tomorrow...we fly!

I'm not sure if one is ever truly "ready" for any big life change; getting married, having a baby, moving to another country. You can read all the books and take all the classes and make your "to-do" list and talk all you want about it but I've never met a person who said, "Oh yes. This big life change is going exactly as I planned it. I knew it would exactly this way." Because life just isn't predictable or controllable that way.

We've been counting down the days since May as a way to help us all see how little time we have left here. Literally crossing off the days as we go. And yet here I sit in our living room with our bags almost entirely packed and I still think to myself, "We're leaving Uganda tomorrow! Crazy!"

I've said from the beginning that time was going to fly by and yet I'm still shocked that we're here. It's the day before we leave and close this chapter of our lives together. And I'm ready and excited and yet...it's still surreal. I have no doubt in my mind that that there will be some grieving that won't happen until I'm back in Canada and re-adjusting back to Canadian culture.

We'll board a plane tomorrow morning and leave this place we've called home for almost two years. This house that has been home to Jamie and I longer than any other home we've lived in since being married. {How crazy is that?}

So I've done everything I needed to do. The rest is an adventure and we'll just see what happens as we get there.

one week left ramblings

In exactly one week, I will be checked in at the airport and getting ready to board our flight outta here.

Yeah.

In my mind, it still seems like a lifetime away before we leave. Like it's not really going to happen.

I realized I am a "pre-processor" which to me means that I do a lot of my processing ahead of time. Which would explain why I don't like long, lengthy good-byes. Just say your good-byes, maybe give a good hug and get out of there asap. I've already grieved and accepted that it's a sad thing to leave. And I've probably moved on to being excited about what's to come. So please don't think I'm cold-hearted if I don't shed a tear. It's possible I've shed tears about this exact moment; just a few weeks ago.

Yesterday we sent back two bins {remember these bad boys?} and a bag with the staff team that left to go back to Canada. I am quite proud that I was able to pack up two of those things and it'll be nice not to have to lug them with us {as we'll likely have five others to lug. plus kids. that'd be a lot of luggin'.}.

It's hard to pack with a crawling, mischievous baby. Who doesn't sleep at night. {Still.}

I keep seeing lovely Ugandan things I want to buy and bring back with me. {I love craft markets!}

I can't wait to see and hug all my friends and family.

I am nervous about peoples' expectations of me/our family and the fight against a packed schedule to see and do ALL THE THINGS. {Sometimes I am a "worst-case scenario" kind of person.}

We went swimming yesterday and I need a new bathing suit. So does Blaise. He's not quite as chunky as Noah was at this age as the 12-18 month suit doesn't quite stay up on him. But he definitely loved swimming! So there's that.

Last week I took down all the pictures from the walls. They look so barren now.

Today I will pack some more. And try to remember this:

today we are...

a bit sick and feverish

saying YES to snacking and why do we need three square meals a day anyway?

cuddling and nursing babies back to longer naps

watching movies {Star Wars!} and reading books

doing a bit of packing
cleaning
sorting
purging

solo parenting

looking at houses online

listening to countless facts and stories about Star Wars

hanging laundry

chugging water and occasionally popping Tylenol to combat a nagging headache

today we are taking it easy. because all rules go out the window when some of us are sick and there's only one parent.

today I am leaning into Jesus to be more than what I need.

June THREE

This is insane. It's June! We have just over 2 weeks left in Uganda!

We've been {sorta} packing and planning and some big things have been happening and I'm so excited about them and I'm so excited to see friends and family and give them big hugs and sit and drink large glasses of Canadian milk {oh yes.} and give them all the lovely things I've been buying for them.

Needless to say, we've been busy. And so this blog has been neglected. But it won't always be this way.

Blaise has been sleeping a bit better {as in averaging 1 wake up to nurse per night, not including the one between 10 and 11pm} and napped for a total of 5.5 hours yesterday! Whaaaa?!?
Noah and Jude have helped me do a preliminary sorting of toys and it was relatively pain-free as we decided what toys to leave here/give away and what toys to bring back to Canada. They're excited to move, although every now and then one of them will mention something they'll miss about Uganda like our house or our yard or their friends.

