reunion

When I was first in Kijabe, I joined a Bible Study that was filled with Medical Officers (doctors right out of medical school) who became some of my best friends.  The year and a half that I was there, we had a lot of good times together: meals, times of singing and sharing, lots of laughter, and games.

Times have changed since then.  As my friend Erica says, the Bible Study is a revolving door -- when one person leaves, a new person comes in.  Some of the original members have moved on, but there are plenty now to replace them!  Most are Orthopedic Surgeons.  You would be impressed to see how often they can apply "I had this patient. . ." to scripture!  I've learned a lot about Orthopedics over the years.

Even though there are new people now, I decided it was time to gather the ones who were in the Bible Study when I first arrived.  Even though we all live within an hour of each other, we hadn't seen everyone for well over a year.  It was high time!

Plus, I'm always looking for an excuse to have a BBQ!

 {meat...burgers, sausages, pork chops.  It was a goat-free affair}

 {men & meat go hand in hand}

{the spread}

The men, Francis, Nyabz, Edward and Dexter, handled the meat while the women -- me, Sarah, Nikki, and Evelyn, handled the babies and other food.  It was a good division of labor.  As usual, I didn't get as many pictures as I had intended, but here are a few more from the day.

  

{Nyabz & Nikki and their daughter Naima, almost 3}

 

Six years ago, none of us were married, and some of us hadn't even met our future spouse. (Me! Dexter joined the Bible Study later).  Things certainly have changed! Also six years ago most were "just" doctors, and now they're all in some kind of masters program or residency.  Edward and I are the only non-medical people of the group!

On Sunday morning, we all had breakfast together (except Sarah & Edward who'd left the night before to go take care of their dog!), and I took the opportunity to get some more photos of everyone.  

I'd just woken Kyalo from a nap so we could go to church. I'm not sure he really woke up, though.

All in all, it was a great time reconnecting with great friends! I hope we'll get together more frequently in the future.

finished product

The rocking chair is complete! Dexter has given it a whole new life...which is pretty good considering it is probably 20 years old or more.  It looks so very different from where it began, but I like it!

It was a lot more work than I anticipated, and I didn't even do anything. I did help a bit...stretching fabric when asked. But mostly, I took the pictures.

There was sanding...

 

there are the birds again!

Kyalo supervised:

(argh! still can't get side-by-side photos! help!?)

It was painted:

and new sponge added...

then it was tested...

(Kyalo looks a little uncertain)

and, then, it was finished!

{ta da!}

So to remind you:

Quite a difference, eh?

a few photos

The rocking chair is basically done, so photos of that will come soon.  In the meantime, feast yourself on these beauties.

 {flying high}

{drool}

I think he looks like a little boy here! He's getting so mature! :)

Most of these next pictures were shared on Facebook, so you've probably already seen them. But I couldn't resist sharing them again!

It is amazing to me how different he can look in his photos.  This picture here looks almost like a different person from the first two pictures.  Still lovably cute, though, don't you think?

In other news, Kyalo and I are coming to the US! We don't have his passport in hand yet (next week, I hope), but the plan is to travel August 13 to the US, and return home September 6.  I'm sticking around for Labor Day. Hoping to squeeze in a good BBQ before leaving!  I look forward to seeing or catching up with a lot of you!

a work in progress

We were given a small rocking chair from the Meads before they left.  It fits nicely in the nursery, and I use it a lot for middle of the night feedings, and at bed time to rock Kyalo to sleep.  A rocking chair was on my wish list, but I wasn't sure how to go about getting one, so it is nice to get one for free!  While we liked the colors of the fabric (it actually kind of matched the theme of the room), the old faded look wasn't for us.

{before}

(I can't seem to do side-by-side pictures.  Can someone help me with that?)

On Sunday we got a simple khaki fabric from Nairobi, and Dexter went to work stripping this off.  I think he's thinking to paint the wood white (since we have white paint remaining from other projects), which means he'll need to sand it down first.  

Here he is, hard at work!

As I said in the title, this is a work in progress.  We also got some new sponge to put under the new fabric so we no longer feel the springs when we sit on it. Yay!  I'm hopeful this is something we can complete this week. {And, of course, by "we" I mean Dexter!}

In the meantime, look at this treasure Dexter unearthed!

 {birds. flowers. during.}

Why would we ever consider covering this beauty up?

Stay tuned for the "after" shots in the coming (soon?) days!

Hope

I introduced you to Hope Rich a little bit ago.  At that time, the Riches were waiting to find out if she would be granted permission to apply for a visa to travel to the US.  It is a long, complicated and very confusing process to adopt a child.  They waded through the Kenyan Courts system for more than two years, and in April were granted adoption of Hope.  Oh the joy we all felt as we celebrated with them! Unfortunately being granted the adoption in Kenya doesn't automatically grant her US Citizenship, or even a visa of any type (visit, immigrant, etc).  In fact, it makes simply visiting the US more complicated because she could become a risk of being an illegal immigrant.  The Riches have done everything they can to get Hope home to the US with them. 

Late last week, they learned the heartbreaking news that their request was denied.  The problem hinges on a bit of a technicality.  The Riches have had custody of Hope since November 2008, but the US law requires it to be "legal" custody -- and that the custody be for two years before being granted a visa of any kind.    The whole thing makes your head spin!

Hope's oldest brother, Josiah, put together this great little video about her and their situation.  Please watch it. And share it. And do what you can to help!  Maybe a letter to your congressman or representative or senator.  Certainly, pray for them.

(please also pause a minute and applaud the fact that I figured out how to post this video!)

Hope might be the smartest person I know, by the way!

