35 and counting

Saturday will be 35 weeks pregnant -- only 5 to go!  So yesterday, Dexter and I went up to RVA to have a few photos taken by our friend Jenny to mark the occasion.  There can never be too many baby bump photos to remember this phase in life!  I find it hard to believe that we're fast approaching the end of this time.  I have really enjoyed being pregnant (probably because I have experienced no sickness or other problems) and I think I might even miss it a bit.  I will be glad to sleep on my stomach again, though!

So now the question is: Do you think I'm carrying a boy or a girl?  I've already gotten two votes for a girl.  I have no sense, really.  I hope we're having a girl.  My sister in law gave birth to a boy this week, and all my friends who are pregnant or who have recently given birth have boys.  I'd say it is time for a girl in the mix.  What do you think?

Also, a special thank you goes to my friend Brooke who has provided pretty much all of my maternity clothes! (Everything I'm wearing here, for sure).  It is great to be able to get so many things from others who have gone through this.  We have quite the stockpile of supplies already which is very helpful!

the breakfast nook

Our kitchen is long and has a natural separation of kitchen space and other space. We got a small table and called the other space our breakfast nook. Never mind that we've never actually eaten breakfast there. Perhaps some day.  It is nice to have the table there in the kitchen so that Dexter, or others, can sit with me while I'm cooking.

Last week, Dexter painted the nursery! It is still a catch-all room, and there's not much to show for it yet, so we'll have to wait to share more photos of that. With left over paint from that project, we decided to paint the nook.  It looks good.

Let me remind you where we came from:

This was the day the previous family was moving out, and our first look at what would be our new home.  Needless to say, we were not overly encouraged at the prospects ahead of us.

Unfortunately I don't have any of the after photos of the nook. Just of the kitchen so I'll post that here just so you can get a sense of how vastly things improved.

Already it was brighter with the white paint and new tile floors.  We are so thankful...even if it did take 3 long months for them to finish all the work!

On Thursday Dexter got out the paint again and went to work.

Not too bad for an after-work project, I'd say!  I'm still not totally sold on this yellow color for the baby's room, but we'll live with it for now, I guess. I hope that with other things in the room it won't feel so strong. 

There's still a few more things we'd like to paint (a wall in our bedroom, possibly the guest room) but I think for now we'll focus on other things.

Like getting the nursery in order! 7 weeks to go!

two

Monday was our second anniversary!  It seems hard to believe that it has already been two years since:

(just a few of my faves from the day)

Also this weekend we reached 32 weeks in the pregnancy, and Sunday was Dexter's 32nd birthday, so it was a big weekend for us!  To celebrate all these momentous occasions - and to get away for what might be the last time before baby comes - we went to Malu Lodge which is just a little ways away from here.  Even though we weren't so far away it felt like another world.  

The change of pace was exactly what we needed for the weekend, giving us time to reflect on two years, the upcoming baby and changes that will bring, as well as to look into the future years together.  As I said - 2 years down 70 to go!  

Malu has 1800 acres to explore, so we set off to the "plunge pool" walking over the river and through the woods. It was beautiful!

 probably not the brightest idea of all time

I relaxed by the river while Dexter was taking artsy photos and exploring the plunge pool

When we arrived back to our room, we saw this spectacular sunset.  Forgive the excess photos.

 32 weeks

Being away from the city (or security) lights meant that the night sky was spectacular, too! No photos of that, but we stood outside and enjoyed the stars, and even got see a shooting star!  It was a good night.

Just in case you think I went alone, here's proof that Dexter came, too. Here he is reading some dental journal in the sun and enjoying the slower pace of life.

our little cottage

We anticipate good things for this new year of our marriage.  A new baby! New responsibilities for Dexter at the Dental Clinic, changes big and small lie ahead of us and we look forward to them all.

Project One

Before we moved into this house we had grand plans for how we were going to repaint it.  We poured over paint swatches at Home Depot (and took many of them with us), we mapped out a plan, we consulted folks who'd had experience in this, and we got pretty excited.  And then we moved in...and went to the US...and hosted Christmas, and just generally got busy. Painting took a back burner to everything else.

Well!  After deciding to tone down our ambitions a bit, and start small, we picked up some paint on Saturday.  The most important room, of course is the nursery.  We've chosen a yellow to go with a lot of the items we already have.  We'll get to painting that in the next couple of weeks.  And we chose a coffee-ish color for the "dining room." 

Of course, I can't really help paint - the fumes are too much for me and Baby. So I was sent outside to water the garden with our new hose.  I wish Kenya had no VOC paints, then I could have lent a hand.