I just realized that our next monthly picture will be in Canada! That makes me both incredibly sad and yet also incredibly nervous/excited.

Oh the things we will do! Oh the places we will go!

I take pictures of my kids every month. Check out past months here.

10 things that living overseas has taught me

Usually I write my best blog posts when I'm lying in bed. In my head. And then I'm too lazy to write them down on paper. And then I forget them. Sigh.
But I've been reflecting a lot on these past two years and a few things have come to mind that I didn't actually realize until recently.
So here's 10 things that living overseas has taught me:

1. I don't use as many paper products as I used to.
Paper towels and napkins are just more expensive here and it's so much easier to use a dish towel or other hand towel to mop up messes and throw it into the wash instead of using up pricier paper towels. I've also ordered about 24 cloth napkins made out of the traditional fabric here, kikoy. So I'm excited to be able to bring those back with us and use them in Canada. {But I still am using disposable diapers. *gasp* I know. I'm killing the environment. Sigh. I'm doing what I can, folks. I'm doing what I can.}

2. The value of living a slower paced life. 
It took me awhile to adjust to how slow life is and how long it takes to get things done. But I really do love it and enjoy it. It's probably not going to be replicated in Canada, but I am definitely taking this idea back to implement in a way that will work for our life in Canada. I am not for cramming schedules and packing in as many activities and extra curriculars into our lives. My kids will be better off for spending more time as a family and less time running around to every extra activity that will supposedly boost their *insert whathaveyou here*. End Rant.

3. How to drive with less road rage.
It's true. Okay so I didn't really have road rage per se, but I used to get so angry at bad drivers. Now I drive with a couple million of them. So I just laugh. Once I was driving along a straight-away and a guy parked on my side of the road but in the opposite direction pulls out right out in front of me and I slam on the breaks. Then he proceeds to shake his hand at me and give me a bad look and all I can do is laugh at him and shake my hand back. Honestly. Bad drivers. I laugh in the face of bad drivers! Ha ha ha ha! {Lion King quote anyone?}

4. How to give thanks for the hard things.
It's easy to give thanks for the beautiful sunshine and the gorgeous view and the sweet times of family cohesion, but what about sickness and power outages and screaming kids and friends and family who are hurting on the other side of the world? I definitely don't have this one down. But I've grown a lot in this area of my life and I find myself giving thanks

5. A closeness with my husband and kids that I likely would not have had otherwise.
Of course I would have been close with my family if we had stayed in Canada. But doing life through birthdays and holidays and the every days with just us has really been such a precious experience. We've been able to form traditions that are uniquely ours. We've been able to leisurely enjoy Christmas and Easter without frantically zipping around from family to family to family to make sure we see everyone and do everything. And I have loved it. I will treasure these past two years in my heart and memories.

6. Taking a Sabbath doesn't mean going to a church building.
It's no secret that we've not been the most faithful church goers during these last 2 years. But somehow we've found a way to connect with other Jesus followers and be fed from the Word whether it's through listening to sermons or reading books or just through our quiet times. I'm not going to lie, I have missed our church family back in Guelph. A lot. And I am really looking forward to getting back into a church when we go back, but I've learned that it's not the building that's important but the attitude of the heart and the gathering of believers.

7. True community and friendship often require work. Especially if you're living overseas.
For our first year here, I drove 30 minutes each way every Thursday to visit Kelly and her boys. And I would do it all over again. It was worth getting pulled over almost every time I drove to her house. {Not because I'm a bad driver. Just because...well, they like to pull people over and get bribes here.} So yeah. It was work, but it was completely worth it.

8. I don't need very much to live and live well.
I brought over 3 pots and a few pans and a couple good knives. I bought a few other things here. My fridge is a glorified bar fridge. My oven is teeny tiny. I don't have half of what I had in my kitchen in Canada. And I'm perfectly content. You better believe I'll be doing a subsequent purge of the {few} things I have stored back in Canada when we get back. It's refreshing for me and my family when we have less things. Good things, but less things. I am also feeling particularly passionate about seriously purging the amount of toys and books the boys have. The more they have, the more bored and overwhelmed they become. When we purge and organize here, they play more happily.

