Arrival at New Day!

We had just enough British Airways miles to book a lodge overnight in Johannesburg.  Again, we opted to rent a vehicle so that we could drive ourselves, not worry about all of our luggage, go out to eat, etc.  Thankfully, this cute lodge was only 15 minutes away from the airport and Blu did great driving on the wrong side of the road!  When we got there, however, we only found guests and a locked gate!  We booked this back in April and somehow they missed our reservation!  They finally got hold of someone who came in and found 2 rooms for us!  By this point, after a 6 hour flight, 2 hour layover, 1 hour flight, 3 hour layover, 6 hour flight, 3 hour layover, and 8 hour flight, we were DEAD!  Blu got us settled in, went out to get burgers to bring back for us, and we crashed!  Jet lag didn't hit too bad - we were up a little bit in the night but part of that was excitement for the next day's trip to New Day!

The House on York guest house in Johannesburg

We got back to the airport and through check in and security in plenty of time for a Mugg & Bean breakfast!  

I was way too excited/anxious to sleep on the plane!

Blu had no trouble, though!

The Zambezi River - you can see how low the water is due to the drought!

We made it!!  We managed to be the very last ones to come out of the Immigration line and to get our luggage!

Papa Wes had a surprise in store for our kids that they didn't know about - he brought several of their friends to the airport to meet them!  I love Cambree's face when she saw Laurie!

Cambree ran straight for Laurie!

I didn't cry!  Much. :)

The boys were overwhelmed but so excited to see Emmanuel, Phillip, and Misheck!

Gertrude came too!

The bus ride home was loud! ;)

The new bridge - it's SO dry!  (At this point, my heart was pounding!!)

And then we were here!  I flew off of that bus to get some hugs!

Cambree loved being taller than certain people!!  

Big hugs from Edna!

Margaret Anne ("Ginny") checking me out!

Hugs from Aunt Chipo!

Best friends Caedmon and Machila together again!

Uncle Blu ready to see if Muchoni is taller than him!  (not yet!)

Greeting the housemothers!

Mulenga!!

Her sweet Justin, who is too big to have much to do with her this trip!  

Uncle Blu and David walking down to our house!

These two..walking together again!

We're here!!  We couldn't wait to see our trees and plants! 

My bushes were huge!!

Blu planted this flamboyant tree in 2010...he wanted a big shade tree for our backyard.  Looks like he got it!

Machila made this great sign for us!

And the middle girls decorated a tree for us!  We totally weren't expecting this!  How sweet!! 

Ah so many feelings being back!  It's home, but it's not.  It's the same, but it's different.  We're the same, but we're different.  It's so much to even begin to process right now, but we are grateful!