Happy Easter!

It's been a while since I've blogged about our life here in Cape Town.  There have been some really cool things going on here, keeping me busy.  3/31 is also a special day.  It is the anniversary of my parents (42 years this year!) and also the anniversary of my accident.  Let's focus on the good things that have been happening and not the fact that Kentucky lost in the Final Four.

In mid-March, I had a balancing/strength goal of standing unassisted and lifting my wheelchair up to my shoulders.  When I tried, I realized I could go further, and waited until Rebecca got home to attempt to lift it over my head.  This might sound silly or pointless, so let me explain.  I read a blog (similar to this one) of someone injured a couple years before me.  After a little over a year, he posted a pic of him holding his wheelchair over his head.  I thought it was really cool and also symbolic of conquering the injury.  So I wrote it down in my goal book.  That was roughly 5 months after my injury.  Here is the video Rebecca took, just two weeks shy of my 2-year anniversary from the accident.  If you follow from Facebook you probably have already seen this -

Click HERE to see me lifting my stupid wheelchair over my head

I am posting YouTube links because I don't think the last videos I put in the blog were very good quality.

My good friend, Eric Mortenson, came to visit for a couple weeks just after that.  I used his visit as my opportunity to get out and do touristy-type things.  Some of them were tame, like going to the Two Oceans Aquarium here.  Pic of Eric inside the Nemo exhibit below.  It looks like a bunch of cartoon Nemos with Eric's head Photoshopped in, but I assure you it is real.  There was a place to crawl under the tank and into the middle.

We went to see the touristy things in town like this, went to a few cool restaurants at night, had beers on the balcony watching the sunset at night, and generally had a great time.  We took a day trip to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, having a great lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant overlooking the junction of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.  Pretty cool but slightly pricey.  I mean pricey for South Africa, meaning instead of $5 for a sandwich, there were no sandwiches at all and Sea Bass pulled straight out of the ocean was $12.

The view from the restaurant looks like that.  Pretty hard to be upset about anything looking at that.

Eric spent a few days hiking the Garden Route here, which is pretty awesome from the look of his photos.  He's a semi-professional photographer (no, the pic above is not his) so looking forward to seeing some of the shots he took.  I will share what I can.

We also went paragliding last Saturday, which was totally awesome.  I was really happy when the company told me that my disability wouldn't be an issue.  Still, when the day came, I was skeptical, and warned, particularly, that my left leg had a tendency to stick out straight which might be problematic on takeoff and landing.  "No problem!  We will just strap your legs so that they stay bent.  Okay?"  Okay!

Click HERE for the video of the last two minutes of me paragliding.

Click HERE to see Rebecca scream.

The next day, Eric decided he hadn't had enough of an adrenaline rush.  He left at 4am to join a group of people to go cage-diving with great white sharks.  I'm not joking.  He said it was awesome and there was a spinal cord injury on his boat that also went cage-diving.  What are the chances?  Obviously it was a sign that I should also go diving with great whites!  Right??? I plan to go in the peak season in a few months.  So if you come visit, these are the kinds of things you can plan on doing!

In other news, Rebecca has been running half marathons.  She ran the Milkwood Run a few weeks ago.  It's a half marathon on the southern peninsula.  A few thousand people.  She came in first for women.  If you don't believe me click here.  Here's a pic they took of Rebecca in the middle of the race.  This must have been at least halfway through because there is nobody even close to her.  Not only did she win, but she got a PR (Personal Record) at just under 1:29.

After spending the night in a place trying to copy everything Winnie the Pooh (seriously, complete with 100 acre woods and Eeyore's shack), we took some pics on the awesome coastal drive home.

She ran her second half marathon of the season yesterday in the Two Oceans Half Marathon.  She got another PR at just under 1:28.  There were something like 13,000 people and she finished 22nd.  This one had a bunch of Kenyans running for hefty prize money, so she is very happy about how she did.

That's the meat of what's been going on here.  I've continued to look for work, but at the same time a work visa is still at least two months away.  I'm having a hard time believing that writing a book will amount to anything much.  So my efforts there have slowed considerably.  I'm looking into potential businesses to start (if you have any ideas let me know!).  Also considering going back to school, however if there is a good enough business to start I think I'd rather do that.  Rebecca is kicking butt (heinder for you Maiers, my apologies) in her classes.  The end of the semester is here which can be stressful.  So prayers for my next steps and for Rebecca's finals would be appreciated!

Lastly and most importantly, HAPPY EASTER!  It is crazy to think that a mere 1973 years ago (give or take a few years), Jesus was crucified and then vanished/ascended into heaven.  Have you ever thought about that magic act?  I think it makes sense since (sense since... hmm) He also magically appeared in Mary's womb.  Magically appear, magically disappear.  Seems consistent to me.  Also to consider that if God and Jesus are one in the same, then it was God - not just a guy named Jesus - that allowed himself to be killed (his mortal flesh, anyway) by the people that had up until then been following Him.  If you are God, why would you go through all that?  Something to ponder.

Dear Lord, thanks for going through all those trials and tribulations for us so many years ago.  It is as hard to grasp as it is hard to keep in the front of our minds.  Don't allow me or anyone else to get caught up in the simple frustrations of our lives and forget what really matters.  You are incredible!  As much as I may feel all "high on my horse" at times, we both know that I am nothing without You, and truly nothing compared to You.  In Your name, amen.

I hope you have a great Easter!

Chip