9. Always make more food than you think you'll need. you never know who's going to show up for dinner.
Yup.
I already knew it in my heart/head, but I love hosting and feeding people. I really enjoy having people in our house and we've done a LOT of it these past two years. Whether it's visitors from Canada or Ugandan friends or other expats, we've had some good times in this house with others. It's confirmed for me that this is something that I want to continue upon returning to Canada.

10. To yearn for my heavenly home.
When we live in our home culture, it's easy to be comfortable. But when we live in a culture where we don't look like everyone else and we don't speak the language, when we stand out as foreigners, it's uncomfortable. And sometimes just "going back home" isn't what we truly want either. We discover what we should have been cultivating inside ourselves all along; a yearning for heaven. A yearning to be home and be known fully and loved fully. And ultimately that won't be found in Canada or America or Uganda or anywhere else.
This has been a tough lesson for me, and one that I haven't particularly enjoyed, but it's been the most important of them all. And I'm glad.

things I'll miss 3.0

Time is moving at a pace that's far too quick for me. I keep being astonished every time I look at the calendar - seven weeks - no SIX weeks left!

We've got a team from Canada here to do some missions work with until the 11th of June and life is full and busy and tiring. The laundry is running, the floors are sandy, toys are everywhere and the evenings are loud.
But life is good and I feel like I'm trying to stay sane and go to bed early all the while soak in as much as I can before we go.

I'll miss the pineapple. The sweet, drippy, cheap pineapple.

I'll miss driving here in Kampala. I know. It's true I complain about it a lot, but I think it's a love-hate relationship. I love how victorious I feel after I've driven somewhere here. I have driven {and driven well, I might add} in Kampala. I have survived the chaos of this city. I can maneuver potholes like a boss. And I have learned how to laugh at bad drivers and foolish moves instead of going all crazy road-rage on them.

I'll miss the beautiful and cheap flowers. I've never had so many fresh flowers in my home. Ever. I'll definitely miss the flowers.

I'll miss our slow, simple life. This I think most of all. Yes, some days I feel like a hermit and I have few friends here and I rarely get out and sometimes I'm seconds away from pulling my hair out of my head, but I know that moving back to Canada is going to change all that. The rest of this year {probably} we'll be doing life at a somewhat frenzied pace. I am going to try my hardest to keep our lives simple and streamlined and filled with things and people that refresh and renew us, but I'm also keeping my expectations realistic {or at least I'm trying to}.

I'll miss our huge yard. And the freedom I feel in just sending my kids outside to play, knowing they can't actually get outside our gate. Oh I'm sure I'll send my kids outside to play as I'm all for kids getting outside and I don't buy into the myth that North American streets are unsafe, scary, traumatizing places. But really? We'll never have a yard like the one we have here. It's awesome.

We'll miss chapatis {local flatbread, similar to a tortilla}, and samosas and pork from street vendors. We'll miss cold rainy mornings,  hot middays and breezy evenings overlooking the city.

We'll miss knowing the owners at a couple different restaurants here and the perks that come with that.

So many more things we'll miss. The process of leaving is only beginning.

things I will miss 2.0 {an ongoing series}

This weekend we said good-bye to our dearest friends here in Uganda.
It sucked.

I am overwhelmed with the kindness of God when I think back on these past two years and the bright light that my friendship with Kelly has been.
I will miss hanging out with Kelly and her boys. I will miss watching our boys tear around their house and being the three musketeers or Star Wars or Angry Birds characters. They all played so well together and I can even recall a time when we had to separate them or give time outs or anything. I will miss the ease and welcome we felt in their home to just be. I will miss sitting down in the dining room or living room with a cup of coffee and sharing our lives and the things God had been teaching us or the books we'd been reading or the music we'd been listening to.
I will miss the beauty of the drive home coming down the various hills and seeing the city and the cathedral with the sun glinting off the dome on top.
I will miss this wonderful friend and gift from God. I will miss this season of friendship and this "doing life" with someone who intimately understands exactly what I am going through. Oh we'll still be friends - but this next year with them in New Jersey and us in Canada, distance will alter the way our friendship looks.
When I ask the boys what they will miss about Uganda, they always say "Seth & Caleb!".
Yup. We'll miss you, Hallahans!

