Have Mercy!

Week 12 Recap

Last week already...where has the time gone. This week was filled with many lasts. Last time working with these mamas, last time snuggling with my precious little ones. Last times walking into town while it's still warm outside (for me that is).

Who couldn't love this face?!

A few major things happened this week. We said goodbye to 2 little girls. One girl was reunited with her jaja (gramma) and another was officially adopted. One girl's adoptive parents arrived in country and are just waiting for her court date to happen (which was pushed back, of course) to be able to take her to home.

Frida with her jaja

The oldest 5 baby girls all turn one within a months time so we had a very small birthday party for them that included dress up and cupcakes. While that was going on, there were a few other babies free to roam around who thought it would be a great idea to eat the cake off the ground that their sisters were dropping.

The birthday girls all dolled up!

Rosie was having a hard time grabbing the crumbs, so she decided to just dive bomb the crumbs!

One major accomplishment that I have been praying for is that I'd be able to see Mercy take her first steps. I was borrowing someone's camera because I left mine in my room and started taking pictures when out of the blue Mercy stood up and decided now would be a great time to take a few steps. I had the camera aimed on her...I couldn't believe it! (I have also come to the realization that if I ever have kids I'm going to be one of those moms constantly taking pictures of them to be able to remember everything!) I had been praying for this for a month, but this last week I was very fervent in my prayer for this. I yelled and the Mama in the nursery with me yelled and we couldn't stop laughing....it was awesome! You that have kids understand.

Happy Birthday to my precious baby girl!

When the babies get moved up into the big kid's cottages they are able to go on an outing. Since two of my babies moved up while I was there, they were now eligible to go with the aunties on their own. For my last outing I decided I wanted to take Sarah and Ann out. We took them on their very first boda boda ride (in case you forgot what a boda boda is, it's a motorcycle with a long seat on it for many passengers) that was a success. I had Sarah and there were a few times I thought we were going to fall off due to her constantly looking everywhere at once.

One good looking girl with her smart clothes and sparkly hot pink Toms

I had to say goodbye to the babies this week. The last night I was with them for bed time was not easy at all. I started to put the babies down after supper, but had to stop because I couldn't keep the tears back. Didn't really want to be sobbing by the time I put the last baby to bed. So instead I went back into the nursery, grabbed Mercy, and just cuddled with her until she was the last one. The next day I had to officially say goodbye to her. It went better than I thought it would. However, looking back at pictures my heart is being ripped apart again. Time will heal all wounds....it just takes a long time sometimes.

Mama Betty 1 and Mama Betty 2 - amazing ladies!

Because I love this picture of Rosie....yes, her head is shaved...

Thank you so much for your support through my volunteering time. During this last week I received several encouraging notes from people back in the states and know that God used them to help get me through the last few days.

I was asked if I was ready to take her home....the answer is a resounding YES!

Getting to Know You: Rosie

Rosie, what can I say? You have grown so much since I got here. When we first met, you had the awesomest mohawk that was totally not cut that way! We shaved your head to help the rest of your hair grow along with this mohawk.....but it didn't work. You just got your head shaved again a few days ago. Maybe this time the rest of your hair will understand it needs to grow too!

Your faces crack me up. Many people have said you look weird - but I don't! I think you are one of the cutest babies I've ever seen...and your many faces prove it. You could entertain anyone for the entire day with your many antics, faces, coos, laughs, sheer determination in standing, and the list could go on.

I have loved watching you develop. When I first came into the nursery you were only rolling around - hence the nickname Rollie Rosie that I gave you. And, because you're just fab, you decided to skip learning to sit up and go straight to getting onto your knees which quickly morphed to standing. I finally saw you sitting up by yourself this week!

Rosie, Auntie loves you! You are a very close 2nd in my faves list. You are someone who gets things done. I can see you doing great things for Jesus - praying that you accept Him as your personal Savior and that you have a very close relationship with Him alone!

I know you have a family who loves you very much and cannot wait to bring you back home. So - on that note, hurry up and get on total solid foods because there is much love from home just waiting to be showered on you!

Week 11 Recap

This week has been a little hard for me...I had to say goodbye to a very special lady in my life. She came about a month into my volunteering and has been such a refreshment to my soul! That goodbye (with unexpected tears on her part about leaving me and me in return tearing up) has left me emotional! I still have a week to go and I start tearing up just thinking about it. Best medicine for that? SNUGGLES!!!!!!

