On August 2, 2010, Tyler Westhoff showed up at my door at 12:30 am. We had dated for about a month, three years ago in February, then once again a year later. But, I had no interest and told him we needed to be friends. Neither one of us expected the events that have occurred over the past five months - life always brings the unexpected when you least expect it!
He told me that late summer evening that he still had feelings for me and would like to know if I would be interested in seeing if a relationship would go anywhere. Knowing that he was leaving to South Africa to intern on a farm the next morning, I wasn't sure what to say, but I told him I'd be around when he came home, the following year. Then he left!
The next three months went by rather quickly. We chatted every day on Facebook and started making regular phone calls on Sunday afternoons. Small feelings began to grow and soon we made a plan for me to spend month in South Africa with him to really see if our chatting time and phone calls were worth it.
Our original plan of a short visit to Africa soon turned into marriage plans. We both knew it was right and didn't see any reason in waiting. He bought the rings in Provo, UT, I picked them up, and left for South Africa on October 26, 2010, not sure when I was going to come home or if this was the man I was supposed to marry! Talk about risky and pure faith! From the moment I stepped of that airplane everything naturally fell into place. I began working on the Blanerne Farm, in Elandslaagte, South Africa every morning with Ty.
A city girl gone country! I have learned how to heard cattle, manage grazing plots, and have battled the uninvited and unexpected species of this land. What gave me the courage to leave family and friends and come to South Africa, not knowing when I'd come home, was a leap of faith! But has brought enjoyable and positive outcomes. Tyler and I were married on November 26, 2010 in the Johannesburg, South Africa LDS Temple. We fell in love in the beautiful South African country. Our adventures of married life began in South Africa and together we have the privilege of enjoying this land and it's animals during our first year together! We will return home in July of 2011.
He told me that late summer evening that he still had feelings for me and would like to know if I would be interested in seeing if a relationship would go anywhere. Knowing that he was leaving to South Africa to intern on a farm the next morning, I wasn't sure what to say, but I told him I'd be around when he came home, the following year. Then he left!
The next three months went by rather quickly. We chatted every day on Facebook and started making regular phone calls on Sunday afternoons. Small feelings began to grow and soon we made a plan for me to spend month in South Africa with him to really see if our chatting time and phone calls were worth it.
Our original plan of a short visit to Africa soon turned into marriage plans. We both knew it was right and didn't see any reason in waiting. He bought the rings in Provo, UT, I picked them up, and left for South Africa on October 26, 2010, not sure when I was going to come home or if this was the man I was supposed to marry! Talk about risky and pure faith! From the moment I stepped of that airplane everything naturally fell into place. I began working on the Blanerne Farm, in Elandslaagte, South Africa every morning with Ty.
A city girl gone country! I have learned how to heard cattle, manage grazing plots, and have battled the uninvited and unexpected species of this land. What gave me the courage to leave family and friends and come to South Africa, not knowing when I'd come home, was a leap of faith! But has brought enjoyable and positive outcomes. Tyler and I were married on November 26, 2010 in the Johannesburg, South Africa LDS Temple. We fell in love in the beautiful South African country. Our adventures of married life began in South Africa and together we have the privilege of enjoying this land and it's animals during our first year together! We will return home in July of 2011.
I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures in South Africa as well as my lifestyle change from a city girl to a country girl as we, my husband and I, pursue our dreams of farming in the country!
yay! I'm glad you have a blog, and I"m excited to follow it! So you're really farming in South Africa? Crazy cool!
ReplyDeletei LOVE your story. I have a dear place in my heart for the country and can't wait to get back there. I'm a little jealous actually. :) But so happy for you Lelani! You deserve the best. Thank you for sharing your stories. I've been excited to hear how you two got together and why on hearth you are in So.Africa! That's so awesome and exciting. Congratulations! -jAmiE
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh. That is such a cute love story! And how awesome is it that you're in Africa?? Congratulations on the wedding, girl! :)
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