TWO

As of today we have two months left in Uganda.

My thoughts exactly.

14 things I've learned about driving in Kampala

After about a year and a half of driving in Kampala, and on my way home with the kiddies today I was reflecting on things I've learned since driving here and I thought I would make a list for you to read in case you ever decide you'd like to come and drive here.

1. "The Arm" is magical and makes traffic stop. "The Arm" consists of waving your arm or getting your passenger to wave their arm out the window you are turning or merging with traffic. People respect and abide by the arm. The turning signals are useless.
2. Flashing the high beams is almost as magical. You can flash your high beams at someone coming in the opposite direction if you want to turn in front of oncoming traffic. They will usually slow to let you pass in front of them.
3. People probably aren't honking at you. They just honk a lot. They honk as they illegally pass you to let you know they're coming. they honk if they see you about to turn onto the street they're driving on to tell you they're coming and don't turn out just yet {this is most commonly done by boda drivers}. Taxi drivers {public transport vehicles that are like large vans} will honk upon coming to an area where they usually pick people up from.
4. Don't ever drive in a straight line. You will probably hit a pothole.
5. Don't give the police your drivers licence from your home country. Give them your international drivers licence and have a copy of your home drivers licence on hand to give. If they are going to issue you a ticket, they take your licence and you have to go pay the bill and show a receipt at the police station to get it back. Better to hang onto that puppy. Unless they specifically ask to see it.
6. LeftSide! STRONGSIDE! LeftSide! STRONGSIDE! {ie. stay on the left side of the road. If you are just starting to drive here, you may need to repeat this to yourself over and over again. Especially when pulling out to make a right hand turn.}
7. The bigger car usually has the right of way. You can get all aggressive and try and beat them to an opening, but it's usually better not to risk it.
8. That car isn't cutting you off. He's just driving. You gotta take a mile if you're given an inch. It's how they roll here.
9. Never trust the turn signal.
10. Just assume that nobody knows how to properly drive through a roundabout and just make your way in when it seems like there's a gap or a friendly person has let you in.
11. Just assume that nobody knows how to approach a traffic intersection with the lights out. Cautiously approach the intersection and if possible, tag along with another car in front of you.
12. There are no lines on the road for a reason. In cases of traffic jams or other occurrences  a two lane road can easily become a three or four lane road.
13. You don't really need to treat boda drivers like you would treat motorcyclists. I think of them as flies. You wave your hand at them and they fly away.

That being said, there is a general flow to the traffic here. You get used to it and it doesn't seem so crazy.

Oh and the final thing I've learned about driving here is to never ask why someone just did what they did. You just have to shake your head, laugh {if you can} and move on.

This is Africa!

things I will miss {an ongoing series}

I've starting compiling in my head and on paper, a list of things I will miss about living here in Kampala.

Right now a storm has just rolled in. I'm hit with that incredibly powerful, heady smell of warm rain hitting dry soil. The temperature drops slightly as winds blow through our open-windowed house. The sound of the rain is so much louder than I'm used to in Canada because of the type of roof we have. It's not exactly corrugated metal, but it's no Canadian {insulted and quiet} roof, either. I love it. Right now the rain falls steadily, but it's not overpowering. Yet. The boys are scared of it. {These same boys are now outside as it storms even harder, with thunder and pounding rain. They frolic about in the deep puddles as if it's not at all scary. Strange children.} I tell them it's a sound that I could fall asleep to and they look at me like I have three heads. Thunder is rolling around in the distance.

I love the rainy season.

I will definitely miss rainy season.

I love the birds here. The massive Marabou Stork with its ugly head, but impressive wing span. Just hanging out in the city. Eating garbage.
The "laughing birds", as I call them that hang out in our trees and tell jokes to each other and then trying to be the one who has the last laugh.
The ones with the long beaks with their black feathers that glisten with dark blues and purples if you watch them in the sun. They come and eat the bugs in our grass and then fly away when we stand by our window and clap really loudly.
The roosters that crow. All throughout the day. Silly roosters.
I hear the birds in the trees in our front and back yards and even if I am woken by them in the morning, it doesn't bother me like being woken by crows did back when I lived with my parents. {I hated those crows.} I will miss these birds.

