Thank You!

As I complete the blog, I want to thank everyone for your prayers and encouragement.  Your love has been amazing.  I am excited to see Miranda grow and laugh and live life (and I know that my own life will grow because of her).

Today Miranda met her cousins and her great-grandmother.  She seemed a little overwhelmed at the beginning by all the attention, but joined in the fun as she became more comfortable.  She definitely liked the excitement and energy of her cousins :)  Family is a wonderful gift.

 

Jet Lag

Miranda woke up at 1:20am this morning and was wide awake!  She was happy and cheerful and ready to play.  We came downstairs and played with her new toys in the playroom.  She was having a great time, totally unaware that it was the middle of the night.  She then went back to sleep at 5:20am and slept for 2 hours.  We had a second breakfast around 7:30 this morning.  She was awake the rest of the morning and "helped" Mommy with the laundry.  She had a great time sitting in the laundry basket. She was actually a help with one load and moved all the clean clothes out of the dryer into the laundry basket.

I am quickly discovering that my house is not prepared for the curiosity of a 2 year old.  I am also learning that I can't put things down on the edge of the kitchen counters as Miranda can reach the countertop if she stretches (she gave me a scare when I turned around to see her holding a knife!  Mommy needs to be re-trained on where to put things in the kitchen).  Dad came and installed some drawer/door latches in my kitchen and Mom and I re-arranged a few kitchen cupboards.  Hopefully, I am quickly adjusting :)

Miranda was so tired tonight she could barely stay awake through dinner.  She went to bed a little after 6pm.  I need to go to bed myself since I know I will be having a very early morning...

Home Sweet Home

We are finally home!!

It was a long journey and I am so excited that Miranda is upstairs sleeping in her crib in her own home as I write this.

Miranda was not thrilled with the procedures that occur at the airport.  She wanted to run around whenever we needed to wait in line and she wanted me to carry her whenever we were lugging around our carry-on bags.  However, she loved (!) the escalators and moving sidewalks and we rode them numerous times :)

She did exceptionally well on the flight but it was a looooong flight.  She slept through the take-off and landing, so I guess her ears didn't bother her.  She also enjoyed watching "Horton Hears a Who" (without headphones) on the inflight movie system.  I started the movie for her at least four times.  We also kept her happy by feeding her lots of juice boxes (which also meant lots of diaper changes).  Thankfully, the flight wasn't full so we had plenty of space.  I will admit that it felt like the longest flight I have ever been on!

The immigration process into the US went very smoothly and quickly.  It was almost anticlimatic.  As we collected our luggage Miranda was running around in circles, she was so excited to be off the plane :)

Grandma and Aunt Amy picked us up at JFK and Miranda slept for most of the car ride home.  To add a little excitement to the trip we got a flat tire in Newark, DE.  Dad changed it to the spare but then the spare came off the rim.  We were almost home, but not quite.  Thankfully, Pam came to the rescue and picked us up.  Miranda was happy after her nap and was very content to sit and play in her car seat during the wait.

When we got home Miranda was very excited and explored the house.  She also liked her playroom and all the toys.  She bonded quickly with Aunt Amy and had a great time playing and laughing with her.  However, she was quite scared of the cat.  She was very startled when she saw Natty and backed away from her.  After several hours at home, she finally reached out to pet Natty (from the safety of sitting on my lap and with coaching and encouragement from Grandma).  Let's hope she quickly adjusts to her new pet! Miranda cried when Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Amy left.  By this evening she was exhausted from the travel and long day, but all in all she did quite well.

Finished!

YAY! All of Miranda's paperwork is completed and we are travelling home tomorrow night!

The visit to the US Consulate went smoothly and we only had to wait about 30 minutes while they printed the paperwork.  They made Dad wait outside the Consulate and said only the person actually collecting the visa could go in.  So, Miranda and I waited in the same long, narrow hallway that we were in on Monday.  While there I chatted with a lady we had seen at the Consulate on Monday (it’s amazing the bond you feel with a complete stranger when you are wading through government paperwork at the same time).

