Finally some pictures

This was from the ride taking my parents back to Bamako. Everyone was pooped.

While in Bamako, we went to the "zoo" with friends. I must admit it was nicer than I expected. The whole place stunk of urine. I noticed a large wet spot right outside the lion's cage. I was thinking it was from the rain but then realized it was from the pipe coming from the lion's cage. Yup, they just let the pee run out so you can walk through it. I guess that's all part of the experience. Here is the gorilla. He would do tricks only if you gave him an orange drink. Something tells me this wouldn't fly in an american zoo.

The boys enjoying a snack as we watched the lion and gorilla.

And as promised, here are pictures from our trip a few weeks ago to the pig farm to celebrate (a second time) Silas' birthday.

Dawson and Daddy on their hike.

The birthday cake with the #1 candle. I forgot matches. oops. But they enjoyed it anyway.

I had to help both boys with their cake and ice cream.

I just love eating pictures, don't know why.

Yummy chocolate ice cream

Building a dam.

Brotherly love...but not too lovey- this is as close as they got. Don't worry, there were no kisses exchanged.

Swimming in the water thanks to the dam they made.

It looks a lot deeper than it was.

Dawson laying in the waterfall.

We must enjoy the simple pleasures in life. The boys thought building the dam and swimming in dirty brown water was about as good as it could get.

Some pics of Mommy and Silas

And Daddy and Silas. :)

Daddy did this.

And then the proof that there really is grass on our roof.

Dawson looks like he's taking the ball in for a touchdown.

The plague

Brett and have been so tired this weekend. He took a 2 ½ hr nap yesterday, we went to bed before 9 and then I took over an hour nap today and Brett slept for 30 minutes or so. We’ve been taking turns sleeping in to the late hour of 7 or going back for a nap for the one who has gotten up early. I told him today as I couldn’t bring myself to get up, that I felt like we had the plague to which he replied, “we have had the plague at the hospital.” We are in full swing of malaria season and it is truly like a plague- killing one kid after another. We had to add beds to each pediatric room because we had so many patients and even still we are overflowing and trying to send kids home everyday so we have space. The best peds nurse was on vacation the first two weeks of September which added insult to injury. He was supposed to be gone all month but Brett called him in his village and asked him to come back early since we were dying. And thankfully, he came. I think that’s the difference between America and Mali. Americans would not want to give up their vacation and would be angered to be bothered while on it. But the Malians take so much pride in the work they do and feeling needed that I really think he was totally ok with it and in a way felt honored that his work was so crucial that we begged him to come back early from vacation. This was the first week, at least by the end of it, which we felt like our heads were above water. Add to this, three kids at home, and it makes you tired. We have two more days off for the end of Ramadan and Malian Independence Day so hopefully we can rest more, even though we will be working those days. We shall see.

If you want to read a great blog on the subject of malaria and what it has been like lately, you should read Jake Tillet’s blog. Jtsoverseas.blogspot.com It’s great. Jake is a nurse who worked in the ICU before coming here. He has been a life saver. Not only is he willing to do whatever anyone asks of him, but he has agreed to take on a huge role in peds since Stephany didn’t show up and left us without a second pediatrician. He is great. He’s wanted to be overseas since he was young and it is obvious. He has a heart for missions and the lost. He engages everyone and is devoted to intentionally knowing all the staff. He makes visits to homes on the weekends. It’s great. I wish our lives permitted that at this point. He is a real missionary, the real deal. Not just living here to help the sick, but to know the people and share in their lives. I think of I Thes 2:8 when I think of him. "We love you so much that we delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well." Anyway, we are so stinkin’ thankful that Jake is here. He is carrying the peds burden with us, taking call so Brett doesn’t have to be on every night. Anyway, please take a look at his blog. He has a great post (any many others- he seems to have a way with words and capturing the humor in our daily situations here).

In the meantime...

I plan to post pictures of our time at the "pig farm" a couple weekends ago but that will take some time so in the meantime, here's what we've been up to...

Dawson has been wanting to take walks lately which means I end up pushing all of them in the stroller. Three kids in a stroller meant for one. What's funny to me is all the looks we get. Not that we have three kids in a one person stroller, that's normal to overload anything and everything with people, but that we are just pushing a stroller at all and white kids are in it. Let me tell you pushing 90 plus pounds on horrible roads with flat tires (didn't realize they were so flat until we were out) is not easy. Though it is surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly) easier than pushing ONE kid in the stroller and having to watch the other two walking on the roads. Dawson was always 20 feet ahead and Kenan 20 feet behind. Thanks to some kind Malians we safely made it to our destination.

But don't worry friends, I always have my heroes to take care of me and fight off danger. And maybe they'll help themselves when they fall off the table since their mom is taking their picture like that instead of telling them to get down. :)

Somehow this got stuck on Kenan's eye. Looks funny.

And this is what happens when you leave your newly one year old with his 2 and 4 year old brothers for a minute. I was relieaved to realize it was just marker and not blood.

