December 14, 2013 - Christmas "Lordag Slik"

Kristoffer grew up with the tradition of having "Lordag Slik" (Saturday candy) as a kid. This meant that he didn't get sweets or anything during the week, but would also get candy or some kind of treat on Saturday.  It is something we try to do with our kids too, which not only limits them asking for cookies and ice cream or candy during the week, but gives them something special to do on Saturdays when we go to the store and they can pick something they want.  We do make exceptions now and then, but we try to stick to it.

And today we had a very special kind of Lordag Slik because we made "gingerbread" houses! I think my mom started this tradition when my oldest nephews were very small, and she still does it every year with whichever grand kids she can get her hands on. Making these houses involves using graham crackers, frosting and tons of candy.  Totally awesome! Last year Grace loved doing it with her cousins at my parents' house and she has requested doing them before Christmas several times since then. 

So when I went to the US I stocked up on supplies which Grace and Noah have been watching and waiting for these last several weeks.  And we decided that today was the day...so it was sort of like Lordag Slik on speed :)

What I liked best about the process was that our family sat at the table having fun together for more than an hour, listening to Christmas music, getting a huge sugar high and being super silly.  It was awesome. There were definitely challenges though...such as the melting frosting making it pretty difficult to STICK anything and the somehow stale graham crackers being pretty soft and breakable. But hey, we are surrounded by development challenges on a daily basis here so perhaps it was just fitting that our houses felt a bit "East African" anyway.  It was messy and fun for all of us.  Grace wanted our team to copy a lot of what Far and Noah were doing so they were more the idea team, but ours turned our a little bit neater and more organized (if I do say so myself).  Noah was very serious about unwrapping all of the different candies, and eating them!  Grace was hoarding her unused stash for later and was concerned with decorating the whole "compound" with  an external (candy) wall, just like all of the compounds here.

Such a fun family tradition that we all enjoyed, and we briefly Facetimed with my mom so she could chime in, which made her feel close even though we are so far. Happy Holidays! 

LMW

December 13, 2013 - Mixed Day

Grace woke up yesterday morning with a cough and stayed home from school, but otherwise didn't seem too sick.  She slept through 8 hours of the night with no problem, but at 4 am suddenly had a fever and a hard time breathing.  The doctor told us at 8 am that she has advanced bronchitis which is almost pneumonia and to carefully watch her breathing.  He started her on antibiotics and a ventolin inhaler.  Not great, but at least we got in early to see the doctor. 

There was a show at their school today; Scandinavian countries celebrate Santa Lucia (St. Lucy) every December 13th in costume and song, and our kids missed it last year when we were in Denmark so were particularly excited about today.  Today was also the last day of school in 2013.  The school said Grace could come just for the show and the medicine brought her fever down temporarily so that she could participate. 

See some pictures and video clips below.  In general, it was very cute (minus the mom I almost got into a fight with because she was standing up in front to film her kids so that nobody else could see their kids!) and, thankfully, very short (less than 10 minutes of actual singing!) so Grace did great.  And when you could see Noah he looked adorable too (no stage fright as long as he was with Gracie - and at one point you can see him kiss her shoulder), but other kids kept blocking him so he was hard to see (you gotta get a little taller, Buddy!).  

I cut down the 7 1/2 minutes of video to three 30 second clips.  They are not great quality but I was on the floor and am not very tall anyway.  Also, kids were hard to see and I couldn't zoom.  Sorry, but hope you can find Grace & Noah!  First two songs are in Swedish (I think) and the third song below is in Danish (but it was really long, so I didn't share the whole thing).

Unfortunately, not too long after the show her symptoms got a lot worse.  I think she overdid it, and I feel awful about that.  We ended up back at the doctor's office for a nebulization treatment when her lips turned blue and she really couldn't breath properly.  Her oxygen level was down to 89.  So she is better since the nebulization but we will be back for a few more treatments tonight and tomorrow.  And by the then the other medications should be working on the infection.

Whoever heard of a little kid getting pneumonia in the middle of the super hot season?!?!  Or maybe it has to do with the rain and humidity?  Whatever it is - BAH HUMBUG!

So the kids were cute, but this Mama has been running around all day and is exhausted.  Just praying this is not an omen of how the next three weeks with no school (and no nanny) will be spent!  And today's silver lining is that my two very good friends brought me special deliveries today:  one of them arrived with flowers and one of them brought me coke and chocolate.  What more does a girl need when she's having a bad day?  Thanks ladies, I am so grateful for you!

