House "Grandmom"

Well today was the day.  Accompanied by just a small dose of fear and trepidation, I checked out of the hotel and headed for Chayah.  I bought a few supplies, like cookies, a soccer ball and bubble bath;  those will be my tools for surviving the next 48 hours.  I decided my best plan of attack would be as a grandparent rather than all the serious responsibility of a mom.   I am much more practiced at that these days.   I may never be asked to babysit again, but Janet left with a big smile on her face and her bible in her backpack. I tucked some chocolate in her hand before she left for good measure.  It looked like she was totally prepared for her time away.

I have her cell phone number, instructions for the medications, and the number for a boda boda driver who is trustworthy.   Since I can't imagine a motorcycle taking all 20 of us somewhere, it must be in case I need to escape.  

She told me where the money was for food and where to walk to purchase it...can't you just picture me walking down a path to buy greens and matoke?  It will be a stretch and if I could have found a Costco on the way here, I would have stocked up. This ground is so foreign they don't even attempt to cater to foreigners.  No good way to store food and no preservatives to keep what you buy means daily walks to the market place for fresh everything.  

I wish I could tell you a good amount of challenge and adventure; it would be far more interesting.  The truth is, these children are amazingly well behaved, they know their routine and we haven't had an incident.  We played cards before lunch, "Go Fish" "War" and "Uno".   Rice and cow peas (my favorite) were served and I think it might have been a bribe to forget her cell number for the next two days.  

After lunch, the boys headed out front to play "football" while nearly everyone else found a place and fell asleep.  Judith & Melisa learned to make a headband dress out of tulle and have been wearing it around their heads like a huge head of hair ever since.  Edrine experimented with the keyboard until he figured out how to play Happy Birthday.  I might have listened to about 1,000 ways not to play it before he found the notes, but he's ready when the next celebration takes place.

 I pulled out the cookies about 4:30 and praise time started about 5:30 on the front porch.  After about an hour of singing the young ones headed in for baths.  When I invited them into the bathroom for a bubble bath, they had no idea what I was talking about.  It took about 1/2 a bottle of the solution to create a thin layer of froth, and my intentions to bathe 3 at a time and change the water between went by the wayside when they saw the bubbles.  First one, then two then three at a time were all smiles in the cool water.  As soon as one got out, the next one was getting in.  I'm not at all sure the last few got squeaky clean,  and I'm not sure how to put a positive spin on the color of the water as it drained, but what fun!

I found Kwagala walking around outside in her night gown about 15 minutes later with puffs of bath bubbles she had scooped from the tub on the tops of her feet and laughing hysterically.

The energy in the house goes way up after a nap, singing and baths, so there is a symphony of screeching, laughing, bossy voices and games of all sorts.  I have no idea what is going on, but everyone is happy and seem completely content and unaware that their Mama is away.  

Bible study will begin in a few minutes followed by prayer time, then dinner was served the older girls cleaned up even sweeping and mopping the floor and off to bed they went.  Regina was pretty feverish this evening even with the Panadol.  Big Sharon is sleeping in that room tonight just incase.  In an emergency I would be torn between a boda boda in the dark and attempting to drive the diesel van.  I think it has a whole menu of things it needs to do before the engine starts, so I'm praying we get to hang tight.  

I walked into each room tonight and saw sleeping peaceful faces under mosquito nets either fast asleep or with pretty dreamy eyes.  Some were reading their bibles, others giggling.  To bless them doesn't seem like enough.  All children are precious when they are sleeping...but these...tucked in, tummies full, safe and loved, no fears in the middle of the night, no concerns about tomorrow.  God is pretty good here on the other side of the globe and I'm just so grateful for it all.  'night.