La Sonya

Guess what lives in my yard!? If you said a four-toed hedgehog or Atelerix Albiventris than you are correct! Gabriel brought this little guy to me Saturday night and I was in love :) Look how cute! I did all sorts of research online about these little guys and have learned a lot about the exotic pet world of hedgehogs. I was planning on keeping him in a cage in the house, but decided until I can actually get a proper functioning cage I'll let him live in the garden where he can eat bugs to his hearts content. But I've got plans for him don't you worry! I learned all sorts of interesting facts. (thank you wikipedia ) For example, did you know that hedgehogs have a tendency to be obese? They normally cover lots of ground in the night looking for bugs so keeping them in a tiny box is cruel and can make them fat. They are also illegal in several states (CA, Hawaii included) and you must have a license to own it in other states. The best fact that I learned is that they show he...

The month of January has flown by. A quick run down of the last 4 weeks: I welcomed in the new year alone and recovering from Malaria. Got ' better ' than started training again for my 1/2 marathon. After 3 days of running I got sick, again. By the time I actually got better the Board of Directors for Make It Count and Small Steps for Compassion were here along with Ron, who has teamed up with us and who works with Orphans Heart ! Needless to say, last week was very busy. There were meetings, town trips to buy everything for a new kitchen, cushions for the living room, the house cleaned and by cleaned I mean SCRUBBED ! (The floor apparently wasn't supposed to be dark brown, like I had thought it was but actually a light brown color.) As soon as I finish putting everything away in its new home I'll take pictures for you. I've got lots of things to catch up on now that the group has left. Everything from blogging (this is for you Tanya :) to finishing up purchases ...

So, just when I thought the coast was clear I'm down for the count again. I guess the medicine they gave me just around 2 weeks ago wasn't strong enough and here I am again with malaria. This is awful. I am a tiny bit miserable, actually I feel quite miserable. Feel free to send me get well cards. It's like getting the flu twice in less than 2 weeks. I'm hot, my body hurts, my head hurts, I have a headache and I feel like I got run over by a daladala. At least I know that one week from today the board of directors will be here and it will be like Christmas. It's the light at the end of my very long tunnel.

My New Years resolutions are as follows: To bake cookies at least once a month. To run a half marathon again. To get all the kids in the surrounding neighborhoods to call me by my name instead of mzungu. To buy flowers for my house once a month. I was inspired by the success of last years resolutions . What a great year. Good job 2011.

"The parakeet has flown the coop, repeat, the parakeet has flown the coop." I have busted the packages out of Post Office Jail. And yes it’s plural. They all three came, the modest package, the Christmas package and the dream list package. I have learned a lot about the mail system and will be putting together a protocol for mailing packages here that will keep things simple and affordable for all parties involved. After waiting at the ‘jail’ to bust them out for about 30 min I had to carry them back to the daladala (local bus) and then get back to Usa River (about 1 hour in route) then I had to wait for the next daladala to fill up so I could take it to the stop closest to my house (15 min walk). But I looked as happy as a kid at Christmas time, because in fact that’s what I am. I didn’t even mind that I had to carry the 8kg (about 17 lbs) packages really far. Because the whole time I was filled with anticipation and a big goofy grin. Now I’m off to open them and delight in...

I have realized over the last few years that I might actually like the waiting better than the opening of a gift, package, letter, or party. Is it because I have such an extravagant imagination? Perhaps it is because I know that things won't be what my imagination dreams up and I would rather dream away than face reality? Either way a friend called me today to let me know she saw my name on a list of packages at the Arusha Post Office! I had planned on heading out after lunch to pick it up but after talking with Juma (it's his PO Box) I learned that I could only pay the tax 0n the box in the morning AND I would have to have his ID to get it out. So I am resigned to wait. To dream. To imagine. It could be a box from my dearest garden friend containing Christmas joy and music and a million other exciting things. Which it has a good chance to be because she sent it around Thanksgiving. It could be a box from my good friend in Collegedale containing many things I had on my dream li...

Mount Kilimanjaro from a town outside of Moshi, Tanzania. Photo by Sonya “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. “ *Philippians 1:9,10

To my best and dearst kaka. You have always made me laugh when I was angry. You always made me play the bad guy when we were kids. You made me be the 'bad student' when we played school, having to arrive late. You were kind enough to plan me a surprise party the day after my real party. You could get me to play games in the evening with the family. You could never tell if I was crying or laughing. You helped come up with the name of our childhood cat, Carseat. You are an amazing actor, friend, son and most of all you are my caca I mean kaka. Boy, ya gotta love the Swahili language. It says it all. So Christopher Reaves, you will always be my kaka. I love you!