Our view. I've written about our view before. But it's a glorious, amazing, blessing of a view that we get to wake up and look outside and see this.

to be continued....

home is wherever I'm with you

I remember when I first got married and my parents' house still felt like "home". I had two homes. The apartment I lived in with Jamie in Kitchener and the semi-detached house in Toronto that my parents and brothers still lived in. 

The longer we were married, the more the house that Jamie and I lived in seemed like home.

And then when we started having kids it was solidified. We moved a bunch of times, but home, our home was wherever we all lived together whether it was on Brant Avenue or Gaw Crescent in Guelph or Plot 334 Kampala, Uganda. 

With our move back to Canada closing in on us, I oscillate between calling it "Canada" and "home" when I talk to the boys. I think for Jude, Uganda is home. For Noah, home is in Canada. But for both of them, we will be changing it all up. The house we left is not the house we'll be moving back to.

This house in Kampala has become my home, but growing up in Canada for 29 out of 31 years, for me we are going home.

when there's silence

When it's quiet on a blog {at least when it's quiet on my blog} there are usually two main reasons;

1. There isn't a whole lot going on in my life to blog about.

2. There's too much going on in my life to blog.

I've found this to be true with a few other blogs I've been reading lately and with pregnancy announcements and some other pretty big life changes the silence on those blogs has been explained. {No, I'm not pregnant.}

Our time here is winding down. With less than three months left here in Uganda, I'm having trouble shutting off my brain. It's always, always going. Usually at hyper speed. I'm making lists in my head, on my computer, and on paper. I'm googling and researching and emailing and crossing things off said lists. {Which feels amazing, by the way.}

We've been house hunting online and our agent and a good friend of mine have been going to view a few houses for us. It's been a bit frustrating to not be physically present in these houses but also really amazing that they would take time from their lives to take pictures, videos and seriously consider the best options for us. But we've also been a bit disheartened with how expensive everything is. So we've started to rethink a bunch of things and now we're just not sure where we'll end up exactly. We're putting all the viewings on hold for now as we just can't fathom buying a house without first stepping inside of it.
But I'm still looking at houses online and favouriting all the ones I like. Even though they probably won't be around by the time we get back to Canada.

Trust. It always comes down to trusting Him. He's got a plan. He's got a house, our home. 

So if I'm not blogging as much as usual, you'll know the reason why.

on not sleeping and mosquito bites

Blaise isn't the best of sleepers. In fact, he's my worst sleeper of the three boys. But I still love him. 

However being in Uganda presents some unique challenges.

Enter the mosquito net.

When Blaise cries out two or three or fifteen times a night {sadly I'm not exaggerating} it means me getting out of my mosquito net and then walking to his crib, lifting up his mosquito net and either rolling him back over {he's in a crappy "help me! I rolled onto my belly and I hate it!" phase} or sticking in his soother or taking him out and moving back to my mosquito net and nursing him on our bed. Then if I'm nursing him, I have to lift my mosquito net up again, walk over to his and lift up his net again to put him back in. That's multiple mosquito-net-liftings. Which creates opportunities for mosquitoes to fly in or out. Usually in. And in the dark {and in my half-awake state} I don't check for mosquitoes because if I did, that would mean a lot more work, more light and the potential for Blaise to wake up any more than he already is. 

This morning he had over 20 new mosquito bites all over his face, arms and legs. 

And it's too hot to put on a sleeper with long arms and legs. He's a little hot box.

So what do I do? I'm not really up for making any newfangled mosquito net contraption {unless it's super easy and doesn't involve sewing or extra materials} as we're leaving in just over 3 months. 

This morning I took his net down, soaked it in water and a few drops of citronella oil and rubbed a few drops of citronella oil all over the wooden pieces on his crib in the hopes that this will deter mosquitoes from hanging out around his crib at night.

Waking up with him wouldn't be so annoying or difficult if we didn't have the danged mosquito nets. 

I'm glad they generally keep out the bugs, but if you trap a mosquito in the net with you, you're almost worse off than if you weren't under the net at all!

