thezs

Shifting Winds

2012-02-10T16:07:00.000+03:00

So sorry... I wrote this last week. But internet here hasn't been good enough to upload photos (or at least when I'm on) until now.

It's amazing how once you commit to something (like living more in the present, enjoying and treasuring the present), you typically experience an immediate challenge.

Mine came fiercely. In the form of a fire.

During dry season here, it is a common practice to burn. It's an easy way to prepare fields...no slashing or digging required. But, as you can imagine, it's also dangerous. The world turns to kindling.

And so, when a "controlled" fire on neighboring land grew out of control, and the winds grew more forceful, Enterprise Farm lit up. There is really very little you can do when the winds are driving a fire. And it's quite scary when the fire (and winds) are headed straight for your home.

As the flames approached, our eyes began to burn from all the smoke. Ash floated through our windows.

And then the fire was in my back yard. The flames caught the greenhouse.

My pineapples were next.

you can tell how quickly the fire was moving by all the brush that managed to withstand the flames

Our banda's grass roof needed only a single ember swirling in the wind to...

The children and I gathered together to pray. And then the winds shifted. More quickly than the fire had come, it left. And when a fire turns on itself, it doesn't last long. The farm employees beat out the remaining flames with their branches. Shawn doused stubborn spots with jerry cans of water.

Throughout the night, flames would resurrect briefly, easy to spot in the dark. We are thankful the night air was still. The following day we continued to cough from all the smoke from smoldering logs, and ash snowed lightly from the sky.

But it was over.

The back of the greenhouse is gone, several citrus and mango trees are damaged, but it could have been so much worse.

We are thankful for the shifting winds.

A Dreamer's Journey to be More Present

2012-01-30T15:19:00.000+03:00

A few weeks ago I closed down my Facebook account. Some were irked by it. Only one was emphatically supportive. Many asked why.
My reasons were many, but perhaps on the top of my list was that constant longing to make life more simple so I can more fully enjoy what is true and present and most worthy of my thoughts, emotions, energy.
I'm a Dreamer. I love being a Dreamer, but it also means I struggle to be here. I'm usually a day beyond, if not a year beyond, the today that I should be living. I'm an Intuitive, which means I typically live in another world entirely. A world made solely of ideas and moods and abstracts. I love that world. It's very much home to me.
Yet I have experienced entire days and even weeks slip by without my full and honest presence. I don't need to tell you that children need your true presence, not only your physical presence. And husbands need it too (though they tend to be more understanding and gracious when they too are dreaming intuitives! :)).
As I pondered this (in my home-world of ideas, of course), I became increasingly convicted that the pseudo world of Facebook must come to an end for me. I am not anti-Facebook. But personally, Facebook lured me away from my life and sucked me into edited versions of others' lives. I succumb so easily. And so with very little sadness, I said good-bye.

Just two weeks later, I read this article. "The Joy of Quiet."
Apparently I'm not the only one craving to be more disconnected so that I can more fully connect! I'm not ending this blog, I couldn't survive without a cell phone, I will always have email (because we live thousands of miles away from family and the friends who will always be friends...with our without Facebook), but it's just too easy to escape from the here, the now, the important. Even in the bush of Africa.
Canceling Facebook was a big step. It was the first step. Now I must step again, re-train myself to notice and embrace the gifts before me. To feel, see, taste, hear, smell, be.
And, of course, give thanks. Being present can only be valuable when it leads us to praise the Giver of this moment, of this life. It makes us aware of the holiness of it all, from the undulating patterns of the thatched roof to the teeny curls of little eyelashes to the silence that makes space for the soul to listen to its Maker.

I am on a journey, and this is my challenge to myself.

House with the Magenta Bougainvillea

2012-01-28T10:26:00.000+03:00

As we drove to and from Kampala yesterday, every tree and blade of dry grass bent forlornly beneath its blanket of red dirt. Fields are barren.

Yet even now nature quietly defies this dormant season with splashes of color.

Our canopy of magenta bougainvillea never relents.

The papaya trees in the backyard don't curse the sun, they celebrate it.

And when we turn them, along with the pineapples, bananas, and passion fruit, into that familiar Friday smoothie, we celebrate it too.

God has a purpose for every season, and so we celebrate this one...and pray for rain. (And, no, I don't think that's a contradiction! :))

Jet-lagged...but Here

2012-01-25T20:50:00.000+03:00

I have no photo for you today. But if I did, it would surely be of a man emerging slowly out of the dust-swirled road.
Basically, if I took a photo of anything, it would be dust-covered. Everything is dust-covered at the moment, and you know how cameras take to large quantities of dust. So no photos for now.
I can still tell you that we made it safely...all five of us and our ten bags. No complications. Yay.
The kids were champs. And I am so very thankful to say they are sleeping through the night (and happy to be back in their own beds)!
I have not been so blessed, but it will come. Jet lag seems to be more cruel to me the older I get.

In the meantime, ponder something I recently read (sorry, I cannot remember the author):

His thoughts said: "My longing is to heal the broken and the weak, to defend the maimed, and to lead the blind to sight of the glory of the Lord. My choice is to be a corn of wheat and fall into the ground and die.
Then why these waverings?"

His Father said: "Too much of your surface is exposed to the breath of every wind that blows. You must learn to dwell deep."

I wrote this down about a month ago, but it is hitting me more deeply now... as I watch and feel these dry and dusty winds blowing. I long to physically sink deep into the cooler levels of the earth, and my spirit also craves to dwell deeper.

What are you craving in this season?

The Airplane

2012-01-19T19:28:00.000+03:00

The Zimmerman kids have a love affair with airplanes that is decidedly planted in the the idea of one day flying airplanes...not in being a mere passenger. They get excited before each flight, but any of you who have flown with small children know the magic wears off about an hour after take-off. If you're lucky.

On ground, they play airplanes daily. And they all have incredibly keen eyes for spotting them in the sky.

But tomorrow...and the next day...we will all be nice an cozy (read "trapped") in airplanes for a total of 16 hours. Domestic flights are a breeze, people.

Think of us. Pray for us.

We've always made it, but I can safely say I never look forward to it. Ever.

But before I know it, we'll be back in that home we love--the with the favorite avocado tree and the magenta bougainvillea.

So long from America! "See" you in Africa oh so very soon :)

who we are

2012-01-15T15:10:00.000+03:00

I have NO makeup on. It was a spur of the moment photo. But i absolutely love it. I look at this photo and I think, Yes! This is who we are. I can see into us in this photo.

My favorite kind of photo.

The real kind.

Last Weekend

2012-01-14T21:05:00.000+03:00

This is our last weekend in the States. We've made much progress with the packing, so we are allowed to enjoy the weekend somewhat.

It's hard trying to savor the last days stateside when our minds have already flown over the ocean, back to our banana trees and dirt roads.

Let them Play

2012-01-10T23:46:00.001+03:00

"It is easier to build strong children

than repair broken men."

I wholeheartedly embrace this quote. It makes me think of beautiful thoughts I recently read.

My children are strongest when they sense they are secure, loved wholly, and are given the freedom to play unhindered by me or by restrictive toys.

As soon as I cracked open the door to my children's room today to let in the morning light, Ava was declaring that she and her brothers were going to the beach. Sure enough, once breakfast was eaten and dishes put away, the children were off to put on their sunscreen, grab their beach towels, and relax by the ocean's edge.

Ava wore her brimmed hat to give her extra protection from the sun rays. Tai wore a superman swimsuit (he still has no clue who Superman is--all he knows is that he rescues people...and he can fly!). A.J. enjoyed ruffling everyone's towels.

From breakfast until lunch, this was their work. Squeal-filled beachside play. In my in-laws' living room.

I want to build strong children. I will throw myself into making them feel secure and loved wholly.

I will protect their play and inspire their imaginations.

I will encourage wonderings and guide them in wonder.

I will wrap them warmly in Story.

I will ensure boxes are used for gifts and storage...not for their thoughts and beliefs.

It may be easier to build strong children; but I will not use that as an excuse to slack--it is all the more reason for me to be devoted to it, head, heart and soul.

Thy Presence

2012-01-08T20:43:00.000+03:00

Be Thou my vision,

O Lord of my heart;

naught be all else to me

save that Thou art.

Thou my best thought

in the day and the night;

waking or sleeping,

Thy presence my light.

California

2012-01-05T23:28:00.000+03:00

We have left the land of my childhood, returning to the Pennsylvania farmlands.

Only 2 short weeks remain.

Then back to the hot African sun where our bodies can thaw.

4

2011-12-28T08:50:00.001+03:00

He's four now, folks.

(photo by Nancy Noble)

And he's more determined and creative than ever. Watch out, world. I can only imagine what he's going to be like at twenty-four...

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T09:56:00.003+03:00

from our family to yours!

photo by my favorite auburn-head Nancy Noble! ;)

Warmly,

The Zs

Colorado (home sweet home)

2011-11-27T02:37:00.000+03:00

The mountains have my heart. I love the ocean. I love rolling green hills. There are so many stunning places on this planet! But it's in the rocky, rugged, jutting-up-to-the-sky mountains where I feel at home.

So, without further ado, photos from our month in in rocky mountain state:

Happily,

The Zs

The Art of Self Care

2011-10-19T05:30:00.002+03:00

I have loved reading the recent blog posts over at Are So Happy, and I just had to share my own thoughts on Kyrie's most recent post about the art of self care. This is something I have been pondering for a year now. I could say a lot about it.

Below are two photos of something that nourishes me deeply... so much more than that extra cup of coffee or that unnecessary hour browsing the internet or even that lovely hot shower (though since being back in the States I guarantee you I have savored every one!).

Being in nature...in God's wonder full creation...whether in the woodlands where light takes on a magical life of its own

or by the soothing sounds and rhythms of the ocean

or in my heart's home...the mountains (the rocky kind). (Sorry, no photos yet...we're visiting Colorado next month!)

Though spending time outside by myself is a top-notch self-care experience, enjoying God's creation with my family refreshes me greatly.

Whether it is back in Uganda or here in the States, getting outside...even if it's simply in the yard to hear the leaves rustling and smell the scents of the season...is one of the most effective ways I take care of myself in the midst of motherhood.

And the outdoors is often where I really enjoy my children! Now, I actually like my children a lot, and we have plenty of wonderful moments inside our house. But there is something about those times outside--the special moments seem to be magnified there. So in a very tangible way my self-care time often turns to family-care time.

It's beautiful.

Of course this alone doesn't keep me in tip-top mother shape, but it helps. A lot.