LMW

December 12, 2013 - Just Silly

We are in the season of "short rains" here (although I think it is already supposed to be over!) and Grace and Noah love to play in the rain in their boots and with their umbrellas. I have no idea what happened to the umbrellas on Monday - but Kristoffer took this video of them playing in the rain.  They were wet and silly - it is so much fun to be a kid!

LMW

December 11, 2013 - Blog Books

We would like to say a very big THANK YOU to Jean (Bibi) and Jen in NYC for one of the best gifts we receive each year.  Since we began our expat life, they have been closely tracking our blog and each year they publish it into a hard cover book for us (in 2012, we got two books!).  The collection stands proudly at the top of one of our bookshelves. These books are truly our family's story (beginning just four months after we got married), and serve as Grace and Noah's baby books as well! I usually buy them each an extra copy so that they will also have them throughout their lives; if they ever have a question about what it was like spending their early years in Kenya and Tanzania, well, they have all the answers right at their finger tips. 

We love, love, love these gifts, Jean and Jen (and we know how much hard work it takes to produce them)!  Thank you so very much!
Love, Lisa, Kristoffer, Grace & Noah (and BB in the future!)

December 10, 2013 - Sharing is Caring

Even though we live in a developing country, our life is pretty much a totally "expat bubble," where we mostly interact with other expats, our children live very comfortably and very rarely interact with this country's poverty/reality at all.  Of course we want to protect them from seeing "too much" at their ages, but wherever we will live in the world - be it Kenya, Tanzania, Denmark, America or somewhere else! -  there are people who have much less than we do and whose basic needs are not met.  Granted there are different kinds of poverty in these places, but I believe it is important that our kids start to learn about this reality, even if in a relatively protected way.  We have so much to be grateful for, but sometimes it takes seeing what others do not have to help you feel grateful for what you do have.

So my idea for the Christmas season was to take Grace and Noah to visit a Tanzanian orphanage.  One of their teachers is involved in a small orphanage here and agreed to take us there.  During the past week, I've had the kids going through their playroom and bedrooms to find toys that they don't play with very much (or in some cases toys that are duplicates of other toys!).  We felt strongly that they had to pick the toys themselves and agree (ok, I suggested some things to give away but they did not accept all of my suggestions and Kristoffer reminded me that that was OK!) or else when we got to the orphanage there might be conflict.  So it was two shopping bags of toys and puzzles in good condition that we brought, along with some clothes that the kids have outgrown.  We talked to them a lot about giving things away before we get new presents for Christmas, about what they might see or experience at the orphanage, and why these children don't have mothers and fathers and toys.  

There is only so much prep we could do though, and then we just had to hope for the best! Yesterday was a holiday here so Kristoffer didn't have to work, and off we went for our visit. My expectations of the orphanage were pretty different than reality.  The house had just been renovated in a way so that it was painted nicely and didn't smell bad or have a lot of trash around it, even though it was in a slum about 30 minutes from our house.  This was much different from the orphanage we used to visit in Nairobi, which was really dirty.  There were 25 children living in this house, but many of them had gone on some kind of trip for the day with the head Mama of the house.  So it was a small group receiving our gifts and it was probably much easier for us than if all children had been there.  (We learned that there used to be 65 kids in that tiny house, but that a Norwegian man donated a house to the others moved to live in that donated house.)

We spent one hour with them, trying to teach the children (some 14 year old girls, boys, and then some younger kids...but most of the small children were not there) how to play with the toys.  It was interesting because they don't speak English and we don't speak Kiswahili (well, Kristoffer does...but not the me, Grace or Noah), so we were using the toys to communicate.  Some of the children were definitely trying to hoard the toys - that is pretty understandable - and they were not really used to saying thank you, but that was also OK.  We also left some more toys from a friend of mine so that when the Mama returned she could distribute them to the children we didn't see.

Grace and Noah were shy and awkward when we were there, but not unfriendly or rude.  Grace said to me more than once, "I think we made them happy."  She could see that in their small house there were not any other toys. So while it is a big life lesson that we need to reinforce repeatedly throughout the future - I do feel this was a good introduction at an appropriate time of year to teach the children about giving to those less fortunate than we are.  They will not miss those toys (even though they were really nice ones!) because they have so many others, and they did not begrudge the other children because they could see how little they already had.

This was a parenting win, as far as I am concerned, and I am interested to see how much (if at all) they process the experience in the coming days or weeks.  I hope it made Grace and Noah feel good on some level...it certainly made ME feel good.  Here are a few (iPhone) pictures - all of the kids there wanted to use the camera or have their picture taken...even if the quality is not great.

