To Harriet's house we went

Saturday Ella and I ventured into Kampala to see Harriet and, as always, we both had a great time. Her house is amazing! So different than when we last were there. It is actually quite spacious – bigger than it looks from the outside and about five or six times as big as her old place. Quite a bit bigger than my place, too.

It’s not totally finished of course as that can go on forever. It does have the electricity in and power hooked up, and the ceiling is almost all closed in. It’s going to look really nice! The floor isn’t done but it’s not dirt and the walls aren’t plastered yet but it’s still perfectly fine. SUCH an improvement from their last place (which they’d lived in for six years!).

Note the new roof and glassed in windows. Nice! And kind of cute, too.

What it looked like when we were there in April. Quite a difference!

Living area – it’s big!

Looking through the “kitchen” towards the sitting room

She doesn’t have running water yet but has some neighborhood boys haul it for her in jerrycans, where she keeps it in a small water barrel in her kitchen. Six jerrycans lasts her a week and they are only 200 UGS a piece (about $.11).

It’s amazing to think that all of this has been built from the proceeds of the necklaces that Harriet’s sent to the States. Her kids are also in better schools now, too, and doing really well. Jackie has amazing handwriting! So to any of you who have bought or helped sell beads, well done and Harriet sends her many thanks.

L enjoyed herself playing with Jackie and Jacob. She actually played more with Jacob this time, which is a first. He is nine years old and just a really nice, sweet boy. As he gets older he’s getting less shy and more outgoing.

He has a bike which the breaks don’t work on, which he likes to ride down the hill past the house. He drags his flip flopped feet along the ground to keep from going too fast, then turns into the neighbors yard to stop. L greatly enjoyed riding along in front of him, side saddle. It was so cute and surprisingly, no one bit the dust!

All ready to go!

Survivors :)

Jackie had a safer approach. A smaller “bike” and, true to Jackie fashion, someone to push her back up the road ;)

Down we go...

... and then sweet little Gift pushes you back up!

Gifts mom worked at the babies home when Ella was there. She had no idea that we would be there but walked into the living room and immediately recognized Ella. It was amazing that after two years and seeing Ella totally out of context, she recognized her so quickly. And I think Ella was at least familiar with her because she didn’t freak out when she was picked up and made over in Luganda. L’s a pretty outgoing kid but not that outgoing.

The kids enjoyed frolicking about outside and then Harriet was able to show me a short cut home through Zaana, which takes me clear around the nasty Kampala traffic. Took us through Natete, where we saw the burned police station from the riot last week. Harriet told a harrowing tale of her and Jacob getting out of Kampala during the riots. It was pretty nasty and I’m so glad that they all made it out safe.

Harriet fed us twice in a period of only six hours so we came home full as ticks! I must say, I missed Ugandan food while I was gone. It’s just normal stuff like chicken, rice, beef or potatoes but cooked up super nice. It’s good to be back and was great to see our friends again.

Ever watchful

I've read of many different people's encounters living in Africa, or some other foreign country, and how there are always people (usually children) hanging around peaking through their walls watching them. Well, Ella has a bit of the same problem, especially when she's eating...

There is always someone watching!

Please note our "rustic" living conditions. TV in the background, remote on the table :) When the dogs start begging like this to watch movies, we'll know we're really in trouble!

"FEED ME!! PLEEEAASE!"

Fun with our neighbors

Yesterday our neighbors came over to play. My what a jolly bunch of little girls! Now that baby Hannah can walk, she likes to get in on the action too. From the following pictures you can see what a trial it is to be the youngest child in a family and compound of little girls ;)

Friends and neighbors - hang on to that baby!

The Four Friends :)

Some serious jumping action which...

...stops for Hannah :)

Madeline and Hannah getting a ride in the wagon

Hannah pulling the wagon herself

Hannah taking a ride on the horse swing

We all love little Hannah! I had brought several different sizes of little crocs back with us in hopes that they would fit H child #2. The biggest pair fit Hannah perfectly so we know that they won't fit H child #2 as thier feet are way bigger than hers. So, Hannah inherited a pair of her own crocs which she loved stomping around in. We also went through L's old clothes and pulled out all the long pants and long sleeves as they are going to Maine next month for a 4 month furlough. Funny thing is, 5 year old Madeline can wear a lot of them too! So Ella's hand-me-downs will be going to a 5 year old and 14 month old. How crazy is that?!!!