Holiday

2011-10-04T01:50:00.000+03:00

I'm missing our English friends at the moment, which is why I entitled this "Holiday," and not "Vacation."

Ah, but on to the point. The point is that we spent last week with family, and though the drive was really really really long, we made some beautiful family memories.

Our first "hello" to the ocean

Ava opened her arms and heart wide open to the ocean (And I want her hair!)

Big brother taking Little brother out for a ride

He's mine.

And in those moments driving back to Pennsylvania when I felt my ears couldn't take another scream or question or grumpy word, I had this--

One sun-kissed beach-perfect day.

True, it was only one day, but it was a sun-kissed beach-perfect day.

And that is what I choose to remember.

"The Pond"

2011-09-24T14:02:00.000+03:00

It's fall! And I'm so very happy about that.

But before we leave summer behind, I must post a photo of our family enjoying summer in America. This photo is taken at "the pond." I must say we did a pretty good job at squeezing in as much swimming as we could during our first and only summer month in the States. We enjoyed a few pond boat rides too.

It is sad to see these days come to a close, but oooooohhhh am I ready for fall!

September

2011-09-23T21:39:00.000+03:00

I have so much to show you!

But apparently I'm not organized well enough to show you all the photos at one time... so here is just one. Taken yesterday.
Of the coolest family I know :)

How did I become so blessed?

First "American" Lessons

2011-08-16T18:32:00.000+03:00

We are stateside. It was not quite the uneventful trip we were hoping for (a lady next to us had a heart attack on one of our flights! There was lots of drama surrounding that...), but we made it.

AND our Ava is officially an American!

The children are adjusting more each day to the new time zone. I knew "Twinkle Twinkle" at 4:30 in the morning couldn't last forever....

So far we've had lessons on dishwashers, steering wheels on the "girls' side" of the car (apparently I don't drive enough in Africa!), and the central vac. Sweeping quickly became a fought over chore.

I have not taken a single photo yet. I'm blaming it on my own struggle to overcome jet lag. I might not sing before the birds are awake, but I still find myself rather foggy during the day. But I'll try to change all that soon.

More than students

2011-08-08T09:17:00.000+03:00

This group of young people have become more than just my students.

They have become young men and women I love deeply. Teaching them is a privilege and a blessing. I love our discussions, interactions, and watching them learn and discover. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think they love it too. They are special; and though I will miss them this next term, I am excited to continue our relationship next year.
Each of them has such potential and hope.
If they graduate O levels with a deepened love for reading, an appreciation for good literature, and an ability to engage with anything they read, I will count that as great success. I hope they will have been challenged to strive for excellence; I hope they will have seen what they are truly capable of; and I hope they will have been encouraged to ponder the things of life in new ways.

They are treasures.

I Have Cute Kids

2011-08-04T16:35:00.000+03:00

Am I allowed to say that? Well, shucks. It's true. I mean, look at this photo I managed to capture of them loving on each other.

In case you were wondering, Ava dressed her brothers the day I took this photo. She likes them to match, and they like it too :).

Goofy is a staple around here; and though A.J. is the Goofy King, Ava and Tai are quite adept in the art as well.

Right now the most common topics of conversation revolve around airplanes and helicopters and rocket ships, all of which are apparently methods of transportation we'll be using to travel to and from America soon. They have no idea how life is going to change in the next week or two, but they have no doubt that it will be nothing short of thrilling.
I can't wait to snap photos of them watching the washing machine, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner, and other "modern appliances." I am going to be camera giddy!

The feel of this blog should change drastically once we arrive in the States, because posts will revolve around seeing friends and family and doing "normal" life. But I hope you will continue to follow our journey. I assure you "normal" will look entirely different through the eyes of my African-bush children! :)

Harvest Week!

2011-08-04T16:04:00.000+03:00

Though the farm workers are still harvesting maize, last week was our official harvest week where all staff and kids come out to help. My primary job for at least one of the days is that of photographer. I don't mind :)

my favorite part of the harvest... the farmer :)

And of course there's the traditional "youngest harvester" photo

my favorite outfit of the day...

As harvesters filled up these sacks of maize, farm workers collected them and put them in the trailer pulled by the tractor

Lovely Farm cooks roasting maize for hungry harvesters

Can you tell our soils need a little work? Maize size is a bit...inconsistent!

Little harvesters taking a break for pancakes (I've learned the hard way that being fully stocked is CRUCIAL to a happy harvest day!)

Later in the day, the students began to gravitate down to the fish ponds. They were curious to see our integrated method. Several girls waded out to see the new fingerlings that were adjusting to their new environment in one of the ponds.

They found the hatchery fascinating.

As EXCITED as I am to be in the States for several months, I will miss this farm and these kids.

Friday Face Paint Fun!

2011-07-22T20:53:00.000+03:00

This is what I end up doing when I'm not quite sure what to do with my time:

He's a night sky!

They're a lion and a zebra (that's what they're supposed to be). Tai's "ponytail" was just me trying to get the hair out of his face, but you have to admit it's quite hilarious.

The jobs I had planned for the day were completed way too quickly, and soon I was sitting around with a cup of tea and a big chunk of free time.

So out came the face paints. That's a natural response to unexpected free time, right?

There is a beautiful pink flower running around somewhere too, but she escaped my cameral lense.

Then, to complete this wonderful whim, Adrianne and I gave free creative license to each other...and this is what resulted from that:

Adrianne attempted a sunrise on my face...what do you think? :)

Actually, it was more like this...

We laughed a lot today. Those days are so much fun, aren't they?

Hoping you'll have a laughing-til-your-belly-hurts kind of moment today!

19 Free Books?!

2011-07-22T08:20:00.000+03:00

And not just any books, 19 Elsa Beskow books! Oh my goodness, oh my goodness... Did you know we do not own a single Beskow book? Though they have been on my wish list for ages, living in Africa sometimes throws wrenches in one's book-buying. But how great would it be if I actually (for the first time ever) won a giveaway and had 19 Elsa Beskow books waiting for me upon my arrival in America? That would undoubtedly feed my unquenchable love for books--children's books--no less.

If you are a children's book lover, please enter this giveaway. It's way too generous to pass up.

Just a Photo (I love)

2011-07-20T18:20:00.000+03:00

my little has my heart

Grace in ALL Things

2011-07-13T11:38:00.000+03:00

It's been a week-and-a-half since it happened, our Big Scare. I have not blogged about it because I was not sure quite what to say...how much to say. But I feel the need to record this in a place that can remind me regularly of what I have learned and gleaned from something rather traumatic. So here is my reminder to myself. Feel free to "listen in." (Nancy, this should sound familiar to you!)

I've always wondered, deep down, what my response to crisis would be--if I would find that peace that surpasses understanding mentioned so often in the pages of my Bible. Well, now I know. Peace really is there, and I experienced it, and all I can say is that I am amazed. Amazed by God and what He showed me about His own work in my heart; amazed by His power to heal and really make all things new; amazed by my husband's deep love for us, his family; amazed by the untold plans God has for each of my children.

I can say all this now because of a story that is forever part of our story:

Two Saturdays ago, Tai fell head-first from the top bunk of a double-decker bed onto the cement floor. Shawn found Tai crumpled on the floor, unconscious, eyes rolled back, blue and not breathing. When Tai finally regained consciousness and started breathing again, his cry was eery--not like him. His eyes could not focus, and his body was limp. We thought his life--our life--was forever changed. Shawn kept saying, "Tai! Tai! Oh God..."
We rushed him to the local hospital. On the way to Kiwoko, I kept singing him songs and praying over him. At one point Tai tried to grab my hand, and upon arriving he was able to focus his eyes and look at me for the first time. I have never been so excited about something so small. At the hospital, we kept pleading for a doctor, but all we received were a couple of nurses telling us to "calm down." They took his temperature and told us they needed to examine Tai first to see whether or not he needed a doctor. I was livid and had to step outside the curtained room so Tai couldn't see my emotion. Tai finally stopped his eery cry and began crying more like himself. He attempted to talk, though it was slurred at first.

Then, almost within an instant, he was able to not only sit up but tell us clearly what exactly happened.

Talk about relief! It was then we decided we could better care for Tai at home, and we left. At home, Tai vomited in the evening and again in the morning. He experienced these waves of lethargy and nausea, followed by periods of alertness and energy. So we decided to take him into Kampala, our capital city. We were advised to stay the night in town and to continue watching him closely, but he improved quite quickly after the 24-hour mark. When he finally began laughing again and playing with Ava and AJ, Shawn and I commented on how healing that was for us.

Our two days in Kampala were not uneventful, though. A policeman threatened to throw Shawn in prison (someone recently told us Uganda is the second most corrupt country in the world), a boda boda (motorcycle) driver drove right into our vehicle, and during lunch Tai was served a sandwich that had had tomatoes merely taken off (despite Shawn's very stern warning while ordering that our son has a life-threatening tomato allergy and could not have anything that had even so much as touched a tomato...). Nothing terrible resulted from any of these happenings (I have incredible tomato seed-spotting eyes!), but they definitely took their toll on our emotions.

We are tired, and we are more than ready for our home assignment, which is only one month away. But more than that, we are thankful for the Grace In All Things (have you read One Thousand Gifts?) that reveals beauty and goodness even in the dark moments of life. Even in that moment when we thought our life was forever changed, I knew even then that God was with us and all was good. Yet now, on the other side of that moment, we are also thankful that Tai, our child who insists day after day to live outside the box as much as possible, is once again seeing the world with wide-eyed wonder.

We are thankful for Life.