I know most of you reading this don't sleep under a net, but maybe you have some brilliant ideas for me.

A little help?

my provider

The days are going by and my mind is nonstop thinking, thinking, thinking.

Two nights ago I lay in bed designing cupcakes, thinking up flavour combinations and dreaming of opening up my own bakery.

Today I emailed the school board we'll be putting our boys in, our old doctor's office, a real estate agent and a financial adviser in Canada.

I've been frequenting sites such as Kijiji {like Craigslist for my American friends} and mls.ca looking at furniture and houses.

I make lists in my head of things to do here, people to contact, information to acquire. {I really need to write these down. My brain is useless for actually holding onto information.}

I am googling resources on transition. I am looking up flights and packing restrictions.

I am pinning places to go, things to do, tips and tricks and recipes and DIYs that I want to do in Canada.

I think and I dream and I plan and I pray.
I'm here, but my mind is all-too-quickly going there. And I don't think it's a bad thing. Because all-too-quickly it will be my body going there too.
It's not that I'm unhappy here or anxiously counting down the days until we can leave this place. Because I'm not. I have loved these past two {just under by the time we leave} years here. I will miss this house, this city, this country. There are things that I look forward to in Canada, but there are things I know will drive me crazy, too.

But the transition from and preparation to leave Kampala has begun.

If there's one thing I have {re}learned while living here, it's that God knows. He is in control. So while I think and plan and research, I have not worried. In fact, I am excited to find out what He's got for us in Canada. What house we'll live in, where the boys will go to school, who we'll live "close" to. All these things and more, He already knows and they are good. He will meet our needs. He will take care of us and comfort us and be our Rock and lead us into adventures with Him as we learn {again} how to live like Canadians in Canada.

It's a daily reminder to my heart. God knows. He sees. He loves. He IS Love. He will provide.
Jehovah Jireh.

doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

- the Doxology

Thomas Ken 1674

a stripping away

We have less than 4 months left in Uganda before moving back to Canada.
LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS.

Since we've been back from Spain we've all been brutally sick.
We've had a really crappy water situation.
We've had rotten power and were without for over 3 days straight.
We've had bedbugs and "African B.O.".
Blaise is adorable as ever, but I'm waking up at least 3 or 4 times a night still with him. Colour me sleep deprived.

and I've gone off sugar.

I feel like all the things I usually go to are being stripped away.
A nice shower before bed to wash off the sweat and dirt and grime of the day? Nope.
An internet connection or even battery on my computer/phone to connect with friends and family? Nope.
A lovely chocolate bar in a particularly stressful moment of the day? Nope. {Although this is my own doing.}
The feeling of being safe from critters, even in your own bed? Nope.
A solid 5+ hours of consecutive {or total} sleep? Nope.

God is stripping these things away from me. He is not done with me even though I only have 4 more months left in Uganda. I know that He still has much for me. I often reflect and think, Have I even changed? Is my life different because I moved to Uganda for two years? Do I love Jesus more than I did 2 years ago?

I feel like a small child. Slow to listen. Slow to learn. I feel gratitude for the patience and mercy of God toward me.

Because He continues to say to me, Come to ME. Rest in ME. Find your solace and your comfort in ME. Those other things may be good, but they won't last like I do. Come to me, sweet child. I will give you rest.

I have changed, but it is not of my own doing. It is all Jesus. Alive in me. Isn't that absolutely mind-blowing? Stop and think about it. Jesus. Is alive. In me. It is Him working to change my character into someone who is more gracious and generous. Someone who loves more, gives more, serves more joyfully.

I also feel like Jesus is helping me reroute my attention back to my family. Like I'm coming full circle to where I began when we first moved here. I have my three amazing, precious boys. Shut the laptop. Walk away from the iPad. Get down on the ground and play cars or Lego. Get the puppets out. Climb a tree. Make a craft. DANCE PARTY!

So there is a stripping away that continues in my life. I pray that when we move back to Canada, I continue to be changed. Even when it's hard and painful and the stripping away just plain sucks. Because I don't want to look back in another two years and wonder, Have I even changed/grown at all? Do I love Jesus more now than I did two year ago?

going

So thankful to have our passports and to those who prayed! And now to finish packing...

missionaries aren't perfect

Most days it's weird to think of myself as a missionary.

