Here's a bit of what we've been up to:
Mentoring
I have really enjoyed meeting weekly with my 7 LIU students I am mentoring. God put it on my heart to speak to my girls this semester about God's plan for marriage and family, and what he desires in a godly wife and mother. So far they have been very attentive listeners and I'm praying that God is planting good seeds in their hearts.
Traveling
Chad was recently blessed to attend the East Africa Men's Retreat in Kenya. While he was gone I was blessed to have my friend Emilie and her 3 precious children stay with me from South Sudan (her husband was at the men's retreat too). This week Chad is in Indiana. He is working towards an online masters in business and finance and he is required to do a case study live once a year. We are surviving without him! Next week it's my turn to travel. It will be my first time to go to the East Africa Women's Retreat. Chad's mom will be here visiting to help with the kids while I'm gone. I can't wait!
Homeschool
Graham has done really well this year. We have slacked off the last few months due to the heat and my fatigue, but he has worked hard anyways. A few highlights: he can now write his first and last name, he recognizes numbers 1-20, can count to 29, recognizes about 20 sight words, knows the months of the year and days of the weeks, can sort by color, shape, and size, and knows all his letters and sounds. We are still working on sounding out CVC words, rhyming, and patterning. BIG NEWS: Graham will attend the Tyler Academy (the new international school in town) for kindergarten next year. I've enjoyed homeschooling, but I'm relieved I won't have to do it next year, since I'll have a new baby.
Baby Room
My original plan was to move Molly in with Graham and let the baby have Molly's room. But my good friend Anna inspired me to think about using our small office as a baby room. I did a lot of cleaning, organizing, and getting rid of, and the room seemed a lot bigger when it was empty. It's going to make a really sweet baby room. I ordered and recently received fabric that I'm using to make baby bedding.
Mebol
My housekeeper Betty and I are both expecting, both due around the same time. So she will be on maternity leave when we return from the states this July. I decided I needed to hire a second housekeeper part-time, to be full time while Betty's on leave. God did something amazing when he brought me Mebol, a young woman from our church. We have been incredibly blessed by how hard-working and kind she is!
It may (and probably will) seem strange to friends and family that we would employ a housekeeper, or even two. The cooking, cleaning and laundry here in Uganda is a lot harder and more time-consuming. Everything we eat must be made from scratch. There is no opening a box or can to make a quick meal. And the constant dust, dirt, and mud makes dusting and sweeping a full-time job. Having Betty and Mebol allows me to homeschool and spend time with my children.
Traveling
Chad was recently blessed to attend the East Africa Men's Retreat in Kenya. While he was gone I was blessed to have my friend Emilie and her 3 precious children stay with me from South Sudan (her husband was at the men's retreat too). This week Chad is in Indiana. He is working towards an online masters in business and finance and he is required to do a case study live once a year. We are surviving without him! Next week it's my turn to travel. It will be my first time to go to the East Africa Women's Retreat. Chad's mom will be here visiting to help with the kids while I'm gone. I can't wait!
Homeschool
Graham has done really well this year. We have slacked off the last few months due to the heat and my fatigue, but he has worked hard anyways. A few highlights: he can now write his first and last name, he recognizes numbers 1-20, can count to 29, recognizes about 20 sight words, knows the months of the year and days of the weeks, can sort by color, shape, and size, and knows all his letters and sounds. We are still working on sounding out CVC words, rhyming, and patterning. BIG NEWS: Graham will attend the Tyler Academy (the new international school in town) for kindergarten next year. I've enjoyed homeschooling, but I'm relieved I won't have to do it next year, since I'll have a new baby.
Baby Room
My original plan was to move Molly in with Graham and let the baby have Molly's room. But my good friend Anna inspired me to think about using our small office as a baby room. I did a lot of cleaning, organizing, and getting rid of, and the room seemed a lot bigger when it was empty. It's going to make a really sweet baby room. I ordered and recently received fabric that I'm using to make baby bedding.
Mebol
My housekeeper Betty and I are both expecting, both due around the same time. So she will be on maternity leave when we return from the states this July. I decided I needed to hire a second housekeeper part-time, to be full time while Betty's on leave. God did something amazing when he brought me Mebol, a young woman from our church. We have been incredibly blessed by how hard-working and kind she is!
It may (and probably will) seem strange to friends and family that we would employ a housekeeper, or even two. The cooking, cleaning and laundry here in Uganda is a lot harder and more time-consuming. Everything we eat must be made from scratch. There is no opening a box or can to make a quick meal. And the constant dust, dirt, and mud makes dusting and sweeping a full-time job. Having Betty and Mebol allows me to homeschool and spend time with my children.
Furlough
We are all getting really excited to fly to the US this May. We are excited to catch up with friends and family, and to finally meet baby Finn!
