It is May already! Our baby is 7 months old. Caleb and Karis are looking and hoping for the end of school. Keep watching kiddos! We have volunteers on their way and the rains have come!
Everything is happening so fast right now that the days/weeks just slip by. Rainy season seems to have made its appearance. The road in front of our house fills with water when the rains begin and stays that way until long after the rains are gone. We lovingly refer to it as the little lagoon! Mike calls it our "pool", but I don't like to even joke about that. Let's just say that safe sewage disposal is not always a reality in Africa.
We have some new groups started and we are just waiting and watching to see how those will go. We really see the parable of the seeds that were sewn in the different soils as we start these groups. We are praying for fertile ground.
For those that have been wondering, I finished my language requirements last month. I'm not going to say I am done learning, as I want to continue.
Benjamin is seven months old now. He is getting to be more fun as we see his big personality emerge. I am worried that we may be in for a rough ride. He's got too many big people in his life that love the stuffin's out of him. I am afraid he might be a little rotten already. He's learned well how to voice his opinion on who he wants to be with. He can stretch out little baby hands in acceptance or turn his face away and hide. He's crawling, but not satisfied with that. He thinks he should be able to run and play with big brother and sister. He's pulling up on things already wishing and hoping to head off and play. He loves to eat and NOBODY gets to put something in their mouth without finding something he can eat to. He's got me on a no wheat, no dairy, no eggs, no nuts diet trying to find the source of his fussiness. That has definitely gotten better the last couple of weeks, so maybe it's working. I think I am fussy now, so how do we get this to work out right.
Caleb tried to knock a new whole in his head this last month. He was climbing, imagine that, and fell and hit his head on a concrete stepping stone. I was in the house right beside where he fell and ran out right away as the fall sounded bad. I arrive a few seconds after the event to find so much blood I can't even imagine where the source is. A few towels later and a hectic taxi ride to the clinic just to find that he knocked a little, yet deep, gash that didn't even require a stitch. I think they probably would have given him one in the states just to make mom feel less stupid. I have to say that when I saw all of the blood that fast, I tried to think how much would it take before he'd lose conscientiousness and was afraid to try to find the source as I didn't want to see by child's brain leaking out!!! Please stop laughing at me, this was traumatic!
Karis is just up to her usual antics. Fortunately enough, she doesn't do too many things that could cause her brains to leak out! She'll be finishing up ballet in the next few weeks or so and having her annual recital. She's fussing right now about how "hard" ballet is, but after her evening in the lime light I expect she'll be all aglow like last year!
We are looking forward to a big month of May. We have volunteers from our great home church on the way in less than two weeks. That will keep us very busy for a while. Then of course there is our regular work and Caleb's birthday at the end of the month.
I hope this finds you all well. May God bless your work wherever you are reading from. Think about a trip to Abidjan, it's a great place to be.
With love,
Heather
How's that for tough?!!!