You see, I grew up in a church that had many missionaries coming and going. My piano teacher ended up moving with her family {4 little kids at the time!} to Malawi. But for some reason I had this idea that missionaries are...better than the rest of us. Somehow different than "normal" people. Here's the deal, though. They aren't. I mean, we aren't. We're normal. We mess up. We swear {well, some of us do.}. We lose our cool and skip quiet times and have days {months?} when we don't feel close to Jesus.

Today I was having one of those days.

We're going to Spain {for the same conference as we went to last year} on Friday morning {like 3am. Yikes.}. Well, technically we have plane tickets to Spain. Whether we're going or not is still not certain. You see, we don't actually have our passports. They're currently at the immigration offices here in Kampala. Where they've been since August. I kid you not.
And after paying over $500 in "fees" {due to their inefficiency in processing Jamie's work permit} I expected to have our passports like 4 months ago and the only worry in my mind would be whether I had packed enough diapers. A bit of a fool's hope.
We were told we'd have our passports by today. Jamie went to the immigration offices today and after talking to multiple people was told to come back tomorrow. Oh and apparently our lawyer was "surprised" to find out that we are leaving on Friday. Even though Jamie told him several times.
When Jamie came back without our passports I had very unsavory thoughts go through my mind toward Uganda and the system and the people.
Sigh.

What am I even doing here?

Anyway, it's frustrating. But it is what it is. And the thing is, Jesus is not surprised by any of this. So we continue to trust in His goodness. Regardless of whether we miss our flight or not.
But I really, really, really want to go to Spain. So that's what I'm praying for. Because with the ants and cockroaches and rats and mice and the heat and the inefficiency of things here {oh and possible bed bugs}...I need a break. Because I'm normal too. I'm nothing special. But He is.

new years eve in pictures

- star wars episode VI; the boys watched it {and loved it} for the first time!

- roasting hot dogs!

- handsome. oh and the baby's pretty cute, too.

- homemade hummus and pita chips. {so good! and apparently Jude's favourite!}

- s'mores pre-marshmallow. the boys first time having them. shockingly they weren't that keen on them. I think they were too stickity-messy. Oh well. Oh and Jude burnt his hand on the bbq. It's not a real bbq until someone gets burnt. Or something.

No more pictures were taken after this, but that doesn't mean we stopped having fun! No sir, our celebrations included about a 15 minute discussion on what movie to watch once the boys were in bed {Anger Management was decided upon and enjoyed} and then a lively game of Wizard that took us until 2:30am. We almost missed midnight! We could see a lot of fireworks from our hill and decided to wake up Noah and Jude to see them. It was sweet and they loved it.
And in classic Ugandan style, power went out about 5 minutes after midnight and we spent the last 16 hours without power. It's how we roll here. Bringing in the new year with no power.

Blaise was up at 6:30am but thankfully went back to sleep until 9, but Noah and Jude were up and at 'em by 7am. Coffee, anyone?

to market, to market

this morning we all decided to go out for a walk to the market to buy some bread. i put blaise in the carrier and we all headed out.

it's a bit of a jaunt but despite the boys' {fake} huffing and puffing we made it to the market {which i discovered also hosts a craft market! maybe just on wednesdays but o joy! crafts! this mama can't resist looking at all the pretty things...}.

on our way home we decided to stop in and say hi to some friends that were on furlough in the US for the past few months. we chatted with them for about an hour and then other friends dropped in on them so we decided to walk back home and have some lunch.
for some reason jude was full of energy, running up ahead of us all and not complaining about walking. he raced down the hill and up onto our front porch with noah in close pursuit of him and when i came around this is the scene i came across:

actually, this was the scene about 30 seconds after i came around the corner. jude was peeing into an old water container while noah was holding it for him. seriously. my first reaction was, "what are you doing!!!" {which hilariously made jude pull out, spray noah and then aim back into the bottle} and then jamie and i started laughing so hard. these kids. never a dull moment around here, folks.