June 21,2010

Yesterday we moved into “our” house! Technically we moved in last

night, although the move started after church.

We left the gusthouse with gusto…it is a really great place, just not

that appealing for a family with two small children…so we were pumped

to move into our new house.

The house is on the opposite side of town from the guesthouse, so we

will have to learn new mini bus stops, among other new things.

So we drove down a bunch of confusing side-streets and finally

entered our gate and pulled into the drive. We quickly unloaded our

bazillion bags (between Tommy, Mary and us I think we had 10 or so)

and went to get the key from the “next door neighbor” (this is called

a neighborhood, but all houses are hidden behind big cinder block

walls topped with barbed wire and locked aluminum gates, so “next door

neighbor” seems a little too friendly).

That’s when the day got interesting …

The people we are renting from were somewhere in the air on their way

to Canada for 4 months, and the keys to the house were no where to be

found.

The daily rain had started and we found ourselves under awnings and

rationing fruit snacks for Josie to pass the time and stay dry.

After two hours of waiting and the guys all trying to track down the

keys (knocking on neighbors gates, calling the guards, the

houseworker, etc), we finally got a key.

But the key wasn’t our ticket inside. Vic and Jeremiah drove all the

way across town to meet the houseworker to borrow her key, and then

drove all the way back only to discover the keys wouldn’t open the

doors.

Whhhhhhhhhhhhyyyyyy?????

Pouring Rain.

Locked Outside.

Darkness.

Our laughing gradually faded into frustration.

We were all thrilled and pretty tired when Tefsa, the head guard,

walked through the gate jingling a set of keys. Turns out, he was

expecting us on Saturday night, not Sunday afternoon…ah, how simple it

would have been if we would have had cell phones to text.

Solutions to problems in Ethiopia are a looooong process. This is not

your typical microwave-I-want-it-I-get-it America, that’s for sure.

We drug ourselves, our children (in our case at least) and our luggage

inside and with all of the excitement of having our own space, we

pretty much forgot about the hassle of just getting through the door.

Tesfa, the head guard, has two extra thumbs, and is very smart. He has

a business degree, but because of his extra thumbs, he cannot find

work. Isn’t that awful? Ugh, it is so frustrating to me the way people

with the most minute differences are shunned here. They are given a

limit.

I know too many people with differences and disabilities that are

making beautiful contributions to those around them and constantly

exceeding the limitations that their situations bring. Seeing that

Tesfa just has two extra thumbs, but no chance to succeed here is kind

of infuriating.

Not only that, but he is kind and really thoughtful.

Tonight was a long night. And about an hour after we finally got

inside, Tesfa knocked on the door offering to go get groceries for us.

He felt so badly that we were locked out of the house for so long. It

was so sweet of him to offer and I quickly wrote down a list so we

could have some bread for dinner and at least eggs for breakfast

tomorrow. Oh, and a couple Fantas…Josie’s Ethiopian beverage of choice

(she’s NEVER had this much soda…EVER!!! But when you can’t drink water

everywhere and the camelbak is empty, you drink Fanta. Then you brush

your teeth. A lot.)

So he walked to the store for me, and an hour later, we had bread,

bananas, water, eggs and Fanta! We were set!

Ah…it’s nice to be (in a) home.

I’m yawning though, that’s for sure. Ready to hit the sack fast.

June 20, 2010

Last night we went to a “forengi friendly” restaurant called Island

Breeze in an area of town called Piassa. Jeremiah had heard they made

pizza that actually tastes like the kind of pizza we eat at home.

Aaaaaand, since he is currently going through self-diagnosed pizza

withdrawals, we piled into a mini bus and set out to heal his ache.

The mini bus let us out a bit early, so we had to walk maybe a quarter

mile to the restaurant.

On our walk, we passed two small children on beggar’s mats, counting change.

I have a very hard time not giving to the beggars. On a quick 5 minute

walk between a mini bus drop off and a mini bus pick up, it’s typical

to pass maybe 25 or more beggars on mats on both sides of the

sidewalk. Some are amputees, some living with deformed limbs, some

blind, some laying under blankets next to very small children, some

very small children themselves, some just average looking people

begging.

I think I’ve said before that often while we are on the streets, my

eyes and attention are predominately downward. As in, on Josie, and on

the ground my feet (that I cant really see) are stepping on. So while

Jeremiah is looking upwards leading us, seeing billboards and stop

lights and buildings, I’m seeing beggar after beggar down on the

ground.

So back to the two little kids we saw tonight.

They were making stacks of coins on their mats, and since it was the

end of the day, I figured they were counting up their days “earnings”.

They weren’t begging, directly, but it was clear that they were

beggars by the position of their mats, the clothes on their backs, and

the dirt on their faces.

So, I gave them each some money.

I thought I gave them each 1Birr, which is 1/13 of a US dollar,

basically, but much more than a coin’s worth. Instead, I gave the boy

1Birr and accidentally gave the girl 5Birr. BIG deal.

Her eyes got wide and I realized what I did, but no matter – I smiled

and kept walking. I was happy to give, especially because they weren’t

pushy or rude…I did glance over my shoulder though, and I watched her

run very quickly to a man nearby and eagerly hand him the bill. He

took it, added it to a wad in his hand, and shoved them all into his

pocket. She then ran back to her mat to continue counting.

My heart sunk. And scenes from Slumdog Millionare and August Rush

flashed through my mind.

He was her bookie. Or often referred to as her pimp.

I was had.

It sickened me to watch a scene like that play out right before me. I

tried not to let my mind completely wander with her life’s

hypothetical scenarios, but it was hard.

Would she get more bread tonight because she earned an extra 5Birr?

Would she escape abuse tonight because of her extra addition to the

man’s end-of-day-tally? Would she see any of that money?

Another virus, another face to go with it.

I cried for the rest of the walk. I think the past two weeks have

caught up with me. I kept saying to Jeremiah, “It’s just too much.

It’s too much”.

And it really is. It is too too much for us.

Not for Him, but for us.

I told Jeremiah over dinner (which he very much enjoyed – fire baked

pizza rivaling Fireside Pies, maybe? Mmmm maybe not.) that if we ever

live in Ethiopia, I would hands down HAVE to be involved in helping

the children here. It is obvious so many, maybe even most, live in

captivity.

Captivity of all kinds – one of which is just the cyclical pattern

they are thrust into. There is great need for a total re-education of

what life can be like…that it doesn’t have to be the same as mom’s or

dad’s or grandma’s or grandpa’s. There is freedom to be had. There is

unique giftedness that is being wasted. There are little hands that

were made for specific things. Instead lots of those hands are

extended on the side of the road begging.

I tried to sort through my thoughts at dinner, but it really was and

is “too much”.

I understand, though, why on the whole “global social justice” is on

the top of most Christian college students’ interests.

It has been a long time since I’ve been to a third world country. And

before this trip, my short term trips (excluding Ukraine) were well

organized group trips. Which essentially means there was a well placed

buffer of familiarity. Understandable for highschoolers, I guess, but

I’m not so sure anymore.

