Happy Birthday Noah!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOAH!

Yesterday was Noah’s birthday. He is 7 and he’s the first Hillman to ever celebrate his birthday in Africa. We went to a small game sanctuary, ate lunch at McMoody’s (where he drank his favorite Pepsi and got a decent burger and fries). He picked out a Maasai walking stick for his African birthday present. We also ran out of gas today on the way back to Arusha. We sat by the side of the road while Mark jogged up to get more gas and by the time he returned at least 10 people were just standing around staring at us…it happens a lot (the staring, not the out of gas) but it is disconcerting.

President Kikwete drove down Main Street while we were at lunch today, too—another fun birthday event. Here the Secret Service is not so secret (machine guns in full view) so we didn’t dare risk a picture.

Noah got a Star Wars lego set (actually 2, as he had an early birthday celebration with a new friend who shares his birthday) and after ice cream and skittles he proclaimed this “the best birthday ever”! How’s that for positive mental attitude? Those of you who know Noah will know that he is PASSIONATE about everything!

Do you have a best friend?

I do…and here she is…this is Karen, patron saint of processed foods. Karen is the most efficiently amazing person I know. Nothing seems to get to her and she is so talented and well-read in so many areas. She and I served on the PHF board for almost 6 years and home schooled our kids together for 18 months, which I could never have done without her support and help. I knew she was a dear friend for a long time but today a care package arrived via a PHF member and now I know what true friendship really is. Here’s what we got….

Koolaid

Lipton instant noodles and cup-o-soup

Instant mashed potatoes

Hidden Valley Ranch dressing

Sloppy joe mix

Taco seasoning

TONS of instant gravy

Fruit snacks

Pretzels

Instant spaghetti sauce

Zip-lock bags (amazingly expensive here)

Little toys for the kids

Curse of the Were-Rabbit

People magazine’s 20 years the sexiest men alive

In short, tons of that preprocessed celebrity gossip crap that apparently America is known for—and which I absolutely adore! Yes, it’s true that we eat too much processed foods, but dang—is it hard to rustle up a meal without them!

Do you have a best friend? One that you can really count on—or maybe you have really had to lean on that someone when you were in a rough place? I hope you realize how truly special that relationship is. When you can lean on someone and count on them to know exactly what you need, even when you are halfway around the world…that’s a friend.

Don’t wait to do tell your friend how you feel. Do something great for them just because you know how precious that person is.

P.S. I know that she is great because while I was writing this she sent me an email about "friendships of convenience" (of which we've all had so many) and friendships that last across time and distance and circumstance. I've been blessed to have two of those people in my life (yes, Lisa, that's you--my friend since 4th grade!) and so I'm feeling very lucky today, albeit very far away!

We are in Arusha

And I do have pics of the house and other stuff. But we don't have internet service yet and we may not until we get back from language camp. If I can't post pics there, you'll just have to tune in after March 12th.

We are sleeping on mats on the floor, we have one chair, a fridge, no stove, some lights that work, a washing machine (but no clothes pins). We have ordered beds, a dining room table, a coffee table, and some chairs. It's not like camping at all--camping only lasts a few days--and my great bro and sis in law have a sweet camper.

Talk to you later!

Things we miss (today).

*Spaghetti from home or from the Olive Garden
*Gretel our dog
*Cool ranch Doritos and goldfish crackers and pretzels
*Air conditioning
*A huge salad
*The Bloomington pool (yes, I know it's winter there, but it's blazing hot right now here)
*My stuff (no matter what I wrote previously)
*Ranch dressing
*Decent Scotch tape

(Notice we haven't mentioned actual cold weather or snow!)

A quick update on the Hillmans.

We have been two days in Arusha with a wonderful couple (thanks Dave. D. for the contact) who took us around and showed us how we can get started on living on our own. Our house should be done by Monday so I think we'll be able to move over on Tuesday or Wednesday. Still no pics, but I'll have them next week for sure. It will be a bit like camping for a while. All furniture has to be made. I've brought my trusty IKEA and Pottery Barn catalogs since they can make furniture from a picture, but since most don't speak English, it will be a bit comical trying to get things done. We'll be buying more expensive food for a bit at the grocery store until we find other places to buy our daily things.

