AJP and BLP getting off the bus their first day of school about two weeks ago. We are lucky that the bust stop is right at our driveway.
"The Beast" as we have come to call our great car.
AJP digging a hole for a tree. We helped to plant trees at a local school with our church congregation yesterday.
It has been a while since I have written my Grateful Fast
Sunday posts. It is has been a crazy few
months that have seemed to fly by. Every
Fast Sunday was gone before I knew it and something else took my focus from
writing this post. All of that means
that I have been reflecting for a while on this particular post. It doesn’t mean that it will be any more
insightful or grateful. It just means
that it has been simmering a bit longer and that I am all the more grateful for
the things I list.
1. I am particularly
grateful for our car. We have a Toyota
Land Cruiser Prado. It is a big SUV that
has been jacked up a bit to increase its clearance. When we bought it, the former owner
particularly mentioned this point and that it is an excellent car for
safaris. I have never liked SUVs and
find them big and bulky to drive. I hate
being so high. It makes me feel like I
am looking down on everyone else (literally and figuratively) and I am very uncomfortable
with that feeling. If I feel this way
about SUVs, why am I so grateful for it now one may ask? I am so grateful for our car now because of
our experiences this past Saturday.
We set out early in the morning on a Saturday to visit the
Giraffe Center and to see baby elephants at Nairobi National Park. The
baby elephants are fed at 11 am and we thought we could go and see the giraffes
first and then see the feeding.
Unfortunately, we got lost. I
suppose lost is an understatement for what happened to us. We were on dirt roads that weren’t even on
the map and in neighborhoods where paving is optional yet buses and people
swarm like insects all over the roads.
We also encountered an accident and decided to follow the lead of the
other cars (much smaller than ours) and go off the road to get around the
accident. We arrived home nine hours
after we left with a dirty car and a new understanding of how blessed we are to
have it.
2. I am grateful that
we are all healthy. This is particularly
true for AQP. She is still so fragile
but is strong and healthy for her age.
She has a great smile and head control.
At her two month appointment, they weighed and measured her to be in the
95th percentile for her age.
AJP and BLP have adjusted as well.
As of now, they have not experienced any of the bowel complications that
a new environment such as we live in often provides. This is such a blessing. Not many things are worse that a child sick
with stomach issues. Other than a cold
last week, JTP and I have stayed healthy as well. Again, this is a great blessing.
3. I am grateful that
the Embassy provides such a soft landing.
The Embassy put us directly in our home and has been great about helping
us get it set – with furniture and the likes – in the way we want it. Our church congregation has also helped. Having a local church congregation gives
opportunities to get involved in the community and to know local Kenyans. Here in Nairobi we also have the benefit of
where the Embassy and church combine.
The members of our church that are also part of the Embassy community
have been fantastic at helping us get settled.
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