This trip is different. This trip is in your face. Ethiopia up close

and personal. It may be just for six weeks. But we really live here.

We grocery shop (that’s interesting – and expensive!), we cook (often

without electricity), we walk the muddy streets, we get wet in the

rain, we try to catch the mini buses (and get booted out of line by

over eager and slightly rude individuals), we use dial up, etc etc. No

one is trying to make it easier. No one is holding our hand as we take

baby steps.

We are really here. And for the most part, without a buffer.

It is helping me to really SEE where we are, and although it is too

much for me, it’s very beneficial.

All that to say, my heart is once again heavy as I get ready to lay my

head down on a comfy pillow placed neatly on a big bed sitting pretty

in an enclosed home surrounded by a secure fence and gate in Ethiopia.

(pictures sent 6/24)

Josie lost in translation about to play tag between services at church

After being held (basically) for 2 weeks straight, we are working on a solution...this one is not a winner.

The first batch of laundry on the clothesline...burp cloths of course.

What helps Ellie sleep at night. Our gate. (and guards quarters on far right)

Our kitchen.

Jeremiah grading his student's first papers in the dining room.

Josie enjoying the tv (and dvds) in the living room.

Eating next to Samone, a friend of our next door neighbors in Dallas!

Appreciation Injera Lunch for Rainy Season ETC teachers...Josie being delightful :)

Waiting for the Cheesy Lentil Bake to well, bake. Too bad the oven has no legible settings. That was fun.

Happy (late) Father's Day to Papa! (had to wait for the sports shop to get the water bottle in to give it!)

Josie feeding our house's pet turtle that lives in the red bushes and comes out every once in awhile for a tomato.

USA! USA! Josie jumping for joy right after we scored! YES!

Enjoying a late night snack of the tortillas Mama made dipped in honey that Mama did not make.

Jeremiah is making me send this picture of his dinner. hahahahahaha I think we miss Chuy's :)

June 18, 2010
11:00PM

We’ve just returned to the guesthouse after a looooooong day.

The whole team hiked for about 4 miles up and down and all around
Entoto National Park today. It was beautiful. It was what I have
always pictured Ethiopia looking like.

Long, windy, rocky, muddy dirt “roads”, small huts surrounded by
little gardens, green grass, and hills.

We could all breathe up there. Ah, it was nice.



After we hiked all around and Josie had made friends with every sheep
and goat on the mountain, and after she had had her fill of hiking,
thank you very much, we toured an old old old Orthodox church.

It probably would have been more intriquing if I hadn’t been trying to
appease a hungry 3 month old and keep quiet/help a 3 year old be
interested in Ethiopia’s religious history. Not exactly a field trip
for preschoolers.

It was pretty fascinating though. The church had some amazing
paintings that have been preserved for ages.

I missed most of the actual tour because I had to feed Lucy. Good
thing I left and fed her in the car, because we found out later that
the Orthodox faith believes a woman is unclean during menstruation,
pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

We all had to take our shoes off and wear long sleeves inside the
church. Can you imagine if I had fed Lucy inside there??? Oh my. So
glad I didn’t.

Part of the tour was a visit to a church in a rock – amazing – where
the church members met “underground”. Pretty crazy to see and picture
what it must have been like…

After the tour we hiked some more (by this point I’m amazed Josie was
even able to lift her big toe), down to a look-out over the city. It
was a little overcast, but still a sweet sight. Josie & Papa also
explored a cave in the side of a hill with the rest of the team.

Not me, I’m not into that whole “small, dark spaces are cool” thing.
Not one bit.

We made our way back down the mountain into town and had our team
meeting at the home where the Anderson’s are staying.

Dr. Tim Tuesink joined us for dinner, and I have to say he is one
intriguing man! Wow. He is definetly living his days well. He is
involved in a whole host of ministries and non-profits, but the one
that has struck me most is that he is chairman of the board for the
Fistula hospital here in Addis. The facts he conveyed to us were
staggering. The work he is involved is commendable at the very least.
I can’t wait to tour the hospital and midwifery school they have
recently opened and see with my own eyes what they are doing.

Vic (Dr. Anderson, our team leader and DTS professor), drove the four
of us home through the eerily quiet and dark streets of Addis just a
bit ago after our meeting. It was my first time being out on the
streets after the sun was good and down, and it was pretty spooky. No
street lights, hardly any cars (STARK contrast to daylight hours) and
empty sidewalks.

Perhaps besides being spooky and eerie, the streets of Addis at night
are mostly heartbreaking.

Prostitutes on literally every corner.

Because of what I mentioned before about a women being “unclean” for
so much of her life, it is considered completely acceptable for a man
to pay a prostitute.

Looking out the window of the Land Cruiser as we passed a side street,
I saw the eyes of a girl, and she was just a girl, and I didn’t have
to see another.

It didn’t matter that there are thousands of prostitutes in Addis. Of
course, it DOES matter, but at the same time it doesn’t.

Seeing one girl willing to sell herself to anyone who will pay is the
same as seeing a thousand willing. It’s equally heartbreaking. And I
realized that when I saw her eyes.

This virus of an issue has a face to me.

It broke my heart.

There I sat, holding one of my baby girls and sitting next to my other
baby girl while staring at somebody else’s baby girl on a dark, lonely
street corner, willing and waiting to sell herself.

It was a sad ending to a great, great day.

June 16, 2010
8:00PM

The girls and I ventured out on our own for the first time today! We
went on a LONG walk down the hill outside the guest to all of the
little souvenir shops across from the Post Office and right after a
big “intersection” of Churchill Road.

Intersection is a loose term…every turn and stop seems to be an
intersection. Driving here is insane. It’s like a really difficult
video game. At least that’s how I would describe it. And walking
across streets, “lanes” of traffic, reminds me of the Artari Frogger
game.

We are the frogs. One big difference, though, we’ve got only one life.

Anyway, we were on a search for some bracelets for Josie, and she so
enjoyed going in every little shop along the side of the road. And the
store workers so enjoyed her coming into their shops.

We searched and searched and finally found something that will have to
do for now. A plastic green bracelet that we probably could’ve gotten
in front of Kroger out of those quarter machines. Not exactly an
authentic Ethiopian souvenir.

We did find a sweet Ethiopian babydoll that Josie quickly named
“Spring”. This name choice is a direct result of watching “Springtime
for Strawberry”, the only video we have here and the one that was
watched almost every day for a week…at 3AM.

I guess all of that 3AM business has started to wear on me…I’m feeling
quite a bit “poorly” and so we’re staying around the guesthouse for
the rest of the day.

Two of our team members are being tested for parasites, and that just
totally grosses me out. We’ve all eaten most of the same things – and
we’re all drinking the same water…you get the picture. Ugh, I’m hoping
I don’t have a parasite.

And on that note, I’m taking a nap.

Sweet dreams, I’m sure!

June 15, 2010

9:15PM

Mama, I’m very mad.

Ooo I’m sorry you’re mad. What’s making you mad?

I sometimes don’t like begtables almost very much and those beans had begtables and celery in them.

But you ate them – you were such a big girl.

