville and Seattle and then our even bigger moves to Misawa and Capetown. Our frequent talks on the phone about visas and customs forms and passports, where one of us calmed the other down, only to switch places the next day. Those days I thought I would collapse from the stress, only to feel better knowing that you were facing the same situation and that I wasn’t alone. Yes, I could talk about a lot of the memories I have, some ancient past and others more recent.

Instead of writing about all of those things, though, I decided instead to write about how I feel about all of those things. Despite moving all over the world, changing jobs, graduating, making and losing new friends, our friendship has been one of the few constants in my ever-changing world. I always know that even if we haven’t talked in a while, you are my best friend and sounding board and venting buddy and prayer warrior and fellow world-traveler. I know you’re only a skype call (or facebook chat) away and that I’ll soon have a two hour conversation with you that will inadvertently make us both laugh, cry, and then laugh again at our crying.

I feel so lucky to have been a significant part of your first 30 years and am excited to continue in that role during the next 30.

Happy birthday, friend.


This birthday love note came from one of my closet and oldest best friends. I would say I have 3 best friends, actually 4 if you include the one I am gaining in South Africa, but yes I have a few close friends and when I meet them, I refuse to let them go and they for some reason stick with me for life. Kari Mischke Frazier and I met in high school and it is incredible to say that we have been friends for that long!! She got me like no one else had; was my protector and safety when home life sucked; she is my long term memory as I never remember ANYTHING; and she is the one who can complete my sentences or know what I am thinking without having to say a word. We have so many memories as thick as a dictionary and her husband could probably write a book on all our corky sayings and things that make his eyes roll…so thank you Ben for letting her keep me, I know we can be odd at times! 

So for laughter sake which only Bob, I mean Heennnry, I mean Kari will understand, thank you for the back rubs when I was sick in SF, that amazing lady in south Carolina or was it Georgia, spinning the wheel, finding 3 cheesesticks, protecting the house from a fire by blowing out the Buddha sticks, what’s that I see yonder…could it be a roundabout, RIGHT, llamas, the amazing slot machine in your house, meow meow cat cat, I wasn’t tipsy FYI, incredible photo album, Sacramento, pull the level, I got no money, you and trivia grrrr, Fort Pedro, Iphone views of Japan (hahaha,) and many many many hours of phone conversations including that one time where I didn’t talk about that one thing :)

Kari, your words at the end couldn’t be written any better. I know I can call you at a moment notice and you are always by my side, through thick and thin, you have been there and I know you will always be. I love that no matter the distance or length we may not get to chat, we always, always, are able to pick up where we left off. We may not understand why life gives us lemons, at times the people we are blessed to call family, and whatever else may come our way; we know that Jesus is our firm foundation that cannot be shaken and our friendship is like that. Kari you exemplify and live out one of the greatest commandments LOVE. “A true friend loves at all times” and “I will never leave you.” You love unconditionally and no matter how lost I am at times you are able to bring me back to the cross and what truly matters in the end. I am truly so blessed to call you my friend and thank God for giving me such an incredible person who stands in faith when I have none, hope when I have lost it, encouragement when I need it, and laughter, tears, and more laughter to feed my soul. I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!

P.S. I am sorry my mom can’t keep her promises! I don’t think you will ever get the eggrolls and a dinner from her.

Birthday Card!

A couple days ago I got an amazing birthday card from two incredible women Bryna and Erin. I was so touched that they remembered and they really had to remember in order for the card to arrive before my birthday! I would have to say that our paths started crossing in my second year in Seattle. Erin and I led a table together at a women’s bible study and I think that is where I got to know Bryna, and through that and time, Erin and Bryna are now housemates…in which I am just a tad bit jealous! You girls are absolutely incredible and although our season together in Seattle was short, it was incredibly sweet. Erin you are a gem! Your spirit, heart, kindness, and love for the lost are a gift from heaven and a reflection of our loving Father. I was truly honored to have gotten to partner with you in LBS and help lead what I would have to say was one of the best tables and group of women ever! I do pray that God will continue to surprise you daily! Continue loving on the women in Seattle as you are so very good at it and letting God use your hands and feet to touch, change, and allow these women to have an encounter with our heavenly Father in which so many are desperately seeking for that “Love” which is our Abba Father.

 Kasea with a  "K" is in the background, she is pretty darn awesome too!

Bryna, I do treasure our time together and table conversations about God, life, men, Cape Town, and everything else in between. Bryna lived in Cape Town for 2 years serving and loving the beautiful people of Cape Town in which I am also now falling in love with. She is one of those ladies where you could just sit at the table with a bottle of wine and not realize how time has flown as you just talk…like time stands still and there is not another care in the world as you get to just fellowship with her and in that you are engulfed in and with Jesus. That is a special gift where you truly feel that at that specific moment in time, nothing else matters but you. She has an incredible gift with little munchkins and patience that I will never ever have. You are absolutely beautiful my friend!

I couldn't find a good picture of the both of us :( so I stole this picture...one of my most favorite ones of you!

Thank you friends for remembering and loving on me with this amazing card even if we are 10,000 miles away, the pure fact that you thought of me means so much! I love and miss you guys along with all the other lovely ladies we got to share life with together, and they are moments I will forever treasure. Love you guys dearly and I look forward to hearing all the amazing things God continues to do in and through you guys!!