All in an afternoon's work!  It isn't vastly different, but it adds nice definition to the room - we like it! Not bad for "Project One" as Dexter keeps calling it.  I guess Project Two will be the baby's room.  Obviously, we need to get some decorations on this big bare wall.  We're thinking framed photos of...

wait for it .... 

cars! 

unless someone has a different suggestion?

clubfoot

I work with the CURE Clubfoot Worldwide program.  This is a program that was developed in 2005 to help combat the number of children who end up with untreated clubfoot late in life.  Simply put, clubfoot is a birth defect of the bones in the foot - instead of being straight, the foot will turn in on itself (that's the best I can explain it, anyway).  The hospital here in Kijabe began in 1999 and has seen many many cases of children -- up to the age of 18, sometimes 20 -- with severe untreated clubfoot.  Clubfoot is painful and often prevents the children from participating in normal activities: walking to school, chores around the house, etc.  Some must be carried on their mothers' backs until they are 10 or older, thus preventing the mothers from being able to work or care for the rest of the family easily.  No shoe properly fits. Feet get severely scarred.  Surgery is the only option for these children. That, too, is painful. And expensive. And not totally effective.

But, thanks to the clubfoot program children under the age of two can be treated by serial casts, a simple procedure to release the tendon in the ankle, and a special brace that must be worn for a couple of years after treatment.  This eliminates, or dramatically reduces the need for surgery. Children have a better chance of being "normal," attending school, running, playing, etc.  Last year, the clubfoot program treated -- and cured -- over 4,000 children born with clubfoot. The program is currently in: Kenya, Malawi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Rwanda, Zambia, Niger, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India. 2011 will be a major expansion year, too, thanks to a major grant.

Today, I had the opportunity to take some pictures of children who have clubfoot but are getting treatment. I feel a little uncomfortable to put pictures of their faces on here since they're not my children.  But this will show you what the treatment can look like.

 unilateral clubfoot in a cast 

 bilateral clubfeet awaiting a cast

 bilateral clubfeet in the cast (note: the cast has to go all the way to the thigh in order to be effective)

Steenbeck Brace - a special brace that holds the feet in position. Must be worn for several years to ensure effectiveness.

Getting a cast put on

The best part about this program is that it trains paramedical staff (not doctors) to do the treatment - making it cheaper and also more easily accessible. For example, Kenya has 25 or more clubfoot clinics located throughout the country, meaning that more children are reached, and they don't have to travel all the way to the hospital for treatment.  

The other great thing is that it is fairly inexpensive! For $250.00 a child can be completely transformed and healed.  I'd say that's a pretty good deal!

So, go check out CUREs website and read more about it! :)

they really came

As I mentioned, my parents were here last week.  They are now safely home, where it is 6 degrees Fahrenheit and they await another snow storm of 18 inches.  Is it just me, or should they have stayed in Kenya?  I have this problem of not getting photos of people.  Food and the garden seem to be no problem.  So, on the last day, we quickly took a few photos just to record the fact that they were here! 

 here's our family - 30 weeks! 10 to go! 

 Dexter, Francis & Evelyn, and Margot

The last two photos were taken at the Norfolk Hotel an old hotel in Nairobi that has a very colonial feel to it. We left them there for dinner and a cab ride to the airport.  It is hard to say goodbye, but we'll be seeing them again in April!

progress at Gentle Bells

My parents and a friend came to visit this past week.  My dad learned from his last trip that traveling to Kenya for a weekend is not the brightest of ideas, so they were here about six days.  It is always great to have folks from the US visit, and of course, having my parents here is extra special, and I'm so glad they could come!  But they weren't here just to see me. They were coming to check on the progress of Gentle Bells, the school down in the valley that they've been supporting for the past two years.

The school has vastly improved in the last two years.  It has gone from small, mbati (tin) building on a teeny plot of land to a 5-classroom stone building on 5 1/2 acres of land!  There's still work to be done - beginning a "shamba" (garden) so the school can grow its own food, and making a proper soccer field, etc. Still, this is a vast improvement.

Forgive all the pictures. It was hard to choose just a few.

 new school

 admin building

 in a classroom 

 They must have known I was coming: teaching about proper care of teeth and seeing a dentist!

 Since the area is so poor, the school provides lunch to all students every day

 it is hard not to fall in love with these faces

 boys will be boys: lunchtime soccer game!

football at the foot of Mt. Longonot what could be better?

It is pretty exciting to be a small part of the changes of this school.  We have come from so far and still have vision on going further in time.  We can clearly see how God has provided for the expansion of the school. As usual, His hand is on everything.  This year, 150+ children are enrolled in the school, which means that they're getting a solid education and two meals a day.

Come visit sometime!