Short Version

The last blog that I wrote talked a little bit about my time at home and the reunion that I had with my family.
I’m going to start this blog before I left from Niger on September 6th.

I was headed into Niamey at the beginning of September to prepare to head to South Africa. Susan was driving and we were almost to Niamey when I spotted giraffes on the side of the road! I had my camera nearby and we pulled over and jumped out. I did a short video and then we took some pictures as the giraffes just stood there! It was so neat to see them in “real” life! I will post pictures on the other blog.

I had my ticket to fly to S. Africa for the morning of the 6th. Susan took me to the airport and I flew away. I landed in Abidjan, Ivory Coast where another Journeyman picked me up and I spent the day with her for my long layover. The rest of my travel time was ridiculous. I added another country to my list to travel through and it took me about a day longer to get to S. Africa. All because my original flight from Abidjan to Accra, Ghana didn’t exist.

Once I was in S. Africa I made a trip to the grocery store where my stress level was taken to the max and I left without buying ice-cream! That afternoon I went to see the doctor for my knee and he took x-rays but said that I needed an MRI. The doctor was unable to pinpoint the problem. I had the MRI the next morning and was still struggling from the complete lack of sleep from my travels in the previous days. That Tuesday night I got a phone call from home that my grandfather had passed away.

Within 12 hours I had help purchasing a ticket and getting myself to the airport to catch a flight to America. I was met at the airport in St. Louis by my parents and I thought that I was living in a dream!

Over the next few days at home I did many different things which included, a girl's night out with my mom and the five oldest girls in my family, motorcycle rides, time with my grandma, a Cardinals game, visits with out of state (and in state) family, Settlers games, a drive in movie birthday bash for my younger sister, sleepovers with my nephews (they didn't last very long), long walks and a couple of nice dinners out.

I left America and headed back to S. Africa on Sunday the 27th of September. I made it back without any problems. I started physical therapy the following day and have been doing that ever since.

I have done a few different and fun things since being back in S. Africa. I have gone on a Safari, gone to a “Lion and Giraffe Park”, shopped at the mall, eaten at a Wild Game Restaurant (!) and visited with my friends Paul and Kimber and the Berry family, all who I went to FPO with (and I went to Italy with Paul).

I take walks often with Dean and Donna, two wonderful ladies that the Lord has blessed my time with while I’m here. Someimes we walk two or three times everyday.

That brings me to right now and I have finished my therapy and am waiting on my tennis shoe soles to come back. I gave them to the therapist and she is putting pieces on the arch part of them so that they will help support my feet better.

Diagnoses on my knees: my kneecaps are in the wrong position. Meaning that I don’t need surgery but physical therapy is a must. Right now my plan is to return to Niger this Friday.

Thanks for reading and have a great night!