Africa - Post 1

March 29

We are finally settling in for a few hours sleep at a hotel near the airport in Ethiopia before heading out in the morning for Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The flights were really not bad at all. It was a loooooong day of travel. But, good company, good movies (Secratariat, Morning Glory, and The King’s Speech), lots of great talks, and here we are.

I must have been running on adrenaline most of the flight over because I seriously could not sleep…even when I knew it was 3 in the morning “our time.” I hear that’s good though. It’s good to go into your first night really tired, so that you sleep really well. That’s what I’m hoping, anyway.

Not gonna lie…I got a little teary when we crossed over into Africa. Out my window on the plane, I saw the exact moment that we entered this vast dessert. Gorgeous and sandy and as far as the eye could see. And then, a surprise to me, tropical Ethiopia. It is beautiful and lush here. The people we’ve met are so friendly, and so beautiful! Seriously gorgeous…ALL OF THEM!

I’m struggling a little with their eagerness to serve me, though. I know I don’t really deserve that. And certainly not just because I’m American. But, being an American in Ethiopia is a big deal. Don’t tell homeland security, but I kind of hate that. The really sweet guy who stamped my passport asked if I was American. When I said yes, he put his hand on his heart and told me that it was his dream, to someday go and live there. What I wanted to say was, “Eh…it’s not all that great. We’ve got serious problems.” And tell him that he had a beautiful country, which I know also has it’s problems. But, instead I just said, “Well, come on. We’d love to have you.” He doesn’t need to hear my diatribe on the false gods of America.

I love it here already. I’ve barely set foot on African soil, (mostly thanks to a wait in the Ethopian airport of 3 (!) hours trying to get a simple transit visa in order to drive 5 miles to our hotel, check in for 7 hours and then leave) but I am totally giddy. And tired…so tired….

….headed to bed.

Africa

A little guest post on mama:monk today on why I'm headed to Africa in a week. Pop on over and check it out.

Jesus Talk

This morning, in devotions, this bit of chatter occurred amongst our family:

Loren: (reading out of Matthew) "Then, Jesus was led out into the desert to be tempted."

Bella: Did you say "tooting" giggle giggle

Loren: no...tempted

Bella: Oh....giggle giggle giggle...tooting

Hope: giggle giggle giggle


Then later tonight:

Hope: Mom, do you think Jesus really tooted?

Me: Yes, of course. Everyone does, right?

Hope: (hesitantly) I guess.............that's weird to think about.

Me: ...........yeah.........it kind of is, isn't it? giggle giggle giggle


We are sooooooo spiritual. :)

Why I celebrate Lent

An excerpt from Reliving the Passion: Meditations on the Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus as Recorded in Mark by Walter Wangerin Jr. :

"[For the disciples] death reigned everywhere.

Death alone.

But in the economy of God, what seems the end is but a preparation. For it is, now, to that attitude and into that experience that the dear Lord Jesus Christ appears--not only an astonishment, gladness and affirmation, but joy indeed!

It is the experience of genuine grief that prepares for joy.

You see? The disciples approached the Resurrection from their bereavement. For them the death was first, and the death was all. Easter, then, was an explosion of Newness, a marvelous splitting of heaven indeed. But for us, who return backward into the past, the Resurrection comes first, and through it we view a death which is, therefore, less consuming, less horrible, even less real. We miss the disciples' terrible, wonderful preparation.

Unless, as now, we attend to the suffering first, to the cross with sincerest pity and vigilant love, to the dying with most faithful care--and thus prepare for joy."

I AM NOT potty training...yet

Let me just say right off the bat that I AM NOT potty training Ava any time soon. She is 16 months old and there are definitely people out there that would tell me to go for it. It's all the rage. Potty training earlier and earlier. But, I don't have the stamina. I just don't. I like to wait until they can say, "Excuse me, mom. Urine is about to come out of my urethra and I would like for it to go into the toilet instead of in my pants. Could you take me to the bathroom, please?" Okay, maybe they don't have to be that articulate or, in this case, creepy, but I generally wait until after they are two and have a good grasp on communication. And, I have to say, with Hope and with Bella it was a total breeze. They both picked it up really quickly...like within a couple of days...which I know could totally be a coincidence but, honestly, I just prefer to think I am super awesome.

All that being said, my darling youngest child...have i mentioned that I think she's a genius...woke up from her nap today and headed for the bathroom. Now, that's no surprise. We usually keep the bathroom door closed at all times because Ava is totally obsessed with the toilet. And, while I'm being honest, it is quite possible that she might have dipped a piece of bread in it the other day and tried to shove it in her mouth, after which I wrestled her to the floor, pried her lock-jawed mouth open with my finger and scooped that bad boy out of there. Ugh. The things I do for love. At any rate, as she headed to the open bathroom door today I gave her the look and said, "No, Ava." Then, she looked at the toilet, pointed to her diaper and said, "poopy" (which is a new word these days). Well, I had to change her wet diaper anyway so I told her she could sit on the potty. I mean, how cute is a little baby tooshie on the potty, right? So, I took her little diaper off and set her up there. A second later I heard the definite sound of little-girl-tinkling! And, I looked down to see her totally going to the bathroom and then looked up in astonishment to see the biggest smile on that girl's face.

So, even though I AM NOT potty training, I congratulated her and made a big deal and gave her a little treat. And then, of course, I snapped a picture.

What in the world, people?!? This child is seriously smart. I am in trouble.