Life, Beautiful Life

2011-07-11T20:26:00.000+03:00

I have several blog entries mulling around in my mind, none of which have actually made it onto any screen yet. It has been an eventful several weeks. We've had two beautiful birthdays, an oven explosion, a scare of a lifetime, and our very first visit from the tooth fairy. In the meantime, I'll leave you with these photos of our most recent birthday child:

On Fathers' Day

2011-06-19T18:02:00.000+03:00

Because we work with orphans, I am reminded daily of how blessed I am to have grown up with both parents and, moreover, with parents who love me and were able to care for me above and beyond what I needed. Some of our children have a living father, but he is so far removed from their lives that he contributes much more to their pain than to their happiness. He has abandoned them in more ways than one.
I was a blessed child. My father and I have always shared a connection that went deeper than the distances between us. I always knew he passed on a bit of his spirit to me, and he understood me even if he didn't agree with me. Knowing he understood was most important anyway.
Like my dad, I don't care much for boxes or settling for second best or doing anything simply because it's "supposed" to be that way. And though he hasn't always liked where my passions have led me (Africa is quite far, after all), my father has always encouraged me to follow my dreams (after I finished college, that is :)). He knows life is too short to live for normal. I have tears even now as I think about his overwhelming support of us here in the bush of Africa, even though it means he must live these years apart from me...and now his son-in-law and grandkids. Somehow he understands. And that makes me miss him even more. Though distance has separated us for most of my life, I have never lived farther away than now. Africa is much farther than the East coast is from the West coast. Airplanes only offer relief every couple of years. You have no idea how ready I am for one of his hugs!
Dad hugs are the absolute best. Within that embrace is a feeling of security and acceptance like none other. It offers a chance to see the world through a much clearer lens: Worries become fleeting shadows. Heartbreaks heal. Life is restored. Joy returns. All is well.
Even though I am at the brink of 30, Dad hugs remain one of my favorite things in this big world.
So, Dad, Happy Fathers' Day. We'll be seeing each other again soon enough. I'll be getting that hug in a few short months! But until then, I hope you know you have given me the best gift a girl could wish for: love, acceptance, confidence, security, and inspiration.

Dad, me, Ava and Tai in 2009

Farm Friday: We're Going on a BEE Hunt!

2011-06-19T15:21:00.000+03:00

I know it's Sunday...not Friday. I'll blame it on Blogger. Below is the post I began on Thursday! Grrr.

**********************************************************************************

So very sorry for my prolonged absence! Two things account for this: we currently have 3 people sharing one computer (Adrianne's computer decided to catch up on sleep after all those university all-nighters), and I am already preparing the house for our 5-month home assignment in the States. August is really close, folks!

But I'm "here" for this moment, so without further ado, my Farm Friday:

Recently Shawn took us to see the farm's four bee hives. It took us off the beaten path.

The older two found the "jungle walk" exciting. A.J. couldn't walk far without tripping over vines or a branch, so he quickly chose Mama's arms. When we made it to the hives, we watched for a while in silence.

This photo is blurry, but I love it! Papa with his babes.

One of the hives had been abandoned, and we discovered some old beeswax.

And then we adventured back through the "jungle." The children were awed by the beauty and fairy tale mood of it all.

Warmly,

The Zs

Farm Friday: Tree-Ripened Mangoes

2011-06-04T16:03:00.000+03:00

We've been collecting bins of ripe mangoes almost daily! Even so, we have a hard time keeping up with the demand. Mangoes are one of the most beloved fruits here, but rarely are they allowed to mature to this point. Most school children are experts at throwing stones into large mango trees in order to knock down a still-green mango for an after school snack. We have to guard our mango trees diligently to prevent their premature pickings.

Our children have learned to eat mangoes both ways: hard and green, and soft and orange. They prefer to eat them whole, with their hands, but too often I cringe at the thought of the third outfit of the day being dirtied, and I cut them into fork-sized pieces. But AJ usually ends up eating his after-nap mango in his undies anyway.

I know, how much better this photo would have been if I had let loose and given him the whole juicy mango!

Speaking of which, I want to say Yes more. Yes to the messy mangoes and "help" with the washing and "craft projects" and sofa transformations. I rarely regret my Yeses. My yeses often leave me laughing and thankful for these little ones.

So this week I'm saying Yes to slimy orange fingers...and faces...and even the third dirty outfit of the day. When I do, I'll be sure to take a picture :)

What are you going to say yes to?

Farm Friday: Ants and Interns

2011-05-27T12:34:00.000+03:00

Ants are fascinating critters. Their homes are filled with intricate passageways that make beautiful formations in wood and dirt. Today Tai discovered a chunk of dried dirt that had been broken off an ant hill.

We passed it around, looked it over, and squeezed our fingers into its holes. Then, after we had finished our examination, it was magically transformed into...something. I'm really not sure what it became, but it needed to be launched as high and far as possible so that we could watch it smash into little pieces upon its contact with the ground. So much for taking it home (which was our original idea).

So now I'm switching topics. I need to introduce you to a young lady who has been with us for a little over a week now: Adrianne.

Adrianne stayed with us for two months during the summer of 2008. She was a (very mature) 17-year-old at the time. Now she is one year away from completing her undergrad studies in international agronomy. With a concentration in sustainable agriculture, Shawn bounced on the opportunity to have her as an intern for the summer.

The first week did not go quite according to plan. In typical Adrianne fashion, she wanted to dive right in. Instead, she spent much of the first week in Kampala sorting out the ramifications of a stolen purse and going to the doctor for help with a neck that decided it was tired of all her traveling. Adrianne has a strong will, and apparently so does her neck.

After much coaxing through warm compresses, light massages, and a few special tablets, the neck has agreed to move the head once again. How kind.

So, a week-and-a-half later, she is at last ready and able to dive in to her "intern work." Now, if you see her in blog posts in the future, you know who she is. And now perhaps you understand my blog hiatus a bit more. :)

Happy Weekending!

Give Us a Bit

2011-05-19T21:22:00.000+03:00

It won't be long until we're back in our rhythm and I'm back here posting. But not quite yet.

The last week has brought some pool fun, a traumatic cat attack, a reunion with a friend, two stolen purses, a horse ride, and some other surprises--both welcomed and not-welcomed.

Tomorrow the craziness continues with a trip to the U.S. Embassy and the doctor. Yay. :) Thankfully, the trip to the doctor's was planned. The trip to the Embassy was not.

Life. You know?

All this is to say, we're still here. But give us a bit.

In the meantime, I stumbled across a photo from almost 2 years ago, taken during our last trip back to the States. It brought back some wonderful memories.

That's my dad introducing Ava and Tai to the ocean for the first time. Can you imagine what was going through their little minds? I'm excited to "reintroduce" them to it again soon!
And, yes, that's me watching it all from behind (I'm realizing I rarely make an appearance in blog photos because I'm often the one with the camera!).

Well then. Have a wonder-full Friday and weekend!

Thankful for (Basil)

2011-05-12T09:17:00.000+03:00

I am thankful, overflowing like this bulging bowl of basil.

I suppose one of the many things I am thankful today is basil. Pesto has a special place in my heart.
There are few things more comforting to me (food-wise) than a big bowl of pesto pasta.
Plus, since Tai is deathly allergic to tomatoes, we swap out tomato-based things like tomato pizza and pasta sauces for pesto.
Basil makes tomato-free living more doable and more enjoyable. :)

So I am thankful like a bulging bowl of basil, and I am thankful for a big garden of basil (and cilantro... cilantro pesto is a new delight! But that's for another day).

What are you thankful for today?

A Gift

2011-05-08T18:28:00.001+03:00

When I was young, my mother gave me a gift:

she gave me a childhood lived outdoors and without entertaining gadgets or gismos. She gave me time to build forts, explore the wilderness in the back yard, and dream. I dreamed a lot. I was obsessed with dreaming (sometimes I still am). She gave me the time to do it.

My mother believed my health was more valuable than her own popularity with me or my friends, so she squeezed me fresh orange juice in the morning and sent me to school with carrot sticks and apples. I think she even knew (through her motherly intuition) that someday I would like these things too.

Mom invested in bikes and soccer cleats and swimsuits, because she believed they were important not only for my physical health but also for my emotional and social well-being. She was a smart cookie.

My mom had (has) faith much larger than a mustard seed, and she did move mountains. Several of them. I believe in part because of watching her faith in action. Sometimes I didn't like what her faith did, but I could never deny its power. It was (is) real.

To my mother, beautiful and courageous, Happy Mothers Day. I love you.

Mom's last visit to Uganda, December 2010

Farm Friday: May Showers Bring...

2011-05-07T17:36:00.000+03:00

May flowers!

And beautiful flowering grasses!

And butterflies in all sizes, colors and patterns (that would not rest long enough to be photographed...)

Last Friday, in honor of May Day, we set out with the intention of photographing nature's spring beauties. We did a little of that,

and then we got side-tracked.

Ava and Tai discovered the "moat" of water surrounding the vegetable gardens.

Did you notice "Jessie Flower" riding calmly on Ava's back?

I guess you could say we ended up enjoying May's flowers and her showers. And that should not be surprising if you have followed this blog for any length of time :).

We have a thing for water...and mud.

For more Farm Fridays, visit Wabi-Sabi Wanderings. I really enjoy this gal's writings!

Kickball, Fries, and Bonfire

2011-04-29T14:59:00.000+03:00

On the evening before Easter (Holy Saturday), we invited Samuel Family (New Hope is made up of 7 "family groups," and all staff are associated with one particular group. Ours is Samuel Family!) over for kickball (on the b-ball court), food, and a bonfire. We've done this with them before, and they love it! I'll never forget the first time we roasted hotdogs. I overheard them (picking up the bits and pieces of Luganda I know) worrying that we were going to make them eat dog. :) It only took one bite to get them hooked on all that nitrate-pumped, MSG-ridden nastiness!

Anyway, here are some photos of our evening. The lighting was magical.

The other half are sitting at the other table, along with Ava

I had to include this blury photo because it captured the mood

We really do love these kids. It's incredible to watch them grow up, mature, learn. Some break your heart, but the joys truly outweigh the sorrows.

Easter Weekend

2011-04-25T15:49:00.000+03:00

Easter in the Zs family:

Good Friday-- hot cross buns, dying eggs (using red cabbage and turmeric) reflections on the Cross
sorry, photos of hot cross buns were blurry, and brown eggs--no matter how you dye them--just aren't pretty enough to photograph!

Holy Saturday-- bonfire with Samuel Family

this night deserves an entire post unto itself...

Easter morning--Hallelujah rock unburied from bowl of dirt and ashes, Lenten bare sticks exchanged for an explosion of fragrant flowers

We also announced the glorious morning news on morning glory trumpets!

Today we are enjoying another family day--here in Uganda, "Easter Monday" is considered a holiday.

We'd love to hear about some highlights of your Easter!

He is Risen!

2011-04-24T07:05:00.000+03:00

Farm Friday in Uganda: Happy "Tractoring"

2011-04-22T09:42:00.000+03:00

We recently wrote an article for our organization's quarterly newsletter, and the above photo was included. It sums up what we are thankful for these days: healthy crops/land (rain) and a fully-functioning tractor. Sorry for the short Farm Friday... lots of Holy Week/Easter celebrations going on here, so my time is limited (I'll fill you in on our celebrations soon enough :) ).

For more Farm Fridays, visit Wabi-Sabi Wanderings!