And one quote that I hope doesn't offend people. A long time ago, Dawson had gone potty and his underwear had a little poopy in it and I told him that they didn't smell good, we needed to change them. Well, ever since then, he always asks (every single time) after he goes to the bathroom for us to smell his underwear. What a lovely job, as if wiping his bottom isn't enough. Well, yesterday Brett had the joy of doing that job and was asked the normal question if the underwear smells to which he replied "no." Dawson says, "When I ask mommy if my underwear smells, sometimes she says yes and sometimes she says no, but you always say no, daddy. why is that?" Because he's a guy, Dawson, that's why. :)

Some pictures

I uploaded some pictures on facebook. It took forever so I'm not even going to attempt to upload them here.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=101120&id=821999346&l=7e3962a573

To finish talking about their trip. It was great to have them here. It's nice for them to be around even if we do nothing. But we did get a lot done. They worked and sorted at the hospital. They played with the boys. They taught them how to swim more (or properly). They painted my kitchen. They helped me decide to close in our back porch. This allows me to move our washer there so there is more room in the bathroom. We had lots of fun. My parents are awesome. I can drop the kids on them at any moment and ask them to do anything and they will do it. They are true servants. It's such a blessing. I love having them around. I think it's good for them to come as well. Each time they get more of a glimpse of our life here thus they understand us more, which is really nice. We are sad they are gone and look forward to seeing them soon. April isn't too far away! (We go home on furlough April through July 14th). Thankfully, we get a little more family love in December when my sister and her family come to visit. 5 kids in one house all under 4- should be fun. :)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=101120&id=821999346&l=7e3962a573http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=101120&id=821999346&l=7e3962a573man

Heather Blanchard, Amy Evans and 2 others are mutual friends.

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You know you are in Africa when...

Kids play with rusty nails at church as if that is an acceptable toy. And while we're on church and knowing you're in Africa, the kids pee, poop, and throw up any and every where right outside the church.

The service is strangely NOT interrupted when a guinea fowl (like a mix between a chicken and turkey) comes in the church and starts screeching. One just quickly gets up and pushes it outside like nothing is abnormal.

The highlight of your week is hitting the boulangerie at the right time so you get your bread hot. It is SO good. I was talking to a friend the other day, it's like getting to Krispy Kreme right when the donuts are hot. It's great.

There are so many bugs in your rice that despite rincing it five times, they are still floating around as you cook it.

You have grass growing on the roof of your house but not in your yard.

Yes, I am alive

Between visitors, poor internet, sick kids, and craziness at the hospital (thus no Brett at home), blogging has not been on the list of to do's. But here's some thoughts I've been thinking about the last few weeks. Soon I hope to post pics from the rest of my parent's visit.

I’ve been thinking a lot about rest lately. I guess because I desire to have a lot of it but don’t often get it. It’s not like I go to bed late, it’s just the mornings come early. And every time I try to get up before the boys to make sure I have time with the Lord, they get up earlier. So I get up earlier. Then they get up earlier. So now I’m getting up at 5:30am (or trying to get up) to have time before they are up. But it is hard because I want my sleep. I was reading in this book, “Sacred Marriage” about how when you are single, you can spend hours in prayer and reading. That is your worship to the Lord. That can be when He shapes and molds you. But when you are married with kids, often what shapes your character and walk is the getting up in the middle of the night to help the crying child. It says that “marriage [esp with kids] calls us to an entirely new and selfless life.” I’ve been reflecting on that and how I should see the day in and day out small jobs of taking care of the kids as my worship to the Lord. As Colossians says, whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as if you are serving the Lord not men. I need that kind of focus. So one morning as I was up at the crack of dawn, I was praying and somewhat sarcastically saying, “man does not live on sleep alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” But the next day I realized there was nothing sarcastic in this statement at all. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

I love the image of coming to Him and finding rest, rest for my soul. Maybe not the physical rest I’m seeking, but He will give better and more sustaining rest, rest for my soul. I really must decide that His rest is more important than physical rest. I must trust him that even if I’m up in the middle of the night with the boys or if they wake ridiculously early in the morning, if I come to Him, He will give me rest.

Also read today in my Bible a quote from Barbara Johnson:

If we can keep our minds open to the blessings, humor and education in whatever happens to us-if we can set that little invisible radar dish on the top of our heads to constantly search for blessings instead of disasters- our lives will be enriched by the experiences we endure and we can grow from the calamities that fertilze our lives.

I like this quote. It’s really about my attitude. Am I going to choose to be thankful for the day the Lord has given me, regardless of the circumstances, or am I going to choose to complain about the inconveniences?

Since I’m speaking of quotes, I must mention one I read from the Prayer of Hannah blog on being a mom of 4 3 and under.

But I think so many times in life we miss out on the wonderful blessings that God has for us because we allow the god of comfort to slip his way into our lives. Is our life "comfortable" right now at this exact moment. Yes and no. It's extremely comfortable because we have a roof over our heads, food on the table, etc. But, no, it's not comfortable and full of ease the way a mom who has her kids a little more spaced out is right now. But, that wasn't God's plan for our lives. And like I said, his timing is amazing…I love being a mommy to my children because it teaches me to be selfless in ways that I could never have been otherwise. I am a naturally very independent person, and I am much more likely to give you the advice of pick yourself up and get on with it than I am to give you sympathy, so God uses the current ages of my children to remind me to have a heart of service…Oh, how I love my kids. I can't believe how precious they are, how they've taught me so many things, and turned my life into utter blissful chaos. I love it. Yes, others might call us crazy, but we love it - and it's just what God had for our family. There are moments of being overwhelmed, but in general I just remember - "this too shall pass" (thank you Suzi Brummett for those words of wisdom about having twins). The stressors of the moment pale in comparison to the riches of the day. What a joy and a blessing being a mom is.

My parents are here

My parents are here right now and it has been great. Unfortunately, they leave on Saturday. But it's been a great two and a half weeks and we have done many things. But since my mom is sitting on the couch in the dark, since we are currently without power, I should leave you all with the pictures and will write more later when we are without family. :)

We went to what people call the pig farm, but we've decided to rename it Beledougou, which is carved in a tree there. It means rock village. Good description of the place.

A boy taking a nap on a rock that is at least 25 feet in the air.

can't believe this is in Mali

the boys insisted on bringing their capes and swords mom brought them.

hiking with grandma and papa

family picture time...

sorry for the lack of descriptions....but my mom is sitting on the floor playing "farkle" (or greedy) by herself....still in the dark. Gotta go. :)