We are also in the interesting/uncomfortable position of hiring workers. We met with a man who speaks very good English and has been working for a Baptist mission school and is looking for work. We are desparately hoping that he will agree to come with us. We don't know exactly how to go about having housekeepers, etc. and Tanzanians will not tell you up front what they really need. We have servant's quarters at our house....2 rooms that are each 10x12, a shower/toilet, and an outdoor sink. That's it. This man has a wife and 4 children. They will all live in that space. Happily. It's a very difficult thing to come to grips with...we've raised the issue with everyone we've met and all agree that the chasm between the haves and have nots is huge, but eventually we'll be more comfortable with it as we meet more Tanzanians and see how they live. We had our new friend look at the quarters and he assured us that it was more than adequate. So...how many rooms does your house have?

There's also this thing...probably American...that has me uncomfortable when a black man is carrying my things around or doing work for me, saying "yes, ma'am". It is true that just the act of living is very time consuming...things just can't/don't get done easily so having workers is really pretty essential. Plus, we are wealthy by TZ standards, and employing someone in an honest job allows that person to provide for their family. I think it will be one of the most difficult things to adjust to. We also have to hire day and night guards to make sure someone's always around the property. We will be hiring a security service for the night shifts and will probably keep the Masaai man for the days, along with a part-time gardener/yard worker.

Eventually we will also need at least one large dog that can bark at all the right times, and probably two since they stay outside all the time. There is a vet's clinic that posts dogs from expats who are leaving, so we're hoping to strike something lucky. African dogs all look alike--yellowish, scrawny, etc. Dogs that look like a particular breed, like the kind we're used to, can be very intimidating/frightening to Africans. Our new friends have a boxer...the meter reader asks them to cover the dog's eyes while he's at the house because he thinks the dog can see inside him (the pushed in face really bothers people, apparently)! So does their Jack Russell, because she moves so quickly and goes in the house. We probably won't need dogs once we are at the school so we'll need to make sure whatever we choose can make a good transition.

We also visited the kids' school and fell in love with it at first glance. It is an international school, with kids from all over the world. The Arusha campus has kids from 3 through 10th grade, with 11-12th graders going to the Moshi campus as boarders. It runs an international baccalaureate program, which is very demanding. They place a big emphasis on inquiry and discovery and do alot with local issues and resources. They have great materials (and a fabulous pool) and classroom resources. The kids were so excited as they walked around campus and met their teachers and classes. Cameron's class is scheduled to go on a week long camping trip on his first day of school--he was so thrilled! Talk about brave--I don't think he's ever been away from home for a week before, not to mention in a school with complete strangers! We're very proud of his willingness to jump in. His teacher, Lloyd, will be a great fit for Cameron as he adjusts back to being in school. If you want to learn more about the schools, you can check out their website at www.ismoshi.org.

After being led around for two days by Americans who know what's what, we are feeling more comfortable with striking out on our own. We'll be in Arusha for 10 days, then at language camp for 3 weeks, then it's the real world for real! I promise more pics! In fact, I promise a whole entry of mostly pics and minimal words!

Thanks to all of you for your emails and prayers. Each one makes us tear up, but we treasure every word that you write. We are looking at a service that will allow us to call home for 2-3 cents per minute, so you may be hearing from us sooner than you think (or like)!

Thinking about Immigrants...

How come we are all so proud of our heritage and love to celebrate different aspects of our cultural background in America? And why are so many Americans so hard on those who are coming to our country now?

We are just back from 2 days in Arusha where we had to purchase a number of things in a town of over 1,000,000 people. There is no map of the city, no phone book, no real advertising, no real way of knowing where to go or what to do. A man in our church gave a contact of his cousin's son. They live in Arusha (he actually grew up there so he speaks fluent Swahili) and we met and he took us around town for two days so we could buy a fridge, stove, washer, foam mattresses, and beds. Very few people in our everyday lives will speak functional English and it would have been nigh impossible to accomplish these things on our own. Thanks to Amy and Chris, we enjoyed an early birthday party for Noah and their son (who share the same birthday), ate pizza, and learned our way around town (a little).

We did not know how to get a PO box, how to pay our upcoming water and electric bills, how to read the Swahili driver's license applications, or how business is done in a mostly cash economy.
Amy and Chris have been in Arusha for about 18 months so we were able to see what life might look like for us in a while.

We also had dinner with a couple from New York who have been in Moshi since August with their 2 little girls who are Ava's age. The girls played dressup and the boys watched "Star Wars". We had real hamburgers and hotdogs with ketchup and mustard!

