Bits of happiness and sadness

With the dance studio shutting down and whispers of a lockdown coming, the girls' dance teacher, Mrs. Natalia, decided to go back to Greece early. She had already planned to go at the end of May because she wanted to be reunited with her family. Corona just fast-tracked her plans.

Kylie and her friend Khadijah made a quick plan for a going away gift.  

Khadijah ordered some sweatshirts, and Kylie came up with a logo for their adult dance class, and together, they wanted to present their teacher with her own sweatshirt before she left the country.

Khadijah, Kylie, and Karis

Everyone got their name initial on the front

And the name of their dance class on the back

They said their goodbyes for the last time because we had already attended a big going away party for her the night before.

March 3, 2020

It had included LOTS of food...like every good party does.

From several different countries

Mrs. Natalia had many friends from many walks of life.  She choreographed the pageant each year where a regional princess was chosen, she did pilates, yoga, aerial yoga, and ballet classes nearly every day of the week either in the studio or in her home.

There was dancing, eating, speeches given,

 hugs goodbye,

and pictures with crying red-eyes taken.

Most of the people at the party were adults, but these four special girls were also invited to come!

March 2, 2020

On March 8th, the girls got their braces off on the same day. After a sad month of seeing their teacher leave, this was cause for much celebration!

March 8, 2020

And on March 10th, Keira spent the day at the apartment of her friend that was in the picture with her above. We had dropped off Keira with her bike, and the girl's mother took them out to the grassy courtyard and helped Keira until she learned how to ride her bike!  Big day!!

It's also kind of interesting that Karis and Caleb also learned how to ride their bikes on our grass in Africa.  Kylie is the only one who learned on cement :)

March 10, 2020

It Seems like Yesterday

Remember this?  

This was the kids leaving Texas January 4, 2010.  Our friend Natalie brought doughnuts to the airport for the kids to eat as we checked in, which took a long time.

The airline wouldn't let us on because we didn't have a return ticket.  We had to contact our company and get a letter faxed to the airport, so that they would allow us on the plane.

We arrived in London for a layover,

And started life in Uganda.

Riding bodas became the norm

Watch dogs and a guard on the compound became a part of our life

Receiving packages was such a joy

Learning to cook in a new environment was a new challenge.

This is our house during the most recent packing marathon in June 2013.

We found a gecko behind a box in the garage

Looks like he had been "stuck" here quite a while

We brought several bags home (I'll spare you the number), and we left several behind for some wonderful people from Arkansas to carry (again, I'll spare you the number).

In case you've missed the news somewhere along the way, we will not be returning to Uganda when we come back overseas.  

The other news is that we don't know yet where we WILL be going.

So, in the meantime, feel free to follow our journeys as a family full of children who don't quite remember America, and the interesting observations they make.

Celebration and Goodbyes

In May, our colleagues had a going-away party for us at their house.

Two tents were set up.

 

 

Chairs were unloaded.

 

A pig was cooked.

Enya (the local food) was made.

(no picture...sorry)

People came.

Speeches were given.

Lemech

Obey

 

Eric Allen

Rev. Alice

Beatrice

Food was eaten.

And pictures were taken as we visited with friends and said goodbyes.

As a side note. Pasca called me yesterday (8/8) to tell me her husband died.  Pray for her and her 4 kids.

It was so much fun to have so many friends in one place.  

Here are a few of the things that were written or told to us:

*Kathryn, when i received Dougs Message of farewell i felt am going to miss alot of thing. I started thinking about the time we had together with Doug in learning stories from the Bible and how those stories have transformed me spiritual. These days i can stand to preach the word of God withought fear beause of doug, i can preach how to get into right relationship with God through Jesus and the right Baptism and many many others i have real learned.  i have real appreciate your work may God be with you and bless you. 

 *your family has really challenged me.

     After giving me a gift, my friend said, "This is not enough.  You have given me everything.  You gave me salvation and a Bible and everything."  

     I said, "I didn't give you salvation.  God did."

     Then she said, "But you gave me life in His Word.  You taught me, encouraged me, and if I ever need anything or feel down, you have left me His Word."

Kampala

Our trip to Kampala was not for re-stocking, so instead of running around looking for what we needed, we got to have little fun exploring.

In one store, I found this...so I bought it.



It was really good, especially when served over ICE. Our friends the Skuza's in Kampala have a freezer cold enough to make ice because they don't lose electricity at night. It was so nice.













The next day, we found a store with this...












I will confess right now, that we spent way too much money on Dr. Pepper, but you must know that this was the first one we had seen since before we boarded the plane in Houston, January 4th.

That's really a bad excuse, but that's all I've got.

Each can was $1.65.

We bought 3 for everyone, and would probably do it again given the chance.

We carried them back to Arua, and we are using them sparingly.

The sad part is that I thought Dr. Stripes was just as good as Dr. Pepper.

Doug says that is blasphemous to say, but I just think it's sad because maybe I've lost my taste for it.

The good news is I found this, too.

It was heavenly, and so much cheaper than Starbucks.

Let me tell you another reason we had time to leisurely look around for these luxury items...

Doug and I were on a date. For real.

Lynn and Jan Skuza kept Karis and Caleb, fed them and played Uno. Sandra took Kylie with her and some other ladies to the Ndere Center where Kylie watched again the dance show we had taken her to in June.

This one.















And this...I have no words for...

Our reason for going to Kampala was to take Kelli and Alissa to the airport. Stan and Pam blessed us before they left for America by giving us money to take the girls out for steaks. They chose to eat at Spur, and the steaks were really good.

There is even a trampoline inside for the kids to play with.

Another treat was getting to go to the movies for the first time since Zambia in May. An appropriate movie happened to be showing, so we went. You will see evidence of the kids having watched "Dispicable Me" in a later post.

One down, everyone else to go

Well, I had my first official "Goodbye" yesterday. My sister and her three boys have been visiting here from Costa Rica for a couple of months, and we have been spending a lot of time in Yoakum together so the cousins could play together and the sisters could visit.

It was a lot of fun.

We went to NASA.



















We did the splash pad "thing."




















We even did the grandchildren picture for my parents. It was sad for my mom and for me that this is the last picture with all nine grandchildren for three more years.




















Of course, they don't always go as planned.





















Besides the fact that God blessed us tremendously at the garage sale, the only other thing I'm thankful for was that it made me so tired and ready to be home, that I didn't cry when leaving my sister...until I was 7 miles away. Kylie didn't see me tear up, but she started crying a few miles later over her cousins. This is hard. I'm not going to pretend it's not, but I feel confident knowing we are right where we are supposed to be with the Lord.

Even though I am in God's fold of sheep, there are yet others out in the pasture still in danger of being attacked by wolves or getting tangled in thorns and vines. I'm thankful that followers of Jesus get to be a part of gathering the lost sheep into His fold, where they can find love, security, and hope.

Both sets of sheep endure the elements and harsh conditions, but only one group can call on the Shepherd and know He is right beside them. Believe me. I'm calling on Him daily! We've got a few sheep of our own to shepherd.