Graduation and End of the School Year Festivities

I'm trying to start blogging again but am already behind! But better late than never, right? It seems like lately our rather mundane lives have had a flurry of activities - many of which I've been able to catch on camera.

December the 6th the kids celebrated the completion of their first year of school. The Uganda school year makes FAR more sense than the U.S one and runs on the calendar year, starting in February and ending in December of the same year. So much simpler!

Once an American always an American so I arrived at the celebrations a half hour late, only to be the first one there for about an hour! Ha ha! Typical! The kids danced, did skits, danced some more, danced more, and did I mention that they danced? At first I thought it was really cute but after several hours of little kids dancing I think I could die happy without ever seeing a little kid dance again :). Which is pretty bad since my youngest is just going to be starting P1 soon, so I have many more years of these kinds of celebrations to look forward too. Ha! What a party pooper I am ;)

Ella passed P2 (Second Grade) and Frankie was honored with a kindergarten graduation with the rest of his class. I've always scorned Kindergarten graduations but after attending my first one I have to admit, clueless kindergarteners in caps and gowns are rather cute!

So here, in pictures, is a a quick snapshot of the big graduation day and party. I'm not sure if you can tell from the pictures but Ella is quite the dancer while Frankie... not so much ;) He honestly dances like ME, poor boy!!

 Those are banana leaves all the little dancing kids are sporting :) 

 Ella as King Herrod - she was great using her big deep Herrod voice! 

I told you there was a lot of dancing involved! And these are only a few of the pictures! A fun time was had by all though and Frankie could NOT stop singing for several days afterwards. In fact, he sang himself to sleep the next two nights :). I'm not sure if it's his age or school or maybe a combination of both but Frank is a VERY different boy than he used to be. He is a genuinely HAPPY chap who can laugh at himself and come up with some good come backs, rather than just gettng cranky and pissed. He was very concerning as a toddler with his PTS and anger and mood issues, but he's worked hard and God has truly changed him.

Academically they both did pretty good. I'm a bit taken back with Ugandan kindergarten curriculum however, especially after continually hearing about how crappy and second rate Ug education is compared to "the West". Do most American kindergarteners come out of kindergarten knowing FRACTIONS and writing short sentences? I don't think so! Well, Ugandan kindergarteners do! Uganda actually has a pretty good standard curriculum and I appreciate the fact that my kids are learning in a context which they are familiar with. When I had Ella in an American curriculum she couldn't relate to a lot of it, like libraries, garbage men, etc. I've also noticed, through the American and Ugandan curriculum, how much cultural and social norms are taught in school to young children, so it is good that they are learning the cultural and social norms of their home country, in addition to what I teach them about American norms. All in all, I've been very happy with their school year experience!

So congratulations Frankie and Ella for completing your first year of traditional school. Your mother is so proud of you both and the fun and kind people you are becoming!

Spay (and neuter) Day!!

 A little over a week ago we had a spay and neuter party, to which we invited Hazel and Kovu :) We have a VERY long suffering Pack Doctor who not only does the procedures at our house, but lets the kids "help" him. Yeah, I don't even let the kids help me COOK, let alone perform intricate operations on pets!

So here you have it, Ella and Frankie "helping" the Pack Doctor spay and neuter Hazel and Kovu.

 Many hands make... harder work, in this case! 

 An interested spectator... Keenai's always been interested in medicine! 

 Ella was the proud "dabber"

 Hazel's uterus and ovaries 

 The little doctor likes to play with her beloved dogs uterus and ovaries... 

 No puppies for you, Hazel! You won't find US adding to the dog population in Uganda!

 Frankie squirting some antibiotics into Hazels tummy 

 Ella furiously dabbing

 Lots and LOTS of enthusiastic dabbing

 Ella squirting something into Hazel's tummy 

 Finished! 

 Kovu's turn

 Time to say goodbye to those monstrous things! 

 Frankie's statement - "Glad that's not me." 

 Frankie helping hold one of the balls for Dr David 

 Ella could hardly contain herself - she wanted a turn to hold one SO BADLY! It's just a good thing that Kovu had two. 

 Guess what?! ;) 

 Ella could not have been more into it! We are so lucky to have a patient, kid friendly Pack Doctor!

Finishing up 

Over a week later, both dogs are recovering well. It's pretty amazing at how fast they bounce back! 

Spay and neuter your pets, people! Teach your kids how to be responsible pet owners and don't add to the dog and cat populations which end up on the streets or fill shelters. Sermon over :) 

My Endearing Children

We’re not very mushy around here and we don’t believe in flattery. Yes, we have been known to butter each other up in hopes of a favor but usually our compliments are well earned and genuine. Which means I get very few! But I must have done well in the last few days because these are a few of the touching compliments I have received.

