Normal life

The last few weeks have felt very 'normal'. No major sickness, no major problems - just typical life stuff. We did go away to Jinja for a couple of nights since the boys were off school for their 2 week Easter break. We went with our neighbors the Kelly's and another family (the Stride's) here who are a part of a small group of families who we hang out with. We had a fun time, visiting the Welcome Home orphanage (we love going by and checking in with the kids and goings-on there), letting the boys swim, going to see Bujagali Falls where I rafted last Summer, and mountain biking (my neighbor Brian and I went for the morning) through a rain forest.
Last Sunday, Alisha and I also ran a 10K here in Kampala. It was terrible! The first 2K was all downhill so you started out too fast, then most of the rest of the run was grueling uphill. We were surprised at how fast we'd run it given the terrain (me-41 mins., Alisha-51 mins, second for women ages 20-39) - until our neighbor Lynne told us her GPS clocked it at only 8.9KM! Hilarious that the race organizers could be off by more than a full kilometer!
Anyway, enjoy some pictures of these last few weeks. Work-wise, this coming week we will be finalizing the design report for my Spring project. Two weeks from today, I'll be setting off for my Summer trip to Tanzania. We're going to try to take the ferry across the lake, though it's a 19-hour boat trip on an old boat and that lake can act more like an ocean during storms. I say 'try' to take the ferry because it depends on when it arrives - there is no set schedule so we have to check a couple days before to see when it's coming! The backup plan is to take the bus, which will be 18 hours! Both cost about $50 round trip, which is a lot cheaper than the $500 round trip plane fare. I'm praying against any motion sickness, whether on land or sea!

Me, Alisha, Lynne and Jenny before the race - the asphalt we're standing on was some of the only paved roads we'd see that day!

Stephen, eMi's Head of Security, was stationed at our house for the day. His 2-year old son named Bless-You came by, so he borrowed a pair of swim trunks and all the boys took a dip in these bucket pools.



Our neighbors - Brian and Lynne Kelly. Brian is the pastor at the Calvary Chapel Kampala church we attend downtown. They've lived here 7 years and are great people. Having their family live next door has been a big blessing to us, and a big answer to prayer.

Our kids and the Kelly kids playing in the pool at the Kingfisher Safari resort where we stay in Jinja. The prices are pretty cheap and the kids love the pool.

The bottom of Bujagali falls (the first class V rapid in the Nile River rafting trip). The person in the water is one of the local guys who brave the rapids with nothing more than their swimsuit and a jerry can (a 5 gallon, plastic jug). There are a number of them that do it all day, every day as their job. The going rate is usually about 5,000 Ugandan shillings, which is about $2.50. It's pretty dangerous - one of them died a few years back.

Family photo at Bujagali Falls

Alisha and the boys with Lynne and her 3 kids: Judah (2nd grade), Julia (1st grade) and Liana (almost 4 yrs old).

Visiting Welcome Home orphanage is always one of our favorite parts of coming to Jinja!

Alisha and I thought little Veronica was so precious - and we loved her even more when we found out that she used to follow our new niece Becky around everywhere before Becky came home to San Diego with Alisha's brother's family.

Comments
LOVE seeing the snippet of the life you're living! :)
Miss you guys!!
xoxoxox
PS we also got to see Chivas play a couple weeks ago in box seats (KC is the President of the soccer league here in Glendora now - can you say "SUCKER"?! ;o) But it comes with perks! Drew Carey owns the team Chivas played against and we were in the suite next to his, so we got to see him. He wasnt a happy guy as Chivas won, and he thought the officiating was not in his favor. Just a little soccer Cliff Claven for ya. Your AIG shirt jogged my memory on the subject. xo
Grandpa
Dad B.
Stacia