Little Red Wagon - on the roll again!

I was able to get the two needed nuts and bolts yesterday to finish fixing Ella's red wagon so it's on the roll again! The needed hardware cost me only 800 UGS, about $.40! She's been busy getting rides in it (she likes for me to push her from behind and steer) and when I'm pooped, giving rides to her babies.


This child is just TOO MUCH! She learned to make a "goat face" while we were on furlough, from her Aunt Becky and Susan, so now whenever she sees the camera she puts on this hilarious face. And I laugh, which egs her on more.

All aboard!!

Home from Big Sky Country and back to the Pearl of Africa

We hit the ground running two weeks ago when we returned home and I’m finally back to blogging. Hit the ground so hard that there just hasn’t been any time! There wasn’t the time or the internet connection to do much blogging in Montana, although there was a lot to blog about.

We made it home two weeks ago, September 1^st. We didn’t suffer too bad from jet lag and I was able to jump back into work on the 3^rd. The first week home I went with the neighbor to Kampala and got a dresser for Ella’s room, not only for her over abundance of clothes but for her future little brother or sisters as well. She enjoys having all her own clothes in her room and has been sleeping in there by herself ever since we got home. How nice to have brought home a big girl!

Our first Saturday home I spent the morning putting up L’s new trampoline. It’s a cute little thing and just perfect for our little compound and L’s little play area! This Saturday I spent the morning and well into the afternoon working on L’s little red wagon. My sister had brought it last year but didn’t bring all the parts. She sent the extra parts but I hadn’t the energy to figure out where they went on the wagon so it’s sat in my room for almost a year now. No more! I just need to get a couple more nuts and bolts at the hardware store and it’ll be finished. Yes, this child has an over abundance of cool toys and playthings but she enjoys every one of them and likes to share so what the heck?

(yes, this is Ella with Kayo!! He sort of grew...)

We also put up the new horse tire swing which works great for big kids and babies! Just more prep for L’s new little sis or bro...

We’ve also gone to the zoo, took the dogs to the Botanical Gardens with our friends, went swimming, been to a babies home in Kampala, and got the car fixed this last two weeks.

The car was real answer to prayer and looks awesome! The unbelievable thing is that it only cost about twenty five dollars (50,000 UGS) to fix!! Yeah for our mechanic in Entebbe! The boda is in now getting serviced. Can you believe that it started after four months of being idle? I hardly could!

After

I had a great start back to work (planning meetings are the 29^th and 30^th – only a couple weeks away!) – it’s great to be “back in the saddle again” even if I was a bit overwhelmed with all I had to do at first.

Ella is busy reconnecting with all her friends, social child that she is. Her and Janet are almost inseparable – when the two of them are together everyone else ceases to exist! It’s fun to see the differences in the neighbor babies since we left. Little Hannah is walking and James schooches along on his stomach.

Playing with Kathryn and James

Jumping with friend Aquila

Relaxing after a swim with friends

It’s great to be back with our dogs again. Kayo was a surprise in that he remembered us and about stayed glued to my leg for the first week. He’s mellowed up since he was small puppy although he is still a bit of an enthusiastic, chewing monster. Not as aggressive as I feared he’d be. He’s got some Lab in him and is the easiest going of all our dogs. The most untrained and obnoxious too! With a bit of training I have no doubt that he’ll be a really great dog like the others. We get a lot of enjoyment and companionship out of our dogs.

Then

Now!!

Our Amazing Threesome

Another huge surprise was Cody coming back only a few days after we did! Sarah had only seen him around once since we were gone. He’s been back ever since and lays around the house sleeping and generally just being a really good little cat. I’m not a cat person but I have a whole new appreciation for this cat. He’d be hard to replace.

We were due to go to Kampala to see Harriet this Saturday but due to the terrible riots in Kampala on Thursday and part of Friday, chose to stay home just to be safe. The reports of these riots is just so sad with the losses of life, property, beatings, looting and fires, not to mention the absolute terror of the innocent people caught in the middle of it. I’m glad that we don’t have a tv!

It is good to be home. I have a whole new appreciation for where I’m from in Montana and for the United States, and a whole new appreciation for Uganda as well. I truly have the best of two worlds, being from one of the greatest places on earth and having the opportunity to live in another! Ella and I can both be truly proud of whence we came : ) And I can’t think of a better cross than a little Ugandan/Montanan :)!

Ella being Ella - that great Ugandan/Montanan mix you know!