First of all was Friday when Ella told me, “You’re a good mom. You don’t drive crazy and you’re not a drunk.” Um…. Okay!! Glad she appreciates my careful driving and non drunkenness!

Then the little darling left me this message – on the toilet (?). 

What's written is, "I love my mother I kown you love my butya." Um, what?? Although I was deeply touched by this note of affection I did have to question her on what “butya” meant and how she knew I loved it.  She explained that she was NOT referring to anyones butt – it was more like, “I know you love me, so yah….” Aw right, the Montana English…. ;) The interpretation is, “I love my mother. I know you love me, but ya.” 

And then little  Frankie was telling me about a kid at their school. I asked him, “Is he a big kid?” and Frankie responded, “He’s as big as you only not as fat. He’s in P3.” Aw, nice! Not only are third graders as tall as I am but I’m fat!!! Haaa! Love it! If nothing else, my kids are honest!  

Snuggling with Ed

One cool thing that has happened as they’re getting older is that they are more interested in the “unadulterated” versions of Bible stories.  As in children’s bibles and  Veggie Tales goodbye, we want the real deal with all the blood and gore and personal information! They watched Dave and the Giant Pickle and it perked their interest when I told them that actually David chopped off Goliaths head afterwards. They liked the idea of that so we read the story from my Bible. They failed to mention in Veggie Tales Dave and the Giant Pickle that Goliath (The Giant Pickle) was uncircumcised and after David chopped off his head, he carried it (his head) around with him and gave it to Saul! Well now they know ;)

So now L is flipping through my Bible reading all her favorite Bible stories . I’m still so amazed that she can read!!! 

Blogs going to the dogs!

Since I am overloading facebook already with pictures of my dogs, I thought I might just head on over here and overload my blog too :) This Granny dog that we got a week and a half ago is just TOO SWEET, especially with puppy Dot. She is a true Granny - she is kind and gentle with the puppy but doesn't take any crap from silly Rusty and doesn't mind whooping on Ed if she has too. Love her!

And I have to post some pics of Rusty. He is the one of the silliest dogs we've ever had! He is a clown and always getting into trouble. Well actually he's always doing naughty things- not exactly getting into trouble because he looks up at you with those big eyes and ridiculously big ears and it's hard to do much more than laugh at him! Last night I was sitting at the table eating popcorn and he walked over, climbed up on a kitchen chair, stood on it and just LOOKED at me. I offered him a piece of popcorn and he didn't want it, just continued to LOOK at me while standing perched on top of the chair. Go figure!

Granny kind of got mixed up about the pillow - your HEAD is supposed to go on the pillow, Granny - not your bottom! 

Puppy Dot, fast asleep on her nice warm, soft mattress

Everyone who gets a puppy from the shelter should get a granny dog with it too, so that puppy has someone to sleep on! 

 L gussied Granny up with a nice manicure and pedicure. LOVE THIS DOG. Although old she is not snappy or cranky at ALL. She is a happy soul, even when getting her toenails painted by a serious eight year old!

The finished product. You look beautiful, Granny!

 Dot and Bonnie - nice face Bonnie! 

Dot watching a movie with the kids

 This is an unusual picture of puppy Dot as she is being calm and not biting. She is a crazy little monster pup and SO full of energy! Love her!

Wearing a pink leash and wearing a pair of underpants - couldn't of happened to a nicer dog, Rusty! And just look at how proud Frankie is of himself. That's my boy! 

 Always wondered what that little hole in boys underpants was for. Now I know! It's for a tail :)  

 Some more Granny/Dot sweetness. Love Bonnie in the background :) 

Going somewhere I should know about, Rusty? Since we picked up the mattress he had to settle on using the suitcase for a bed. Funny dog!

 Asleep in his suitcase... wouldn't be hard to take Rusty to the States! Just zip that sucker up and we're on our way! 

 Puppy Dot hogging the pillow. What would she do without her Granny? 

I promised Granny that she would never have to go another night without a pillow or a roof over her head again. Unless Dot steals her pillow that is!

So now our Pack is up to six girls (Malaika, Bonnie, Bessie, Hazel, Granny and Dot) and three boys (Bridger, Rusty and Eddie) of our own, plus my friend Robin's two dogs, Kovu and Keenai. Six of our dogs came for the USPCA shelter in Kampala (Rusty, Bonnie, Bessie, Eddie, Granny and Dot) and three of those have ridges (Rusty, Eddie and Dot) :) Malaika was found at my office and Hazel at a convent. I bought Bridger from a boda driver for about $20 eight years ago :) So blessed to be able to have this lovely Pack! They put up with a lot :)