Easter Weekend/Four-Day Weekend

Hello all!

I hope everyone had a relaxing Easter weekend. This past weekend we (here in SA) were blessed to get a four-day weekend! Friday was a national holiday for Good Friday and Monday was a national holiday for...either Easter Monday or Family Day. (I think it's one of those, "they originally made it a holiday for Easter but now they can't make it exclusively a religious holiday, so they decided to make it Family Day". Either way, I'll take it! And which has meant that this week has been a four day week!

Husband and I spent most of the weekend relaxing, eating good food, and watching movies...and then made up for the lack of physical activity on Monday with a 12-15K hike. It was so. great! Sometimes, I can really struggle with sitting inside all day for work, so it really does me good (which means it does the husband good too) to be surrounded by the outdoors.
We went with a large group of friends and their kids (see pictures below); saw weird bugs, and swam in freezing, natural springs (and jumped from high heights to get into them...although I'm lacking pictures of this since I got roped in to jumping too). It was such a wonderful way to spend these last few, glorious summer days! (That actually may have been the last, as it is now cloudy, cold, and a bit windy.) And I personally think being outside is one of the BEST ways to get closer to God; and after Easter Sunday - the conclusion of a week of studying (for me personally) and being reminded of the truly, AMAZING grace we're given when we really do not deserve it - I just felt like I was basking in God's glory and kindness.

How was your Easter weekend? Hope you got some more time off than just two days and are enjoying the oncoming change of seasons. It's refreshing either way (spring or fall). :)

Love from the Southern Hemisphere,
EF

I love the African high veld!

So beautiful!

I love this picture! You could hardly see through the brush and then...Luke appeared!

Crazy, colourful grasshopper.

The water was FREEZING (I'm really not exaggerating) but so refreshing. The boys were the brave ones who went in first.

After the big jump and swim (behind all those rocks) and starting to dry off. 

On our way home, we stopped at this charming restaurant that has been there since 1921! They had dried fishing hanging in the foyer...I'm not sure why and it is a recent addition...that smelled like it had been there since 1921.

View from the restaurant.

A stunning end to a glorious, summer day. 

25

Hi friends :)

I hope you're beginning to thaw out if you're in the north and embracing the cooler weather and falling leaves if you're in the south. Here in Johannesburg, it's technically autumn already, but the weather is in this magnificent phase where it's warm during the day and cool at night, and we're still getting summer thunderstorms. It's lovely.

I celebrated my 25th birthday almost two weeks ago. I have to be honest, the day started and ended so wonderfully, but everything in between...well, just didn't feel like a birthday. My husband of almost four months (after getting about four hours of sleep because of studying for a test he had ON my birthday) excitedly woke me up with hugs and kisses and the best smile and presents. He made me coffee and made me feel like March 14th was the most exciting day yet!

The company I work for throws this massive bash each year (approximately 1,000 people), which happened to be on my birthday this year. That's not so bad in-and-of-itself, but we were so busy helping set up and prepare (starting at 7am) that I just kind of forgot throughout the day that it was my birthday.

I got home from all of this at about 8:15pm and husband got home from his exam at about 8:30pm. We got Thai take-away and sat on the couch, eating and talking. (And sometimes just starring into space or at each other, as we were both exhausted.) But there was no one better to do that with. :)

So, I finally did a bit more to celebrate, by going to a French bakery this past weekend with some friends:

Petit Fours. Charming, Enchanting, Pink, Delicious!

Here are a few pictures of the end of my first quarter-century and the start of hopefully another 25. :)

Cheers!
ef

Friends :)

Second moms.

Nicole - one of my bridesmaids and best friends here in SA.

Monika, my new American friend!

Choosing two was hard enough. I easily could have chosen four. (Left: red velvet cake...honestly the best I have ever had! Right: Shortbread cake with dark and white chocolate.)

Nix chose a savory quiche.

Sorry it's blurry. 

Welcome to town

Over the past month or so, I've been discovering downtown Johannesburg like I've never seen it before. I first wrote about town here - and explained what is wrong with downtown at the moment; but how I found a diamond in the rough. Again, I mentioned town here, after yet another fabulous downtown discovery.

As I have boldly ventured into downtown Johannesburg more and more, I have also taken note of what fantastic architecture and art there is! I wanted to share some of the photos I've taken of this. Hopefully, as more and more of downtown Joburg is refurbished and rejuvenated, we will see more and more great pieces of art and history.

Come visit and I'll show you around!

Love,
EF

Our Wedding - the ceremony, part 3

Yay, we're finally wrapping up the ceremony! Part 1 of our ceremony pictures showed the processional and Gordon and I first seeing each other; Part 2 showed the message and exchange of rings. In this final post about the ceremony, you'll see the signing of the registrar, the kiss (yay!), and some moments of celebration.

I really hope you enjoy them and get a sense of what a happy event it was! It sure makes me happy just looking at them. :)

Love,
Ef

What is going on here, you may ask. In South Africa, you must sign the marriage registrar during the ceremony, and you must sign it under a roof of some sort. So that's what we're doing. I like to think of it as our William and Kate moment. (Did you watch their wedding? You know when they went into another room during the ceremony to sign the marriage certificate? Yeah, that's us here. :)

Just a really great picture taken during the ceremony that I love! This is Nicole, one of my bridesmaids; Paige, my maid of honor; and one of my flower girls, Gaby. Nicole's mom, Michelle, is the one smiling in the background, on the left.

"You may now kiss your bride."

I don't really have a great comment or explanation for this. I just loved this picture and this moment. 

Yay, we're married!

Hugs and celebrating afterwards! 

Me, Gordon's mom, Gordon's grandma, Gordon.

Me and my brother.

Love this. Me and my mom.

Me with my parents. And notice G showing off his ring in the background. :)

How precious is this?! My new husband and one of our flower girls. He's going to be such a great dad...one day. :)

Next up: the party!