Yes. I obeyed, Mama. But I am mad.

We have had to force feed quite a few meals to Josie in the past week and a half. My goodness, it’s been trying. I get especially stressed out, because the cook is constantly around the table checking in, refilling plates, and making sure everyone is eating. Josie is included in the “everyone”. I get stressed because I know it is absolutely insulting for us to not eat his food. And it isn’t hard for Jeremiah and I to eat, but for Josie, it’s been a struggle

Onions are a staple here. I’m talking, there might be three dishes for dinner – beans, cabbage salad and green/cucumber salad, and purple onion will be all over all of them. In Josie’s world, Onion=celery. So whenever something slightly resembles celery, OR onion, it’s bad news.

So we force feed.

Which is really fun on a day like today, where Jeremiah left at 10AM and won’t get home until 9PM. But so far we’ve made it through, and now it’s bedtime so all is right with the world again.

--

Jeremiah has had a lot to do at the school as well as attending church staff meetings. It’s been awhile since he’s been in one of those, but he said worlds apart, church staff meetings are church staff meetings. Sounds exciting :)

Today Josie, Lucy & I joined a “Mothers and Others” group at IEC (International Evangelical Church). The group consisted predominately of children 18 months and under, and more “others” than mothers. “Others” = nannies. Everyone has a nanny. A sweet, Ethiopian nanny.

I could have used a nanny today! Lucy is (Praise!) on schedule here – sleeping her 10-12 hours at night and nursing every 3-4 hours during the day. She seems to be settled stomach wise as well. Whew.

But another adjustment I never considered before hopping on a plane bound for a country far far away, was how MY breastfeeding body would respond. So up until now, it hasn’t been a big deal, because essentially Lucy has stayed true to our US feeding schedule. But now that she’s nursing during the day HERE and sleeping at night, my body is confused…and causing me some pain. Hopefully the aches and engorgement and overall uncomfyness will pass in a day or two. Otherwise, I might have to contact LaLecheLegue, Africa. Surely there is a branch here, and surely they have breast pumps. Oh dear.

Anyway, the group plays for about an hour on the floor with a BILLION random trinkets/toys/pieces of toys and then heads outside on the lawn (or the courtyard to Josie) and breaks for tea. Young or old, if it’s around 10AM, it’s tea time dadgumit.

Josie wasn’t so much into the playgroup until tea time. She found some cookies and had a hayday with those things. And I let her. Bless her heart, she’s essentially been fasting from any of her normal snack or even meal food. So those cookies were a very special treat for her.

After tea time we went back inside a small room and formed a circle where the coordinator, a British woman who teaches English at ETC and who’s husband is Ethiopian, read a story to the children. I’m afraid the majority of them were much to young for the story, but Josie loved it – a story about “Tommy and His Travelling Trousers” – I made a mental note to buy more British books. They are much more interesting than our American ones! Of course, I should have also made a mental note to start speaking with a British accent, as I’m fairly certain that’s what makes the books more interesting.

Following storytime was singing time. H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S. We sang twinkle twinkle, the wheels on the bus, ring around the rosie and old mAc donald…all with extreme annunciation and at a slower pace than I’ve ever heard. It was our Dallas music class in slow-mo…but Josie did enjoy singing with the littles. She cracked me up when she looked pretty confused when the group sang LITtle star, instead of the US version, Liddle star :)

I had invited a girl I met at church on Sunday to join me at the playgroup, so I was thrilled to see her there. Gertrude, from Holland, with her 9 month old boy, Joel (Yo-elle). Her husband works for an NGO called Hope Enterprises and he’s recently given up his architect job in Holland to live in Ethiopia for six months volunteering his expertise. Apparently, they come once a year, but she hasn’t been in two, as she was pregnant, and then their son wasn’t old enough. She looked at me like I was crazy when I told her Lucy was 3 months. Dear Lord, please don’t validate her look.

After the playgroup, she walked with me (and poor Josie) up a huge hill to the right of the church/school to a place called Adam’s Pavillion. It is a mall of sorts, with a few clothing shops, computer shops, coffee shop (Kaldi’s which is a direct knock off of Starbucks), and sports equipment shops. She was stopping in the sports store looking for a running jersey for her husband’s father’s day gift. No luck. They told her they could maybe have her husband’s size next Friday. Ah, yes, Africa time.

So we trotted all the way back down the busy, dusty hill to meet Jeremiah and Mary for lunch. We picked them up and walked all the way back UP the busy, dusty hill (avoiding being roadkill at least three times) and ate on the terrace at a place called Paradise, which was super-ferengi (foreigner) friendly. The meal took forever, so Jeremiah actually had to jet before eating to make it to his class in time. So it was me and the girls…and Mary…I’m sure I am such a sight. Of course, since everything took so long, it ended up being time for Lucy to nurse, so bottom line, it was a juggling act to say the least. I think Josie only spilled her drink once ,so that’s superb. Lucy got a quick tour of the restaurant as the waitress wanted to hold her and show her off. EVERYONE LOVES Lucy!

I love Lucy (too!)!

Mary asked if I got nervous letting “everyone” hold Lucy, and I reminded her of the lady on the street who very obviously in Amharic asked, demanded?, if she could hold my baby. I, operating in Divine discernment, I’m sure, said no and kept walking. The lady then proceeded to grab her breast implying breasfeeding, I think, and kept talking. You better believe I kept walking.

I do think that in certain times and places, though, letting the locals hold Lucy is beneficial. It’s endearing. And I in no way want to communicate that I am afraid of them holding her. Babies, like smiles, maybe even more than smiles, are part of the universal language of love. I have seen that more in the past week and a half than ever before.

ANYWAY, it was a long night as Papa had to stay late and lead a small group for the evening class also taught by our team. He will be doing this two nights a week. He gets home about 9 – so I’m a little anxious to hear him walk through the door…taking the wiets (the mini buses – I found out what they are REALLY called) at night is not the safest option.

The girls are in bed, though, so I’m following suit. There is something refreshing about going to bed at 9PM!!

(update: pictures added to previous posts below)

June 14, 2010

3:30PM

The guesthouse/compound we are staying in for our first two weeks is located right across the street from the Black Lion Hospital (or from what we’ve heard, the only hospital to use in Addis). It’s secured behind a wall made of cinder blocks and topped with shards of glass. A large gate is opened and closed by a 24 hour guard, and a pedestrian gate is our entrance onto the sidewalks of Addis.

This area is quite busy with I don’t even know how many people walking past over the course of the day. Hundreds. Thousands.

Our room is on the second story of the guesthouse, and our window overlooks the parking lot and front door. We can see all the way across the street to the hospital, but we cannot see the street itself.

I have found a little perch, though, on the opposite side of the guesthouse, that gives me an incredible view of the street. If I had a rocking chair, I could sit here for hours. Instead I have a plastic patio chair, but I don’t feel I’m missing anything.

From where I sit, I can see right onto the street…but the street doesn’t even notice me.

