Sad day

I don't remember the days of the week, let alone the date here in Mali. But this morning, I walked outside with Silas and felt the cooler air. It's finally cooling down here (still 90s or higher in the day, but the night is cooler). The cool air hit me with the sudden reality that today was November 7th. Today marks one year without John, my uncle. It's a sad day. We all still miss him. I still have his picture in my Bible, not quite ready to put it in a place where I don't see it as often. Still unfathomable that he is gone. No more of his laugh, his competitive spirit, his genuine love and excitement about everything, his servant's heart and his love for His Father.

I am thankful today to have known John, to be a part of his family. I am thankful for all the fun times we had with him and for all the times he made us laugh. I am thankful to have watched him always be willing to serve others. I am thankful for the many prayers I heard him pray. I am thankful to have seen a beautiful marriage- where the two were inseparable. They had a wonderful friendship and always enjoyed each other. Even though I think his time here on earth was cut too short, I am thankful for the time we did have with him. I am thankful the Lord is in control, that He knows all things and that His plans are good, even though we don't always understand them. Praying for my aunt and cousins today that they would know His peace that passes all understanding.

Two weeks in Bamako

Brett had to do a 2 week course on pediatric HIV so that we could (one day) become a site for treating kids. The process to become a site is long. Hopefully it will happen in this next year. We had a great time there. We've found more things in Bamako to do so it was actually quite fun for the boys. I taught Dawson kindergarten. I enjoyed it, getting to see what he learns and actually watching him learn new things, but I was clearly aware that teaching is not my gift. Thankful for Brian and Julie who are here now teaching him. Such a blessing.

There is a new park in Bamako. It's awesome. You step in and you think you are in America. We sadly didn't bring our camera that day. I find lately that I don't take many pictures. Keeping up with three kids is enough. Can't also keep up with a camera. We got to eat ice cream and went to a restaurant that has hamburgers. I mean American hamburgers. It was so good. Even Kenan, who isn't a meat eater, ate a full hamburger. It was supposed to be shared between me and him. I got like 4 bites. It was great.

We also went to our nanny's sister's wedding. Anne works at the hospital, or did. She was the best nursing assistant we had (at least in our opinion). She is now living in Timbouctou. The wedding was fun. It was also the first time the boys ate Malian style. You share a common bowl and eat with your hands. Since it was 2 in the afternoon, the boys were quite hungry and ate very well. Except that Kenan kept walking around the bowl and eating in everyone's portion. (you are supposed to eat just the section in front of you). Here are the boys before the wedding in the wedding cloth for all the people from Koutiala.

We are thankful for the break we had there in Bamako but thankful to be home!

Three boys in a tub

Why the boys all want to sit in a tupperware container when the pool is right behind them, I don't know, but they enjoyed it nonetheless. Thanks to our friend Kristen who had her camera on hand to catch the photo.

They have enjoyed the pool. I often now am there alone with the three of them, which is doable, but not preferable. There are always moments like Wednesday... Silas was outside the pool playing, Kenan on the steps where he could easily stand, so Dawson and I started racing the width of the pool. We only went across once and then started talking when I heard Kenan saying, "Mommy, Mommy, Silas!"I turned around and Silas had somehow gotten into the pool without making a sound and was drowning. So thankful for Kenan letting me know. He now recounts the story of how he saved his brother because, as he says, he waved his hands in the air and said "warning, warning!" Maybe not how it happened, but thankful that he said something so I turned around and saw Silas. So now Dawson has alerted me to Kenan drowning (we saw him quickly) and Kenan has alerted me to Silas underwater. Thankful for God's protection. I'm ready for all these boys to learn to swim! :)

Kenan's first day of school

Monday was Kenan's first day of school at the French speaking Christian school in town, L'ecole Samuel. To say he was excited was an understatement. He was jumping into the car, "I'm so happy, happy, happy!!!"

Dawson came up with this pose, that they should touch each other. :)

Here Kenan is greeting one of the teachers, actually the assistant in Dawson's class. Kenan's assistant teacher is the guy sitting behind them, named Noel.

So a recap of the week:

Day 1: Great! Boys loved it. They came out chatting away. They loved getting juice and had fun. They even matched their clothes that day- all the way down to their shoes so, as Dawson said, no one would know who was who. :)

Day 2: Dawson was at the American school. Kenan went alone. He began crying before we left the house. Cried all the way to school and screamed as I tried to leave him. I mean, the about to throw up I'm crying so hard screams. He cried for probably 30 minutes or so and then finally calmed down. I stayed until he was calm, just away from his class so he thought I had already left. He was happy by the end of the day.