So--now that we've been here for 10 days, what have we done? Run straight into the arms of "people like us". Those who have come before us, who understand what it's like to be new and feel isolated. Those who have learned to navigate their way around a system that was so simple back home and so overwhelming here. Those who know how to cook food we like. Those who just understand us, even though we've just met.

We'll get better. We'll learn the language and branch out. We'll be blessed with friends from every part of the globe. We'll learn new ways and love new foods and celebrate all the great things we'll get to do. But when you're brand new--there's nothing like something from home.

So if you're looking around and see people who are new to wherever you live, take a moment and try to imagine how our American world looks from their point of view. Is it any wonder every group that has come to this country since it began has settles together? Being an immigrant takes an unbelievable amount of courage. Whatever you might feel about the immigration issue, say a prayer for those who have made the journey.

Here we are in color!

This is a little hut made by the Masaai guard who is currently watching the house we'll be renting (notice his spear between Noah and Ava). The kids are already claiming this as their new playhouse (there are two of them actually) as I think we'll hire our own guards. The house has a very nice garden and the kids are looking forward to adding some dogs to the mix and playing outside. There is another compound next to ours, and a number of Tanzanian homes nearby as well. The house sits off any big roads which will help with noise and dirt control. More pics of the house when we get in and it's finished.









This is at the school site, where our house will be built. It was terrifically windy that day and really hot. The dust was flying and coating EVERYTHING. On the way back to Moshi we could hardly see. You can imagine how we looked! Clive says that kind of wind and dust blowing is not usual. The plantings that will hide the fence will offer a little windbreak. Here's hoping! On the plus side, the view is great! Now that water has been found on the land, we can actually think about plantings and buildings!

Hooray! A picture! This is us on our 2nd day in Moshi after picking up some peanut butter for breakfast at a little store. Notice how the kids are clutching their sodas! Look closer and you can see that Cameron's Sprite can is written in Arabic! I'll give another shot at the other pics later.

Aaah...the sounds of Africa

The breeze blowing gently through the trees?

The soft murmur of voices as people pass your house?

The songs of women as they work?

Nope.

It’s dogs. Dogs barking. Dogs fighting. Dogs howling. All night. Every night. At least until the chickens start crowing at dawn.

We're in Africa

We have arrived! We’re here in Moshi, a smaller town at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro for another week with our friends Clive and Bodil. We are beginning the overwhelming adjustment to the heat (with no A/C for respite), the dust, the food, everything. We’ve finally had a couple nights of decent sleep, which also helps.

The kids are having the bigger adjustment right now. Clive and Bodil have a really nice compound with 2 dogs and two small children that live in their guest quarters so Noah and Ava have been playing a lot, even if they can’t talk to each other (the other children speak Swahili). Cameron is reading a lot and finding more ways to play with Noah, too. Although we told them they wouldn’t get many of their favorite foods here, they’ve had ice cream, pizza, chicken fingers, and hot dogs. Everything, of course, is different, though, so even those foods have been a bit of a letdown. They’re not yet hungry enough to just dig in—yet. Any of you who have eaten with them know they’re a bit finicky, but there’s nothing to do but wait it out. We did visit a South African grocery store in Arusha which sells tons of Western foods, but it is very expensive so we’ll have to be careful about what we buy there. But in a pinch, it’s nice to know you can have chocolate syrup on your ice cream or Frosted Flakes for breakfast.

Mark and I are overwhelmed with the idea of starting life from scratch and not knowing exactly how to go about it. We have rented a house that will be ready in about a week. It has a nice yard (“garden” as it’s called here) with servant’s quarters and a washroom for laundry. It’s a four bedroom home, so it’s larger than what we’ll eventually have at PHA. There’s also an adjacent lot with a workshop that will serve as offices for Mark and the headmaster and a place to store the shipping container when it arrives. Sounds great! BUT—there’s no furniture, stove, fridge, or washing machine. And in case you think there’s a Slumberland or ApplianceMart nearby, sorry. Everything needs to be ordered from different places and the furniture is made to order. Sheets, kitchen appliances, dishes, silverware, sheets—all purchased at different shops around town. Everyone has cell phones, but it doesn’t seem like this type of business is conducted that way. Everyone just says, “Oh, there’s lots of people that can help you with that” but we’re just not sure where “those people” are or how to locate them. We will also need to hire a day and night security guard as well as at least 1 housekeeper/cook (and we’ll probably need 2 with our family’s size). While the idea of having help around the house is nice, the actual process of hiring and figuring out how to work that relationship is challenging. It seems every time we turn around, we remember something we need to do and realize we don’t know how to do it. We are heading back to Arusha this week for a couple days to get those things in order. Arusha is only about 45 miles away, but the drive is very stressful with the bad road, crazy driving, cows, goats, donkeys, and people on the road. It’s not a road you would want to drive on at night so we’ll probably spend the night there.

