Almost 6 years ago, I was drinking Nes Cafe on Uncle John’s deck over looking the heaving waves carving out the shores of Ballito. GAH! I remember trying to rinse off the jet lag and running into those mammoths being swept out a bit to sea. When I returned to the shore, my triangle bikini spread to both sides of my chest left the center exposed to the beach of on lookers. Hair in disarray and bikini bottoms halfway down my pubic bone. Wow. Sarah Rocks. But at least the sun was out, the monkeys were swinging away and the bunny chow was being munched. (South Africans know). My jet lag was gone and my sinuses were clear.

It doesn’t help that I have a 5 ft X 5 ft Supertubes Jbay photo hanging in my living room, but I am so extremely blessed with my travel experience. South Africa has got to be the most amazing places on this planet considering diversity. Curry bowls flood the North while meat, meat, meat floods the south. Andy and I often just laugh when we have to pick up meat from the grocery store for a “BBQ”. Canadians really need to learn a thing or two from the South African’s. Spar would be loaded with Cherry wrapped bacon, lamb shank, pork crackling with CRACKLING FAT on the top of the load, Boerewors with exceptional seasonings and a liqour store adjacent to grab some black labels. “label on the table” or the crisp “Savana Dry” that seemed to wash away the day perfectly.

I’m not trying to make these blog posts about me, but I am trying to just get the thoughts and ideas I have in order so they make sense.

Have you ever had such a great idea and feel that someone else already took it? Like, you’ve been day dreaming for YEARS AND YEARS about this idea and you find yourself on social media seeing other people who have excelled in this exact, specific idea? Or you go on Pintrest and you’re like “well, Shit! there are so many boards dedicated to__(fill in your blank)_____” Well, a book I am reading by Emily Ley called “Grace not Perfection” talks about Unfollow Fridays. Want to know more??

Social media IS a thing. Let’s not pretend we are hippy dippy’s and dis the social media and pretend that we are not in THAT category. We are involved. BIG TIME. We cannot escape it. Sometimes when we are not even thinking, we go ahead and “like” a page on facebook or instagram and then we just continue seeing posts about that page. Have you ever felt yourself comparing on social media? UNFOLLOW. Has that person with your idea swamped your newsfeeds with ideas, ideas, ideas making you feel like you now need to find and create a new idea (which could take years)? UNFOLLOW. There is no time to starve our talents and creativity because someone else has a similar God given talent. There is definitely still room for YOU to be YOU and disperse your idea at the proper time. Just don’t feed your pearls to the pigs.

For me… I often think about the time that Andy and I were at home group through our church before we were married, being prayed over. “Fire and gasoline” is what they call us. We fuel each other.  I feel like a caged tiger sometimes with children. I absolutely love my kids… to death.. but, there is a part of me that just has SO much more to give to the world, to locations, to people, to food, to culture and to experience. And I definitely want them to be a part of it. How on earth would Bethany do out there in the world without her Annie’s “Noodles”???  I can’t even imagine trying to shove a Mexican burrito down her throat or a Thai Pineapple curry. It IS going to happen though… my kids are going to travel and experience. Plain and simple. It made me respect cultures, people and food. It has also helped me with patience. Travel times, delays and crowded buses with weird smells really establishes patience. These times with my children are times of enjoyment and preparation for the future.

Bethany will see a stingray gliding through turquoise water, an old man weaving a basket in his hut and will be drinking coconut water from a coconut she cracked fresh from the tree. It’s in her blood. But for now, I will continue to watch Wiggles. I will be the technician, plumber, home decorator, chef and cleaner.