coming home...

Today is our last full day in South Africa and we are sitting by a beautiful pool, sun beating down on us and listening to the cheering and music of the Comrade Ultra Marathon. They run 89km either uphill or downhill (each year it switches) and this year its downhill. We watched this morning for a bit as a family and got to watch the woman in the lead run by us in Westville. She came in second later on but it was still pretty great. It is so festive and so supportive which is pretty great to see! I don't think I could ever do the 89km race but it sure is inspiring! 

Mixed emotions come on a day like today. We have loved every single minute of our time here. We have loved our quiet moments as a family, getting to know another family during one of our B&B stays, having the ocean for 2 full weeks, seeing old friends and people we met last time, enjoying some of our favourite foods, places etc. The list could go on. YET, we are also so excited to come home. To start our life as a family of 4. To get into a new routine and figure life out together. Things will be similar to how we lived life when we brought Solomon home for the first little while but because we are coming home in the summer it will also look a little different. I just wanted to share with you a few things that we will be intentionally choosing to do in our parenting and even though it may not make sense its what we feel is best for our family. 

Once we are home we plan on taking some time for just our family. We may invite immediate family and some close friends when we feel our little girl is ready to come and play or meet us at a park. For quite some time we ask that you reframe from picking up our little girl. She is walking and quite independent but we do ask that you give her space as she is still continuing to figure out that we are her parents. We welcome high fives (if she wants) and waves but anything more we will let you know when she and we are ready. We will be meeting all her basic needs for the first while of feeding her, changing her, comforting her when needed, putting her to bed etc. Please understand that this is not because we don't want her to know and love all of you but because she needs to know who is who in her life and we need to set those boundaries for her. 
We may not go out a lot to places that are busy and will be reading her cues as to what she needs. We are still learning her and she is still learning us and thats what she needs right now. Once we know and feel that she is ready we can't wait for her to know and love all of you too! 

However, if you would like a chance to meet her we would welcome anyone who would like to meet and greet us at the airport on Wednesday, June 1 at 8:02 coming in on West Jet from Toronto. This will be a time for you to come and meet our little girl and to welcome home our Solomon (who is so ready to be home!)

Here are a few last pictures of our final few days in South Africa. See you back in Canada in just a few short sleeps!!!

 Hanging out on the promenade, running around, listening to the ocean and just enjoying each other. Beautiful evenings!

Gorgeous sunsets.

Our little fish. Solomon LOVES the water and little lady is a splashing queen!

Our last few days, hours, minutes on the beach. 

On our last full day at the beach Josh and Solomon took a boat tour out on the ocean. They saw dolphins and were drove right up to the big ships that hang out in the ocean waiting for their turn in the harbour. At any given time there are about 10-15 of these on the water for days, weeks and sometimes even months. At night they all light up and it is such a beautiful sight! (Without a tripod it was tricky to capture the beauty)

I can't believe our time to come home as arrived but we are very excited to get back onto Canadian soil and into our home! Here goes 48 hours of travelling! See you on the other side.

be blessed

shaeline