A "Makes me smile" Photo

2011-04-20T16:15:00.000+03:00

Our dear friends recently left on home assignment to England for a few months, and they left their "classic" Vespa in our care. It was sick for a while, so it needed a few "test runs" after seeing the Vespa doctor to make sure it was feeling better.

Clearly, we had no problem with that :)

Little Town

2011-04-16T10:32:00.000+03:00

We live 3 kilometers outside of "town." Town looks like this:

Kiwoko is quite a happenin' place :)

Sorry for the window reflection...I took these photos from the car. See the truck piled high with people? There are cattle in there too.

Between our town and Kampala (the capital), it's pretty much just a lot of this:

2 hours of this, with a few other "happenin' towns" here and there. Oh, and the road does become tarmac eventually.

Farm Friday in Uganda: Our very own Ferdinand

2011-04-16T10:05:00.001+03:00

We have a new mama on our hands! And a new baby.

When we found out our new calf was a bull, naming him was simple: Of course, he was our Ferdinand! Munro Leaf's delightful flower-loving bull will now graze happily in our paddocks without any fear of being sent off to the bull fights :)

Unfortunately, he was born in the night, so we weren't able to be there for his birth. But the children truly are in love.

I am thankful little Ferdinand has plenty of lush green grass to play in...so very glad that "inevitable" drought never mounted to much!

Hope you enjoy a beautiful weekend!

More Farm Fridays here!

Farm Friday in Uganda: Honey

2011-04-09T11:09:00.000+03:00

Local, organic, raw. It still has pieces of honey comb in it.

Put it in cinnamon tea. Divine.

This week the farm harvested its first batch of honey from our hives. We avoid refined sugars and flours, so this is like gold for us! Beautiful, nutritious, delicious gold.

Painting to soothe the soul

2011-04-07T20:04:00.000+03:00

I've seen better days.
Today did not find me at my finest, nor did circumstances encourage me out of my lowly state.
But even on a day like today, sunlight shines through.
Today the glimmer of light was a chance to sit down and paint in the company of a candle and a good song and nothing (and no one) else.
The kids had already painted (we paint every Thursday), and I had helped A.J. play with a little color. When they all left to play outside, I slipped into the chair and painted.
I should have been cooking.
But playing with that paint healed the little pains and regrets of the day.

Moses, our 14 year old "son" sat down and painted too. I don't think he had ever painted before. He was so quiet and contemplative and content for quite a while.

Wet-on-wet water coloring is a beautiful thing. There truly is something healing about it, and no matter how novice you are at painting, something beautiful seems to emerge from the paper.
Miraculous.

The Chameleon

2011-04-05T11:53:00.000+03:00

Occasionally, we are graced by the presence of this fascinating creature. Like yesterday. We spent quite a while just marveling at his slow, deliberate movements and his...green-ness?

There was a little bit of touching, but mostly just lots of looking.

It's the little things that make some of the most wonderful moments.

How We Live: Power

2011-04-05T09:35:00.000+03:00

To continue the series How We Live, you might (or might not) wonder just how we power our house and appliances.

Solar. Well, mostly. We are hooked up to Ugandan electricity, which powers our teeny tiny (think college dorm size) fridge and charges our solar batteries on occasion.

But solar powers our lights and sockets, and we have a wonderfully large solar freezer (which has been one of the best purchases we have made since living here!). When town is faaaaaaaaaaaar away and shopping for anything beyond beans, salt, and basic fruits/veggies happens only once a month (or so), you really come to appreciate space to stock up and even preserve our own harvests of anything from bananas to carrots and french beans. And Shawn loves ice. We lived without it for so long that I rarely think to use it now. He, on the other hand, relishes it every day. He says it really lessens the "sacrifices" of living in the bush! I think that's a bit dramatic :).

So, here are our blessed panels, basking in today's morning sun:

It is rainy season right now, so some days the solar batteries are quite low. We turn off the freezer at night and even (gasp!) go without the computer for a bit. Rain storms also have a bad habit of knocking down power lines, so we're often without Ugandan electricity while simultaneously low on solar power. *Sigh* Like right now. We've been without Ugandan electricity for at least 5 days....you lose count after a while. So we're thankful for the rain AND the sun right now!

"Oh the Lord's been good to me, and so I thank the Lord for giving me the things I need: the sun and the rain and the appleseed!" We often sing this at lunch, and trust me: we mean every word!

Farm Friday in Uganda

2011-04-01T14:58:00.002+03:00

Goodness, I love Fridays! I love baking with my kids during the day and enjoying popcorn, smoothies, and a game or movie in the evening. Last week we put together a puzzle. Geeky, I know. But we all had fun! What Friday traditions do you have?

So, today I want to show you the planting progress we've made over the past week.

The maize has grown, and we're beginning to lay down the mulch covering:

On the other side of the path, lies the land that was just recently cleared. Virgin land. It's not ready to be planted by the tractor, so we used the only two oxen that remain (we sold the rest once we received the tractor in January), Big Ben and Valentine. Can you tell who is who? :)

We implement as many no-till practices as possible, but this ground needed the plow just this once. See that large ant hill in the back? Yeah. Tractors can't really plant on that. By next season it will be down, along with the dozen (at least!) others like it.

As long as the ant hills remain, though, my kids will climb them!

AJ doesn't look so sure he can make it up like the big kids :)

my kids+1, kings and queen of the mountain

Back to the oxen, though: See Big Ben and Valentine at work.

Big Ben is the Big Man, if you will. The saying "strong as an ox" must have come from him! :) He's quite a naughty ox, though. Yesterday on my morning run I caught him eating our mangoes. Mangoes which, by the way, are getting bigger every day!

And, in case you were wondering, we still have plenty of rain (and mud).

Of my three kids, Tai is definitely the one most in love with mud. He cannot walk by a mud puddle without trying it out. Today's mud puddle splash ended with him looking like this:

This last photo has nothing to do with Friday or the farm. It's from a few weeks ago, and I love it.

So there. That's reason enough to post it :)

Okay then! Enjoy the weekend with your family...

Farm Friday in Uganda

2011-03-25T19:24:00.002+03:00

Did you know we have fishponds?

Did you know we're in the middle of a huge remodel/expansion of our fishponds?

We do. We are.

As of right now, all there is to see is men at work, digging from early morning through evening. They've begun the project by expanding our largest pond:

This unfinished pond is getting some quality use as it awaits its remodel:

So here's the plan: 4 ponds.

Pond #1: fish feed on scraps from the farm's vegetable gardens

Pond #2: fish feed on rice that grows in the pond

Pond #3: fish feed on chicken manure from the chicken coop that will be suspended above the pond

Pond #4: fish feed on cow manure from zero-graze organically fed cow that will live just beside the pond

Around the largest pond, we are planting papaya and and macadamia trees. Sloping down the banks on either side will be vegetables.

So that's what's happening... if you're curious as to what else is going on, see this post from earlier this week.

Buttermilk Popcorn

2011-03-25T17:34:00.000+03:00

I share this not because I'm an extraordinary cook who is graciously willing to share delectable insights.
I'm not.
I do like to cook, though. I've had a unique collection of teachers throughout my life, and I am immensely grateful to each of them for teaching me: everything from the value of wholesome, nourishing foods, to the miraculous beauty of flavors and textures perfectly entwined.

But I'm sharing the following for no other reason than the fact that I'm just pumped for our weekly popcorn and smoothie night tonight! Some question how Shawn in particular can feel satiated after a meal of popcorn and smoothies. Well, first of all, it shouldn't be Shawn they're concerned about! 7.5 times out of 10, I eat more than him. Secondly, we make a lot of popcorn and a lot of smoothie.

Back to the point: We sprinkle our popcorn with a mixture that I crave week after week.

1 Tablespoon powdered buttermilk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Actually, I make larger batches of this and sprinkle a few tablespoons of the mixture on the popcorn. But if you want to test it out, best make this smaller batch first. Mix it up, and add to your buttered popcorn.

And, because I'm salivating so much right now, I need to tell you that my favorite ingredient in our smoothies (besides the frozen, homegrown bananas and pineapple) is coconut milk.

Okay! Finished. Time to make some popcorn and get back to that family puzzle with the kids.

Licking my lips...

Note to self:

2011-03-21T16:50:00.001+03:00

Never forgo blogging during a week like last week. Oh my. I have a lot of catching up to do! It all started with a terrible sinus headache, which started the terrible unraveling. Here I am, well over a week later, and I have absolutely NO idea where to begin!

So gear up for a collection of photos to explain the last week and a half (or so). Yikes. This should be interesting.

**********************************

Ash Wednesday:

During Lent we give up something and ponder our mortality. We are, after all, nothing without Christ. Without Christ, we are here today and gone tomorrow, as fleeting as the flowers that fade.

On Ash Wednesday, I was out walking before the sun had risen. In the dim light of dawn, I witnessed the beautiful ritual of the flying ants giving up their wings. I was surrounded by thousands of fluttering wings, taking flight one last time. I could not see it then, but the path I walked was covered in a blanket of wings already sacrificed.

The ants too were remembering their mortality.

Soon after they release their wings, they mate one last time--one last gift of life--and then they die.

I was awestruck.

I felt like I was peering into creation's worship of its Creator; and as long as I remained quiet and reverent, they would graciously allow me to watch.

In those moments of first light, every wing shimmered with heavenly glow: gold, pink, pale. Awestruck.

Later in the day, on our daily walk, the children and I found the remains of their sacrifice: Wings that had not yet been blown away by the wind.

They were but a moment.

It stuck in my soul, and there it remains even today: a picture of beauty, sacrifice, mortality, worship.

Dairy Cows:

We now have three dairy cows. When I say "we," I mean the farm. Enterprise Farm. Not ours in the technical sense, but ours nonetheless. Tai at first was confused about their purpose. He asked if they bite. No... they don't have upper teeth. He asked if they kick. No... they're nice cows. Then what do they do?! He wanted to know. They give milk. His special milk (non-dairy milk)? Well, no, they give cow's milk. Talk about a perplexed kid!

Shawn and Gitta Frank (Shawn's "partner in crime," if you will) both come from dairy backgrounds. They are in love with these three, and I had fun watching them decide who would get the honors of milking them first :)

So, without further ado, I introduce you to Jane, Mirembe, and Sarah:

Notice Ava is quite interested in the milking!

I love this photo

These three are the beginnings of our dairy. One (Mirembe) is in milk, and I'm in yoghurt-making heaven!

