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Growing Leaders

A weekend at the beach investing in student leaders….who could ask for more???

I love that I can be a full-time mom and yet still do things like this.

I love that Dar es Salaam has so many great beaches.

I love that these six are from six different countries:  Tanzania, Madagascar, Italy, South Africa, Switzerland, and U.S.A.

I love that HOPAC supports these kind of events. 

We spent many hours planning events and talking about leadership, but there was also lots of time for fun.  My favorite part of the weekend?  Three hours on the beach with three beautiful girls, talking about college, guys, dating, adoption, dreams, and standing firm for Christ. 

Coming to a Store Near You

You knew the importance of your food being fat free, but I bet you never knew that your dishes, too, could be fat free

And shinny

It’s going to be the new weight-loss craze; I just know it.

The Yolks on You

There’s a dairy company in Tanzania that has a partnership with the Netherlands.  That makes sense.  Dutch=Dairy.  I get that.

But Alaska and eggs? 

What on earth does Alaska have to do with eggs? 

As far as I know, Alaska is not known for their egg production.  Did they have incredible amounts of egg knowledge to share with this poor third world country?  Did the government of Alaska give a grant to Tanzania to assist with their egg production?  Is Alaska shaped like an egg?  Did the owner randomnly point at a map when choosing the name?  Are they hoping all the Alaskans that live in Dar es Salaam will choose their eggs instead of others? 

I will wonder every time I buy these eggs, and I will probably never know.  But at least I will know that these eggs are “as fresh as they should.”  Because we all know, that’s pretty important. 

But I will also think of my friend and Alaska-dweller, Wendy, every time. And so this post is in honor of her.

Oh–and one more thing you should know about Tanzanian eggs.  See the “Yellow Yolks” declaration?  Well, that’s to distinguish between the “white yolks.”  Bet you didn’t know that egg yolks could be white.  But oh yes, they can be.  Yellow yolks is what helps you know that the chickens have been fed more than, say, dirt to eat.  So I am happy to pay extra for yellow yolks.   So even though I am sure our eggs are usually “organic” and “free range,” the label I look for is yellow

The Geckos on the Wall

(Technically this picture might be a lizard and not a gecko.  But anyway.)

It never fails.  And every time, it cracks me up.

Whenever we have teams come, or visitors from the States, they sit in our living room in their groggy, jet lagged state.  And the first time the cameras come out is for the geckos on the wall. 

It’s always the geckos. 

And I think to myself, “There’s a gecko on the wall?  Oh…yeah, I guess there is.”

There are geckos on the walls every single day, probably at every hour of the day.  I just don’t see them anymore.  Well, unless one gets smashed in the door jam.  Or if I open a cabinet and one jumps out at me. 

But I’ve been thinking.  Most of my posts recently have been about adoption, or parenting, or HOPAC, or the kinds of things grandparents want to see.  But I haven’t done much recently about Tanzania.  And I suppose, that’s because after 8 1/2 years, Tanzania hasn’t seemed interesting enough to write about anymore.  Because it’s just normal life.  And isn’t it like everyone else’s? 

You mean, you’ve never had a gecko jump out of your cupboard?  (Trust me, I would take a gecko any day over a two-inch cockroach.)

So.  In an attempt to better observe, appreciate, laugh, and record my life here, I’m going to start a new category called,

“The Interesting and The Amusing in My Daily Life.”

I hope you will be interested and amused.

Sweet Six

She had a very good Five. Did all the things Fives are supposed to do: Two teeth came out, the training wheels came off, to kindergarten she went. So Six was celebrated with her new kindergarten friends, princess dresses, and lots and lots of pink. It was a good day!

Lessons learned about Six-Year-Old birthday parties:

1.  Make the party as girly as physically possible.  This allows you to only invite the girls without hurting the feelings of the boys.  (I have my limitations as to how many hyper children I can have in my house at one time.)

2.  Don’t waste hours of your time laboriously cutting the sandwiches into cute little shapes.  All they are interested in is the cheese balls. 

3.  Don’t waste hours of your time coming up with games.  Because all they want to do is play outside with the puppies. 

4.  Make twice as much frosting as you think you will need.  And then make more.  Especially when your oven isn’t level, resulting in layer cakes that are slanted.  (Extreme amounts of frosting also make up for lack of cake decorating ability).

Rockin’ out in the ballroom. 

Anja and Sam, our decorators extraordinaire.  (Along with Daddy, of course)

With the token pirate. 

Can I tell you how much I love this girl?  She is a total extrovert; friends with everyone and enthusiastic about everything.  Flexible, adaptable, cooperative, and always happy to be helpful.  An amazingly kind and patient big sister.  Kindergarten has only brought out more maturity and responsibility in her.  Since my other two are…er…not quite so easy, I am extremely thankful for my big girl.  Of course, she has her moments, but most of the time she is completely delightful.  A very Happy Birthday to my Sweetie!

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