I remember that we had this wonderful idea of heading down to the coast for a few days before language camp. HA. It will take much longer to get settled and organized than I could have imagined. People here have told us to allow at least 3 months.

Despite all of that, we are so excited to be here. It’s hard to believe that we’ve got this opportunity and are trying to make the most of every adventure along the way. We have been met at every turn with so many helpful and generous people and we are confident that God will continue to open any doors where we have a need.

***Here’s a PS to put up the hair on the back of your neck—there are no seatbelts in the cars we’ve been driving. Ever thought you’d load your kids in a car with no belts? Neither did we. Mark is going to look at a car tomorrow—we’ve decided seat belts are just not optional.

***PPS I'm having trouble uploading my pics to the blog. Be patient...I am taking them!

What better way to say "see ya"...

...than to wallow in American excess and consumerism with an evening at the mall of America?




Ava is secretly dating Snoopy, but only for the food.
Mark doesn't know...





There's a lot of brain power in these two pics...someday you'll be able to say you knew them when.

My new friend's ministry

I met a great mom at Ava's preschool class who is running a ministry called Shoes for Students. Check out their program via the link on the left side of the page. She's a great example of how a small group of people can make a significant difference in such a basic way. I'm sorry I'm not going to be around to get to know her better. Plus, she just met Michael W. Smith at a private function, which is completely cool.

One last thing...

For those of you who might be thinking that this blog is a bit long on text and short on pics, I will try to do better. I'm just pretty sure you don't want to see pictures of a bunch of boxes in a half empty house--or maybe you do.

There's a lesson here.

OK, you how sometimes it feels good when you're proven right--even though you know you shouldn't feel smug about it? So several weeks ago I was on a bit of a tear about how we didn't have housing or any word about our residence papers and no one was looking at our house for rent. Mark kept telling me that everything would work out and that I couldn't control things and I needed to let it go...which might actually be true, but not comforting at that point.

Well, then we got the notice about the glitch with our paperwork and it was Mark's turn to fire up about why they hadn't gotten on this earlier. I SO wanted to point out (tactfully, of course) that I was not wrong when I was fired up about this very issue. But of course, any satisfaction I might have had from being right was swallowed up the added stress of getting everything that we needed together.

Then...8 guys showed up from our church to paint our house on Saturday. We get a note from Clive that he's seen several houses and there are 2-3 that would do for us. We found the diplomas and got the marriage certificate ordered and delivered. Andrea, a photographer that Mark went to Africa with, called yesterday about helping us move our stuff and showed up all day today with a truck and trailer--she also solved my final computer bugs that were putting me into hysterics. We've had 3 showings on our house in a week.

In the movie "Signs" (which is a GREAT movie, by the way--I highly recommend it) Mel Gibson asks "what if there are no coincidences?" When life is rushing, you tend to see events and not think about how they fit together, but when you take time to reflect, you realize that there is a plan and God will guide you through whatever is happening and will take care of you.

My sister-in-law Cathy is a very wise woman and reminds me that if we could see everything that was coming down the road, we wouldn't need faith or God. He only lets us see what we need to see at any one point in time. I hate to admit it when she's right, but she usually is.

Our stuff is on its way.

FINALLY! Mark is taking the final load to the shipping company, where our things will be loaded into a shipping container (along with 12 pallets of books donated by Books for Africa) and it will be off to Africa. In case you're wondering (and my kids thought it was interesting) the boat will cross the Atlantic, enter the Mediterranean Sea, travel down the Suez Canal, and then down the coast in the Indian Ocean to Tanga. (whew!) Then, it will have to clear customs, which can take an indeterminate amount of time, and then be trucked to Arusha. If you didn't know how far it is, it will take approximately 45 days to reach Tanga. The boat is an open barge, so the containers are stacked on the decks, not underneath.