This is the extreme opposite from when I am actually WALKING on the street. There is hardly time to take in the street while on it gripping Josie’s hand and monitoring the stray dog situation as well as the beggar situation as well as the cars zooming past situation. People can't take their eyes off of my daughters. If they aren't smiling and touching Josie they are smiling and admiring and trying to hold Lucy (who is snug in a wrap). In a lot of ways, my eyes are focused on the end goal, and I’m unable to let them wander.

When we walk ON the street, WE are the ones being watched.

But from up here on this little porch - above the wall and above the glass, I can really see and be unseen.

Right now I see shoe-shining boys begging passer –bys to stop. A little girl dancing a jig in front of her brother just to annoy him. A hospital guard not letting a family in the gate. A woman pouring dishwater from a huge bucket out of a second story window. Two men hopping into a mini bus headed for who knows where. A little car barely making it up the hill. I think I can I think I can. A little boy running into the street. Oh my. A lady eating roasted corn and talking on a cell phone. A Mama wrapping her baby tight on her back (mid stride of course). A man carrying a HUGE pink plastic bag over his shoulder. Another man riding atop a dump truck inching up the hill. A customer buying bananas from the little tarp covered shop right next to our wall. Three uniform wearing school girls with linked arms taking their time. A Mercedes. What? Oh, U.N. license plates… A line forming outside a public pay phone (haven’t seen one of those in awhile). Two little boys kicking trash at the passing cars. A man carrying a wooden casket (there is a casket shop right across from the hospital…convenient and sad.) A contract taxi leaving a mini bus in it’s dust up the hill. And just lots and lots and lots of people in general.

I wish naptime could be a little longer so I could sit and watch!

So many people bring so many stories…I couldn’t even think up enough stories! I wish I knew some of them. And I guess that’s the beauty of not just sitting here all day, but walking the streets. ON the street is where some of those stories are told.

I’d say the only downfall of being up here is inhaling the constant diesel exhaust from the vehicles going up the hill we are positioned on. (Jeremiah says it smells a lot like Egegik, which he loves! Sadly, I have no fond memories of diesel exhaust to lighten the fumes.)

But now I do. And I’ll take it with the view.

--

We said goodbye to Emily this morning as she jumped in a bus headed for Langano. She is so brave. I felt really old and really proud as we hugged her goodbye.

The Lunsfords also left this morning for two weeks. They are teaching Ethiopians in team-building and things of that nature, who are going to be missionaries all over.

Then Jeremiah left right after breakfast for his first day of class! It was like Christmas morning – he was so excited. So anxious to know the students.

Josie ran after him and cried when he left…maybe she has realized that Papa’s new job in Ethiopia doesn’t come with a daily free “special drink “ from Starbucks. :) I explained to her that Papa was going to help people learn about the Bible, and Papa corrected and said “no, I’m going to learn”. Very true.

We are excited to hear about his first day! And know that it will come with lots of stories.

Jeremiah's first day of class

After we said goodbye to Papa, we joined Heather, our British friend, and Mary, our German friend on our DTS team, and we walked to a few little shops down the hill, then sat on the upstairs porch of a café and split two chocolate donuts and pressed juices. Josie was thrilled with the donuts and not so thrilled with the pressed juice which consisted of a layer of food processed papaya, a layer of food processed avacado and some orange juice on the bottom. Lovely. Donuts and that. Not exactly an American three year old’s typical snack. When the waitress asked if she could take Josie’s picture with her cell phone, I think I heard Josie try out a little Amharic… “goldfish, please”…Yes, I’m sure that’s what she said.

Josie just might lose her buddha belly while we're here. Now, if only I could lose mine.

We stopped at a street vendor on the way back and bought a small package of cookies…the lady selling them held a basket of tissues, cookies, peanuts and gum. Her two young daughters, I assume, sat nearby.

Josie bought the cookies and as I opened the package I noticed the lady’s two daughters talking and looking our way. I asked Josie if she’d like to share her cookies, and she immediately handed one to each of the girls. What fun it was to see their faces light up. What fun to see Josie share so willingly and without a command. I wanted to buy another pack of cookies just to watch it all over again.

Instead, we marched right on “home” through the mud and urine (yes, that is also one of the things I’ve seen perched up here…man says: “the world is mine”) and trash and exhaust for naps.

--

Church yesterday was so great! Over 65 different nationalities represented in one service! WOW. A little bite of heaven. I hardly sang a single song, because taking in the different faces was overwhelming worship in and of itself. So thankful we get to be a part of this group of believers for the next few weeks. It will be quite an experience I'm sure.

I so hope we can be an encouragement to these families living so far away from "home"...and not just missionaries, but NGO workers and government employees as well.

Josie loved her little (well, not little - there were 25 kids in there!) Sunday school class and became fast friends with two little boys Abi with a shaved head and Noah with dreadlocks and one little girl Dinora with a princess dress that sent Josie into an almost fit. She made a glittery craft, so the only difference for her on Sunday was the fact that we didn't carry the craft away from church in a white paper bag. :)

We had lunch out with our team after church and Jeremiah ordered pizza. Ha...not exactly the Red Baron he loves so well. And I nursed Lucy on the side of a bathtub in a bathroom covered with a good amount of water on the floor at the restaurant. Yes, you read that right...lots of water on the floor and bathtub. In a restaurant. You never know. Lucy didn't seem to notice. I, on the other hand, tried to master the art of not touching a thing with hand or foot or any other part of my body besides my booty. And only a portion of it on the side of that tub. Good gracious. No boppy could've made that comfortable.

Among other things, my back is having to adjust to Ethiopia. Any nursing mothers out there, surely you feel my pain.

Well the wind is blowing and the sky is getting darker. Which means the rain is on it’s way….time to close the computer and head inside. Naptime is near over anyway.

Lucy Dawn has learned how to laugh!

June 12, 2010

9:30PM

We were given a membership to the Dallas Zoo this year and although it made Josie VERY happy to get to go see the animals and ride the carousel whenever she wanted, deep down it made me very nervous. If you’ve ever been to the zoo with me, you probably know that I get quite jumpy and right on the verge of a panic attack while I’m there. I really do. There is something so scary about lots of wild, very wild, animals being caged up and being gawked at day after day after day. And, as we all know, sometimes those wild, very wild animals get OUT. (I’m not sure when this fear started, because I’m sure I loved the zoo as a kid!)

When Ethan and Amber took me on safari in Massai Mara six years ago, my fears of zoos only deepened. Actually SEEING with my own eyes these wild, very wild animals in the wild, only solidified my theories about caging them in cute little zoos. In the wild, they really weren’t scary at all. They were the way they were made to be.

I’m not talking about animal cruelty necessarily or anything really like that. Mainly I’m just saying I’m scared almost speechless sometimes at the zoo.

Having children has made me brave. I now have a membership to a zoo. The fear is still there, but I love going now…even if sometimes I am scared.

All that to say, today we visited the Ambasa Zoo of Addis Ababa. That’s Lion Zoo for those of you unfamiliar with Amheric. Lion. Zoo.

I knew I was in for something intense. And I was right.

First we walked, along with Tommy and Mary, the German couple on our team from DTS, down the big hill to a stoplight/mini bus/taxi area.