Grace and Noah learn at school that sharing is caring, and that was definitely true today!

LMW

December 9, 2013 - Intermission

Tis the season to be jolly...fa la la la la, la la la la!

Bonus Baby was 20 weeks old on the inside yesterday and is scheduled to be born 19 weeks from today.  S/he is moving a lot more these days, which I enjoy (always at 9 pm!) and it's also nice because Kristoffer can feel bigger movements with his hand now.  The kids are not quite patient enough to wait for the kicks yet...but soon!  They can't wait to feel movement in there. 

My pregnancy feels good except for two things, which are hard not to complain about (although I am trying not to complain too much): the heat here (ahhhhhh) and my sciatic nerve pain.  I am doing some helpful exercises but think I will try out some acupuncture soon.  Each pregnancy this symptom has come earlier and stronger so I am expecting that my last months will be unbearable unless I get a little more relief.  For the crazy heat, there is just nothing I can do but stay inside in the air conditioning, which I'm doing as much as possible.  But life does involve going outside!  

20-24 weeks is my favorite time to be pregnant because I still feel cute and everything is pretty centered/contained.  After that I start to be more swollen and wobbly and uncomfortable.  So I'm hoping to enjoy the next month of cute before my maternity clothes start to be too tight!

We are happily cooking away at the half-time show.  Hard to believe there will be another person with us here so soon.  We are ALL very excited for the Christmas morning reveal of the baby's sex.  Grace is even practicing reading the words "boy" and "girl" so she can make the announcement.  Stay tuned :)

LMW

December 8, 2013 - Ladies Man

Our sweet Noah has friends of his own now, and they are both girls!  It is crazy cute.  Every evening at dinner when we ask him what his favorite part of the day was he says, "Playing with Helena and Maya."  At school they are three peas in a pod and have a lot of fun together.  Makes us happy that we are good friends with both girls' parents too :)

Up to no good in a bush!

At a birthday party!

Getting closer to three years old, he is such a big boy now!

LMW

December 7, 2013 - Email Hackers

Have you ever received an email from a Nigerian hacker – where he acts like he knows you and is somewhere having a big emergency and needs you to send him money ASAP?  Or the email comes from a person you know whose account has been hacked and your “friend” is asking for immediate financial help!  Quick!  Get to a Western Union!

Well, we had that happen once to me when we lived in Nairobi (from the email of a person we knew there) and we decided to have a little fun with the hacker.  So I played along with it, getting as much information as I could, and eventually said that I too was in London and would be happy to meet up to provide the money “she needed”.  Of course the hacker eventually figured it out when I wrote:  I know you’re a hacker and you’re not getting any money from me!  But this week Kristoffer found himself in the same situation and also had a little fun.

If you’re interested in playing along, here is a guide for pranking your hacker:

Hacker:

Did you get my previous email? its very urgent please.  

Kind regards

Timothy

Kristoffer:

I didn't get your email. 

Hacker:

Please I need your urgent assistance, am currently in Manila city, Philippines, for a short vacation and my bank is having some network problems, can't transfer out here. am stranded and confuse right now, please can I get 2,500 USD from you or whatever amount if not all, I will refund you the money in few days as soon as I return, please get back to me if you can.

Kind regards

Timothy

Kristoffer:

But I thought you didn’t like east Asia? How did you go there? Was it to watch the golf tournament I know you like?

Kris

Hacker:

Thanks for your prompt response so sorry i never mention about my trip to you, i will explain better to when i return in few days all need now is to sort my bills here, please let me know if you can raised me some funds here, so i can forward you m detai, i will pay you back as soon as i return. hope to read from you soon.

Kind regards

Timothy

Kristoffer:

But already I owe you even more. Should I just send you the whole amount? 

Hacker:

Thanks, please kindly help me have the money sent by Western Union Money Transfer.to my name and the Location below.

Name: Timothy Kosgey

Location:  35 Newport Boulevard, Manila city, Philippines

Country: Philippines

Send me the details of the transfer as soon as you are done.

Kind regards

Timothy

Kristoffer:

Shouldn't I send it to your Bank Account instead? I spoke to my bank about the transfer and they advised me to transfer the funds instead. Especially when it is above USD 10,000! What do you think?

It's funny that you now sign with your full name, I kind of like that better!

Just hold on, the transfer can happen very quickly!

