Today we administered the HIV/AIDS questionnaires in 2 more schools. It was a long day, but a very productive one. However that is not what this post is about. My last few posts have been a bit long winded and heavy, so today I wanted to dial it back a bit and share a snippet of the joy that our family has been experiencing here.
This past year has been quite a ride for our family. The birth of Senya and her first seven months with us have been surreal. My eyes have been opened to a beauty, and my heart to a love, the kind of which I never knew existed. However, in other ways, this past year has been more difficult than I care to communicate on this blog. We have experienced many kinds of loss and gone through tremendous upheaval that has resulted in stress that we never dreamed we would experience.
Coming here to a place that we love and spending all day every day together has been just the kind of healing we needed.
Being here with Senya is an absolute dream. This has been a special place to Lindsay and me for many years, but to come here with Senya has been such a wonderful experience. She loves the warm weather. She wears a onsie all the time and revels in the freedom of it. She squeals at the monkeys. She rides wherever she wants in the car (they don't enforce car-seat laws here and we aren't exactly driving on busy interstates). She has mastered the art of sitting up on her own. She kicks her little feet and babbles in delight when she sees the beach. She has recently started standing up in one of the seats of the car or in her car-seat (when we are parked) and absolutely howling with laughter. We aren't sure exactly what she finds so hilarious about the situation but her zeal is contagious and we all wind up just looking at each other and laughing until we are in pain. It is adorable.
Today was her 7 month birthday and she see was so happy all day, it melted my heart. We took a few hours this evening after our work was finished just to have fun together and celebrate life.
We went to a restaurant that serves dinner on the beach. We went out just as the full moon was rising. The white sand, the balmy breeze, the lapping waves, and the silver moonlight were the stuff of fairy tales.
Afterward Lindsay and I wanted to go out for ice cream. We picked our flavors and went out to a table in the moonlight (I love that everything is outdoors here). I was holding Sen on my lap while I ate mine with a spoon. I didn't realize until she opened her mouth expectantly and then watched in confusion as I bypassed her and fed myself that the little spoon looked just like the one we have been using to feed her and the ice cream looked a lot like baby food. It was so cute that Lindsay and I caved immediately. I took Senya back into the shop to get a tiny bowl of pineapple sorbet for her. When we went back to our table, she was thrilled with this new arrangement and showed us by shaking her arms and exclaiming her delight between each bite.
It was a pretty good day in the middle of a pretty good month.
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10 comments:
OMG. She would melt any heart. I'm so glad the experience is wonderful.It sounds heavenly.
I love those pictures and the way you describe everything. It's amazing how good this time in Kenya is. Not just even for the people who you are surveying in order to eventually give them some real help, but for everyone involved. The people in the schools, you and Linds, Sen, Paul and Terry (I would bet, anyway!)...
Thanks for writing about this, Collin--it's awesome to be able to share in it by reading your words:)
Um, dad! Where's mine????
What fantastic photos - especially of father and daughter on the beach with the moon beaming down!
I'm so glad that she is revealing in Kenya and all she gets to revel in there. I was going to ask about the monkeys. I love that she squeals when she sees them. :)
Hooray also for the chance to all be together, to heal, and to help others. It all does wonders for the soul. It's fantastic to hear and sounds so peaceful.
Who would have imagined that you'd have to leave the peaceful god-loving best-country-in-the-history-of-the-world United States of America and travel into the very heart of deepest darkest Africa to find peace and healing? Will wonders never cease? I mean, isn't that where the devil's music came from and potions and dancing and stuff like that?
(This is facetious for the facetious-detecting-impaired among us.)
So glad for you guys! Love the picture on the beach. And, haha, the picture of Sen driving is great too!
Hi guys. You probably don't remember me - Steve from the Digo project. I've logged on to your blog a couple of times now, and love to read about what you're doing. Keep enjoying it!
What a rich experience in so many ways.
I love your little family!
We need to make a print of the beach picture!
Mers:
I agree. She is a heart melter.
Jessica:
Thanks again for reading and commenting. So nice.
Michele:
Exactly!
Doc:
Thanks so much. And, yes, you should see the monkeys and sen. So cute.
Jase:
Thanks for your honesty. So glad that you have such a thorough and educated view of the dark continent (also facetious, just to be clear to everyone).
Chris:
Thanks so much. Glad you like the pics. We are so happy that we are able to capture some things from this time here.
Steve:
Thanks for reading! Believe it or not, we have met more than one steve involved in this work here! Which steve is this and how did you find the blog? Welcome!
Mom:
Yes, we would love to print it!
Very sweet post. I love the way you describe your darling little girl and her joy, and your joy over her.
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