It’s been awhile since my last blog post mainly due to me not thinking I have much to say. Thankfully Klint had a great idea of simply asking what you’d like to hear so I’ll do my best to answer those that mentioned things they’d like to hear about. The questions asked were basically about what my day to day life is like now.

This could get pretty boring, so I applaud anyone who makes it all the way through! On Monday-Friday mornings I do carpool for Paytyn and Morgan’s school and on Mondays and Fridays I do carpool for Olivia’s school. As you can imagine my Monday and Friday mornings are a bit busy with a carload of cuties!

One crazy morning on the way to school!

On Tuesday mornings I attend a Bible study with some great ladies! It’s definitely a highlight of my week! On mornings that I don’t have commitments, I volunteer at Amani Baby Cottage in the babies’ room. It’s no surprise that I love my time there! This baby cottage is run with love and care and it shows through the sweet kiddos that live there!

Sweet baby Brianna!

This is the happiest baby boy I’ve ever seen!

On Thursdays I volunteer with Sole Hope at their village jigger removal clinics. They’re so gracious to allow me to tag along every week! I am enjoying my time with them so very much, it’s so heartbreaking but fulfilling at the same time! Sole Hope is an amazing organization born out of a deep desire to do something about these terrible parasites that can be so debilitating to people of all ages. You can learn more about what jiggers are and the amazing story of Sole Hope at www.solehope.org. I encourage you to host a shoe cutting party, it’s a great way to do something for someone on the other side of the world and have fun while doing it!

I’m taking foot notes, documenting where each jigger is removed from each patient’s foot, at a jigger removal clinic.

This is a severe case of jiggers. Infestations like this is why Sole Hope exists!

Olivia’s sweet kindergarten class was studying the letter P, so they made a penguin cake!

Being able to be with them since their schedules are different is really great! The girls are also in extracurricular activities throughout the week. Olivia has swim lessons on Mondays, Paytyn and Morgan are in a gymnastics/movement class on Tuesday afternoons, Paytyn is taking flute lessons on Wednesday afternoons and Olivia is taking ballet on Thursdays.

Paytyn and Morgan stretching with their gymnastics class

Olivia the ballerina!

That is a glimpse into what my weekly schedule looks like. Next, I’ll answer one of the questions that were added to the Heart for Uganda post that Klint put out.

Question: What are the biggest changes you have had to adapt to in the daily things…laundry, cooking…things moms do.

Answer: Laundry is a bit different because electricity is expensive. We hang our clothes out on a line, and then put them in the dryer once they’re dry for about 20 minutes. I know, this sounds weird. The reason we do this is because of these nasty little things called mango flies. They lay their eggs on your clothes while they’re drying, then when you put them on the little dudes burrow into your skin and cause a big worm to grow. Putting your clothes in the dryer kills the eggs, so I will gladly do this step! So far, no one in the family has endured a mango fly under their skin!

Cooking is different in some ways and the same in other ways. Some common ingredients that we are used to in the States just aren’t available here or they’re really expensive. The main one is CHEESE! Cheese in Uganda is disgusting; it smells like sweaty feet and doesn’t taste much better! I have found one brand from Europe, I think, but because it’s imported it is expensive. Sour cream is available from time to time, but you can’t count on it. I hear you can make your own, but I haven’t bothered to learn just yet! Meat is not the same quality as in the States and it is much more expensive! I can alter most recipes to fit what I can get here, but sometimes it’s a bit frustrating. We are able to eat familiar foods that we are accustomed to eating back home, but I have to say that traditional Ugandan food is fantastic! We eat beans, rice and sukuma wiki (think collard greens) fairly regularly. We also have become big fans of rolex. This is basically an omelet with shredded cabbage and carrot rolled up in a chapatti (very close to a tortilla). The name comes from rolled eggs…therefore you get rolex! Shopping for groceries just isn’t the same either! Going to the grocery store, especially Market Street, was my favorite chore back home. The fun has been taken out of it when you have to go to several stores and the market just to get everything on your list. The supermarkets have things like toilet paper, soap, canned foods, napkins, foil etc.… The market has vegetables, fish, clothes, hardware etc.… Our market has recently been moved from outdoors to a brand new indoor facility. No more sloshing through mud during rainy season!!!

The new market!

Traditional beans, rice and sukuma wiki! Yum!!!

As far as things moms do…I addressed what I do throughout my week and it consists of a lot of ‘mom things’. I’ve also been able to attend a few school field trips that the girls have been on. Olivia went on a field trip to see horses! Those of you that know me well know how much that thrilled me!!!

Cowgirl Olivia!

This was the SWEETEST horse!

Paytyn & Morgan with their class touring the Kakira Sugar Factory

Stay tuned for more Q & A soon. If there’s something you’ve been wanting to know….just ask!

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