Best,

K

But then our friend Timothy must have realized he was being played (I think Kristoffer pushed it too far with the 10k).  Also, at some point the more emails they send the more information you have to report them to the server, increasing their chances of being “caught” (whatever that means).

We found this interaction to be very amusing!

LMW

December 6, 2013 - The Penguin Dance

On Tuesday, Grace had her dance class' final performance of the term.  They performed "The Penguin Dance" as you can see below.  Grace's Nene and Pops really enjoy that she danced to some classic music :)  It was cute, and you can actually tell from last year's performance that she has developed a bit!

Our sweet petite penguin (middle) with two of her friends:

Also, just a little recognition that Kristoffer and I arrived in Africa six years ago today with six suitcases and no children.  It truly blows my mind where our decision to move to Kenya for two years has taken us.  We're not in Kenya anymore, but Tanzania isn't so far off.  Unbelievable!  Happy African Anniversary, Kristoffer :)

LMW

November 29, 2013 - Dar Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving looked a little bit like this (forgot to take a picture of the pizza!):

And, just for the record, I forgot to say yesterday in my Thanksgiving blog that of all of the wonderful food I ate when I was in America (homemade, store bought and at restaurants), I was MOST thankful for this:

Sounds silly I know, but we can't get a American Cheerios here and this preggo craves them all the time! Tasted just like home! And I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

LMW

November 28, 2013 - American Trip Recap and Feeling Thankful

Thanksgiving and Fourth of July are always a little bit hard for me.  Unlike Christmas or Easter, which are celebrated all over the world, Thanksgiving and the Fourth are uniquely American and, even though of course their spirit could be celebrated anywhere, I have this hang up that you should really be IN America to celebrate them. It otherwise feels very much not the same. So today we'll be having the least-Thanksgivingish dinner possible: pizza at beach!  Just to be very different from the rest of you (besides, if I told you how much it would have cost to import a tiny turkey, you would probably faint!). 

But of course, there is still a lot to be thankful for this year. I am also a blog late in describing my trip to the US so will use that week as my lens for Thanksgiving this year.  In no particular order, here we go:

1. I am thankful that I had a lot of great quality time with my parents last week.  I feel more and more with age that I just really appreciate their company and especially because  we go such long stretches without seeing each other, I am particularly thankful for the stretches when we do get to see each other. 

2. I am thankful that I had a great reunion with my girlfriends from college - The Fun Factor! It had been more than three years since I was able to be with them for a big celebration.  I have missed weddings, bridal showers and weekend getaways. This time my trip was timed perfectly for Gina's baby shower (love celebrating babies!) and it was so good for my soul to laugh, cry and just be with these women who have been in my life for 14 or 15 years now. 

3. I am thankful for amazon.com, Target, Macy's, Motherhood Maternity, Old Navy, Michael's, Market Basket, the Christmas Tree Shop, Party City. and even Walmart...because I was able to bring home gifts and supplies for celebrating Christmas and my kids' upcoming birthdays and birthday parties. I am also very thankful that Black Friday is not even an option for us!

4. I am thankful that my mom and my sister Meghan worked hard to host a lovely brunch before I left so that I could see some of my aunts, uncles and cousins who I never have quite enough time with.  My parents also hosted some wonderful dinners to help with this effort during my week home - thank you for that!

5. I am thankful for so many long standing friendships in my life...and that I got to see several of these wonderful friends, Kate, Brooke, Jean (Bibi) and Jen, while I was home. 

6. I am generally thankful for seasons, and that I got to experience a different one in America than we are currently experiencing here in Dar. 

7. For all of my experiences in Massachusetts last week, the primary purpose of my trip home was to get Bonus Baby checked out.  I am most profoundly thankful this year that our baby looks healthy and strong. My due date was pushed back to its original date - April 27th - and our c-section was scheduled for Monday April 21st (already adjusted the countdown on the right), which is both Easter Monday AND Marathon Monday!  I am so thankful to have had a great team of technicians, nurses and doctors assessing me and Bonus Baby.  We had some great conversations and quite a few laughs...in addition to some emotional tears as well. I feel we are in great hands in Boston and I can't wait for April to arrive. 

8. I am very thankful that I had easy, smooth, uneventful, and spacious economy class travel from and back to Dar.  It was probably the easiest trip I have had these last 6 years with very accommodating airlines and crews (not always the norm!). Fingers crossed for a similar experience in the spring! 

