Discussions in the Dark

Still no power! It seems like everywhere else has power back now except for Amani. Thankfully all our cooking is done with gas and we never use the microwave except for extra storage space. Two days without power though makes me feel so far from home as I can't send or receive emails like I normally do. 

I took two long walks today, first with Joseph and then with Eric and Paul. 

Joseph and I read stories together afterwards which he loved and only interrupted to ask questions every second paragraph:). When it was time to finish, he burst into tears and so I sat down with him and explained that we'd had lots of fun but it was time for one of his brothers to have a turn. He said, "Aunty, me go many times?" I replied, "Yes Joseph we will go many times on other days" so he said, "Okay, Aunty" and went back to the front yard like the good boy I know he is inside. 

Taking Eric and Paul was such a funny experience! Elena took Caroline and the three of them started yelling at every boda driver that went past and pretending to chase them away. I soon grew tired of all the yelling and Elena and I instructed them to change their behaviour and be polite to everyone instead. The rest of the walk they called out, "Hi, boda driver!" to every boda going past and even went to the extent of asking every goat tethered by the road how they were! Many boda drivers smiled and replied to the kids and the goats just looked a little puzzled. It was a fun walk and I think we made more friends than if we had continued yelling at everyone. 

While putting the boys down for their nap today, I said "I love you" to Isaiah. Most of the boys just accept what I say without comment, but Isaiah always copies what I say so replied with "I wub you". So cute! :)

No power means not much to keep busy with during break. It's good in some ways because we talk more with one another and I also had time for a nice long nap. 

Londa took some pictures just before we headed off on bodas for our outing with Freddy, Alex and Babu at Space Cafe. 

I managed to get this picture holding the camera in one hand and Alex in the other while speeding along on a boda. 

 I had managed to find a pair of overalls in the boy's outing clothes and was so happy to find that they fit Alex! He was so adorable:). Freddy and Babu were also very cute. 

Babu and Elena

Londa and Freddy

Alex and I

The two of us shared a plate of chips and chicken pieces and I had a nice glass of juice. The juice was a mix of apple, pineapple and ginger which tasted amazing. It had an interesting name though; the menu said salvation. The waiter came to the table with it and said "salvation?" So I was served a nice tall glass of salvation! :)

It poured rain while we were eating but slowed to just a light shower by the time we were ready to leave. 

Babu heading home for dinner:).

Nursery was fun as usual. Each night, as I prepare the babies for bed, I sing. Tonight was "Be Thou my Vision", which is one of my favourite hymns. With my cold, my voice gives out after a while, but they don't seem to mind:). No matter which song I'm singing though, it almost always changes to "We're Marching to Zion" when I get to dressing Zion:). 

We didn't go to The Hub tonight for blood week, as we can't really afford to be away from bedtime every night. We'll probably just go again on Good Friday. 

Instead, Mary and Emma invited us around for dessert afterwards at their apartment. It was nice to go sit in some light:). Emma made brownies and we drank tea. She has also brought Tim Tams with her from Australia and introduced Londa and Elena to the art of eating them. They were a hit! :) 

We sat and chatted about the kids most of the night and then Sandra took us home. Londa, Elena and I continued chatting in the dark for quite a while when we got home and it was late by the time I made it to bed. 

A lot of what we talked about tonight was discipline; what we believe, what we put into practice and the struggles we face when disciplining our children. It can be hard with cultural differences and working with so many different people of differing opinions, to be consistent with how the kids are disciplined.  

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."

Deuteronomy 6:4-7