It was unbelievably stressful getting this part of the preparation ready. Neither Mark nor I have slept more than 2-4 hours a night this week. Trying to decide what to bring, are we bringing too much, and all the what ifs...I learned that when pressed, I'm all about throwing it all in and sorting it out later, and Mark is all about leaving it behind and figuring it out when we get there. You can imagine the "conversations" we've had this week! heehee

Really--read my post and get rid of your junk! Or, I guess you create a religion where you worshipped your stuff, whether it has value to you or not, and celebrate it by acquiring more stuff and lovingly hoard it in every crevice of your house. That way, if you ever have to actually pack it, it would seem like a labor of love instead of a burden. Truth to tell, I like my "stuff" as much as the next person--but I am hoping that living in Tanzania will help shape that change in my and our kids to be able to let it all go more easily.

Good news--we are talking to Clive (who works for PHF in Tanzania) about housing on Wednesday or Thursday. From his descriptions, it sounds as though he may have located housing for us. We also have our first lead on a gardener/guard that speaks very good English and has experience with Swahili tutoring. That would indeed be a great blessing!

Bad news--we just learned that the immigration office says it does not have the necessary paperwork complete--they say they are missing birth certificates (which we submitted), a marriage certificate (which we were not told we needed), and certified copies of college diplomas. Well, colleges here don't certify diplomas--we pay far more attention to college transcripts, but in Tanzania the actual diplomas are very significant. We'll have to bring the documents with us and enter on tourist visas, which we can buy at the airport when we arrive. We'll pray that once we provide these documents it will be smooth sailing, at least in this area.

We will be packing the rest of the stuff for storage and moving it on Sunday. The time is ticking and sometimes I think we're actually going to be moving to Tanzania!

Kong is Wrong.

I love movies. I'll admit, I love pop culture, even if it's shallow and displays virtually none of the values that I aspire to live my life by. I love great action movies and movies that can bring you to the very center of those universal themes that we humans have struggled with as long as we have existed.

So when Peter Jackson--who created absolute magic with Lord of the Rings--decides to remake King Kong, I was up for seeing it. Really, having seen the original and the 70s remake (poor Jessica Lange to be stuck in that one) I figured I knew what I was in for but that "movie magic" would compensate.

No, it didn't. After three hours the best thing about it was the free refills on the large diet Coke and the bathroom breaks I had to take which allowed me to escape this freak show. Even the large grossout factor of gigantic attacking cockroaches and eagle-sized killer bats can't make up for the romantic ice skating date Anne has with Kong in Central Park. Honestly, once I figured out the ape was going to save me from the rampaging T-rexes, I'd go along with him, but when he keeps chasing after me and killing everyone in his path to get to me, I'd be urging the ship captain to harpoon him more than once. And I know everyone likes Jack Black, and he was great in "School of Rock", but geeze, the maniacal eyebrows are old by the time the ship sets sail. And Adrian Brody won an OSCAR, for crying out loud...why he is in this film? Are we really supposed to BELIEVE this inter-species love story?

Mr. Jackson, you look great after losing all that weight while filming this movie, but it really does stink. I know that everyone who hates it won't know they hate it until after they've paid their $8.50 so you'll still make millions, but don't do this again. The worst part is that I'd go see another movie of his, hoping this was an aberration. The best part was the X-Men 3 trailer--which I will encourage anyone to see (the movie, that is, not just the trailer) because it's a terrifically fun popcorn movie and Hugh Jackman is in it.

But skip Kong--you can get that much Diet Coke cheaper somewhere else.

Another blessing.

God bless Trinity Lutheran Church in Hayfield, MN! What a wonderful group of people, led by a great paster and his wife, Stephen and Laura. We had a great opportunity to spend Sunday morning with them sharing the mission of Peace House Foundation. We were so warmly received and so many people were so excited to hear about what we're doing. Mark was able to spend some time with an old college trackmate/friend, the congregation has offered to pay our storage costs for our household goods that we're leaving behind, and we both again truly feelblessed to realize the support that we are getting from so many sources.

When I got home I found the November of "The Lutheran" and read this very timely quote from a book called Loving Jesus:

"My faith is not always strong, my life is not always good, and I do not always think that I am blessed...I don't know what will happen between today and tomorrow...All the things I am grateful for could disappear. But I do know that tomorrow morning I'm still going to be part of the church, and the church is still going to love Jesus. So I know that I will love him, too."

It's such a profound reminder that we are not traveling alone, that there are so many of you that will be supporting us and "praying us through" those difficult times that are certainly ahead. So, tonight--thank you, Stephen and Laura--and thank you Trinity Lutheran for joining with our own congreation of Peace Lutheran, (and us) on this adventure.

