Well, it's been an action-packed six weeks for our family! Here's where we were and what we were doing (mostly in pics). Thanks to my family members for sharing their photos with us. (...If you notice an especially nice shot, you can be pretty sure it was taken by one of my brothers-in-law!)
Saying goodbye to Susan and heading to the airport: Michele and the kids flew to Salt Lake City on 17 July. (Susan was dressed up for a birthday party that evening)
So grateful to Michelle who house-sat and dog-sat for the 5 weeks we were gone.
While we were gone, Jeff mostly traveled and worked in Africa. But he did get to see the Springboks take on the All Blacks with his friend Andrew. The Springboks played brilliantly for 70 minutes. Unfortunately rugby games are 80 minutes long.
All the posterity of Doug and Carol LeMon (except the aforementioned Jeff) traveled to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park for a reunion to celebrate Doug's 80th birthday!
Ann, Chloe, John and Sara hiked a slot canyon with Wendy & Brian
Wendy, Lori, Shannon, Denise and Collin at Bryce
As you would expect for a LeMon gathering, there were silly games
Spencer
Brian
The uncles were good sports
And there was great food. Jeffrey especially loved the food!
Everyone gave Grandpa 80-somethings to celebrate his 80 years. Kate gave him this book of leaves and flowers collected from South Africa.
AND--Happy 54th anniversary to my parents--still playing racquetball, still serving together, still dating, still in love!
It was great to have Steven's family spend a few extra days with us in Alpine
And John and Kate loved getting extra time with Rebecca, Ann, Stephanie and Sara from Seattle
One night, the cousins staged their own "Cupcake Wars." Yeh, we were all winners.
And the puzzle people in the family completed this doozy of a jigsaw
It was wonderful to reconnect with so many people we love!!
Elder Vizzinni from Joburg
Sister Chazen also from Joburg
Amy
Kelli and Kylie
Mikun
Ashley
Debbie
Charlyn
Melanie
Rose
Julie
Hilary and Sherry
Mindy and Claire
Rachel
Uncle Paul and Aunt Pam
Erica, McKay and Rich
Nancy
Karisa
Ok, Kansas City friends...this is Kitty Lamping whom I haven't seen since she moved away when were six. She reconnected with my parents and came to see me when we were in Utah!
Harrison and Sheri
Elder Riley who just finished serving in Joburg
We also attended the Linton Family Reunion
Wendy and Lawrence "Chan" Memmott (age 96)
My great friend Ardene from Minnesota, who is also a Linton!
Grandpa's Garden
Picnic in American Fork Canyon with G&G (just like old times)
John and Michael attended a week-long youth camp at BYU-Idaho
While John was at camp, Kate and Michele stayed with Lori's family in Rexburg
Learning to fly-fish with Uncle Brian in Targhee National Forest
Huckleberry picking
Sand dunes
Jeff arrived in Utah to share the last two weeks with us!
Anthony and his family flew in from Missouri and we enjoyed a lovely evening in AF Canyon.
Kate celebrated her 11th birthday at Boondocks and In-N-Out
(hats courtesy of Jessica)
Sam, Spencer and Peyton
Corbin, Lethe and Kayden
We spent a perfect day at Deer Creek Reservoir with the Barlows
John earned his driver's permit!
Jeff's brother Rob came to visit
We hiked and toured Timp Cave
John and Kate spent a day at Antelope Island with the Adams
Then Jeff and I joined them for a magnificent supper (my family now wishes I made gravy)
The same day, we were so happy to catch up with Minnesota friends, the Saunders
and the Evans!! So awesome.
Too soon, it was time to say goodbye. On our last evening, my parents took us to dinner at the Garden Room on Temple Square.
We said one last goodbye to the Barlows
Jessica
And we popped over to the Judsons just to make sure they didn't get to bed too early for the 2nd day of school!
The time was too short. And it was exhausting! We didn't get to see everyone we would've liked to see, and we didn't take photos of everything we can still picture in our memories. But it was a wonderful trip and just what we needed--to reconnect in the US!
Now we are back in South Africa and here's the news:
The rand is 13.60ZAR /1 USD. This is horrible for people here in SA, most of whom rely on imports for business. Most of the time we've lived here, the rand has been in the 10.00's.
The government has tightened up regulations for foreigners like us to transfer money.
Our former gardener Charles died from HIV complications last week. He was a cheerful, hard-working man and we will miss seeing him in the neighborhood.
Susan went to Harare on leave and took things for the house she's been building. While she was there, her home was bulldozed and looted. The members of the city council are all pointing at each other and none are taking responsibility. But the politicians' vendors are back, trying to resell the building materials to the victims of their bulldozers. Jeff is working on getting an NGO involved to see what kind of recourse Susan has, because she paid for the land. She is devastated, as you can imagine.
We went to a really fun braai at the Cunninghams' last Saturday. There was a huge bonfire, live music and lots of socializing. We love South Africa and its diverse people and diverse experiences. There is always a lot to try to understand and a lot to be grateful for.