Our Consulate appointment was in the afternoon so we went to the Gold Reef City Theme Park this morning and introduced Miranda to her first amusement park rides.  She was quite stoic in the beginning, but seemed to like the rides more the second time around.  Thankfully, she didn't cry on any of them, but she did fall asleep on the train that went around the entire park.  The park was rather empty and for most of the rides Miranda was the only child.  At least there were no lines!  Her favorite ride was a car that went around a track and she also liked the carousel.  We rode both of these multiple times :)

The Magic Backpack

Today, for the first time, I did not spend the day with Miranda.  I went to visit the Gore plant outside of Johannesburg and Miranda spent the day with Grandpa.  I was nervous about how this would go and did not want Miranda to cry when she realized I would not be with her.  Grandpa took Miranda to the Johannesburg Zoo and we decided that they would leave first.  Miranda saw that her backpack was packed and was all excited because she knew this meant she was going somewhere in the car.  When we told her it was time to put on her shoes she wanted to help put on my shoes.  I said again that she was going to the zoo with Grandpa, not Mommy, and she started to get upset.  Then we told her it was time to put on her backpack.  (She loves her pink backpack and always wants to wear it herself instead of having someone else carry it).  She was so excited to put on the backpack that she ran to get it, put it on, waved goodbye to me, and walked out the door with Grandpa with a big smile on her face.

Miranda had a great time at the zoo.  The story is that she was more fascinated by the riding lawn mower than any of the animals…but perhaps that is just a rumor.  She did like the howler monkeys and learn to imitate their “howl” (she demonstrated for me when they got back).   The trip to the zoo was a great success and Miranda never cried once because Mommy wasn’t there.

On the other hand, when Dad and Miranda left the guest house I felt a little lost and sad.  I think I was more upset about Miranda leaving than she was!  I enjoyed my visit to the Gore plant but it was a little odd to think about work after being completely consumed with the adoption for the last four weeks.  At lunch, several people asked about my adoption and Miranda.  Since Derrick had met Miranda on Sunday he even "bragged" about her coordination and ability to use silverware :)

We all returned to the guest house by early afternoon, so Miranda and I went swimming in the pool.  As always, Miranda had a great time in the water.  Some of the time I swung her around in the deeper water.  The rest of the time she poured water into and out of her sand bucket.  Her sand bucket toys include a ladle which she used to pour water in and out of the bucket.  Then she got the idea to pour water on my head!  She thought this was hilarious and laughed her big belly laugh and then did it again and again.  She also poured water on her own head but it seemed more fun to pour water on Mommy!

US Consulate

We had a 1:30pm appointment at the US Consulate to apply for Miranda’s visa.  We arrived around 1pm and had to wait 15 or 20 minutes outside before going through the security checkpoint.  Then we were directed to a waiting area in a long hallway and were told to wait until they called us.  We sat there and waited.... and waited.... and then waited some more.  Meanwhile, Miranda was getting rather antsy – there are only so many things to do with a 2 year old while sitting in a long, narrow hallway.  We also could overhear conversations at the counter concerning other applicants, including “Ma’am we won’t accept this document, you need to go to Zambia to get a new one issued”.   Ugh! Hearing that just raised my own anxiety level.  My experience concerning paperwork for the adoption has not been the smoothest and I was worried about what could be wrong with my documentation.  Finally, they called me to the counter and I submitted the documents. 

The next step was to pay the $400 fee.  I paid in cash and they rejected two of my $20 bills – one had a small tear and the other one wouldn’t scan.  They asked if I had any other $20 bills (I thought I was doing pretty well to have $400 in cash and didn’t know I would need replacement bills!).  I had one more $20 bill which they took in exchange for the one with the tear and they finally agreed to take the other one.  Whew! Can we make this process any more complicated?  Then we waited some more and finally, at 2:40pm, we had our interview that was scheduled for 1:30pm.  The interview went very smoothly and the man was positive regarding Miranda’s application. Next, they have to do a final review of the paperwork and Miranda’s medical report.  As long as that is fine, they will issue the visa on Wednesday so we can make our Thursday flight!