Other Farm Happenings:

It's still raining! After writing that post about three days of rain, it didn't rain for a week. But since then, it's been raining... and raining... and raining! Awesome. Hope fulfilled. And lots of mud :)

We continue to clear land

for a "before photo," see this post

We've been planting maize using the two-row corn planter that coincidentally comes from our former Amish neighbor in Pennsylania! Even though the corn planter has been here since before we came to New Hope, this is the first season it has been used--thanks to our new tractor. Already our corn is popping up in rows! Look very closely... you'll see it.

There has also been a lot of activity around our fish ponds, but I'll save that for Farm Friday :)

********************************

I suppose this marks the end of my photo collection and efforts to fill you in.

How have the last couple of weeks been for you? Hopefully not as "slacker-ish" as mine!

Farm Friday in Uganda

2011-03-12T06:46:00.000+03:00

I had a spectacular idea for this Farm Friday.
I began writing it in my head several days ago.
But right now the only thing my head has room for is whatever it is that causes your eyeballs to feel like they're popping out of the sockets. I think some call it sinus pressure. That just sounds way too innocent to me. Sinus pressure? Okay, then. I have sinus pressure.
Once my eyeballs...and nose...and the rest of the front half of my head...feel normal again, I will write out my spectacular Farm Friday. Except it won't be Friday anymore. But that's a detail, and you'll forgive me for it.
In the meantime, read the How We Live: Water post. It could be considered farm-y somehow I'm sure. If you've already read it, alas. You'll just have to wait for my spectacular non-Friday Farm Friday.

today i was thinking

2011-03-10T14:59:00.000+03:00

about the art supplies I want to purchase when we're in the States. It's hard when you live on a missionary income to be particular about quality (though I've well-learned the rule about quality > quantity and purchase quality when I can!). But perhaps, due to a stellar giveaway over at Magic Onions, I can have both quality and quantity for free! There is a $100 gift certificate giveaway to the Portland home-business Stubby Pencil Studio, and you better believe I entered. Now, I've never won a giveaway. Never. Seriously! And, since I'm the 276th person to have entered this giveaway, I probably won't win this time either. But even with probabilities can be against me, I entered with glee. :)

How We Live: Water

2011-03-08T10:01:00.001+03:00

I have to tell you something: Something that makes my heart attempt summersaults. I say "attempt" because since giving up gymnastics in the, what?, second grade(ish), my summersaults make my son's running style look graceful. But back to the thing that makes me really happy. That's the point, after all.

Rain! 3 days of rain! 3 days of receiving the grace and glory and gratitude of rain... .

Could it be? Could those expert opinions be wrong? Could the rains be coming now, drought and famine only a nightmare that lasted for but a night?

Perhaps these are only the "plowing rains." Rains that come in the middle of dry season, fooling some into planting too early. It's possible. Drought and famine might still be inevitable. But that will not will not will not stop me from offering gifts of thanksgiving for these three days of wonderfully wet wonder.

It put water in our cisterns!

It calmed down the hyperactive dust.

It gave us opportunity to twirl with tongues stretched, receiving each jewel from the sky.

To continue my own celebration of thanks, today's "How We Live" will be all about water. We do everything we can to conserve it, for it is not an inexhaustible resource. It is a treasure we receive--and use--with thanks.

So. Once again, for the curious:

The vast majority of water we use is rain water. It begins as rain on our roof, trickling down into gutters.

It then flows into our cistern (as you saw in the How We Live: Laundry post) and rain barrels like this one:

The rain barrel water is used for our personal garden and chickens, and the farm's newest addition, a dairy cow (more on her another time)!

The cistern water is used for laundry, and when electric power is on, we can pump cistern water up into a holding tank.

This holding tank allows water, via gravity (forget about good water pressure!), to flow into the kitchen and bathroom taps, the shower, and the toilet. If it's a hot day, that black tank can heat up the water quite well! But on a cloudy day, well, it's gonna be an ice-cold shower. Thus, when you are hot and would welcome a cold shower, you get a warm one. And when it's wet and "cold" (it's all relative and what you're used to!), the shower seems almost cruel.

What do we do when electric power doesn't come on for days on end (like right now)? Recently we purchased a small generator solely for the purpose of pumping water. But prior to that, we'd climb up the water tower with jerry cans, one at a time, to slowly, laboriously, fill the tank. Or we'd just go without running water for a couple days. It's not the end of the world! :)

And what about during seasons like this when we must take conserving water to an entirely different level? Well, all year round--regardless of the season--the kids take basin baths, not showers.

photo taken during rainy season (hence the green grass!)

I heat up water on the stove top, so they don't freeze their petuties off. To be honest with you, unless it's 100 degrees out (which is most days right now), I heat up water for a bath myself. I'm a wuss. Anyway, we use bath water to flush the toilet.

So what if no one has taken a bath yet that day, you ask? Well, let's just say if you were a guest in my home, I'd advise you to avoid that bathroom until after bath water is available. I know, gross. But you get tough quickly here. During times like this, we also only wash clothes and mop twice a week. Children are watched closely when they wash their hands to make sure the tap doesn't run endlessly (you know how that goes), water play is severely limited, and the flowers die.

Our drinking water comes from a borehole. It is pumped to a main tower that provides drinking water to the entire secondary school and all of us who live on "this side" (the farm side) of New Hope. We collect the water in jerry cans, which is then put in our water filter (it's a serious one! As in, we paid seriously to have clean water!).

So, here's to water! And here's to the Giver of water, the only true Living Water! I thirst for Him as a deer pants for... the water brooks.

Wow, this has been a long post. If you're still reading, I consider you one of the very few who are seriously curious :) So, thanks! Feel free to let me know who you are... I'm curious :)

Farm Friday in Uganda

2011-03-04T15:48:00.001+03:00

I write this Farm Friday from a place of determined joy. There is beauty everywhere, always, and I am thirsty. Thirsty for joy and beauty and grace and thanksgiving, and I will find it, and I will give it.

It's no secret that it's hot here. This sun that so faithfully rises every morning is also radiating relentlessly.

We were told this week by the government of Uganda that it is crucial we all conserve. Conserve water, conserve food.

We are preparing for drought and famine in the land.

It's been confirmed by the WFP, World Bank, and someone else very important. Our farm seems to be mentioning it too.

Well now. How do we, farmers who provide food for over 500 orphaned children, take this news?

Yeah. It's tough.

But I have learned, I have seen, that there is always. Always. reason to give thanks. Even in this dry and weary land.

So how will I respond? With thankfulness that soars above this land and these times

With joy that feels the dusty earth and knows with certainty that rain will come, and today I can smile and enjoy life.

I will sing a song of praise, even today...most crucially today. For,

"One act of thanksgiving,

when things go wrong with us,

is worth a thousand thanks when things

are agreeable to our inclinations."

~St. John of Avila~

I know this Farm Friday is not quite in line with its typical feeling and mood, but I realized that anyone who understands farm life understands that every farm experiences hard times and hard seasons. To not share in these times too would take away from the fullness of it all.

Just Sayin'

2011-03-03T08:27:00.001+03:00

Just now, as the kids and I were dancing to "Something In the Water" (Brooke Fraser),

whilst brushing our pearly whites,
I realized, I saw, that this life is great. How incredible that I get to live
this!

This life.

This great, awesome, wondrous life.

Just sayin' :).

Eating Soup Feeds Orphans

2011-03-01T15:00:00.001+03:00

I know what you're thinking: What? Say that again.
Okay, Eating soup feeds orphans!
:)
Now I'll explain.
Thanks to our good friend Tara Harting, this past week many people purchased soup from her burgeoning home soup business, and, in the process, gave money to further the work of our farm here at New Hope.
In other words, all profits from Tara's chicken corn noodle soup (which, by the way, was over $600!) will soon find its way here.
Wow. We are amazed, thankful.
How will we put this money to use, you ask? Well, let me tell you: The money will be used to clear additional land. We actually have 100 acres of land to farm, but a good majority of that is "bush." Meaning, this:

The men and women you see above are actually a good way through the clearing process of this particular section of land (by hand, of course). Looks like hard work, eh? It is.

The money from Tara's soup sales will enable us to clear roughly 5 more acres of land!

What will we plant on that land? That depends on the soil, really. But you can be assured of one thing: we will grow a whole lot of food for the fatherless children who call New Hope "home."

If you were one of Tara's customers this past week--if you ate her scrumptious chicken corn noodle soup--you have helped us feed our children.

Thank you.

Now, I know I just posted this photo last week, but I had to post it again. It's the perfect picture to show what five acres of that bushy land will look like, thanks to Tara's generosity and many many happy mouths!

There now. That's perfect for farming.

If you'd like to learn more about New Hope Uganda and the children we serve, visit our website.

If you'd like to learn more about Enterprise Farm--New Hope's farm, managed by the handsome man in the photo above--go here.

If you wish to donate to our efforts here at the farm, or to the greater ministry, both links will show you how.

How We Live: Housing

2011-02-28T12:08:00.000+03:00

Once again, for the curious:

Apparently, I'm blind. I can't seem to find any photos of the outside of our house! And I'm not about to just take a photo now... it is dry season, after all. Which means our compound (yard) is far from photogenic. Sorry.

But I can show you some unique aspects of how we live... starting with our floors. They're concrete.

These floors require daily sweeping and mopping, and the wearing of arch-supporting, cushioned shoes (unless you're okay with having back pain). They're not the best for babies who want to learn to crawl... or walk for that matter... since they're not forgiving toward little knees or the ka-booms that walkers-in-training inevitably experience. But it's great for potty training! Little accidents are not a problem to clean up.

Next, let's talk about windows. Our windows are screen, without glass. There are wooden shutters that must be closed up when the house is vacant or during rain storms or (for security) at night in the kids' room.

Open:

Closed:

Each bed is outfitted with a mosquito net to keep peaceful sleepers malaria-free.

note the closed window in the background

We have open shelving. This eliminates dark corners for cockroaches to do their thing. I hate cockroaches. Hate, hate, hate, hate, HATE.

The single-most important aspect of our house right now is our screened-in porch. Unlike the floors and windows, this feature is not common here. But we are ooooooohh sooooooo thankful for it during this squelching weather. As you can see, we've even moved our couches out there. Basically, this is where we live in the evenings right now.

The one couch is currently missing a cushion because it is being used as a bridge/ship/slide/spaceship

You can also see in this photo that our roofs are made of corrugated tin (fancy, I know :)), and our houses are made of brick. The process of making bricks is a post unto itself! For now, I'll just say I find it fascinating.