And for all you men out there in Seattle, what are you waiting for???!! You say you want a godly woman, a woman who loves the Lord and serves Him whole heartedly. A woman that loves adventure and also the simple things in life including just chatting next to a fire with a glass of red wine. Hello, open your eyes… Both of these women are a complete steal!!

Presents for my 30th birthday

About a month ago, I posted a note on Facebook and this blog of how my birthday was coming up and what I truly wanted from friends was a note describing their favorite memory or a story about our friendship or seasons together. What made me think of this idea was one of my best friends Kari always reminds me how bad my memory is…so I am wondering how many things I might not remember but you guys do  Over 30 years, there has been a lot of people who have been in my life and without knowing it, each one of you guys have been a part of helping me become who I am today and I wanted to bless you back with what you have meant to me.

This is what Emily Woo wrote…

One of my favorite memories of you May, ohh there are too many, I have magnum bars being devoured in your condo, watching Bridesmaids together on your couch, having fun on the see-saw, locking me in your flat because your secretly didn't want me to leave and living in Cape Town together! Your over-whelming generosity, kindness, love for God and orphans, you ability to just be yourself and be who you are are qualities that I admire about you, friend!

When I first moved in with you, you had gotten Buster and you were learning and doing awesome at driving stick. I remember we took that road-trip from Cape Town out to The Cape of Good Hope on Human Rights day. Here's a video =) Happy 30th Birthday Love + thank you for being YOU! (there's a card coming too via snail mail)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlrNyn-5GI0&feature=youtu.be

If you have been keeping up with the blog, you would remember that Emily Woo is my friend from Seattle who came for 5 months to Cape Town and I had the blessing to have her as my roommate for about 3 months of her stay. It was such a blessing in disguise as I had no clue how many tears, laughs, memories, and heart mending would happen during that short time. I had been in Cape Town for about 4 months when she came to live with me and I was doubting my decision BIG time on moving to Cape Town as work was so extremely difficult and I was wondering what the heck I had gotten myself into. Emily, you helped me daily to push through the difficult walls that Capetonians have; you taught me to pursue my dreams, ask for anything and everything that I want; restored my faith in roommates (incredible how different it is to live with 1 person instead of 7-24 people from IV days); showing me that worshipping and experiencing God can be done by just enjoying life and soaking in everything daily; and that we are never too old to enjoy all that a city has (I will leave it as that Em to not reveal some of our shenanigans.)

Emily and I will always share the bond we have with mint magnum ice cream bars; they are divine and will be one of our comfort foods if we are missing Cape Town. For those of you wondering, I did indeed lock Emily in my flat, LOL! Cape Town is all about locking doors as there is a lot of break-ins and theft unfortunately. So my flat has a regular door and a gate. I lock the gate every time that I leave the house and on this one day, I took the keys on the counter and headed to work without realizing I took Emily’s keys and that mine were tucked safely in my purse, OOPS! Oh my when she called me….I laughed so hard tears were flowing down my cheeks. THAT IS HOW MUCH I LOVE EMILY!...oh and don’t forget that I almost took you to the airport without your luggage…Guess I couldn’t decide if I wanted to keep you or get rid of you!

Thank you Emily for the kind words, I miss you dearly and my flat is empty without you, but I am so excited for what lies ahead for you!! I think you will be back in Cape Town before you know it. You are called to move mountains and with that, I foresee Table Mountain again for you. Sad to know that bowling in slip slops and having our faces painted like African warriors still wasn't enough to help us win!

Happy :)

I am not going to lie about this, I am so excited! I found out this past week that Benjamin Dunn will be in CAPE TOWN this week! It was 3 years ago that God planned and led me to a conference in Santa Cruz. He planned it months in advance without me knowing that my Grandmother would pass away the week before and this would be where God would minister to me, help me find my joy, expose me to things that I thought was even out of my box, and heal me from the wounds of family. This was one my most favorite moments from the conference in Santa Cruz!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g98Nxdw8nQ&feature=related

Will let you know what happens...should be good!

Faithful!

Testimony time! Last weekend I had been praying about all that has been going on around me. With situations in church, family, people I love dearly, and work. I had told Zandi how while praying I felt things were shifting and that I thought it was going to be a crazy couple of weeks coming up (for the good!) and told her I was warning her now and if she was ready, haha. I had this verse in my head when I woke up on Monday morning

"And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive." Matt 21:22


I felt like God was telling me to ask, ask for what I want and need, ask for the nations, ask and you will receive. So Tuesday night with one week before my 30th birthday, I wrote down a wishlist for my birthday week. I can't disclose it all as I really do believe everything on my list is going to be answered, but there was one that I wrote down, shook my head, and thought it was a far reach idea that was related to work. I wrote the verse above next to this one item and less than 2 days later God has answered it. The one that I looked at and thought couldn't and wouldn't happen just got answered today! This answered request I do believe is going to make my time here in Cape Town extremely more enjoyable and perhaps with it, work won't be a drag or a chore, but something I could just maybe wake up in the morning and be excited about the 5 days I do have to work. Ahhhh I really am so excited and happy for this change and for this coming year which I think is really going to be the best year to come for me.   Thank you Jesus that you hear our prayers, our requests, our needs, and our wants. Thank you for being patient and faithful when I do have little faith. Jesus, my heart truly is overflowing with thankfulness and hope of what lies ahead.