Busy weeks but still counting!

Last week was a busy week.  It was the final English class before I leave for furlough.  I was going to post my gifts from the week before on Tuesday or Wednesday, but I got distracted and never got it done.  So, this week I will post for May 8-14 & 15-21.  There aren't as many pictures for the second week as I was busy teaching.  So, here goes.

427. Thanks so much for Paulina who helps me in my house!  She made greens and ugali for lunch.

428. No liquid milk in town - but I found powdered for my workers' chai.

429. The power came back after 5 hours without it.  So thankful to have a fan in the afternoon.

430. Hugs with the kids this afternoon.  Shy giggles when called from hiding by my boys and big smiles when given a fun hug.

431. Harrises arrived safely by plane and road.

432. My cake/ praline experiment worked :).

433. gifts in the dark -chirping frogs and a multitude of stars.

gifts outside, inside upside down

434. Walking "my" kids part way home today.

435. These girls - giggling and talking to me on my way home from my walk.

436. Inside - I got my "down country" clothes sorted.  Now to find places for these warm clothes in my desert home.

437. Upside down - Chewy, when held upside down in my arms, will stretch out his neck and look all around.  I guess he is seeing the world from a different perspective (& inviting neck pets too).

3 gifts about my parents

438. They have stayed committed to each other through good and bad for almost 50 years.  I'm looking forward to a great 50th celebration with them in Jan. 2013!

439. They are my biggest fans.

440. They have sacrificed so much for my brother and me.

441. Good to see Ikai and Nancy's smiles today as they visited from boarding school.

442. A nice long walk with many greetings and smiles along the way.

443. Oatmeal Scotchies made with butterscotch chips I have saved for a year and a half in my freezer.  Yum!

3 gifts from my Mother

444. Thanks for her many sacrifices for me over the years because of her great love.

445. She taught me the fine art of hospitality.  I have enjoyed using this gift often over the years.

446. She showed me what it means to forgive and keep loving.

447. Rain! - spitting at first and then a small down pour.

448. Time to listen to some good preaching and prepare for visitors.

a gift picked up, put away and put back

449. I picked Joshua up at the airport.  He is going to give a gift of teaching to our students.

450. I put away books for "my" kids today in a new cabinet.

451. I put my walking stick back in its place after a nice walk with Joshua this afternoon.

452. My students read their stories very well today in class.

453. We saw some Turkana men dressed up for a wedding on our way to watch a movie for class.

454. My students and I were given a tour of a Turkana hand craft place in town.  My shepherd students learned about looms and weaving.

3 gifts found in His Word

455. Ps 34:4-5 He answers those who seek him.

456. John 10 - What a wonderful shepherd who laid down His life for me!  Seen in this verse and in watching the movie "The Passion" with my class today.

457. Isaiah 64:4 - He acts on behalf of those who wait on Him.

458.  The power was out when I wanted to finish the movie for class, but I was able to improvise and teach my class a song and do some grammar review instead.

459. The power came back, so we were able to finish the movie "Faith Like Potatoes" in the afternoon.

460. A downpour of rain during the movie!  A good thing we were reading the subtitles anyway! :)

461. A great discussion today in class about faith.

462. My students finished Beginning English today!  Certificates and a party were involved :)

463. Turkana people hardly ever say thank you.  They don't even have a word for it in their language.  Two of my students at different times today thanked me for my years here in Turkana.  What a blessing!!

464. A good dinner prepared in a rush for visitors.  The conversation at the table was worth the rush!

3 gifts from your childhood

465. Camping all over the 48 contiguous States with my family.

466. Backpacking around the Maroon Bells with my Dad and brother.

467. Learning the Jesus loves me at an early age!

 a gift sweet, sour & salty

468. Sweet - Hearing songs of praise in the Turkana language this morning.

469. Sour - Deciding that this rash is really Nairobi fly blisters - ouch & itchy!

fuzzy but you can see it I think - hard to take a picture of your right arm when you are right handed :)

470. Salty - Leftover seafood lasagna from dinner last night - I didn't have to cook again :).

471. My "minty fresh" smelling arm.  Toothpaste helps the Nairobi fly rash not be so itchy.  I still want to scratch it, but it does help and the smell is nice :).

a mirror helps - why didn't I think of that for the last one?  :)

472. I got a bag packed for the visitors to take to America for me.  Thankful that they are willing to help me with this!

Sorry this is so long this week - I had to make up for missing last week.  I will post about the class tomorrow!