Side Note:

Mini buses are cheap – 1 birr usually for a ride from stop to stop – in and about the city, this is how the majority of Ethiopians get around. They are small min-vans and there is a driver and a call boy – the driver sits in the, you guessed it, driver’s seat and the call boy stands on the sidewalk or ditch yelling out the mini-bus’ stops. There will be mini bus after mini bus stacked along the side of the road, and call boy after call boy yelling all their stops as you walk by. Its loud and almost harmonic. Once the mini bus is full – and by full I mean EVERY seat and most other areas as well, the call boy will hop in and hang half out the window and off you go…at some point during the ride he will start asking for money, and birrs will be handed in from all over the bus. It’s a little chaotic and smelly, but overall, it very much feels like we are embracing Addis Ababa life when we’ve ridden in them.

Contract taxis are more like US taxi’s – you get their attention, they pull over to designated spots and you get in. You haggle prices, though, so you may go from taxi to taxi trying to get one of the drivers to take the price you’re offering. They are small for door white and blue colored cars. These are “nice”, because it is a one stop shop. You pay, you are the only rider and the driver takes you all the way to wherever you want to go.

So, since the mini-buses were packed, we decided to try and find a contract taxi willing to take the five of us (plus Lucy who I was wearing) all the way to the Lion Zoo, which is about a 15 minute car ride. Jeremiah was the man in charge of this trip, asking around for directions before we left, making sure he knew what mini-bus stops we would need to take to get there, etc. He is already speaking quite a few Amheric words and phrases so he bargained with a contract taxi at the bottom of the hill and got him down from 50 birr to 30. Not bad. We all piled into the tiny four door car and off we went.

Our driver used quite a few side streets which had me mentally and emotionally and finally spiritually dealing with major worse case scenarios of kidnapping and worse things of that nature…just kidding…sort of. Reason number 106 why never to watch 20/20 or Dateline again. It’s the same reason I stopped watching CSI in college. Sigh.

So we made it to the Lion Zoo. Paid our fee (and our camera fee) and waved goodbye to our sketchy-short-cut-knowing contract taxi driver. We were some of the main attractions there, though…foreigners. Lots of eyes and waves our direction from the minute we walked through the gate. We had a group of 12 year old girls follow us around for over half an hour just staring at Josie. At one point they were brave enough to come and touch her face and kiss her cheeks. She sat, wide eyed and we waited for her to push them away. She did not. She didn’t smile, but she did let them invade her space without a fight.

The black-manned lions the zoo boasts of are caged in by bars and then chicken wire (?) on 3 sides and a cement wall with a gate at the back of their cage. The zoo is set up in a circle, with cage after cage to look in as you walk around the circular sidewalk. All the cages have some kind of raw meat/bone dealio for a special lion treat. You can literally get RIGHT next to the lion with only a row of bars and a wire fence between you.

So I may be a bit skittish at zoos, but that’s just FREAKY, there is no way around it!

What’s even more frightening is that people get sticks and taunt the animals so they will growl and hiss and open their mouths at you. When this one guy saw we were foreigners trying to tak pictures of a certain lion, he physically TOUCHED the lion. The wild, African lion. He touched it with his hand. That lion whipped it’s head around so fast, I seriously thought we might be paying for counseling for Josie (and me) from this day forward to work through post traumatic stress disorder. Oh my word, if I would have seen a lion bite off someone’s hand right there, I would have flipped.

I wouldn’t have blamed the lion though…it’s got to be downright annoying to be caged up like that. At least at most zoos, an attempt is made for a somewhat natural habitat.

ANYWAY – the Lion Zoo was in fact, intense.

The rain and hail we got caught in as we were leaving was also intense. So as the rain poured down, we piled under a covering with a bunch of people waiting for it to pass…I guess we waited for about 30 minutes as we ate ice cream cones (stamped with “Ethiopia 2000” on it – oops – didn’t see that until we were DONE. It’s only 2 years old…it’s only 2002 here, but that’s another story…but still, definitely expired.). After the hail stopped, we decided to give it a try and head out to the streets to find another mini bus or taxi to bring us home.

The hail stopped, but the rain did not, and as I was tromping around massive mud puddles with Lucy tightly wrapped in the Moby, and zipped up under my North Face while watching Jeremiah hold Josie in her cute rainjacket under an umbrella, I thought “we are really in Ethiopia”.

We eventually found a row of contract taxi’s and Mary, Josie, Me and Lucy (one and the same these days) stepped under an awning– a very small awning – to escape getting even wetter than we were, of a barber shop while the guys tried to negotiate a good price going from car to car getting more and more soaked. It was obvious we were going to be there awhile, so I peaked my head into the barber shop (the size of a small hallway) and once the barber and others saw I had a baby under my jacket, they invited us inside out of the rain.

Thank you Lucy. (we have found she’s been rather handy to have around this trip – seats in the bulkhead of the plane with ample leg room, checking in our bags with first class, first boarding, lots of smiles here as “Lucy” is quite famous around Ethiopia, and now a dry place to wait.)

It didn’t take much convincing…we were snug inside that little shop watching Korea & Greece in the World Cup in a matter of seconds. And eventually the guys persuaded a driver with a decent price to take us all the way to the gate of the SIM Guesthouse! Yes! And this time we took the main roads, which set my mind at ease.

It’s time for the ENG/USA soccer game, so I better get a seat in the tv room before it’s packed. Kind of wishing we could order a pizza while we watch but will settle for a bag of Kollo (roasted seeds/nuts) instead!

June 12, 2010

10:40AM

Is it really June 12th? Wow.

Just got up to the room from tea time with all of the Ethiopian workers and the various guests…Such a big part it plays in the rhythm of their days. We are working it into our new rhythm as well. So nice to pause and have some conversations over tea (well, coffee for me) and leftover biscuits and waffles and muffins every day. Josie enjoys getting a spoon to stir/play/be naughty with her cup of milk for 30 minutes. She also enjoys the multiple pairs of dark black eyes admiring her naughtiness for those 30 minutes!

EVERYONE breaks for tea time. We were walking down the hill to the grocery a couple days ago and even the beggars on the streets had a small glass out for tea time. Women were coming out of the little brightly painted shops with small thermuses filling cups.

I remember LOVING tea time during my summer in New Zealand. We would work so hard making cement and making curbs from the minute the sun came up and anxiously await the 10 o’clock bell for tea time. It was a little more romantic in New Zealand, but the relaxing pause is the same. Maybe those New Zealander’s accents are what added to the romance…yes, probably so.

In Kenya, I remember (I think, E&A correct me if I’m wrong) the workers drinking chai more than tea at tea time…but no one seems to know what that is here.

It’s naptime in our room as we are planning to head to the Lion Zoo right after lunch! Mini bus taxi rides here we come! It will be interesting to say the least to try to navigate to a destination that is, by all accounts, unknown to us. We have promised Josie we would go see the lions since we bought our plane tickets, so it’s a must. And better now than later, since classes start on Monday and I’m not sure what that will really mean for ample family time to travel about the city. So today it is!