After that stressful event we went to the African Craft market in Johannesburg.  We walked into a long building filled with individual stalls that were jammed packed with crafts and souvenirs from all over Africa.  The salesmen were rather pushy and each one called out to us as we walked by and wanted us to come into their stall.  Every one assured us they would offer a “good price” for any item and tried to encourage me to buy something for Miranda.   Many of the South African crafts we had already seen but there were a few unique items (I really liked an ostrich skin wallet but it was not in my price range!)  I did barter for two carved pieces and am sure that they called someone else to come agree to the price as part of the "show".  I find bartering (especially in foreign currency) and aggressive salespeople to be a stressful environment so this was NOT a relaxing shopping experience!!   We walked through the downstairs and then went upstairs.  When we came back downstairs Dad said that I had missed a section of stalls so we turned to walk that way.  As soon as we turned to go deeper into the building Miranda started to cry because she realized we were not heading towards the exit. She must have a pretty good sense of direction since the stairs were in the middle of the building!!  I got the hint and decided to end our shopping adventure… 

Three Generations

Three Generation Photo :)



History and Hospitality

This morning we went on a spelunking adventure.  We visited the Sterkfontein Caves where prehistoric fossils, including the famous Mrs Ples skull and Little Foot, a complete skeleton of an adolescent male, were found.  The caves also contained fossils of saber-tooth tigers, hunting hyenas, and other extinct animals.  We went through an exhibition center and then toured a large cave.   Miranda was not very excited about the exhibition center but had fun running back and forth.  In the cave she looked around with large eyes and was quite content to be carried by Grandpa.  The cave had several narrow passages and low tunnels.  Miranda was able to walk through these with no problems but the rest of us were much slower going.

Here we are at the excavation site where Mrs Ples was found.

This afternoon we visited the home of one of my Gore co-workers.  Derrick and his family were very welcoming and were wonderful with Miranda.  Miranda was a little shy at first but then warmed up and provided entertainment for all.   She played with stuffed animals and they were impressed when she put each one back as she was finished playing with it.  We enjoyed a delicious homemade meal of steaks on the grill and Miranda demonstrated her great silverware skills (for a 2 year old she is quite good with a fork although sometimes she decides it’s easier to use her hands).  They were also  impressed that she ate all her vegetables!  Dessert was caramel custard and when Miranda licked her bowl clean (literally) Derrick’s wife gave her seconds!  After dinner we sat outside on the patio and Miranda played with everyone.  I was nervous beforehand because I wanted Miranda to be well-behaved and I breathed a big sigh of relief when she was so fun and engaging.  It was nice to relax and enjoy their wonderful South African hospitality

 

Johannesburg!

We have begun the final leg of our journey and are now in Sandton in the northern part of Johannesburg.  We drove through absolutely beautiful country on our way here.  We enjoyed the green rolling hills and unique rock formations.   We also saw large farms and pasturelands.

The trip took about 7 hours with 6 hours of driving and an hour stop for lunch.  Miranda did really well in the car and was quite happy to run around when we arrived.

We are staying in an apartment at the Highgrove Guest House.  We are excited to have 2 bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen!  Miranda had a great time exploring our new place.  She opened all the doors, jumped on the couch, turned on the TV, went out on the patio, and ran into every room.  The Guesthouse is very laid back.   When we arrived they asked if we were willing to stay in a different apartment than what we had booked yesterday (which was fine).  As we toured the apartment I asked about the price and the lady gave us an initial price.  Then we continued to talk and she gave us a reduced price.  Next, I said asked if we should go to the office so she could scan my credit card and get our information.  Her response was, “don’t worry about it, just stop by sometime tomorrow”.   So, I guess we’re here on the honor system!

Packing

Today we picked up Miranda's unabridged birth certificate (which we need to apply for her visa to enter the US).  We also picked up her temporary South African passport which will allow her to fly to the US.  Everything went smoothly and all the documents were in order.  Praise God!  It may seem like a small thing that the documents are correct but any mistakes cause delays of multiple days  There is a French couple staying here that adopted a child from the same orphanage as Miranda and when they went to pick up their paperwork their last name was spelled wrong on the birth certificate. They will no longer be able to fly home next week because of the error.

Since all the paperwork is in hand, we will travel to Johannesburg tomorrow.  We decided to drive instead of fly and expect the trip to take 5 or 6 hours.  Hopefully, we will see some beautiful scenery along the way.