9. After all that, I came home to a husband who was smiling at the airport after having a pretty big week of his own balancing work and kids with no Mama around. We are both thankful that Rose and Christopher the cook were great and helpful all week to make my absence less difficult.  But mostly I am thankful that he is such a great husband/partner/father because I was not nervous or worried about anyone while I was gone and the kids were perfectly happy and well-adjusted the whole time.  He is truly the best.

10.  Last but not least, my two great kids were excellent in my absence (Rose keeps reminding me that they whined a lot less when I wasn't home!) and were absolutely adorable and charming and precious upon my return.  I am truly thankful for them everyday, and I am also especially thankful that they are so excited for Bonus Baby.  They seem so eager to welcome another person into our family; it gives me goosebumps sometimes to really think about how blessed we are. 

So even though we'll be eating pizza at the beach tonight, this holiday is not lost on me.  I have an abundance of people and situations and experiences to be thankful for...and so, very thankful I am.

LMW

November 16, 2013 - Jet Lag!

Hi there.  I made it to America safe and sound - had a really smooth and easy trip here.  Slept for quite a few hours but have a bit of jet lag now as I woke up at 3 am (11 am in Dar) pretty ready to go for the day :)

My trip was actually interesting.  The most stressful part was right at the beginning when Kenya Airways wouldn't let me travel without a letter of permission from my doctor. Since I'm only in my 18th week I would never have asked for that letter, but my doctor suggested I bring one just in case.  So I had it!  But only because of her - so thank you Dr. Belia!

Again, that was about as eventful as it got.  I had a 1 hr flight on a brand new little airplane to Nairobi.  Because of the fire a few months ago we had to walk for 3 or 4 minutes outside to get inside the terminal; that was kind of weird for me because we left Nairobi 2 years ago (almost exactly) and it still SMELLED the same.  It was also very cool - so different than Dar!  The airport has been improved since we left, which is great because wow that airport has really been awful in the past.  The made some of the hallways wider, better lightning, better/more air circulation, and a lot more seating.  So my 3 hour layover wasn't so bad - and even though I wasn't super hungry I had a full meal at Java House, just because I could!

Next was my 8 hr 30 min flight to London.  It was not a full plane so I ended up in a two-seat-row all by myself which means I could sort of lay down and sleep on and off.  I was really worried about getting dehydrated so I was drinking a ton, and then waking up pretty often to walk around and go to the bathroom.  But the long flight went by super quickly.  Only downside?  Worst airline food ever!  Work on that, Kenya Airways!

Finally I had almost 4 hours in Heathrow before my 7 hr 20 minute flight to Boston.  I ate a good meal, walked some laps up and down Terminal 4 (first time there, very nice), had 45 free minutes of Internet and texted with Kristoffer at work.  It was another pretty empty flight so I had 3 seats by myself this time and slept on and off again, watching some TV shows and eating VERY good airline food (honestly, it was!).  

Boston welcomed me gladly - beautiful 60 degree weather and I got through border protection/baggage/customs in 15 minutes to my waiting parents.  I had only been home for an hour when we had already stopped at an Apple Store to replace our dying laptop battery.  Productive!  Had a nap after lunch and a nice with visit with Meghan, Sean, Molly and Nora for dinner.

The next biggest highlight is that when I woke up 45 minutes ago I (think I) felt Bonus Baby move for the first time (at 17 weeks 3 days - with both Grace and Noah it was between 19 and 20 weeks).  It was that fluttery feeling of early movements, but I am excited to know that the season of baby kicking has begun.  We always talk about how Noah was such an enormous kicker, especially at night and even to this day!, and Grace was a bit more polite...so I'm curious to see which path BB follows!

All in all - a great trip home so far, and word from Dar is that everyone is doing great without me.  I miss my people though, but it's really nice to be here.  Cheers to a busy and great week ahead!

LMW

November 11, 2013 - Bedtime Stories

On Thursday evening I will begin a 25 hr journey to Boston all by myself and I won't get back to Dar until late on November 24th - 10 days later.  The only other time I've left my family was when Kyle was sick and passed away last October.  Obviously, this occasion is more celebratory but since I haven't spent too many nights away from my family before it still feels weird.  Let's just say that we are practicing for our probably-4-or-5-week-long separation in March/April before Bonus Baby arrives. 

My week will be really busy with friends, family, eating, shopping and doctors.  I will also have to figure out how to pack everything I've already bought on amazon.  Christmas presents...birthday presents...food stocks...hmmm...

