Moving, birthdays and a new normal

Monday March 12 we moved into our house. It feels so good to be in our own place and unpack our things. It has been wonderful to be able to stay in others homes during this time of transition but we are happy to be in our own place using our own things.

Love the site of empty totes

The unpacking went well. Part of what helped is that we are renting a furnished home so we didn’t have to go buy the dining room table or living room furniture. That was a huge blessing. I spent Tuesday unpacking and then Wednesday baking for Luke’s birthday. Thursday was spent in town doing some shopping for things needed for the house and Friday was spent getting ready for Luke’s birthday party on Saturday.

Our home

Luke had a lot of fun at his party. We played a couple games and then the kids just had fun playing together. We also invited his teachers and some gals that were with us at language school. It was fun being together celebrating Luke.

Luke is now 11 years old

Keith started working on Monday,  the 19th so we will hopefully be getting into a ‘normal’ routine with work and school. His week has gone well so far. There is lots to do and lots to learn.

The kids are doing well in school. They love Fridays the best, maybe because school is over at 12:30. This is also the day other homeschoolers in the area join our kids for art, a Bible lesson and PE type activities. They love having the other kids join them. I am hoping to take pictures of the kids next week at school so you can see what their school is like.

The kids are having fun with the puppies and it is fun having them around. This is our first experience with dogs so we are learning lots. Right now they like to nip at us. So we are trying to get them to stop.

So far this week he has chewed my flip flop
and pulled clothes off the clothes line



A day in the life of Transition

Wednesday the 29^th day of February 2012
Here is what our day was like:

8:00 am We left the house.  But first we loaded our washing machine into the truck to take it to the house so the electrician and plumber could do what was needed to hook it up.

8:15 dropped the kids off at school

8:20 stopped at the duka la umeme (electrical store) for supplies

Nikki holding Spot

8:30 went to the house

8:40 let the puppies out, gave money to the mama working at our place to buy milk for the puppies. Fed the puppies the remaining milk left over from yesterday.

9:15 I went into town to do some shopping. Exchanged 4 empty soda bottles for 4 full ones of Fanta Blackcurrent for Luke. When we bought a crate of soda last week they didn’t have his flavor so I took some of our empty ones to get full ones. It is cheaper if you return the empty bottles.

Nikki named Spot and Luke named Charger

Asked around to find the stationary store. Had a lady from a duka I frequent show me the way.  Bought veggies from several stands at the market. I had wanted to buy plates for our house but the one duka was closed and the other one had no shopkeeper.

Once I did all my shopping I went to the ATM for cash. Waited in line for a bit and once I was done and had gotten into the truck, the guy in line before me came to the truck and wanted my phone number. (I didn’t give it to him)

10:30 – back at the house

10:50 – Both Keith and I next went to the Wycliffe office to talk to a couple people.

12:15 – back at the house, tried to find out when the mama was going to make the food for the puppies. She was still out buying supplies but soon returned.

12:45 – I left for home. Was going to make a pizza crust for supper, but the power went out soon after 1 and didn’t come back on until 2. Since I had to leave at 2:45 to pick up the kids there was no time to make the pizza crust.

2:45 – left to get the kids, bought more electrical supplies and went to the house.

4:45 – left the house and watched for milk being sold along the street for the puppies. Saw a biker with buckets on his bicycle but he had no more milk. As we entered town we saw milk alongside the street so we stopped and bought 2 bottles.

5:10 – got home and decided it was still early enough to make pizza. The kids had a snack and then went off to play. Made guacamole while the dough was rising for Keith and I to snack on and enjoy with our homemade tortilla chips.

6:45 finished supper, Nikki did homework and then shower time.

8:45 the kids were off to bed. A little later than normal. Keith and I were trying to figure out how to say some stuff in Swahili that we needed for the next day.

After the kids were in bed I chilled a bit by reading a book and Keith found a Swahili/English app for his phone that he was playing with.

I’ve included some pictures of our puppies for those that are not on FB.

--Chris