Purging is good.

OK, I'm packing and packing and packing...so why is there all this STUFF still hanging around?! Here's the deal...I have TOO much stuff. And I know if I have too much stuff, then you have way too much stuff. How do I know this? Because I've had two house fires in the past 4 years which significantly cleaned out our house, and I'm married to a man who was born without an acquisition gene. The thing is no one needs or wants or will ever use so much of the junk in their houses. You just think you do. You delude yourselves into thinking you "might need it someday" or "somebody might want it" or "it's got sentimental value". Really? Are you sure about that? Well, I have to admit--I never used the three dozen baby food jars that would have been great for crafts. I'm pretty sure my kids (or their future spouses) are not interested in every scribble they put down on paper in their early years. No matter how clean I am, I'm not using 12 towels. It's not going to come back into style and I'm probably still not going to fit into it even if it does.

I'm not realizing this because I'm moving to one of the poorest countries in the world. I'm realizing this because I'm tired of putting it in boxes. I'm wondering why it was so important to have in the first place. I'm tired of wondering why I have it when someone else could actually use it. Yesterday Mark saw a little boy at school negotiating with his older brother about whose turn it was to wear the one pair of mittens that they shared out to recess--so why do we have 5 pairs of mittens for 2 boys?

The funny part is that my husband comes from parents who are serious savers, and my mother saves nothing. I miss that I have almost nothing from my childhood to show my kids, and I do keep things that they've done or toys they've especially loved. But I don't think you need to wait 1-2 years to see if you'll wear it or use it. Heck, you can probably figure that one out in the store before you buy it! You know you aren't going to wear it or use it...so give it away. Give it to ARC or Lupus or Bridging or Goodwill or wherever the spirit moves you. If you have the urge to make a resolution, resolve to purge your life of the crap that fills up every corner. After you recover from the shock of how much junk you're storing, you'll be amazed at how it feels to let go!

And no...you can't go out and buy just a couple more things for that empty space over there...

How do you say good-bye?

...to everyone and everything? We've said goodbye to family in August, more family at Thanksgiving, still more family in December...but starting to say goodbye to friends here is almost more difficult because it comes so close to actually leaving and along with all the work of packing and moving.
We have the greatest church (hooray for Peace Lutheran!) that we've belonged to for over 10 years. Yesterday they had a wonderful commissioning during the service and a great reception between services. We were amazed and so thankful for the outpouring of good wishes and prayers and humbled by the confidence that everyone seems to have in us! I just don't know how people get through times of change or stress (or life in general) without the support of a faith community and a belief and trust in God. At this point, it's becoming more evident how important that is. We are leaving in three weeks--the well drilling for water on the land is still in progress, we have not heard about housing for when we arrive, nor have we heard anything about our work/residence permits. Who else besides God can we trust to see us through whatever is coming?
To everyone who has offered their prayers and support....THANK YOU THANK YOU! We are neither of us adventurous or risk-takers by nature (which doesn't explain how it is we're heading off to Tanzania) and we are blessed to have spent these years at Peace and will continue to feel a part of the life there. *sniff, sniff* Here come the tears again, and it's just not good to cry on the keyboard...

Christmas Day 2005

Cameron, Ava, and Noah showing off their treasures on their last Minnesotan (American) Christmas for a long time! Funny, but we didn't look at our Christmas traditions as "the last time we'll..." but just enjoyed the days as we always do! There was a sense of ending something, though, especially at church on Christmas Eve and again when I took down the decorations and separated them into "staying" and "going".

Cameron is reading the complete "Far Side" collection, which will bring us lots of laughs in the coming year. It's definitely his type of humor (OK, it's OUR type of humor).



After seeing the ballet on a school trip, Noah put this nutcracker at the top of his Christmas wish list. It will have a place of honor when we celebrate a Tanzanian Christmas next year!



Ava's obsession with ballet, ponies, and kittens was amply rewarded. She hasn't yet opened the box with the tutu and the ballet slippers...she's hoping for dances classes at her new school.








To all who sent Christmas cards, letters, and photos...thank you for your warm words, blessings, and prayers! We will rely on them heavily in the coming months as we begin the final countdown to our departure. We leave January 31 and will carry with us your photos to remind us of our friends and family that we know will be with us in spirit. Here's to a memorable 2006!