So I am looking forward to a really full and busy week, and am definitely excited for a break from the day-to-day of life in Dar.  I always feel a bit refreshed after a break from Africa...especially as every day it gets hotter and hotter right now.  We have officially arrived in the season of "the water in the outdoor water tank is HOT, and the water in the indoor hot-water-tank is COLD.  

Anyway, I am not packing much to bring with me there (see above) so that won't take much time before Thursday.  Planning out what Rose and Kristoffer have to do that they normally don't have to do will take a little time.  But, really, what did I do tonight to get ready for my trip?  I spent 40 minutes reading bedtime stories to Grace and Noah on the iPad.  Took awhile (wow, Jan and Stan Berenstain were verbose!) but I hope it will ease the bedtime routine for Kristoffer a bit if he can leave one kid to read with Mama while putting the other one down.  And maybe...just in case they miss me...it will remind them that I'm still "here" with them, and will be back soon.

I will DEFINITELY miss them...but I'm also really looking forward to some time on my own with many of the other people I love in this world.  And I know it will feel really good to come back in 10 days time.  The kids are usually much better behaved when I am not around anyway (I am told!) so I hope that Rose, Christopher the cook, and Kristoffer the Far have a good week with Grace and Noah...and I think when I get back from Boston I will be ready to resume bedtime stories in person.

LMW

November 5, 2013 - Bonus Baby Poll and 16 Weeks

Okay family and friends, it is time to play "Guess the Baby's Sex!" again.  And this time, it seems we will find out and share the baby's sex ahead of time.  While I would still very much like to be surprised in the moment the baby is born, I have been out-voted by the rest of my family who would like to know ahead of time (like, yesterday). You have until December 3rd, when I am 20 weeks pregnant because we don't know exactly when/where we will find out but we should know by then.

Here's what you have to work with:

• This pregnancy "feels" much more like Grace's than Noah's.
• We have already had one boy and one girl, obviously.
• I "popped" in terms of a having an official baby belly, not just looking like I ate too much cheesecake, at 15 weeks and 2 days (that was on Halloween, by the way). With Grace I was 18 weeks and with Noah it was somewhere between 16 and 17 weeks.
• I think Bonus Baby is a girl.
• Kristoffer thinks Bonus Baby is a boy.
• Grace and Noah vote girl along with me at this stage.  But maybe everyone just thinks whatever they would (only) slightly prefer? 
• Below you can see what I look like at 16 weeks and can compare to the same stage with Grace and with Noah.

Off you to go to start your calculations and make a vote! 

LMW

November 2, 2013 - Makeshift Halloween

For Halloween this year we planned a very small trick-or-treat party with five other families - all of whom are also half-Nordic and half-something-else and were either missing Halloween or were just interested in trying it out.  Halloween is not very Nordic, so at the kids' school they don't do much for it.  Last year they tried the same kind of small trick-or-treat party, but I guess nobody wanted to plan it again because we were left to our own devices.  For security reasons we can't go door-to-door, and because we are not part of the "official" American [Embassy] community here we were not invited to any serious Halloween parties.  Again, left to our own devices.  This is what we came up with.

We carved a watermelon:

And rented the school grounds and got dressed up with some friends:

Can you guess who the two little ghosts are?!
(BTW - that's about as DIY as I get in the costume department)

We let the kids jump on the bouncy castle and eat some yummy snacks like these (note that I took no pictures and stole all of these from different websites, but in theory ours looked similar):

When it was getting close to being dark the 10 kids could go around to 10 different doors at their school ("staffed" by participating parents) to say "trick or treat" and load up on whatever local goodies were offered.

Clearly we did not take a lot of pictures, but it was a fun little gathering that gave my kids just the taste of Halloween they were looking for.  Before going to bed, though, Grace did ask me: "Some time can we do the other kind of Halloween where you dress up and walk to different people's houses at night to say Trick-or-Treat?"  

I hope one year she gets her wish, although for Dar I don't think we did too bad!

LMW

October 30, 2013 - Occupational Hazard

Last week Kristoffer was traveling through rural parts of Tanzania for a mission on water hygiene and sanitation.  The ultimate irony was, of course, that he came home with a wretched bacterial infection and amoeba.  When Kristoffer posted on his Facebook that he was hospitalized for it, which he was, someone asked me what was wrong with him.  

The best way I can describe it to an American audience of people about my age:  remember playing Oregon Trail on the computer about 20-25 years ago?  And there were all these things that your people could die of while on the Oregon Trail?  Yeah...so Kristoffer had most of those things (no, did not drown in the river because he decided to caulk the wagon).  High fever, nasty stuff going on in his stomach, super dehydrated.

