Back to the Brrrrr

Last week around this time, I was at the OR Tambo International Airport awaiting my midnight flight to Amsterdam. My whirlwind trip to South Africa had come to an end and I was making my way back to my family in a much colder place. To put it into perspective, I had enjoyed temperatures of 90F (32C) in both Cape Town and Johannesburg. In my first week back in Cleveland, I was welcomed back with our first measurable snow fall, morning temperatures of 23 (-5C), and a day where the mercury couldn't muster the courage to rise above the freezing mark!

But I don't mind weathering these temperature variations if it means being back with my family!

My time in South Africa, although short, was quality time!
Update on my father:
When I last posted a blog, my father was still in the hospital, and was getting stronger each day. The next day (Monday), the physical therapist paid him a visit, and soon had him walking around. The doctors also resumed his radiation therapy. On Tuesday, the physical therapist had my dad walking up and down stairs. His doctors were so impressed with his recovery that he was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday! This meant that I was able to spend a day and a half with him at his home, and not in the hospital ward that I had come to know pretty well!
Today, he is still building his strength and working on getting fit! He is happy to be home and doesn't want to see the inside of a hospital anytime soon!

After spending a week in Cape Town, I flew up to Johannesburg for a few days. The time was short but productive. I spent quality time with my mom, sister and her family, hung out with some good friends, had a great afternoon with cousins, and went to Church on Sunday morning with my mom!

During my stay in South Africa, I enjoyed a delicious bounty of foods. These included Steak Pie, Chicken Pie, Pastrami Sub, Biltong sandwiches, Sweet & Sour Chicken Pizza, Choc Chip Yogurt, Nandos Lemon and Herb Chicken Burger, Grilled Snoek and Chips, Milo, Milo cereal, Boerewors roll, Custard slice, Creme Caramel, Chocolate Pudding, koeksusters, and a lot of South African chocolates! Needless to say, I didn't lose any weight on this trip!

Being back with my family in Ohio is wonderful! This weekend we shared some great times together, from eating frozen yogurt even though the temperature is below freezing, looking at our local shopping center's Christmas lights, and enjoying an unplanned Polar Express story-time at Barnes & Noble!

On Saturday night, Liesel and I had a fantastic date night with some of our dear friends, and dined at one of our favorite Italian restaurants! Finally, we wrapped up the weekend with an awesome Sunday service at Bay Presbyterian, followed by some outdoor football on the frozen lawn in the front yard with Nathan and Josh!