And, one more view of what our English friends call our conservatory (note the boys' "tool table," and our beloved avocado tree laden with ripening fruit, right outside:

In our house, we battle against rats and bats and mosquitos and cockroaches and, occasionally, some pretty gruesome spiders. But somehow, we manage to (for the most part) find peace and refreshment inside these walls. We live simply, but we are very thankful and happy for this home.

If you have any questions about how we live, leave a comment. I need some ideas on what to write about next in this series of How We Live!

Celebrating "Kato"

2011-02-25T16:40:00.000+03:00

We are privileged to have him play with us from 9 to 4 most days of the week. We call him Tai's twin. The two have grown up these three years together, and I really don't think they can imagine life apart. Today he turned 3, and we got to celebrate!

He may not be family in the literal sense of the word, but we love having him in our home!

Not the cleanest bunch, but when did that ever stop kids from enjoying a birthday? "Kato," Happy 3rd Birthday.

Farm Friday in Uganda

2011-02-25T16:04:00.000+03:00

I'm amazed at all that can happen on this farm of ours even during these scorching hot (and dangerously dry) months. Rather than giving you a long-winded explanation, how about some photos with brief captions?

Mango flowers have given way, and the tiniest mangoes begin to peep through the thick canopy

Clearing land for farming begins with deciding which trees should stay, and which trees should be brought down. This one, sadly, had to go. It was brought down one ax stroke at a time...

A cactus tree at the edge of one of our fields.

Note: If you happen to find yourself cutting one of these down, please wear protective goggles. One drop of the sap can cause blindness.

I add this photo to remind myself that even though it feels like God is blowing me with a God-sized hair dryer every time the wind blows--even though it feels like our nostrils will forever be filled with dust--we do live in the tropics. We live in the place of bananas and papayas and lemongrass and pineapples. And the rain will return. It will.

And this photo I add to remind me of the wonder of dreams fulfilled. And of receiving--and living--far more than I could have ever imagined. This guy, this place, this life... I dreamed of it all. But I never dreamed it could be this good. In many ways hard, but oh. so. good!

If you want to see windows into life on other farms in this world (like I do!), please visit this blog.

How We Live: Laundry

2011-02-22T10:12:00.001+03:00

Again, for the curious:

We begin the laundering experience with three colorful basins, soap (of course), and water from the cistern beneath our front porch:

Every time we return to the States, I'm amazed at the inefficiency of the washing machine. Everyone knows that kids are notorious for staining their clothes, and the washing machine often fails to get the job done! Here, it is a rare stain that can make it past the powerful hands of ladies who have washed this way since they entered primary school. Getting a white shirt to actually be white is a serious thing to be proud of here.

The next step, after soaking, scrubbing, and rinsing, is to hang the clothes in the hot equatorial sun to bake. This gets a little tricky during rainy season, and sometimes you wonder if your skirts will ever again be dry... but right now (during dry season) that is not a problem!

After "baking" for a day, the clothes are ironed the following day. Everything must be ironed: Shirts, socks, underwear, diapers... everything. There is something here called the "mango fly," and it likes to lay its eggs in wet clothing. Ironing kills those eggs so they can't hatch and then bury themselves in your skin. For us, ironing is not just for looks. The irons are, like the esegiri, "powered" by charcoal. No accurate temperature control here!

These charcoal irons are pretty rough on clothes. This process, coupled with the effective but harsh process of hand washing and wringing, really cuts down on the lifespan of our clothes! By the time our turn for home assignment comes around, we virtually need a whole new wardrobe. (And for those of you wondering, our next home assignment will happen this August!)

This entire process, for our family of 5, takes anywhere from 3 to 5 hours, 4 days a week. And there's no time to accomplish other tasks while a machine works its magic--it's pure, uninterrupted work. Hence, my need for assistance. When it was just Shawn and me, we did the laundry ourselves. Every Saturday, we'd turn our hand-cranked radio to BBC, listen to the world news, and set to work scrubbing our clothes until our hands were raw. We could handle it then. Not anymore.

And that, friends, is how we do laundry!

P.S. A.J. insisted on posing for the camera while I was taking these photos, and he was too cute to leave out! So here's for the littlest laundry man:

In A.J.'s own words, "You funny!"

Life on a Ugandan Farm (as a child)

2011-02-17T09:01:00.000+03:00

Some days we just need to get out of the house and go to a playground. You know, climb around on a jungle gym or something!

We don't have twirly slides or plastic swings. We don't have wobbling bridges or horses that bounce on big springs. What we do have are giant stumps and fallen trees and vine swings.

And we have this as our backdrop:

Some days, I think our playground is pretty sweet.

Celebrating Love

2011-02-15T09:45:00.000+03:00

I wish we could have sent you a valentine. Unfortunately, the U.S. recently put a stop to all mail coming from Uganda. But let me show you what we would have sent you (if we could have):

First, we would have sent you a crayon heart.

I found simple instructions here.

We also would have sent you a sparkly valentine love message, like this:

(Though it wouldn't have been able to come with such an adorable face attached!)

Last week, in honor of Valentine's Day, we began a ribbon of Kindness Hearts. Each time the children did something kind for one another, they chose a felt heart to add to the ribbon. Even Mama and Papa got to participate :).

We like to honor the kindness of our children at all times, but this was a fun way to celebrate the season.

And, finally, with the slight chance that you haven't actually smiled yet while reading this post, here's a final photo: our oxen, Valentine (proudly named by yours truly).

Hope you had fun celebrating love!

How We Live: Cooking

2011-02-08T11:41:00.001+03:00

For the curious:

For break (mid-morning tea and snack, really) and lunch every day, we use an "esigiri"with charcoal to cook.

The esegiri heats the water and milk for chai.

Some days we eat bread with our chai. Other days we roast groundnuts. Especially when they're warm, these puppies put peanuts to shame.

We also cook our daily lunch--beans and posho or rice--on the esegiri. I do have a cooker (stove), and I use that for my "western" cooking. It's gas, but homes obviously don't have gas lines out here. So cookers are run by gas bombs (gas canisters) that we purchase at petrol stations (gas stations) in Kampala.

Sometimes, though, these can be rare. Like many aspects of life here, we can either fret in these situations or trust that it will...somehow...all work out. And it usually does.

And that, friends, is how we cook!

Some Kids Have Milk Mustaches

2011-02-04T08:19:00.001+03:00

My kids have spirulina mustaches!

Candlemas

2011-02-03T08:56:00.001+03:00

Yesterday was Candlemas. It was our very first celebration of this simple festival. Its timing was...timely...to say the least, for this week has been busy and full of new family rhythms. The school year began, returning me to the classroom once again. This year I am teaching more often. Thankfully, I will have only 8 students instead of 36! With my new schedule came the need to re-work the ebb and flow of our family. This week has been a trial (and error) week.
Needless to say, I needed the day to ponder, reflect, and listen to message of Candlemas: that the old has (and is) given way to the new. On Candlemas many people in the Church remember Mary and Joseph's presentation of Jesus at the Temple. I had never before thought about the profundity of this event: the Temple, the "old way" of meeting with God and making right our relationship with Him, embraced and yielded to The (new) Way!
This can be seen in creation too, whether you live in places where the days are slowly lengthening and life is beginning to resurface (even if it's beneath several feet of snow); or whether you live in a place like ours. Here, the seed pods still stubbornly cling to branches where tiny green leaves are beginning to shoot forth.

The mango trees are full with fragrant flowers. The parched land waits expectantly for rain. Here, now, the old and the new are in many ways co-existing.

One of the beauties of yesterday is that it actually rained. Shawn and I awoke at 4 a.m. to the sound of the rain on our tin roof.

HE has come to make all things new.

To celebrate Candlemas, the old giving way to the new, we burned down our old candles.

We set out new candles, and we filled all our lanterns (here, lanterns are more than just decoration and ambiance--they're necessary!).

For us, Candlemas was a day for simplicity and contemplation. At the end of the day, I felt richer and renewed. I will look forward to this day next year.

"Behold, I am making all things new!" Revelation 21:5

A Smile to my Sad Heart

2011-02-01T16:54:00.001+03:00

A.J. has been sick: chest infection and, most likely, malaria. This, though, brought a smile to my sad heart.

Frozen and Parched

2011-01-29T15:23:00.001+03:00

For many of you, the land beneath your feet is frozen seemingly to its core. I remember those conditions. I had a crazy running partner in college (Amy, I love you!), who hated the treadmill so much that she convinced me to run outside, even in -14 degrees (F). We had to wrap scarves around our mouths to keep the cold air from burning our lungs. Our eyelashes were inevitably caked with ice crystals upon our return. I remember what it's like to live upon a frozen land, where darkness is always near.
For us, the land beneath our feet is dry, cracked, parched. Our feet are as well. The winds bring little relief, only dust...and more hot air. Many of our trees have lost their leaves. Seed pods swirl in the sky. Fires are dangerous.
We both long for spring: You long for the earth to melt and allow life to break through. We long for the rains to penetrate the ground and reawaken the dormant life within. This is a time of waiting. May we wait with hope and patience and peace. May our own lives not reflect the bareness of the land; instead, may Life thrive within us. Even in times like these, the River of Life flows endlessly.

Us.

2011-01-29T11:47:00.000+03:00

The other day I wrote an email to a longtime friend. Among other things, it was about "us." So feel privileged. I'm allowing you to "eavesdrop" on personal information! :)

Excerpt from said email:

Us. We're fully engaged in life here, that's for sure! I start teaching Literature again next week. I'm excited and a bit stressed. I've been trying to decide whether or not this teaching position is flexible enough to do as a mom (not to mention I've always been a terrible multi-tasker). For this year, I'm teaching. The years after that, though, are decidedly undecided.

With the tractor now here, shawn is on cloud nine. Farm stuff is moving moving, changing changing, and that is the way he likes it! He's a visionary, and he's a do-er. If there's nothing to envision or nothing to do, he's not happy. Right now he is able to be both, which equals a happy camper.

Kids. Hilarious. They are hilarious. They can drive me crazy, and they can get shawn and I laughing so hard we cry. Sometimes they can make me do both in the same breath. Motherhood is (among other things) an exercise to strengthen your emotional health. Some days leave you pretty dang sore, too! Especially this introverted ponderer. But the moment I try to imagine my life without these energetic, needy, ever-talking munchkins, all I can see is fluff. And an arrogant me who thinks i've got it all figured out :) Thank God for people, however big or small or young or old, who remind us that WE DO NOT have it figured out. They also remind us that none of us do, so relax or die of stress (or something)!