The other downside of this is that he has never been so sick in his life, so he wasn't very good at it.   When I told him that the doctor said he had to stay all day on Sunday and overnight until Monday before she would let him go home, he started yelling at me and saying that he would just drink a lot of water at home.  Riiiight.  Nevermind those pesky life-saving IV antibiotics.  He told her the next day how mad he was and she told him, "That's because you couldn't see yourself with your eyeballs sunk into your head."  Classy.

Anyway, it wasn't a very fun time, but he survived it and is doing very well now.  And my husband is such a giving man that he GAVE me his bacterial infection.  Despite what we tell the kids, sometimes I think sharing is NOT caring!

So I ended up at the doctor's office yesterday with stabbing pains in my stomach - not fun at 15 weeks pregnant! - and some other symptoms as well.  They determined that I was starting with the same bacterial infection and put me on antibiotics right away.  I stayed in bed all day yesterday and am still there now...gearing up for 2 full days of teaching the rest of this week.  Feeling pretty good, and rather lazy frankly.

Needless to say, we survived another round of THAT here in East Africa.  Whenever it is that we don't live here anymore, experiences like these are ones that I will not miss for sure!

LMW

October 24, 2013 - Silver Linings

Sorry for still being quiet on the blog, despite our "secret" being out now.  No matter what I do, I can't seem to get past my current state of permanent exhaustion so blogging is not something I seem to get around to.  Of course it hasn't helped that Kristoffer has been away since Monday and Noah has not been sleeping through night (at close-to-3-years-old?!?!  Come on, buddy! Help a Mama out!).  And I am not really complaining about Kristoffer traveling because he so rarely does it and I know how much he enjoys that part of his work.  I guess it's just something about having two kids, being pregnant, and living in a place that gets hotter by the minute (Pregnant in Dar?!?!  What was I thinking?!?!).  

I'm also really busy at the kids' school.  The Board, of which I am a member, is preparing for our AGM and it is time consuming. Good and interesting and meaningful volunteer work - yes.  But also not helping in the exhaustion department.  I'm also having a hard time eating.  I can eat - yes.  But I never feel really satisfied, nothing quite tastes right, I sort of have to force myself to do it despite being hungry (and thankfully, I am not sick or nauseous) and I haven't gained any weight yet despite my burgeoning belly, which I hope is still normal in the 15th week.    

So all of those complaints aside - and yes I do realize that in the grand scheme of my life and the world today I really have nothing to complain about! - let's try to focus for a few minutes on what makes me smile these days.

*Noah spent about 4-5 minutes tonight talking to my belly, specifically saying/yelling: "Baby, come out!  Come out now!  Baby?  Are you coming?  Come out now!  Come out!"  It really made my life, and also I felt a little bad for the guy that he still has to wait 25 more weeks (give or take a week) to mee the baby.

*We've decided as a family that everybody has a job when the baby is born.  Work assignments are as follows:

• Noah - is on binky duty
• Grace - is changing diapers
• Lisa - will give the baby milk (and also has to take the night shift - ugh)
• Kristoffer - will give the baby a bath
• Rose - will put the baby to sleep (when we get back to Dar)
• Nene - will sing to and rock the baby in the rocking chair (when we are still in the US)
• Pops - will let the baby sleep on his tummy and will probably sleep with the baby at that time (also when we are still in the US)

Can you think of anything we've forgotten?!  

*Grace and Noah spent approximately 3 hours today going through their big, personal bins of baby/toddler keepsakes (clothes, toys, towels, shoes, gifts, etc.) and deciding, undeciding and then redeciding which things we should share with our new baby and which things we should keep for ourselves.  It was insanely sweet, and again, made me so happy for THEM (nevermind me and Kristoffer) that we are having a baby.  I feel like it is this huge gift we are giving them.  And I hope they see it that way in about 8 months when our two-month-old isn't sleeping through the night and Mama is (similar to these days!) a zombie.

*I found this awesome blog when someone else posted it on Facebook.  And it is so spot on in SO many ways that I've re-read it twice.  And I've bought her book for $4.99 on Kindle...which I look forward to reading whenever I get back to having time to read for pleasure (instead of nap for survival).

*While I have been the world's most defunct sports fan this past year, I am super happy that the Red Sox are once again in the World Series and even won Game 1.  There are lots of funny things online about Boston's current state of sports domination across sports, but especially after the Boston Marathon terrorist attack this year I feel really happy for the people at home to have something keeping everyone close and happy. 

