Safari

A few weeks ago our family was blessed to go on a safari for two nights.
We were all very excited and very ready for a break.  We haven't been on a safari for about four years.
Our family was given a Christmas gift from a church so we stayed at a lodge in the park and had a very special time.

We spend HOURS in our van traveling to the park when you go on safari. 
Makai tried to enjoy it.  He loved driving with dad on the safari.
(Vacationing here is never without stress.  Our AC went out this time and it was so hot!)  

The kids love standing out the sunroof when we go on safari.
It is a great view!

We saw the usual animals; thousands of different deer/antelope, wart hogs, cape buffalo, giraffe and elephant...So amazing!

So close!  Got to respect these beasts!

Baby hippo walking to the water.

I love a good African sunset!

Then we saw lions!
This is never a given on safari and this time in two days we saw 14 lions (and a group of five twice)!!!
We were so excited and thankful as we asked God to show us the lions. 
The best was the male lion, the cub and then a group thinking about hunting and getting chased off by cape buffalo!

The one walked across the road and laid next to the truck in front of us.

So cool!

We were close too!

So fun and so beautiful!

Sunrise

We saw a male lion!  He was awesome!
He was following a female so he didn't stay too long.

Elephant bones by our lodge.
There were two big elephants eating the trees next to the lodge at night - so cool to see!

Evening safari...

We saw a Leopard!!! 
The hardest to find and see and the most beautiful.

It was so exciting.  God was so good to us to let us see it!

Then we had to leave the leopard to go see more lions!
And a cub! 

Grass fires at night this time of year.

Our last morning driving out and this is the scene because of even more lions!

You can't help but stop and watch because they are awesome.
This group kinda thought about hunting but a water buffalo ended up charging them!

Thankful for a fun, safe safari!

Then the ride to Kampala :(

My village beauty queens!

Besides getting the van fixed in Kampala, we got haircuts.
Makai had his first haircut not by mom.  He sat proud as can be and was cute as a button!

Luka also got a cut and shocked us when he cut off his curls!

So handsome!

Actually most of us got cuts - feels so good!

Valentines at the mall in Kampala

Thank you Grace for taking most of these great safari pictures!

Now we are off to South Africa for a conference and vacation (senior trip as Grace likes to call it)!

Write when I get back!