so today......

So today, i could go into some deep thought, there's always a lot going on in my mind.
But instead, i want to share with you what my day looked like on a day like today.
No clinic visits.
No doctor appointments.
No errands to run.
Nowhere to be except with a fun group of kiddos and loving on them all day long.

The day started with well...CAFFEINE.
Due to my lack of sleep, caffeine is such a wonderful start to a morning...let me just say.
So after a morning of quiet, stretching, music, singing, attempted workouts, reading, writing, a cold shower, and lots of talking to Jesus about what was on my mind...i decided to LET THE GAMES BEGIN.
And oh did they ever... :)

It's a beautiful sunny day today.
The weather here is simply brilliant.
Not at all what i expected, but so brilliant none the less.
So under a big tree sat me and Zeke (or as i say zeekeeeey)...just clapping our hands and singing.
My failed attempts at picking up on the song he was singing in Lugandan made him giggle like a wild man. (and he has the best laugh i have possibly ever heard.)
So i continue on in my loud obnoxious noises, and we continue in obnoxious laughter and noise.
When it's brought to my attention by (not so discrete) Zak that he isn't really a fan of our singing, i go and join him in the yard.
And there he is in all of his wonder.....he is honestly the most FASCINATING kid i have ever met....making his noises and saying what he has to say with passion.
Having not the slightest idea what he is saying, he just starts to grin and then laugh.
He is playing hilarious games with the dogs.
It sort of looks like a Lord of the Rings scene and oh am i not even exagerating!
Then, Zak wants me to learn some of the games he plays by himself.
When i fail (again) to pick those up properly he starts to stand up.
I know exactly what this means....a game of chase!
And oh he loves to play chase....
Running around the yard forever and ever.....accomplished :)

Then i hear "Auntie, Auntie. Want it. Want it."
Yep, this is my little Rachel. She is always wanting me to stand her up and dance with her...and this is exactly what we did!
To the groovy music on the radio, we waltzed and waltzed around the yard...in all of our dancing glory.

The rest of the afternoon consisted of...
passion fruit snacks.
football playing.
practicing walking.
practicing talking.
tickling.
running.
laughing.
dancing.
coloring.
reading.
learning.
writing.
more laughing.
chasing.
crawling.
hide and seeking.
throw up cleaning,
sand box playing.
swinging.
singing.
and hand clapping.

Then lunch came.

So after some tired kiddos headed for nap,
and Auntie Jessica became an instant nurse for a sick sick little girl (i'm learning to be tougher at doctor stuff.)
It was time for a little bit of relaxing.
Rice and beans, a coke light, chocolate, and wonderful hang out conversation time with friends.
And a sweet mama here taught me how to make fresh squeezed passion fruit/orange juice.
I believe i will be making this daily now

When the kids woke up,
we had more coloring time
and reading story time.
And dancing time. (if you haven't gotten it yet, these kids LOVE to dance. and dance they will!)
They are still amused by my style of dance (or lack there of). haha
I thought I was good until I came here.....
We played some drums and put on some grass skirts.
We learned a little more about Jesus from our story book Bible.

We had some tantrums.
Had some timeouts.
And had just some times...
We had more laughs.
More interesting conversations...
And just lots of firsts!

After dinner and one last dance session.
Here i sit, with some hot African tea and cinnamon toast, pondering it all.
And completely humbled by my day graced with these kids' presence the whole time.

These kids show me resilience.
They show me strength.
They show me wisdom.
They show me joy.
They show me unquenchable love
and a thirst for learning more.
These kids, who were supposed to be loved, and held, and comforted when they were younger..... they had none of that.
Some of these little angels, have horrible pasts.
And here they are, just taking the day for what its worth.
Hugging every minute and asking every question that comes to their minds.
I'm serious, the resilience they show on a daily basis wrecks me.
And teaches me more and more.

So thanks Mweru, Walter, Jason, Zeke, Arafat, Debra, Rachel, Josh, Daniel, Amy, Jane, Selina, Zak, Tasha, and JoJo.
Thanks for spending the day with me, and refreshing my heart, showing me a little more what it means to really become like a child.
And to love out loud.
And the beauty that it brings to a life.

And thank you Jesus,
for lavishing Your character on these kiddos.
So that i can learn a little more about Your heart and who You are.

It is because of this day,
that I'm off to bed with a full heart and a smile on my face.
And it all goes back to the Creator of Love, Himself.
Beautiful.

Verse i'm loving today:

Psalm 63 : 2,3 The Message
"So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, 
      drinking in your strength and glory. 
   In your generous love I am really living at last! 
      My lips brim praises like fountains. 
   I bless you every time I take a breath; 
      My arms wave like banners of praise to you." 


Quote i'm loving today:
"When you can do the common things of life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world." (George Washington Carver).
       Think about it, when you command the attention of the world by being different in even the common areas of life, where is that attention pointing too...


Song I'm loving today:

Much love :)
And oh do i mean that!