Bottom line:  there's always a silver lining.  And to prove that point exactly, Kristoffer was supposed to come home on Saturday evening but just texted me that he will now be coming home tomorrow!  Even in time for dinner!  Amen and Hallelujah!

Things are already looking up.

LMW

October 15, 2013 - Family News

I had a friend tell me recently that I always "get quiet" on the blog when I'm pregnant.  That's what makes her suspect it.  So I suppose it might be no surprise to you, reading this now, after I have been a bit on the quiet side...that yes, we are expecting another baby in our family.

Meet "Bonus Baby" (BB), due April 22nd but likely to arrive a week or so before that in Boston, where we will go this time for my third and final c-section.  No more African babies for us.  BB is 13 weeks old on the inside today.  I feel like some kind of champion to be through the first trimester for the third time. 

While "to have or not to have" another baby discussions (negotations?) were underway in our house, the decision had not actually been made.  Or at least not to our knowledge.  So the news did come as a small surprise just after my birthday, and it has been a busy and emotional couple of months since then.  

My 12-week ultrasound was wonderful, with no signs of anything to worry about and a very active baby doing flips the whole time.  (Third time around and I am still absolutely amazed that something the size of a lemon can be doing flips!)  Kristoffer was especially relieved to see - proof with his own eyes! - that there is only one baby in there. 

My pregnancy has not been difficult so far (especially compared to the roller coaster of Noah's pregnancy...knock on wood...) and my biggest symptom is exhaustion.  ALL. THE. TIME.  Even if I have just slept 8 hours.  I was a little bit sick when we were in Denmark, but I chalk that up to the antibiotics I was on for a sinus infection rather than pregnancy specifically.  My skin was HORRIBLE (worse than a teenager!) for about six weeks but that is getting better now.  My eating issues are similar to pregnancies of the past: I feel hungry, but nothing sounds or smells or tastes that good to me.  My sense of smell is DEFINITELY heightened.  My normally emotional nature is at an all time high (maybe you're glad you live so far away now?).

The most exciting part for us right now is that we told Grace and Noah on Saturday.  We showed them the ultrasound pictures along with their own so we could talk about the baby being inside my belly.  They were really happy - and have been crazy, crazy cute since then.  On Sunday morning they spent about an hour hunting down baby toys in our house and packing them all in one bag to take to the hospital (in 6 months).  They are kissing and talking to my belly, and planning what we need to buy for the baby.  So far the most urgent requests are: new car seat and a binky.  Better get on it!

So if we had reservations about having a third, I think they are now overshadowed by the joy this baby will bring to his/her big sister and first-time big brother.  When BB is born they will be 5 and 3 years old, and we expect it will be a totally different ballgame than when Grace, not yet 2 years old, became a big sister for the first time (and would sometimes bang her head against the wall when I nursed).  It will be a new adventure for us having to travel and arrange logistics in a new way, but I think we're ready for it.  And if I didn't mention yet that we are happy, let me say it now:  we are very happy about Bonus Baby's upcoming arrival and it is feeling more real everyday. 

Thank you for hanging in there with us for another baby story!

LMW

October 14, 2013 - Thank You

I would like to say a warm and heartfelt thank you to everyone who remembered our nephew Kyle last week with a candle on the anniversary of his death (and also some people who did it in September for his birthday).  I think in the end I have about 70 candles and will be compiling all of the beautiful pictures into a book for Kyle's parents.  It was not an easy day, but was certainly softened quite a bit by such an outpouring of love and support. It was a special way to honor Kyle's life.  Thank you all very, very much.

LMW

October 7, 2013 - A Candle for Kyle

It is hard for me to write about this today. Yesterday was actually particuarly difficult...because I arrived in America last year on a Sunday afternoon, and Kyle passed away about 90 minutes after I saw him for the first time in the hospital.  Sunday at 7:07 pm.  The memories of that evening and the week that followed are vivid and clear, and very, very difficult.  It was the worst week of my life, but was also nothing in comparison to what Kyle's parents went through and continue to go through in their daily lives without him. 

And while my feelings are elaborate and complex, I actually can't bring myself to write it all down.  It's just too much.

But for today, Kyle's candle in our home has been lit.  I've been talking to his picture this morning, singing "our song" (This Little Light of Mine...) and remembering this Irish prayer, for sweet Kyle.

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

And until we meet again...

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

If you'd like to share your candle for Kyle as well, so that his parents won't feel so alone in remembering their son today, please email a picture to candlesforkyle@gmail.com or click here.

LMW