After this morning's trip to collect the documents and extend our rental car agreement, we spent time packing and organizing our things.  Miranda was "helping" me pack.  This consisted of walking around in my shoes and wearing my belt.  She found the cable that connects the camera to the laptop and stuck it in her ear like it was an earphone!  Then she unwrapped a pack of gum so I gave her half a piece, but she didn't seem to know what it was.  She sucked on it for awhile but didn't chew it and then she swallowed it.  I tried to demonstrate chewing with my piece but that just meant that she thought she was supposed to show people that she had gum.  So much for giving her gum to chew on the plane to help her ears pop!  She also found some socks for her (it's been too warm to wear socks) and promptly put them on with a pair of larger shoes I brought since I didn't know her shoe size.  Then she went outside to play, took off the shoes, and walked in the mud in her brand new white socks!  Needless to say, packing took a little longer than I expected :) 

Paperwork Progress

Good News!  Miranda's unabridged birth certificate and temporary passport have both been issued and we will pick them up tomorrow.  This completes our paperwork through the South African government :)  The final step is to apply for Miranda's visa to enter the US at the US Consulate in Johannesburg.

Miranda is a little sponge of learning.  We were coloring a few days ago and I wrote her name on the paper and said "M for Miranda".  This has become a favorite phrase except she says 'Mmmmm' with quite a flourish.  She was talking in her pack'n'play tonight at bedtime and that's what she kept saying "M for Miranda".  I have also been trying to teach her to give a kiss so I added a new verse to "If you're happy and you know it..." that says "If you're happy and you know it give a kiss".  Miranda has gradually been learning to give a kiss during that verse.  Tonight she was lying down to go to sleep and she stood up in her pack'n'play to give me a kiss for that verse (I thought this was very sweet but it may have also been her way of prolonging going to bed :)

Adventures with a 2 year old

Yesterday Miranda learned that if she stands up in her pack'n'play and reaches over the side she can touch my arm and wake me up since my bed is right next to hers (she used to just play in her pack'n'play but no longer...).  This morning she started tapping my arm at 5:15 AM!  Oh no!  Who wants to get up at 5:15?  I tried to ignore her but that was impossible.  Then I put her in bed next to me and had her lie down.  Well, that was not successful either as she was the squirmiest little thing.  Needless to say, we were up very early.

We decided to go back to the beach today since we had to leave early yesterday.  Miranda played in the wading pool again and ate more sand at the beach.  Then we played in the waves.  Miranda loved the waves.  She started out holding on to me but got braver and braver.  She would sit in the sand and then get knocked down and bowled over by the next wave.  She would come up breathless and laughing.  Then she would start far back on the beach and run straight into the waves.  She was a little more fearless than I liked and I would have to catch her before she ran out too far. 

There were more people swimming today (but it was not crowded by any means).  "Official" swimsuits are optional here.  Lot of boys were swimming in their underwear and the women were in the water in their skirts and tops.  We also saw quite a few surfers.

We ate a late lunch and Miranda was a little charmer.  She waved and smiled at most people.  She waved to the police officer, she waved to 3 teenage boys who were inside (we were outside). One lady actually moved to the adjacent picnic table to watch Miranda, so Miranda waved at her a whole bunch of times.

I should mention that we had a odd occurrence during lunch. We ordered pizza and it came with a two liter of soda.  They brought the soda to us but there were no cups. When we asked for cups they said they didn't have any.  So, we asked how were we supposed to drink the soda.  There was a brief conversation in Zulu between the waitstaff but we weren't sure what was said.  Well, a few minutes later a waiter came by with 3 cups that he had gotten from the neighboring restaurant!  I'm not sure if we somehow managed to order the take-out special or what but it never occurred to us that they would not have cups.

Miranda fell asleep while we were leaving the beach but then was awake and fussy for the 40 minute car ride home.  I put her in her pack'n'play for a nap when we got to the lodge and then came downstairs (the last few times when I stayed with her she talked to me and giggled instead of sleeping).  Well, she did not like that I came downstairs but I was hoping she would settle down for a nap.  After a while, I heard thumping upstairs and when I went upstairs she was smiling proudly because she had managed to climb out of the pack'n'play.  Urgh!

I was so frustrated with her.  She was overly tired and grouchy and would not sleep (and this made me grouchy!).  When we first started spending time with Miranda she would sleep all the time and fall asleep easily.  I was even worried that sleep was some type of shutdown mechanism.  Now, she fights sleep and it seems like every other day we have a struggle with sleeping.   I'm out of ideas on this one...

To the beach and back

We returned to the Durban beaches along the Indian Ocean.  It was a perfect day for the beach - warm and slightly breezy (are all you on the East Coast feeling jealous?).  The water was a gorgeous blue-green with a large expanse of beautiful sand.  It is definitely one of the nicest beaches I have ever visited.

