Remember?

Do you remember these boys? Well, here's what love, food, meds, and Jesus can do in three and a half months! Check out these giggly, smiley little men!

Baby Nathan - 10 months. He still can't sit up on his own, but we're getting there!

Isma - 5. My snuggle bug.

He's pretty much the biggest ham EVAR.

God amazes me SO MUCH everyday. When Isma came, his feet were SO swollen with edema that he couldn't even walk for the pain. Now he RUNS!

Praise Jesus!

These two cuties are absolutely doted upon in our little abode.

We are blessed.

Love,

Mommy Pippin

Babies in Panties

Our baby (toddler, you say? NEVER! Babies always) boys recently got some new "panties" in the mail.

Isma, Moses, Elijah, Josh.

Just a bit of sqeeeeee for your day.

Love,

Mommy Pippin

The Amazing Race

Our older kids were on holiday for all of December and January, and although they are rather good at entertaining themselves, we get to supplement that with fun things to do as a family. Jess and Derek got super creative with the stuff Derek brought back from Canada and planned our own version of "summer camp". In the afternoons when the small ones and babies were asleep we gathered all the big kids for group games on the boys' side. They divided the kids up into teams complete and used a point system to determine the winner. They've been going strong since the beginning of December, and we had our piece de resistance to wrap it all up just a little while ago: The Amazing Race.

Uncle Benji explained the rules: there were four locations in America they had to visit - Arkansas, New York, California, and Kentucky. At each station the teams had to complete a challenge while they were timed. The team who did it all in the least amount of time got the most points.

(Do they actually know where these places are? No. Do they care? Nope!)

But first they had to visit me to get their maps.

They were a bit impatient.

There was also some confusion. But they got over it.

The Kentucky Derby challenge with Mommy Jess.

The obstacle course in the subway system of New York with Uncle D.

Acting out movies in Hollywood with Mommy Kayla.

House building in Little Rock, Arkansas with Uncle Benji.

All in all, a success.

Just another day here in Uganda!

Love,

Mommy Pippin

PS- Team yellow won both the Amazing Race and the whole she-bang earning a trip to Kingfisher Resort for swimming and eating!

An Adventure.

Not too long ago, Andrea and Jenny and I took some of our big small girls on a field trip to Kilombera, a local textile place.

Don't be fooled by how nice this looks. The boda ride was INCREDIBLY dusty. I was four shades darker when we arrived.

It's a beautiful, peaceful place to be, but dangerous for your wallet. So many scrumptious things to buy! Baby slings! Skirts! Bags! Bed spreads! Curtains! Tablecloths! Headbands! Hammocks! Etc!

One of our bodas broke down... we had to commemorate the moment.

Me with Esther, Big Daphine, Getu, and Stella l-r.

Love,

Mommy Pippin

Normal

The thought hit me the other day as I was walking down the street to buy water from the shops.

This is normal.

Having to buy my water or get it from our jerrycan is normal. So is not being able to drink out of the tap.

“Cool!” I thought, “I’m getting used to this Africa stuff.”

But then I really started thinking about my *new* normal and counting the things that are every day and commonplace to me, but are very foreign concepts in the States…

Things like frequently not having power, or sharing my kitchen cabinet with cockroaches and rats (not to mention my bedroom), or getting around on the back of a motorcycle (A boda-boda). It’s normal.

Or washing my clothes by hand, or not taking standing up showers because we have a hand-held showerhead (and praising the Lord for running water all the time!), or having constantly filthy feet, or our routine of LIFE here.

It’s all normal. The weather has even become normal for me (praise the Lord!!). Hot, hot, and more hot with a bit of rain thrown in here and there. J

I began to praise God for this revelation. I thanked Him for having finally fully settled in, and for being able to laugh at things like rats in my drawer or constantly dirty feet. For understanding that I will get dirty and need a shower every day because that’s just the way that things work. For knowing that I won’t always be able to get internet or call my family in America because this is Africa. For having to let go of my ideals of how things should look here and trusting in God totally.

For loving all of these things.

And I do love them, rats and all, because this is my life. Just because I’m not living here forever (for now ;) ) doesn’t mean I should or can live like it‘s temporary. God has made it clear that I am here for a purpose - HIS purpose, and I must live each day as fully as I can.

And so I do.

Because this is my life, and my life is normal.

It just happens to be in Uganda

Love,

Mommy Pippin

When it Rains.

Thanking Jesus for sweet rain to ease the heat.

What Happens...

When a rat gets into your room...

And you absolutely cannot kill it yourself...

And so you ask 6 of your girls to do it for you...

And they do.

With maybe a little too much gusto.