This is my first post from Uganda. What I have been counting down is here now. I am on my bed, on my computer typing this - however, I am writing this on my notes and when we get wifi I will have to walk to the living area of the other house to actually post it.
Travel could not have gone smoother. I sat next to Alejandro on every flight, we know each other well -so we knew when to keep our minds distracted from the other thinking that was beginning or when to crack jokes to make the air lighter. We missed our families and the flight just feels like you are sitting in a giant air bird, while they are living on, you are frozen still. However, we were flying towards our new home. The kids did great on the flight, Becca did not sleep much, but she also did not scream the entire flight. Which is a good thing for everyone around. Zac and Tony did great. At one point I looked over my seat and Tony had wrapped the entire blue blanket around his body, it looked like he was auditioning to be in the Blue Man group. Zac created a sweater out of the red blankets out of another plane. The boys did great, Xan and Brennan watching Inside Out 30 times.
We arrived in Uganda with all of our luggage. We made it to the big bus, loaded up and headed to our house. We got home about 12:30am. The drive over was nice, windows open, chill and breezy. I played, “Your Promises” while I looked around at my new city. I giggled when I tried to imagine was Xan and Brennan were thinking. If life were a movie. That would be the opening scene, us in the van — tired, but ready and Bucky playing “Africa” by TOTO.
I met my roommate Gloria. She is the household, but already — she is my friend. I was scared to tell her by fear of the dark. But I did and she said, “me too. I sometimes sleep with the light on” — I nearly screamed for joy a I grabbed my battery operated string lights out of my bag. I placed them between our beds and we both crawled into our beds across from each other and started to chat. I found out that writes, she loves writing. She wants to go into journalism. She has at least 5 friends who want to to do the same thing. I asked if she had a blog or anything and she asked what a blog was. I get to show her mine later, and I cannot wait. I also may or may not have invited her friends over for a writing party one night.
Today we all woke up at different times. Gloria cooked me an egg and I had Ugandan tea. I had a cold shower and then I tried to find my hammock, which I am realizing now may have been left behind. I read a bit and wrote in my journal. I am realizing how important it is to quote scripture over myself. Even on days like today, when we are not doing a thing except getting used to being in Uganda. I tried to think about what next week will look like, what life looks like outside of the gate or what our neighbors are like and I get overwhelmed. Not that those are bad things at all, it is just Jesus already reminding me to live in every single moment given to me on this adventure. Even the moments when I sit on my bed and break down verses while I read them aloud, or while I sit on the couch and play the only song I know on the guitar, or while I watch everyone do their own thing today, or while answering questions that Gloria has about pasta. Or while I hear kids outing and giggling from down the street, music booms from somewhere else, and I think Zac is trying out the ukulele. The rest are walking to the carpenters to see if out shelves are done being built.
Things I have learned so far:
You can see the TVs on Time Square from the air
Europeans are close to my heart.
I love the cold.
The movie Dead Poets Society changed my life.
Timing is everything in life.
How to lock a Ugandan door
How to deal with a cold shower
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There will be more things added to that list today I am sure of it, but we will just leave it at those for now.
I am thankful, My heart is full and I have a huge peace that surpasses all understanding. Such a peace.
Also, I fell out of a hammock today. But it was perfect and funny.
Jerry Cans!!!!!!
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