So that's us! Life is quite active lately, and I'm trying to figure out how to slow it down a bit.

What about you?

Before I collapse,

2011-01-24T16:13:00.002+03:00

slightly sunburned and very tired, I must show you my favorite snaps from today's maize harvest--the first of 2011 (for those not remembering, we have two planting seasons here).

on the way to harvest

preparing porridge for the harvesters

littlest harvester

this one is for the moon-obsessed child in our family

{heart}

so very very very thankful for the tractor!

"So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."

Thank You, God, for the bountiful harvest.

Today we are fashionable.

2011-01-24T08:39:00.001+03:00

Today I am wearing a skirt, socks, and old running shoes. Why? Today is maize harvest, and we strive to always be on the cutting edge of fashion on this special day. :)

Precious water.

2011-01-20T11:32:00.001+03:00

Water. I am grateful my children are learning the preciousness of water. I am grateful that even now they know water doesn't flow freely and endlessly and somehow magically from various spouts around the house. Unfortunately, the hottest times of the year, when my children would love to play (endlessly) in tubs of water, we must conserve the most fiercely. But they understand. When we lift the cover of our cistern to draw water for washing clothes, they notice if the water level is high or low. Right now it's dry season.
I find myself getting somewhat critical at the carelessness with which people in the States treat water. I know, not the right response. After all, when we're visiting the States, I have a very hard time removing myself from the massage-like hot shower! The washing machine and dishwasher turn into my idols :). But after a month or so in America, I once again find the limitation of water here (in Africa) a blessing. I don't necessarily wish for it, but I am truly grateful for it. For what it is teaching me...and my children: Our natural resources are not endless. We are to be as good stewards of these limited, precious resources as we are of our bank accounts and "possessions." We were not given the authority to dominate this earth. It was not given to us to use at our whims and for our insatiable pleasures. We were given authority to care for the earth, to cultivate the earth, to, yes, be blessed by the earth--but with the understanding that what we sow we will also reap.
So, please, when you turn on that tap, say a prayer of thanks. And remember to turn it off.

Finally, more photos

2011-01-18T20:40:00.001+03:00

Tonight, Blogger is being more friendly. More photos of our tractor! Photo #1: When the old tractor and new tractor are side-by-side, there's just no debating that New Girl was a crucial purchase.

Photo #2: Ava and Tai are pretty excited about "their" new tractor.

Photo #3: Dang... I really did get a good one (and this time, I'm not talking about the tractor)!

G'night!

She's HERE!

2011-01-16T20:52:00.001+03:00

Do they look happy? 'Cuz they are. Sooooooooo happy! In the photo above, Shawn, his co-manager Gitta Frank (center), and our tractor driver Kato (right) are taking a joy ride in the brand-spanking-new tractor. Kato has already asked for money to buy soap for washing it. Our farm employees are eager to take the best care possible of "their" tractor. We are quite excited to see them take ownership of it so quickly.

But I must say, my man has got to be the happiest of them all.

And, alas, Blogger won't let me post anymore photos tonight. Perhaps tomorrow.

The Grahams

2011-01-16T10:26:00.002+03:00

This is my friend Wanda:

I've known her for a whopping year and a half! We've been in the same physical vicinity for a total of 7 weeks. But we're sure we've known each other for a lifetime. She's a rare friend. And she and her husband Matt and their daughter Anna (one of four children) came to visit us the first week of January.

We were blown away when Matt and Wanda chose coming to see us as their Christmas present/every-other-present-of-this-year. They had discussed a cruise, re-doing their bedroom, and other grand and appealing options. But in the end, they chose us. That, my friends, is just plain cool! Talk about feeling loved, cherished, and blessed... Wow.
Matt and Shawn busied themselves with a few projects (including building a fabulous shelving unit for the boys' room); Anna and Ava filled up hours of every day with all sorts of princess and ballerina-related play; and Wanda and I talked. A lot. We did other things too, but that's what I cherished the most. Face-to-face talk time over a cup of coffee or an evening walk around the farm... these are what beloved memories are made of.
Next time (yes, next time!) they'll just be required to bring the other children along :)

The Party

2010-12-31T14:35:00.001+03:00

Though a few of Tai's friends were away, we had a party anyway. Parties here are not elaborate and, therefore, not a stressful to prepare for. So glad I'm not even tempted to "keep up with the Jones" in this! Knowing me, it would scare me into inaction, and my children forever have "family celebrations." I don't do well with outside pressure. I wish I were different. I'm growing, but fact is fact: I freak out if I'm feeling pushed to do something I'm not ready or wanting to do. Like mother like son, I guess! (See below post)

Back to the point: We had a party, a simple party, which consisted of a simple craft,

a "sweets search" to fill up the birthday basket,

50 cent masks,

and (of course) cupcakes and popcorn.

The end. Oh. I colored a rockin' "Happy Birthday Tai" sign in colored chalk on the walls of our screened-in porch. It didn't matter that none of the kids could read it because it looked great! (but no photo)

Here are some photos of Tai's friends in disguise:

Here's one of my snowman blowing out the candles on his not-so-pretty cupcakes:

They may not look pretty, but they taste scrumptious. Have a bite!

Celebrating Three

2010-12-27T15:14:00.001+03:00

I remember three years ago, but not very well. I slept most of the day away and let Grandma and Nana hold and rock and stare at our newly born Tai Mathias. After a wonderful (really!) birth experience, Tai shot out into the warm bath water and into his father's arms at 12:38 a.m. He lay on my chest for a few minutes before Shawn cut the umbilical cord. He didn't leave my chest for a good half hour. I am so thankful he wasn't whisked away. Then, 4 or 5 hours later, Shawn, Tai and I were on our way back home--to our own bed where no one could interrupt my precious sleep to take my vitals. I'm not saying "this way" is for everyone. But I wouldn't have done it any other way!
If only the first year of his life had been as simple and peaceful as his birth! It's been quite an adventurous 3 years with him. We've had enough "big scares" for the rest of his life as far as I'm concerned. I know that's probably wishful thinking. But I rest in my firm belief that Tai was born into this world with purpose (as we all are!). He is not easily swayed (even by his parents, sometimes to our dismay :)). His loyalty, once earned, is as fierce as his desire to protect those he loves. He is cautious until he has decided that something is "okay." Then he embraces it with abandon. Don't rush him. Don't push him before he's ready. But if you give him his space and the chance to "own" something for himself, most times he chooses that very thing or way with great joy!
Tai, son, you are one of a kind. May we, your parents, see--and cultivate--your individuality, give you community, guide you in truth, and surround you with light. May we give you space to dream and grow and discover. Obviously, we'll stumble. We already have. Many times. But as you grow, may we grow too. Both as individuals and as your parents.
This much will never change: We love you to the moon, the stars, and beyond!

P.S. The above photo, taken at the Farm Christmas party, was not edited. Those eyes are as true blue as they come! So thankful God answered my prayer and gave Tai his Papa's amazing eyes :) Okay. This ends my bragging :)

Noel.

2010-12-25T15:34:00.002+03:00

Several months ago we "took on" the care of two donkeys. It was clear that sometime in the future there would be a third. About a month ago we renamed the donkeys "Mary" and "Joseph," thinking...hoping...baby donkey would come sometime around Christmas.
Well, yesterday, Christmas Eve, dear Mary was braying a lot. As in, I pleaded with her (out loud) to please stop. Especially when it was...oh...one or two this morning. Right outside my bedroom. I should have had a tad more sympathy, because during our Christmas breakfast today, our friend Joseph (not the donkey) came to tell us that Mary had given birth! All that braying must have been as a result of the labor pains. Poor Mary! She had to push out a baby with four sharp hoofs!
We all raced outside (in pajamas) to see the baby. Our baby donkey was born in the wee hours of Christmas day! Talk about a beauty to behold. This is what we saw:

Precious.

So. What do you think we named baby? Don't worry, it's not "Jesus"! Besides, it's a she anyway. So her name is "Noel." And her mama loves her so!

Poor ol' Joseph isn't allowed within five feet of little Noel. And he isn't allowed near the food either! Mary is (understandably) quite hungry.

Talk about a sweet Christmas gift! This was far better than the gifts under the tree.

Today we are pondering the miracle of birth. Today we are celebrating the coming of the Light into the World. May Light shine in your life today!

Two Christmas kiddos... and a pirate

2010-12-14T15:13:00.002+03:00

This pretty much sums up our children!

Though it is hard to tell from the photo, the children have recently woken up: the night before, Ava and A.J. had discovered their Christmas pajamas. Tai didn't have a pair, so he insisted on wearing his pirate outfit (minus the head scarf and belt) over his "old" pajamas to bed.

All I Want for Christmas is... SANYU!

2010-12-14T15:06:00.001+03:00

SO so glad I got my Christmas wish!

Though Christmas is hardly turning out the way we had "planned," we are full of SANYU (joy). Ava's adoption (and A.J.'s legal guardianship) are the best Christmas presents God could have ever sent us.

Aaaaaand it's finished.

2010-12-10T09:27:00.001+03:00

Aaaaaand, we are the PROUD ADOPTIVE PARENTS of Ava Sanyu Zimmerman and the LEGAL GUARDIANS of Asher Jon Karuhanga Jethro (who will ONE DAY be Asher Jon Zimmerman). Aaaaaand we will actually be able to purchase the tractor this year! Aaaaaand a couple of unexpected donations are making ALL this possible!!! This, my friends, is a very merry Christmas. This blows all those quite terrible Decembers out of the water. This makes our hearts sing and overflow with LOVE and GRATITUDE and unhindered JOY!

God is oh so faithful. God is oh so good. God is a Father to the fatherless, a defender of the orphan, and the One who sets the lonely into families.

Tomorrow

2010-12-08T20:17:00.001+03:00

we find out if the cookies of our oreo are legally recognized as permanent members of our family.
"Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Over the Rainbow

2010-12-02T14:29:00.001+03:00

Enjoy the Christmas Season of Light!

A Grandmother, her grandchildren, and a tractor

2010-11-13T12:12:00.002+03:00

We have a special visitor: Gramma/Gamma/Amma (depending on which child is calling her)! We're happy she's here, and she's been busy. This morning alone she attended 7 sleep-overs and have too many meals to count! :) Here she is pictured with her happy grandkids and the invalid tractor we're hoping to replace very soon (if you're interested in helping us do that, please click on the link). We love you, Gramma!

Life (growing up all around us)

2010-11-13T12:03:00.002+03:00

Jackfruit.

2010-10-19T08:02:00.005+03:00

Some say it's the secret ingredient in Juicy Fruit gum.

