The Epic Adventure Continues…
…in Northern Uganda
…in Northern Uganda
But first let’s review:
Feelin’ Lucky?
Most human beings strive for some semblance of control in their world. We cannot control the weather, the traffic, the way our boss treats us, or the fact that our child brings lice home from school. We can control our Facebook page, what we eat or drink, how we treat others, and the tidiness of our kitchen.
Some people have stronger control issues than others. None of us like to admit we are control freaks. Some of us (aka: me) are trying to recover from a nasty case of ECI. (Extreme Control Issues.) By the way, this is my totally made up thing! Control issues manifest themselves in domineering mothers, authoritarian fathers, manipulative sisters, and bullying brothers. Control issues can be discrete. Control issues can come in the form of eating disorders…or can create them. (Again no data, just years of observation and personal experience.)
So Many Shades of Gray
Boda-bodas for the past 2 months have become my preferred mode of transportation. What drives this new found love? Could it be the wind blowing through my hair? Or inhaling bursts of black exhaust from the massive volume of non-inspected vehicles surrounding us on the road? Perhaps it is because it is not necessary to referee a backseat argument? Or maybe it is because it is a fraction of the cost compared to other travel? No matter the reason or many reasons combined…I enjoy traveling by boda.
(See below if you are not familiar with this form of transit!)
All I Do Is Win
Where are you friend?
Is a loved one sick? Is your marriage turbulent? Annoyed with your neighbors or in-laws or both? Are you ready for change but there are no opportunities in sight? Are you exhausted from trying to keep up with the Jones’? Are you longing for the past…wishing things were where they were before? Are you experiencing mommy myths saying you have to be super mom? Are your expectations too high or too low? Are you tired of waiting for prince charming to enter the scene? Is work boring, is your boss riding you, or are you working a dead end job? Are you tired of the same ole same ole? Are you exhausted from one bump in the road after another? Are you living in a foreign country with no clear plan or opportunity to go home? (No? Oh yeah–just me!)
Playing in Purgatory or Paradise?
A few nights ago we shared dinner with family friends who are in UG for a short time. They are familiar with the details of our story and just as I started to take my first bite of chapati, my friend turned to me and asked, “I am not fully sure what this means, but do you feel like are existing in purgatory?”
Ugandan Chicken Soup for the Soul
I received this text at 3:14 am on Tuesday morning:
“Hello beautiful and handsome friends. I am in Gulu what do you want me to bring back to you?”
Our friend had just arrived in his hometown in Gulu. A little sleepy and never having been very good at making gift requests, I responded with, “Surprise me!”
Understatement of the century.
Leaving the Funk Behind…
Survival Mode best describes many of the days I have lived in Uganda.
Some days our family enjoyed nutritious meals, followed by solid homeschool academics, coupled with patient parenting, sprinkled with kind, encouraging words, and we finished with long night time prayers prayed, songs sung and backs scratched.
Other days were filled with junk food, followed by no school, coupled with quick tempered, harsh parenting, sprinkled with irritable and snippy responses, and we finished with a super fast Hail Mary tossed in with the quickest night time song I could think to sing, and no backs were scratched.
Yep. Not proud of it…just honest.
He’s BACK…
A Man Shaped Hole in My Heart
Out of the past 117 days my hubby has spent only 21 with our family.
When we said for better or worse I can assure you, this was never on my timeline! If you told me Chris and I would spend 96 days apart I would have explained you have the wrong marriage. In fact, for those who truly know me, they know I am a MUCH better person when Chris is around. Anyone questioning this stop no further than our children and they will tell you–mom is just better with dad.
Kicking the Coffee Habit?
Recently I started to wonder if I should kick the coffee habit?
100 Cups of Coffee 