Day 3: Didn't want to go again. Cried some but was ok since Dawson was with him.

Day 4: Cried again starting with the car ride there. Cried for several minutes once I left. However-- PTL-- when he was done with school, he was happy and excited. He said, "Mommy you were right. I was wrong. School IS good!" yeah! So glad to hear it. The teachers say that he is already playing with others and speaking a lot. He is definitely more extroverted than Dawson so I think he will have a great time there. I'm glad he gets to go some with Dawson and some on his own so he gets to be his own person.

Day 5: Didn't even cry about going. They both went and did fine. Even though it rained.

I asked Kenan tonight if he liked school and he said yes. I asked if he would go on Monday and he said ok. :) So hopefully we are done with the crying and he will just go happily. Only time will tell. But overall, I am pleased. I always struggle when they have a hard time because I feel bad and wonder if I shouldn't push them to go to school. We feel like it is the best thing for them, though, so that they can integrate into the culture and know the language. It's so great when they start to have fun and enjoy it.

Teriya Bugu

Brett's been working like crazy lately at the hospital so we decided to get away for a night. We went to our favorite place in Mali (aside from our home) to Teriya Bugu.

Boys eating their dinner on the playground (one of three in Mali that I know of- one of those just opened I'm told, haven't seen it yet). So we enjoy the playground there.

Silas enjoyed his dinner as well, at least playing with it.

One of the reasons we love this place. Beautiful sunsets on the water.

To get the kids to smile, Brett said, everyone say "I love Mommy!" So they all started shouting that over and over again, but Kenan on his own started saying "I love Mommy!, I love Daddy! I love Dawson! I love Silas! Then he spread his arms big and said... "I LOVE EVERYONE!" :)

So this was there retake of that moment.

Feeding their favorite animal (I don't even know what it is really). They named it Fast Eater.

Playing in the closet.

Swimming with a frog. Of course the good big brother puts it on his brother's head.

Brett enjoyed the frog as well.

We only stayed about 24 hrs but it was great. A nice break from the hospital! Looking forward to going back at New Years.

Kids' thoughts

Some more kids' thoughts.

Someone gave us butter microwave popcorn. The boys have LOVED it. We usually just pop it on the stove. No butter.

Dawson said, "this is the best popcorn in the world."

Kenan said. "I love to eat the bag." so he can lick off all the butter on the side.

I really like that we gave our boys names that relate to family and a place. I kind of thought it would be silly since they are boys and they wouldn't care but they really seem to love knowing about a place with their name. They loved going around to visit their namesakes while in the US. One day we got talking about their names and where they come from. Dawson asked if he was born in France and I told him no that it was Kenan who was born there. Then he looked at a picture on the wall with him and Brett sitting on a blue tarp. It's from France. He can still say that that is the place where we put food in a basket and dropped it down from our apartment (on the third floor) and then would eat a picnic outside. It amazes me that he remembers that. He turned two while we were there and left when he was only 2 years and three months. I asked him how he could remember all that.

He said " My brain turned and so I can remember it. My brain sucked it up...not the place, but the memories...my brain is as big as my whole body!....(then pointing to his thigh) this is where all the remembers are, right there all the way down to my foot are my remembers."

I have boys

There are some days when I am more aware that I live in a house full of boys. Here are some recent reminders for me...

They swam with a frog for an hour and loved it. They love all bugs and reptiles.

They love the dirt and love being dirty.

The bathroom always smells like pee. Having only a sister growing up we never experienced this. I think they must just hit the room and as long as it lands somewhere in that room it's fine.

It's like pulling teeth to get them to sit at the table and eat lunch with me and tell me about their day. I've been asking Dawson what he does at school and from the first day his response was, "I don't remember." I asked Kenan if he would tell me about his school when he goes and he said, "I won't "ba-member." Choosing in advance to not remember things to tell your mom. Thanks.

I thought little boys learned how to be silly and crude from their friends. I'm learning this is not the case. It's from their fathers. Since having boys there is a side to Brett that now shows which I never saw before. Like laughing when one of the boys runs off having just pulled his underwear down instead of telling him to pull his pants up. Or telling the Dawson to put the frog in Kenan's bathing suit- or worse- mine. There is some synergy of craziness that comes from boys being with their fathers. I must say it is somewhat cute to watch- as long as it doesn't get much worse. :)