I hope to be able to post some pictures soon of our time thus far – maybe when we move to “our” house in a week I will be able to. It just doesn’t feel right to take up the one internet hook up here for as long as it takes to download a picture!

Oh, we passed out last night after getting the girls in bed – literally, passed out. Lucy woke up soon after, and that was, naturally, fun.

Josie slept hard from 9PM-4AM and I wish I would have been rested enough to rejoice in that. Instead, I beat on Jeremiah’s back begging him to take her downstairs so I could sleep at least until breakfast.

And that he did.

And that I did.

3AM-7AM…it’s not much, but it’s better than nothing!

All of the single and/or married without children guests here ask me each morning with such hope in their eyes: “how did you sleep?!” It pains me each time to tell them the truth. In some way I will feel responsible if they all decide to a) not have children and/or b) have children but never return overseas with them. I woudn’t be surprised, but I would be sorry. Unfortunately they are seeing us all at our less-than-brilliant jetlagged state.

Brilliant. That’s a word I’d like to incorporate into my vocabulary. It’s so cute when our new friend Heather, from somewhere in the UK, says it. She is here for two months while her husband, Kim, teaches at the graduate school in Addis. They have come a couple of summers for him to teach at Bingham, ETC and now the graduate school. They are currently studying at Cambridge. She is 26 and looks like she walked straight out of Anthropologie (how you pull that off here is beyond me), works in radio for the BBC, cared for years for her father who had Alzheimer’s until he passed a year ago, says things like “dodgy” and “brilliant” and “rubbish!” and has the driest wit. She has been showing me the ropes of laundry and the rest of the ways of the guesthouse and she LOVES holding Lucy during meals and I love her for that! We are fast friends, she’s making me laugh, and I’m so glad she’s here the whole time we will be.

Time to go grab the laundry off the line before the showers start. Here’s to hoping for dry diaper inserts!

July 11, 2010

(Ellie)

9:10PM

The wonders of a few hours of uninterrupted sleep! Not that we have attained sleeping through the night here…ANY of us…but we all got a good bit of rest between 11PM and 4AM. It has made all the difference today.

Josie was bright eyed at 4 on the dot, and Jeremiah was already downstairs working on his class…so I quickly grabbed her ipod from the carry-on and shoved an earbud in her ear. That sounds a little dramatic and rough, but, well, it was. I was so hoping I could keep her quiet and in turn keep Lucy sleeping, and I knew I had to act fast...once the baby wakes there is no going back. It worked!

We laid in bed listening to Bullfrogs & Butterflies (a record I listene to as a kid that my Dad transferred to my computer so I could make Josie a new playlist for Africa) in one ear and listened to the streets of Addis awake in the other. Muslim and Orthodox prayer calls at 4 and 5 (I think these could be part of the problem of the 4AM wake time since our window doesn’t shut properly) and roosters crowing and shoes shuffling and dogs barking and cars honking and radios blaring and gates clanging and taxi callers calling and finally at 7, the breakfast bell ringing.

Our longtime family friends, Tom & Ramonda Lunsford arrived late last night and it was fun to catch up with them this morning and see and hear the SIM Ethiopian staff go nuts over them. It was especially fun for me to see them in Ethiopia as I have grown up reading their newsletters on the fridge and hearing bits and pieces of Ramonda’s letters to Mrs. Shirley Ann over the years…I really loved seeing the excitement on their faces this morning to be back together in Ethiopia…they really love this country. And this country really loves and misses them, it is clear.

Emily Kiltz was also here for breakfast before she heads down country to work in a medical clinic for the rest of the summer – we had a nice long chat while I assembled the lovely cloth diapers I have a love/hate relationship with. :) She reminded me that when I used to babysit her we would occasionally drive fast on Nichol Sawmill Road and blare Shania Twain. Shania Twain?! Oh yes, I do remember having that CD. Those poor Kiltz kids, what I exposed them too :) Driving barefoot, speeding and Shania Twain. Did I really sing along with “Man, I feel like a woman?”???

She also reminded me that she’s always wanted to be able to babysit MY children one day…and I’m thinking that day might have come :) Depending on how tonight goes, she might be getting a knock on her door at 4AM.

We toured SIM’s K-12th international school this afternoon, Bingham Academy and really enjoyed our time on their campus. It reminded me a bit of Rift Valley Academy in Kenya, where my sister and brother in law served for two years. We met with the Director and he wasn’t afraid to put the offer out there to come back, and to send others! Of course I was thinking of you, Molly! They really do have a neat thing going…so great that there is a quality education as well as social activities available for children who’s parents are on the mission field. They use the Cambridge School Curriculum, which I am now very interested in researching.

To be honest, between the jet lag, small space and meetings, we have been feeling a little stir crazy. So we all joined the 8th grade class at Bingham in their PE time, playing soccer, badminton, ping pong, rock climbing and jumping on the trampoline. Oh, and of course Josie practicing her pirouettes. The guys even had a game of soccer (futbol) going with two of the Ethiopian workers. I’ll let you guess who won.

The evening was full of watching the first FIFA World Cup Soccer game with a room full of people from all over the world, then dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant with our team.

During dinner, Josie fell asleep in Jeremiahs arms and there was no hope in waking her. This sort of thing NEVER happens…Josie doesn’t even fall asleep in her carseat! She is a 10-12 hours a night and 2-3 hour napper every day. Routine is the name of the game for her. So this past week has rocked her world big time…evidenced by the passing out during dinner. We are praying that tonight she will be able to get good rest. There is a mystery area of balance between helping her adjust to the time change (which most would say is staying up and getting on local time immediately, and no naps), and giving her body what it needs to stay healthy (SLEEP). We are working to find that balance, and feel good about taking a 2 hour nap early today and then pushing through our normal nap time until 7:30 bedtime (even if it was at dinner) if possible.

I’m hopeful!

I’m also very tired…’night.

June 11, 2010 5:15AM

(Jeremiah)

This morning was the first time that I felt coherent enough to get up early and work on my class prep. I got a fair bit of sleep last night (as did the girls- thankfully) and woke up again at 4am. This morning however, my mind was racing with thoughts for class, and because we begin on Monday, I was anxious to get working on the notes and material for the students. Am I really teaching a class at ETC...? I have to pinch myself to be sure that I am not dreaming!

So here I sit, enjoying a 5am tea time in the down country kitchen, my heart racing with excitement at the opportunity to study the Word of God with a class of Ethiopian students. My own passion to serve the Church here in Ethiopia has been fueled by a statistic I learned yesterday afternoon in my meeting with ETC’s president, Frew Tamrat. In order to help us understand the need for theologically trained pastors in Ethiopia, he gave a stunning statistic: if all the graduates of all the theological schools in Ethiopia were to take up the pastorate, each graduate would have to shepherd 10 churches of 600 people.

6000 members in 10 churches. While Rick Warren or Bill Hybels would see this as normative, in Ethiopia, it is unthinkable. The technology and transportation issues alone would make it impossible for one Ethiopian pastor to shepherd that many people.