After our last visit we realized that there are free public swimming pools at some of the beaches.  There was a giant wading pool that was perfect for Miranda.

After the pool we went to the beach and played in the sand.  Miranda loves to play with her bucket and shovels.  She pretended to make soup in her bucket and eat it off the sand shovel.  Then she took an actual bite of sand.  Yuck!  After seeing my response she took another bite and then another bite (I am not exaggerating - she ate three bites of sand). These were not small nibbles but mouthfuls of sand. 

I have no idea what sand does to your digestive system but I guess we're about to find out!

I took Miranda to play in the waves and she liked it much better than last time (the waves were also much smaller).  Instead of wanting to be held, she stood in front of me as the waves came.  She especially liked the feel of the wave receding and the water pulling against legs.

When we were playing in the sand, I received a phone call from my South African adoption agency saying that Miranda's abridged birth certificate was ready.  This meant that we needed to go to the Home Affairs office in the afternoon, so our trip to the beach was cut short.  We went to the Home Affairs office and picked up the birth certificate for Miranda Joy Sheriff! 

The birth certificate had her new ID number (South African equivalent to a Social Security Number) which meant we could apply for her passport.  She will travel home on a temporary South African passport. Since it is a temporary passport it should only take 2 or 3 days to process.  The paperwork process is moving along...

Sleep (or lack thereof)

Miranda played in her pack'n'play for an hour last night instead of going to sleep.  Needless to say, she was not her normal sunny self today.  She was grumpy at the grocery store and didn't want to ride in the cart (since we only have a mini refrigerator we go grocery shopping every few days, so perhaps the novelty of the grocery store is wearing off).  Then we went to the laundromat (it was full service) and after dropping off our clothes we walked in a few adjacent stores.  Well, she certainly did not want to go shopping.  Dad took her to the playground and she was fine until she saw me and then she cried until I carried her.  Even after her morning nap, she was still fussy.  It seems like every few days Miranda comes up with a new way of avoiding sleep and Mommy is not as creative in coming up with ways to help her go to sleep :)

Good news - the internet connection at our lodge is fixed!!  We have a strong signal and I am actually sitting inside while I write this.  Oh, the little luxuries in life...

Sunday

Miranda and I wore our new outfits to church today…

 

We visited a nearby Baptist church.  I was much more relaxed today compared to last week because the singing put Miranda to sleep and she slept through most of the sermon!   The fun part of visiting the church was that the people were very friendly.  We met several people who were supportive of adoption, knew the orphanage where Miranda is from, and were very interested in our story.  One girl wanted my email address because her brother is working for an organization who is trying to promote adoption within the South African church.  Another lady gave us her phone number in case we need anything while we are here or want advice on sightseeing.  And the service itself was good, too :)

Miranda and I went swimming in the pool today.  She is getting more adventuresome each time.   She rode on the raft and occasionally dipped her head in the water.  When she wanted to get off the raft, she would just slide off (which certainly kept me on my toes).  She got upset when I would not let her go on the third step (which is over her head) and tried to squirm out of my grip!  I think swimming lessons will be in order…

We started playing a simple version of hide and seek with Miranda today. She was thrilled whenever she found me and would give me a hug!

Farmers Market

Porcupine quills.  Yep, that was Dad’s purchase for the day when  we visited the Shongweni Farmers Market.  We had driven by the market numerous times and knew it was only open on Saturday morning so we decided to check it out.  When we arrived they were parking cars in two large fields on both sides of the road and there were hundreds of cars  – definitely not what we were expecting from a farmers market!  The market was quite large and was a combination farmers market/flea market/fair.  People were selling vegetables, bread, cheese, homemade jams, hot food, wood carvings, paintings, bead work, jewelry, clothing, stuffed animals, second hand items, junk...  It was quite an eclectic mix.  Dad bought the porcupine quills (where else would you buy them !?!) and I bought a handmade skirt.

The skirt was made by a black South African lady and as I was looking at it she asked where we were from, how long we were staying, why we were there, etc.  I told her I had adopted Miranda and she was very touched (she was also a very good salesperson and convinced me to buy a handmade dress for Miranda!).  Her husband started talking to Dad and both asked questions about Miranda and kept saying “God bless you for what you’re doing”.  The husband commented, “God has looked with favor on this child”.  They were so lavish in their encouragement and thankfulness that I was in tears by the time we left. 