I spoke to Miriam today, and many people are getting involved, spreading the word, and doing what they can.  This is about all I can do, so I thought I'd do my bit.  After being missionaries in Kenya for more than 25 years, the Riches would like to go home.  (It is almost four years since Miriam was home).  Miriam wants nothing more than to have her whole family together -- her four oldest children are in university in the US. 

Thanks for watching, praying, sharing, etc. 

passion

I thought I knew what a passionate sports fan looked like. I'm from Boston, after all.  We know a thing or two about being sports fans.  And when I lived in Oakland, I went to every Red Sox-As game I could (it was so cheap to get game-day tickets, and usually there were more Red Sox fans in the stands than As fans. Loved it. But I digress).  When I moved to Kenya I followed Sox games online, and occasionally caught a replayed game on ESPN at Dexter's house (an excuse to hang out in the pre-dating days!).

But my friend Francis takes his love of football (soccer) to new levels. I can not compete.  When we were living next door to each other, his screams of triumph would often wake me up at night.  What is his team? Manchester United. I know zero about them or the sport they play.  But I know I like them!!

My friendship with Francis depends on it.

So when my college friend Jennefer sent me a Man U outfit for Kyalo, I knew I need Francis to see it promptly.  But we needed to be a bit dramatic about it. So Dexter got the Man U song online ("Glory Glory Man United" to the tune of "Glory Glory Hallelujah"), connected it to the surround-sound speakers, and Kyalo and I marched proudly into the living room.

Francis was pleased.

 {newest fan}

{joy}

The season doesn't start up again until the end of August, giving Kyalo a bit more time to grow into the outfit.  I have visions of Francis and Kyalo sitting together on a couch at Francis' house, and Francis beginning the important work of tutoring Kyalo in all things ManU.  Fun times ahead!

So, Jenn, Francis and Kyalo say thank you!

Kyalo got another round of shots yesterday which is why he looks a little less than pleased. Plus, he should have been sleeping.  He now weighs in slightly over 14 pounds.  He wasn't measured yesterday because the nurses couldn't find the measuring tape. We roll with the punches here in Kijabe. 

And for those of you who were worried -- never fear! Kyalo will be a Red Sox fan, too.

Obviously.

three months

Time is going so quickly.  The little man turned three months (and 13 weeks) on Sunday.  Three months! I love him a little more every day.  He smiles all the time (though rarely for the camera), and has this cute little giggle/coo thing going on that melts my heart.  I think he's working on a serious laugh, but I guess that will come in the days ahead.  He's awake more now, and very alert.  He seems remarkably calm.  We think he's going to be smart -- soaking everything in. His eyes look intelligent.

But we're just the parents, what do we know?

{see? intelligent eyes.}

{love}

In other news, we went to the US Embassy today and all went well. We should have the passport in three-four weeks (I'm hoping for three!) and hope that Kyalo and I will be able to travel to the US mid-late August. I'm thinking to squeeze the Labor Day holiday into my time at home. Why not, right?  We had some questions about Dexter's green card application, so took the opportunity at the Embassy to ask.  The bad news is that it could take six months to a year for us to get it.  We're three months into that time frame already, but will you pray with us for it to go quickly.  We would like to be able to be in the US for Christmas, and if Dexter gets called for interviews to dental schools he'll need to go in person to the schools.

fond farewell

On Friday, we hosted the entire Dental Clinic staff here for a farewell BBQ for Dr Rich and his family.  Dr Rich has been in Kijabe 25+ years, so it felt like the least we could do was to gather everyone together for a time of food, fellowship and farewell.  He leaves Kijabe in about two weeks, and those two weeks are bound to be hectic (a son is graduating high school!) and filled with many good byes. 

The day was busy. . .the cooking began early at our house:

 {girls in the kitchen}

{men at the grill}

Of course, a proper send-off in Kenya can only be done with "mbuzi choma" (roast goat).  We had about 10 kgs {22 lbs} of goat meat. I'll spare you the picture of the raw meat.  There was other traditional Kenyan foods that the women in the clinic made...a little something to remember Kenya by!  There was so much food. I was sure we would barely make a dent in it.  But there were 20-25 people here so of course we polished most of it off.

As we ate, there were speeches. And tears.  Everyone said what Dr Rich (and sometimes his wife, Miriam) meant to him or her.  It was a sweet time of remembrance, laughter, stories, tears, etc.  I was pleasantly surprised that everyone spoke.  

Not everyone liked the speeches, though.

This is Hope:

{smile}

Hope will be three in September and is the {finally} adopted daughter of Warren and Miriam.  When I think about all the paper work that Dexter and I have looming, it is nothing compared to what the Riches have gone through to simply get Hope adopted legally in Kenya.  Now they are working on getting her a visa to the US and then doing the adoption in the US.  It has been a long, trying, discouraging, up and down, process for them.  Should you think of it, please pray for them as they are in the final stages of things but still need God's hand to guide them every step of the way. 

Hope found the speeches a little boring for her taste, and spent the time reading:

{The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist. appropriate choice}

and trying on everyone's shoes:

All in all, it was a great day!  After the speeches, we wanted to get a photo of the dental clinic, and of course everyone wanted a photo with Dr. Rich, so it took a while.  Here are a few of the gems:

 {dental clinic}

 Dr. Rich

 Miriam, Hope, and Warren Rich

 being stupid

{indeed}

 Kyalo was there, too!

First family photo since Kyalo was 6 days old.  

It was the end of the day, and Kyalo (and I!) was in need of a nap.

I think everyone was pleased with how things turned out.  The Riches have hosted many, many gatherings and events for the dental clinic in their house over the years. I guess this was the official handing over of all responsibilities to Dexter.  I think we're up to the challenge.

My one question from the day is: why do we wait until people are leaving to say what they mean to us?