-So much fun outdoor time! This awesome yard is a wonderful place for building dirt bike tracks, climbing trees, swinging, and kicking the soccer ball around. All of these activities were abundant this week.
-Movie time! We watched (and sang along with) the Sound of Music- the best. Also watched the original Parent Trap. Another gem. Watching movies with kids is somehow way more fun. You get to squirm and close your eyes if there is a kiss, squeal and laugh louder on all the good parts, and scream at any and all surprises and scary parts.
-A deeper learning about selfishness and selflessness. I thought God had broken me of my selfishness plenty before. But to be responsible for 3 other lives is a totally different ball game, folks! Trying to be there for others and meet their needs ALWAYS before your own? Tough. Because I am a selfish human being. Simply being a mother is one of the most selfless things I can think to do.
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| The kids picked flowers for me and set them in my room :) |
-Lots of cuddling. Countless precious times my hand was captured by one of theirs, I found myself caught up in hugs, snuggling up during movies or lazy Sunday mornings. Talk about fun and heart-melting.
-A bit of discipline... So there are three Jackson kids (Brie-12, Madi-10, and Lachie-8) and then Evelyn, the Jackson's house help, has three younger ones (Jeremiah-4, Kevin-2, and Jacob-1). One time when we were all playing together Jeremiah disobeyed me, and so we had a little chat and he had to have a short time-out. Not ten minutes later, Kevin had misbehaved and little Madi was handling the situation so perfectly (with a chat and subsequent time-out). PRECIOUS. Watching the Jackson kids interact with Evelyn's kids was definitely a highlight.
-The realization that being a parent is going to be one of the toughest things I may ever do. On the first day, walking back from a store on the corner, the girls and I witnessed a bit of mob justice. A thief running away was caught and beat about 200ft away from us. Thankfully he was then taken to the police (not killed). This happened with THE GIRLS RIGHT NEXT TO ME! I could've cried then and there for feeling like I failed them. Mob justice is traumatizing for me, and I'm not 10 or 12. We talked it over the next day: to find out exactly what they had seen and heard, let them get it out and ask questions, and discuss justice and judgement. But obviously, I shared what happened with Jenny and Darren- and they will be the ones there for the girls to really process through what we saw. So I had to handle that for like a week- and was almost undone by it. I CANNOT imagine being the one responsible to help them process trauma longterm! Or to help them learn. Or to help them better understand the character of God. That is going to be so HARD! But it also gets me really excited that someday the Lord will equip me to take on that role.
-Getting tricked. Those kids probably had way more sugar this week than Mum and Dad ever let them. Oops.
-Fun girl time! On Saturday morning, when Lachie was at soccer, the girls and I had a baking day! We made some Australian staples (Lumberjack cake and Lemon Delicious) and had a grand ole time. Then, Saturday night Lachie went for a boys play date (watching Star Wars, playing wii...you know the drill.) The girls and I went over to another EMI family's house and we had a girls night! They had a tea party, got makeup and hair done in the "salon", got pedicures (courtesy of yours truly), and finished off the night with popcorn and movies. Total blast.
-Learning about good parenting. The Jackson kids are angels. Seriously. They look out for each other, catch themselves almost immediately if they disobey or are mean to each other, love to read and discuss their devotion book, are kind and loving to me and anyone else I've seen them with, and are so full of joy and delight. Jenny and Darren have done some great parenting! Though I know they wouldn't take any credit- they'd give it all back to God!
Praises:
-An awesome week with the Jacksons! I'm going to miss not seeing them as much!
-The last Burundi project trip returned this week! Praise for their successful trip and safe return to us.
Prayer Requests:
-Three of my favorite people are leaving me in a week! Christine (LTV), David, and Belinda (interns) are all leaving Kampala next week. Pray for their last few days here and for their next steps! (And pray for me, too, as I deal with them leaving me!)
You May Be In Kampala If:
-You have to worry about your children seeing mob justice...
-The kids beg you to eat with their hands. You know, to be culturally sensitive and all...
LOVE
SForbes
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