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.