It was a sobering thing- and made me realize that teaching a class on Bible doctrine for a summer has great ramifications for the future of the Ethiopian church- not because of what I am teaching, but because of who I am teaching. These students literally are the future leaders of Christ’s church in Ethiopia, not only because they are exceptional people, but because they are among a few whom God has given the desire and the means to be trained toward that end.

June 10, 2010 2:38PM

Well, what we were told was true. The second night is the worst. I’m not even sure what happened during the night here in room 221 at the SIM Guesthouse. All I know is that Lucy was wide-eyed and constantly nursing and dirtying her pants in our bed from 11-3 and then Josie was wide eyed and hungry and in our bed playing a game on my ipod from 3-6. Needless to say, Mama literally didn’t close her eyes. Papa didn’t much, but he did a little.

Good gracious, it was horrendous! If Lucy wasn’t crying, Josie was. If Josie wasn’t crying, Lucy was. If neither of those two were crying, I was. And if nobody was crying, Jeremiah was.

True story!

Somewhere around 5:30 or 6 Josie and I made our way down to a corner of the dining room to check emails and eat the remaining potato chips from our pb&j dinner our first night here. We then moseyed over to the playroom until breakfast at 7.

Jeremiah came down for breakfast and we decided to let Lucy keep sleeping…I’m really not too concerned with her “adjusting” to Ethiopian time. It isn’t too hard to nurse her through the night and let her sleep during the day…the main concern is getting big sister on board with the new time. I predict she will be on schedule around week five. We leave week six. That will be pleasant.

Anyway, an hour after breakfast we took our first taxi/bus ride! The other members of our team, Tommy & Mary and Shaun came as well. We were to meet Vic, our leader, at ETC for a tour, meetings with college staff, orientation for those teaching classes and our first true Ethiopian meal.

First taxi/mini bus ride

It actually takes two separate bus rides to get to the college from where we are staying now, so we found a taxi going our direction, piled in (Along with at least six others) and were on our way. We weaved in and out of traffic and arrived at our first stop “Mexico City” (I know right?) where we jumped out and quickly found our next taxi to take us to ETC.

I may or may not have held my breath the entire two taxi rides. All I know is that when we finally were on campus at ETC I could breath again. Ha

The campus and church (International Evangelical Church) is beautiful! The buildings are great, lots of exposed wood beams and the grounds are, true to form for an African establishment, so lush and colorful.

w/team in front of iec (church) & etc (college)

Josie so enjoyed the steps on campus and affectionately called the lawn areas “the courtyard”. She felt right at home on a college campus!

We got to see the classroom where Jeremiah will be teaching, as well as meet a few of his students – so fun! I know he is anxious to start the class – just a couple more days! It will really be a thrilling experience for him – we can’t believe he’s really getting to have this opportunity!

After our injera Ethiopian lunch with the Pastor of IEC (which Josie ate extremely well for it being the first time and her being exhausted! So proud of her bravery!), Mary and I took the girls and caught taxis/walked to the bus stops all on our own! Mary has navigated the taxis before, as she has been here since Saturday…evenso, we felt like two very brave and/or very stupid women.

There is no question, I DID hold my breath those entire taxi rides.

First Ethiopian meal at a restaurant

At one point when the money collector boy (always a younger boy calling out stops, hanging out the window of the bus and taking the money) took my two birr and commented (I’m assuming) that I owed him another birr because Josie was sitting in a seat, I thought about taking a breath to bargain with him and not give him the extra birr. They didn’t charge for Josie the three taxi rides before, so why start now? And if you’re charging for her then are you going to charge me for the baby on me that is also taking a seat? I decided against taking a breath, because holding my breath gives me more control, you see. And I reluctantly handed him another birr.

Did I mention 13.4 birr is equal to somewhere close to 1 US dollar? Yeah, nothing to lose control over, that’s for sure. Besides how am I to argue in English, over my baby’s head, with an Ethiopian boy speaking Amharic right in my face? Not worth it!

The girls and I are “home” now, and the afternoon showers have started. So glad we made it back before the rain hit. Jeremiah will not be so lucky. He and the other “teachers” on our team are still at ETC revising syllabi and prepping readers for the students…he will be soaked, I’m sure as you have to walk quite a ways between the taxi drop off and the taxi pick up. He will relish in the Ethiopian experience, though, I’m sure of it!

Hopefully we can now take short naps as to not interfere with what I hope and pray and hope and pray and hope and pray will be a peaceful, restful night.

(oh - speaking of the weather – it rains most every afternoon between 1 and 3 and lasts for 1-2 hours…yesterday it actually HAILED…lots and lots of hail. Today when I walked our stinky cloth diapers down to the laundry room/workers, there was a massive hill of hail outside the door. At first I thought maybe this was how they stored laundry detergent. Then I thought maybe it was salt. Upon closer examination, though, I saw that it was hail! A whole day later, still a mound of hail! Crazy!)

Tonight:

June 9, 2010

10:06 AM

The night was restful and I only heard Josie stir twice, which was awesome! Lucy woke off and on, but I was up off and on anyway, so it wasn’t too big of a deal. At 4AM both Jeremiah and I were ready to take on the day, but knew better…he was more successful at falling back asleep, though! I tried, but decided to get up at 5 to take a shower and start the day ready and refreshed before the girls woke up…I’m glad I spent some good time in prayer preparing for the day, because as I was blow drying my hair, my new little travel blow dryer started to get VERY hot and catch on fire…avoiding an emergency and shame in being the one that burned down the SIM Guesthouse, I blew it out quickly. Lucky! My hair is making me feel not so lucky, though. Half blow-dried, half the wavy frizzy mess it is un-blow dried.

Welcome to Africa.

Breakfast here at the guesthouse starts promptly at 7:10AM, so following the near emergency with the blow dryer, I roused the family quickly and we made it down the stairs to the dining room just in time – as the plates were being served. Always an adventure to eat with a large group of people, in a somewhat restaurant setting, with Josie. But oh how sweet are the Ethiopian workers making the food and serving it so lovingly to us. They are so beautiful. I could listen to them talk and admire their gorgeous skin forever!

Josie is pushing boundaries right now wherever she finds them. J She is also having major shining moments of obedience at random times that bless me beyond expression! I’m not quite sure what my expectation of her adjustment to Ethiopia would be, but I shot a little high I think, and am having to readjust my head and heart accordingly. Praying for patience as we persevere through the adjusting - Hers and mine.

After breakfast and changing clothes (Lucy isn’t feeling well and has soaked burp cloths and clothing with her delightful smelling spit up in no time – really, three burp cloths before 9AM! Praying she feels better soon) we all went to the “playground” on the compound here – we are needing to keep things moving as to not fall asleep J The flowerbeds and plantlife are so beautiful and the air so fresh, even if it is polluted. It just FEELS like Africa here and we love it!

We also went on a quick walk down the hill to the grocery store for some cookies and gum for Josie…she almost fell asleep on Jeremiah’s shoulders as we walked back up the hill. She was wide-eyed taking the streets of Addis Ababa in. Lots and lots of people, lots of little trinkets on the streets, lots of stray dogs, lots of cars and taxis, lots of dirt, lots of noise…she is a sponge.