You either like it or you don't.

When I was pregnant with Tai, it was one of the few things that tasted good to me. Shawn would make me sit outside our round hut to eat it, preferably even further away than that! The smell is strong...and as distinct as the taste. It is sooooo sticky that no amount of scrubbing with soap and water will ever get the residue off your hands. Petroleum jelly works okay. But the bottom line is, if you want to eat jackfruit, don't plan on holding anyone's hand for a while.

Baby Reunion

2010-10-18T07:47:00.007+03:00

Reunions. How do you feel about them? Most people have a strong opinion, as do I... I love them! Some of my favorite memories growing up are from family reunions in Yosemite National Park at the historic Wawona Hotel. I remember long hikes beneath the giant Redwoods and in the shadow of massive waterfalls; I remember Happy Hour laughter on the wide verandas, beneath the climbing vines on overhead trellises; I remember cookouts, early morning runs on the golf course, square dances, checkers, and frequent trips to the convenience store for necessities like baseball cards and gum. It was a week of not feeling like an only child!

Ava and I went to a reunion this weekend. Of a different kind. It was a Hope House reunion for all the children/babies that have lived in the baby house. Since so many of Ava's friends happen to be former baby house-ers as well, to her it was a chance to play! Ava walks over to the baby house at least once a week anyway, and she and Silas like to talk about how they shared a bed once-upon-a-time, so there was nothing strange or scary about this gathering. We hope she continues to see all this simply as part of her story, her beautiful story.

Here's the crowd that gathered. It's definitely not all of "us," but it sure was a lot of us!

Former + current babies; mothers/fathers/caregivers. Can you find Ava (I'm a bit obvious)?

Another memorable reunion! We are blessed to know Ava was loved and cared for even before she was OURS. Thank You, Hope House!

It's a heavy kind of day

2010-10-06T09:30:00.000+03:00

and i need some lifting. I need to see some hope. Here is a photo from this past weekend:

This is a friend of mine. Last weekend was her introduction (somewhat of a formal engagement ceremony). Her story is one of beauty from ashes, no question. Today I will remember Saturday, and my heart will be lifted.

We're all set for Christmas... hee haw!

2010-10-05T13:53:00.006+03:00

Maybe you remember me introducing two new neighbors... the donkeys. Shawn's pet project at the moment. Well, the time has come. Shawn has transitioned from befriending the donkeys to training them. This past weekend he mounted the male for the first time.

The young lady in the photo is Angel, Shawn's current Investment Year student intern. She's been brushing and feeding the donkeys regularly, but she'll leave the riding up to Shawn :)

So, like I said, we're set for Christmas! If only Joseph had been the one to ride the donkey and Mary were the one to lead... because I'm very okay with NOT being the one on the donkey. I have a couple months, though, so who knows! Maybe Shawn will make me a side saddle (if you didn't follow that last comment, maybe you didn't know that I have to wear a long skirt every single day of my life here. Yes, I definitely label that as true sacrifice!). Hee haw!

Faces i love

2010-09-29T08:25:00.004+03:00

Two different expressions, two different spirits, two different sets of pasts and genes. Yet, amazingly, they were destined for one family. Our family. They are Zimmermans.

FIRE!

2010-09-28T14:59:00.007+03:00

I mentioned yesterday that I would post more photos from our family fun Sunday evening, so here they are:

The crew, minus moi.

Did you notice something odd about that photo? Let me help you zero in on it:

Tai has enthusiastically embraced his new identity as a scary lion!

Shawn picked up the mask at one of the many Indian-owned supermarkets in Kampala. Personally, I think it's down-right ugly.

But the little boy behind the mask wears it until he has scraped up both knees from tripping over things he can't see. Then it comes off for a few hours.

The not-so-scary participants in the evening:

Person one: our eager hot-dog-eater

Persons 2 and 3: Hot dog cooker and the little roamer

I really can't remember the last time I roasted hot dogs, and I definitely don't remembering them tasting so good. I think it was the fun that really gave these hot dogs their flavor! How else could something so disgusting taste anything other than... disgusting?!

It was hard to convince everyone--including myself--that it was time to go inside. Campfire ring, you are awesome :)

Sparklers!

2010-09-27T22:24:00.004+03:00

I've got loads of photos from last night's fun. I will refrain from trying to post all of my favorites now...because I'm trying to shimmy off to bed. These are just the SPARKLER side of the fun!

More tomorrow. G'night...

Poetry, How I've Missed Thee

2010-09-25T19:07:00.003+03:00

from 'The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam'

Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night

Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:

And lo! the Hunter of the East has caught

The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.

Edward Fitzgerald

5 Years (and counting): A letter to my groom

2010-09-23T14:43:00.003+03:00

For 6 years we’ve known each other; for 5 years we’ve been married; and since the moment I heard my first love story, you’ve had my heart. You are human, flawed, and unable to be all things to all people. But you are perfect…for me.

Your mind soars so high that sometimes you need a lasso to rein it in. Before I met you, it was difficult for me to imagine someone whose mind had larger wings than mine. I’m so glad I don’t have to soar alone. Your heart yearns to find truth and goodness, no matter how far off the beaten path it may take you. The roads less traveled turn from frightening to mystical—even beautiful—when I’m by your side. Thank you for taking us out of the mainstream and onto this adventurous narrow path.

You are passing on to our children the principles of love, leadership, and learning. You are showing them the value of work, stewardship, and play. I’ve watched you grow in confidence as you lead our family and the farm, and I can’t help but bubble with pride. You seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. You, my love, are perfect for me.

You need change, freedom, and a place to test-drive your ideas. You need peace, space, and good food. You are fueled by learning and love. You prefer new to old, and gray to black-and-white. You are blown away by the big picture of God’s overarching plan. Oh, and you love me like crazy! J

And I, Shawn Zimmerman, love you to the moon, the stars, and beyond…. You are indeed beyond what I could have ever imagined.

With all the love this heart can hold,

Your Courtney

The Great Debate

2010-09-21T17:00:00.005+03:00

For those of us who have seen the light, there is no debate. That dilemma was solved the first moment we popped open a can of Sprite and sipped the sparkles through heaven's red straw. Red Vines. One of life's purest pleasures. Okay, not pure... but definitely simple. A delightfully child-like wondrous pleasure. Can you see the drool all over this post?

I've been told it's a "California thing." Well, in that case, this is one instance where "the California way" truly takes the trophy. As for that other so-called red licorice candy... Twiz-what? Plastic. Pure...plastic. There is no debate!

On my birthday my friend Alair made a great sacrifice. She surrendered an entire 1 lb. bag of Red Vines (fresh from America) to one very wide-eyed, speechless gal. I couldn't resist. I ripped open the bag. I shared the love with a few special friends, my children, NOT my husband (he does not share my beliefs in the finality of the Great Debate between Red Vines and its much lesser--and very distant relative--Twizz____. Sorry, I can't say the name).

Back to my 1 lb. bag of Red Vines. Well, it's far from 1 lb. now, 5 days after I made contact with it. Trufully, it's more like a quarter of a pound. My prediction is that by the end of the week it will have fully vanished into the abyss...of my stomach. That knowledge will not slow me down! I will eat with ferver, passion, sweetest intensity until that blessed bag is e-m-p-t-y!

So thank you, Alair, for your sacrifice. Thank you, Wanda, for allowing me to express my devotion to the Great Red Vine via Facebook chat. Our conversation was my inspiration.

If you share my love, please say "Amen!" :)

Okay, I'm getting down from my soapbox now.

Tree House

2010-09-18T08:26:00.002+03:00

...or water tower house!

Yes, sides will go up at some point.

29.

2010-09-17T20:11:00.004+03:00

As of 2:19a.m. mountain time on September 16th, I am (officially) 29 years old. One year closer to 30, and let me tell you, I am EXCITED to turn 30! Maybe I've glorified the 30s in my mind. Who cares?! I'm pumped!

But enough about the future. This post is to brag on Shawn and what he did for me yesterday! I won't go into details. They could easily bore anyone who wasn't the recipient of such thoughtfully expressed love! Let's just say, I LOVE HIM TO THE MOON AND BACK. And i'll leave it at that.

BONHOEFFER

2010-09-15T13:09:00.002+03:00

I have been intrigued by his life for a long time. His courage, his conviction, his commitment. The latest (and most comprehensive) biography on his life is definitely not for the faint of heart!

I'd say the photo on the cover is intimidating enough! But then there's the size...

I may be a "book person," but I categorize anything over 500 pages as a Yikes! book. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy is definitely a Yikes! book. But thus far I can say that the pages seem to turn so quickly and easily that I'll be finished before I know it. Right now I am hooked.

Summary: If you're not fascinated by Bonhoeffer's life and World War 2, don't bother. But if you are, this just might be a Yikes! book worth committing to.

2010-09-11T09:23:00.002+03:00

No comment :)

New Hope Stallions!

2010-09-11T08:19:00.006+03:00

Can you guess which sport these guys play?

How about now?

If you guessed...BASKETBALL...you're right! Obviously, basketball is a relatively new sport here. For the tournament yesterday, the guys threw on soccer jerseys (and soccer socks). But they had a great coach!

This was our second ever basketball tournament, and this time it was held at New Hope Academy. Many of our fans had never before seen a proper game of basketball. Our own team was mesmerized as they watched the other (more seasoned) teams play.

It took us two games to warm up :). But our third game we shined. See, we have no problem with getting air under our shoes. These kids can jump!

We have to work more on, well, shooting. And defending without fowling. But at least we have the jumping part down!

It was a good day for basketball. It won't ever be as popular as soccer, but it is definitely becoming a respectable runner-up. HOOPS!

No theme, no pattern. "Random" Beauty.

2010-09-07T14:25:00.004+03:00

Can you see my lack of focus the day I took these photos? Unadulterated scatter-brain. But that doesn't stop beauty from happening, does it.

Backyard Cooking

2010-09-07T14:14:00.003+03:00

Why did it take us this long to discover it? Why was it only a few weeks ago that we realized Uganda's weather permits us to enjoy summer-like cooking all year round? I'm not talking about grilling--we figured that part out--I'm talking about S'MORES! I'm talking about nightly campfires! Oh yeah!

I love camping. I don't love it enough to attempt camping with three younguns. Sorry, but the idea of cramming all of us into a tent is nightmarish! Vacation ain't fun without sleep. But now that we have our campfire ring set up behind our house, we can have campfires and still get a great night's sleep! Seriously... why didn't we figure this out earlier?!