We have noticed that many more black South Africans comment on the adoption than the white South Africans.  A few days ago, an older black man with missing teeth came up to us and said in broken English, “God bless you for caring for this child”.  Both of these experiences were in sharp contrast to the predominantly white church we visited last Sunday where not a single person even greeted us, let alone spoke about the adoption.

After the farmers market, we visited the Shongweni dam and nature reserve.  This is a recreational area where people kayak and canoe on the reservoir.  I had fun taking photos of monkeys. 

I’m sure everyone else thought I was crazy because they view monkeys the same way we view squirrels.  The monkeys were going through the campsites and eating any dropped food.  I gave Miranda a banana and two “wild” monkeys came quite close to see if they could get the peel.  Dad threw the peel on the ground and one of them ate it.

Miranda played at the playground and had a great time on the trampoline.  We took a little movie of her but we were unable to upload it for you :(

Home Affairs Office

Today we went to the Office of Home Affairs to apply for a new birth certificate for Miranda and to apply to change her name.  The office was packed with people.  We started off in the line to apply for a birth certificate.  There were over 30 ladies in line, many with young infants.  The women had babies strapped on their backs, sitting on their laps, and nursing.  The line consisted of 5 benches aligned horizontally with one behind the other.  The front of the line sat on the first bench with the end of the line on the back bench (and then you stood if there was no room on the bench).  As the line moved forward you would slide over or move up to the next bench.  I guess it was better than standing but, I have to admit, it took a little while for me to figure out how the line worked and how to get in it.

In the end, we didn't actually stay in the line.  Instead we met directly with the supervisor because our situation did not fit any of the "lines".  Even with her help it was confusing.  I had to fill out 6 or 7 forms and I think I did something wrong on all of them (thankfully, they allowed me to cross things out instead of starting over).  Every form asked for Miranda's name but it was confusing to know whether I put down her original name or new name (the same with her address and parental information).  I then had to pay for all these forms (exact change was required) and one form required my thumb print.

The visit to the office took an hour and a half.  Miranda did well but cheered when we were leaving!  Hopefully, the next two visits are a little faster.


I feel like my vocabulary is changing and "no" has become a major part of it.  I spend the day saying:

"no, don't drink the water in the pool",
"no, don't lick the play-doh",
"no, don't put your foot on the table during lunch",
"no, you can't run out the door and down the driveway by yourself"

Is it any surprise that Miranda has learned to say "no, no, no"!?!

Moving Forward

The official adoption paperwork arrived today so we can now move forward with the rest of the process.  We had to have certified copies of all the paperwork so we went to the Post Office to have this done.  I had a heart-stopping moment when the original jammed in the copy machine.  I was afraid that it would be torn and then who knows what the process would be to have it re-issued.  Thankfully, it was only wrinkled and did not tear!  We have an appointment for tomorrow to file the next set of forms.

Miranda learned how to go down a sliding board today.  There is a little indoor playground at the shopping center with the grocery store.  We had tried the slide the other day and Miranda was really hesitant.  Today she got into it and had fun going down by herself.  There were rock steps that she would climb up then she would run to the slide and slide down, then climb back up the steps.

Today, we started teaching Miranda to eat one bite at a time.  Her normal approach is to shovel  5 or 6 spoonfuls in her mouth at once.  We noticed that several children at the orphanage ate like this.  (Perhaps, you got more food if you shoved it in your mouth quickly.)  So, we are trying to un-do this behavior and teach Miranda to swallow each bite before taking the next one.  We kept telling her that her mouth had to be empty before the next bite.  At dinnertime she would take a bite, chew, swallow, then spread her arms out, yell “empty”, and open her mouth really wide to show me she was ready for the next bite!  I have a feeling it might take a while to get to more traditional family eating styles.

The Midlands

Today we traveled northwest to visit a region called the Midlands.  One part of the Midlands is known for its artists and craftspeople.  We decided to visit a waterfall and do some more souvenir shopping.   Near the waterfall itself were a variety of craft shops that were fun to walk through (at least I thought they were fun.  Dad was patient with my shopping and Miranda was thoroughly bored).  Some of the same traditional African crafts are seen in every shopping area, but these shops also had more unique items.  I was pleased to find some local artwork that I liked.  I noticed that my father was great at encouraging me to spend money (his theory was that I wouldn’t be here again so I should buy it if I liked it.  I soon spent all my cash and then had to use his!)  We ate lunch in a quiet little restaurant where we were the only patrons, but we received great service.   The waterfall was nice but nothing to write home about.