Naptime came just in time as Mama, Josie & Lucy were running on fumes. Papa went to an orientation here at the Guesthouse and we girls hit the beds hard and fast. Poor Papa – he is trucking along, trying to push through the jetlag by not taking naps and waiting til bedtime to sleep. It’s an ideal way to adjust but this Mama wasn’t going to make it til dinner time, much less bedtime without losing it if she didn’t nap!

We woke just in time to feed Lucy and head down for dinner…Lucy is really not feeling well, so I am on high alert watching her every flinch and listening closely to ever cry. Not sure what is going on, but she is spitting up/vomiting a little more than usual and just seems uncomfortable. Please pray that whatever she has passes quickly, and if it something more that we would see it and know how to handle it.

Fun play time was had in the kids’ playroom here as an adopted Ethiopian little girl, Hannah, is here with her Mama for a couple days while they aquire her Visa to return home to the States. I think Hannah reminds Josie of her blue-eyed little friend Cara, as the first thing out of her mouth during play was “I have a friend named Cara…we play and swim together”….dark black eyes, bright blue eyes, or sweet brown eyes…how incredible it is that children see no color, just friends. It’s so simple and refreshing.

Quite refreshing was the time with a playmate, for sure! Living in Swiss Tower, Josie is never, EVER lacking for little people…so a small friend was welcomed to her “Opiopia” world with open arms.

The girls seemed to go down well for the night, Lucy is already asleep and Josie has made one potty trip and is now singing a quiet little song along with the club music streaming through the window. (it doesn’t close…so goodbye lullabies, hello disco. Who needs Baby Mozart anyway when you have Enrique Iglesias and Cher??)

Last thought before I close, during said avoidance-of-bed-potty-break, Josie was dancing a bit to the club music and Train’s “Soul Sister” came on, and she looked up with a big grin and said “Mama! They have music like we have music! The sister song!”

Even though our cultures are so different, there ARE similarities. And of course, a child will see them…or hear them.

I am so glad our children are here with us. So thankful that Josie, especially is seeing and hearing the world. It definitely makes a short term mission trip to Ethiopia a step up on the ladder of our difficulty, but I really am so glad they are here.

Dubai Airport

First mini bus taxi ride

June 8, 2010

Long travel recap:

I thought the use of cleansing breaths was intended for labor and delivery of children. I was mistaken.

Cleansing breaths are useful and very necessary for international travel with small children. Whew, it’s been a crazy two days…or one? Or three? Wait, where are we again?

Just kidding, it really wasn’t (isn’t?) that bad! The first leg of our trip, especially went so well.

Our airline, Emirates, was fantastic and took great care of our little family. Lucy slept for about half the flight in her cozy bassinet and Josie slept for about the same underneath her on the floor. Josie was thrilled that they had a “bunk bed”, as we have told her she has to wait for a bunk bed until Lucy is older...so she was pumped! We spent the rest of the time amazed at how gracious God has been, watching movies, holding an exhausted squirmy toddler, and trying to get creative with comfortable sleeping positions. Needless to say, Jeremiah and I didn’t sleep much at all, but were running on adrenaline and excitement once we landed in Dubai.

Dubai was so great! We maneuvered our way through the flashy airport and got on the shuttle for the hotel. I totally felt like we were on “The Amazing Race” families with small children version (which would be HILARIOUS to watch, but Jeremiah says we shouldn’t send a proposal to CBS, as if a show like that ever aired, he would feel responsible for all of the marriages that were shattered as a result). The shuttle was packed, so Josie sat in the seat RIGHT next to the stick shift and I sat right beside her in the passenger seat wearing Lucy in the Beco. Hilarious. We were up front and center for all of the near fender benders and had a great all-glass view of them as well. Let’s just say I was sweating like a fat kid. It wasn’t pretty.

We did make it to the hotel though, in time to change the girls out of their pajamas, hail a taxi, and head to Dubai Mall to meet our (new) friends the Furmans. Following an impromptu hour long tour of the mall due to our taxi driver taking us to the wrong entrance and not being able to find our friends right away, we walked along the gynormous aquarium tank and then caught the Dubai fountain show as we stood in the shadow of the tallest building in the world. Pretty cool.

The girls were starting to melt down, but we were able to visit with Dave & Gloria over some great Lebanese food and hear of what they are doing and what God is doing in Dubai. Very cool.

I nursed Lucy in a specified “for changing and nursing – women only” room in the mall. Wish they had those everywhere! Super cool.

It was also VERY hot in Dubai. Which is not so cool, but that’s a given.

After a late taxi ride back to the hotel at about 11PM (Dubai – about 3PM US), we were all SO ready for bed….well, everyone but Josie. Bless her heart. Lucy finally let sleep win, and Papa was out right along with her, but Josie was running (literally) around the pitch black room laughing in hysterics. So she and I had a good ole time as you can imagine! Finally, a little Jan Karon storyhour did the trick and she was out. You better believe I followed suit promptly.

I think we slept somewhere between three and three and a half hours. Quite a range!

The morning came early as we had to eat breakfast and catch the shuttle back to the airport (Which we rode “Amazing Race small children” style again) for our last leg of the trip! Ethiopia!

We found lots of fun people and lots of fun places to play in Dubai airport – Josie staked her claim on a little landing surrounded by trees, a little waterfall and two ramps on either side, so we hung out there for two hours. She was making friends, practicing ballet moves, being photographed by tourists and playing grocery store in no time.

The last flight started much like the first – “Whoo hoo! Everything is so nice! Our children are doing great!” – and ended in craziness. (oh yeah and Jeremiah got spit up on – not by Lucy – by the baby in the seat next to him – it was tragic and hilarious all at the same time. Our state of delirium might have had something to do with that!)

So. Stinking. Exhausted.

Poor Josie was just a melted lump of exhaustion and Lucy was tired of her sleep being interrupted.

But we made it through customs easy-breezy as did all of our luggage and carseat and we found our ride immediately…Praise God!

Africa!

We made it!

After lunch in town, a few meltdowns and Josie’s first trip to an Ethiopian toilet (oh yes, a minor detail we didn’t prep her for…oops…she’s a trooper though, I was so proud of her response!), we loaded back into the land cruiser headed for the SIM Guesthouse which will be home to us for a little over a week.

One room with two tired parents, one exhausted toddler and one confused baby made for a long hard afternoon. Please pray for us all to be patient with each other and that we would adjust quickly to the time change…especially Josie, as she is having the hardest time. Tears and cries of desperation are coming quick to her today, she is having a tough time and she knows it. L I was able to set up her little toy/reading corner in the room and she seemed to calm a bit there…hopefully that will continue!

The room is dark now, and quiet (if you don’t count the blaring contemporary 90’s music coming from somewhere across the street J). Ahhhhhh….there’s that cleansing breath. So thankful that even if hysterics led to it, the family is resting.

And now it’s my turn! Tomorrow is another day and I’m so grateful! His mercies are new every morning!

I am banking on that tonight!

Helllllllloooooooooo Pillow!