I know I keep saying this, but the weeks just keep flying by and they are becoming a blur to me right now. I've gone 11 1/2 weeks and only have one left. Where did it all go? Since I've been emotional every day I've gotten tired way easier now. 9 pm hits and I'm ready to hit the sack...it might also be the fact that my body wakes up on its own at 5:50 am every morning. The kids wake up at 6 am and I hear them, so I just drag myself out of bed and get going for the day. So, here's my week in pictures.....

Every Sunday I've been at Acacia Community Church, this neighborhood girl has found me and stayed by me during the singing time. I do not know her name, but do love the fact that she feels comfortable enough with me to sit in my lap or hold on to my hand until she goes to children's church.

The kiddos get mosquito nets put over their cribs every night.

Cathy and I the day before she left - with some of the Mamas who work here.

The girls have braids...but when they get taken out their hair looks like this until Mama Rukia gets to them to braid it again.

Zion, the newest member of Amani! She's now one month old...so tiny and adorable!

This is normal for my lap to be used as a pillow...or a place to beat your sibling.

That's one mobile mama!

Yep, typical Cathy - totally clueless!

So I went on an adventure with two ladies to visit Dickson, who is an artist living in a nearby village. He teaches orphans how to paint and has rooms for 5 of them at his house. He also has more kids who come on the weekends for art classes. They learn how to paint and make things out of banana fiber. His art pays for the kids school fees, food, and to house them. We met Dickson while going on a jigger removal with Sole Hope the week before and Cathy saw a painting that he had done and she wanted one too. I went with her to pick hers up not really expecting to find anything, but just HAD to have this one!

My pride and joy! Now, if only she will take her first step before I leave in one week......

Getting to Know You: David

David - you have matured so much in the short time I've been here. You were the baby when I came (sorry, Zion just came and has you beat by being only 3 weeks old!), but you are actually bigger than your older brother John.

You have become content to be on your back and stomach, which is a great thing since you used to not want to be on your stomach at all. Your hair was super curly when I first came, but not so much anymore that I have noticed. Your hair isn't typical Ugandan though...thinking you might have some Indian in your blood....well, hair that is.

You have found your vocal chords, so every once in a while I hear you talking to yourself. I haven't really heard you laugh yet. Maybe in the next week and a half I will get the privilege. You have finally figured out how to eat off of a spoon! It was a struggle there for a while to get you to keep your fingers out of your mouth while you were being fed. Not sure if you thought maybe you needed to push the food to the back of your throat or not.

I have loved seeing you grow! I didn't realize how big you had gotten until I saw you in your bed...yep, you definitely outgrew it!!!! Way to go little guy!

Auntie loves you David! I pray that you grow up knowing the Lord as your personal Savior and that you won't be shy about sharing His love with those that are around you!

Week 10 Recap

10 1/2 weeks down, only 2 left. I never thought I'd make it this far. I really didn't think about the fact that I would literally watch these babies grow up in front of my eyes. It has been such an awesome thing for me to see. Teeth make such a difference in a young one's smile! One of the girls went from having 2 teeth to 8 in just 2 1/2 months!

They immediately came over to me...yeah, it's a great feeling!

Jumping to the music...Christmas music that is!

Since there are 12 babies, the volunteers have been rotating shifts on Saturday and Sunday every week. This week it was my turn in the nursery on Sunday morning. I had such a great time. Took my laptop down, blared some music and just had a ball with kiddos. I went down and sat by myself and the next thing I know, I had 3 girls on my lap. Then at least 3 more babies crawled over and we were having a party! I use to hate working in the nursery at church - one hour? One and a half hour? No big deal now! Bring it on!!! Ok - actually I just wouldn't mind working with the infants for that long anymore :)

This growth by the name of Frank was attached to me for quite a while that day.

One major highlight was getting to go for one night to Wildwaters Lodge. It was on an island in the middle of the Nile and we were the only ones on the island for all of Friday afternoon and night. Our bungalow was right next to the rapids and it was so loud - it was so majestic! We were very shocked at how nice the place was...feeling very undeserving for the Lord allowing us to even go.

One of the many views at the Lodge.

Found out when we got back on Saturday that we gained two more babies - we now have 62 kids at Amani - we are bursting at the seams. Two of our girls moved from the nursery into the girls' cottage to make room. Zion is 3 weeks old and Baboo is 6 months old. I'm looking forward to holding Zion for a good amount of time these next 2 weeks.

Hair is half done....yeah I would cry too!

I'm gearing to put my lovin' on for these babies and make sure that I give them a ton of kisses each day and that I hold each one every single day I have left here. As I've been reminded over and over again, I am Jesus' hands and feet to these kids. Here's to 2 more weeks!!!