We visited another set of shops but they seemed very similar to boutique shops in the US and were not unique.  Our final stop was a Zulu Quilt Shop.  Our map was not to scale and we had to drive quite a long way on gravel roads to find it.  The Quilt Shop is a non-profit organization run by an American lady.  She teaches women from a nearby poverty-stricken area how to piece quilts and then she has multiple quilting machines in the shop to do the actual quilting.  The majority of the proceeds from the sales go to the women who pieced each quilt. 

I continue to be struck by the difference between rich and poor in this country.  The shopping areas we went to today were very upscale and all the shoppers were white.  However, we passed some very poor areas, especially on the way to the quilt shop.   Those in poor areas are often unemployed or work menial jobs.  We have seen groups of ladies pulling weeds (by hand) along the roads or cutting grass with hand sickles - very tedious work in the hot sun.  At the lodge where we are staying there is a man who tends the gravel parking lot.  He pulls little weeds out from between the stones, rakes off leaves, etc.   What one group considers pocket change is a month’s wages to the other.  It is hard to know how to respond to the poverty and the great needs that we see.


Note - we are experiencing lots of internet problems.  Either we don't have access at all or it is slow and I can't upload pictures properly.  We are so dependent on the internet for communication that it is exceedingly frustrating when we don't have access.  Dad is on a first name basis with the computer tech and hopefully, the problem is resolved soon.

ROAR!

Today we visited the Natal Lion Park, a park for rehabilitated lions (doesn’t it sound like they’re in a drug rehab program?!?).  The lions are fenced in and you drive your car inside the fence.  The instructions we were given were "keep you windows closed at all times and if a lion approaches your car continue driving slowly, do not stop".   An attendant let us in through the double gate and then we were in the lion park!

It was not that large of an area so we quickly spotted a lion and then another one and another one.  Wow!  That first glimpse of a lion is amazing.  They are so sleek and powerful.  The lions were not scared by our car.  Some came up to us, while another one was lying in the path and did not move.  We actually had to drive in the grass to get around her.   We first drove down a path that was a dead end and Dad had to back up.  Well, a male lion came over to inspect the car as we were backing up.  He smelled the bumper and then he was standing by the driver’s door.  He was so close that the side mirror actually brushed against him.  It is a little unsettling to have a very large male lion standing outside your car door.  We were just glad he didn’t take a bite out of the tire.  I don’t think the rental car insurance would cover lion damage!

Then we drove along another path and several lions were lying in the grass.  Just as we drove by we heard a ROAR!  My heart skipped a beat at the sound.  We thought we had upset the lion but there was an altercation between several lions and three of them took off chasing each other. 

In all we counted 11 lions. They are absolutely magnificent animals.

Miranda was not impressed by the lions.  In fact, she fell asleep while we were in the lion park!

As we left the grounds of the lion park we were startled by their lawn service….

Yes, there was a rhino eating the grass in the front yard (there was an attendant with him but we were rather surprised to see him).

Miranda was happy when we returned to Valley Lodge and took her for a swim in the pool.   She received an inflatable raft with her meal at the Wimpy Restaurant yesterday and she enjoyed floating on it in the pool.

Crocodile Tears

Miranda was the youngest of six house sisters and we are starting to suspect that she would cry as a way to manipulate the older sisters and get her way.  The other day I told her she was not allowed to sit backwards on her motorcycle and ride it downhill.  She started to cry at being told no (and as a mean mommy I did not change my mind at her tears).  Since her tears were not having an impact on me, she went over to Grandpa.  She was crying with her hands over her face and occasionally, she would move her hands to peek at Grandpa and see if he was responding.  After a few minutes of no response, she abruptly stopped crying and dry-eyed continued playing.

This morning I went outside because I needed to send an email (we still can’t access the internet inside our rooms, but have to go outside).  Well, Miranda was upset that I left and started crying.  Dad tried to comfort her, but she was mad and swatted his hand away.  She cried for a little while and then switched to crocodile tears.  She would cry then stop and look at dad; then she would start to cry again.  After several rounds of this, he asked if she wanted to take a walk and she was ready to go.  Hmm…