{clearing my head}

{my sweet roomie Meagan & me! she's just like Joey- kind, quiet, & extremely smart- we were perfect together!!}

*****

I'm still in a bit of a whirl-wind {hence me getting up @ 3 am and showering thinking I'm still back in Africa}.... I came home to the sweetest reunion from my darlings- I CANNOT even begin to tell y'all how much I missed them & their little ways- no doubt my new friends were pure-T sick of Prissy & A-man stories but I didn't even care. At one point someone asked me {she was young and unmarried} "so tell me something that you don't like about being married"- my response- "Honestly I can't think of one bad thing about my sweet husband- I miss him so terribly bad!". I got home just in time for Prissy's final ballet dress rehearsal- in which I: scooped her in my arms, kissed her cheeks off, and proceeded to make a masterpiece ballet bun- all in about 2 minutes. Later that night when I was tucking her into bed she said "Momma I thought you were gonna hug me more when you first saw me?" My eyes filled with tears...... I apologized and stayed in her bed WAY longer than usual! I came home to find: my laundry all done, my house clean, my fridge & pantry stocked, fresh flowers all throughout the house, my silver polished, my car cleaned, & the peace that comes from knowing that my Cooner had been there while I was away & had taken care of everything for me! My kiddos have not heard the words "no" or "not today" for over 2 weeks- so please have grace for them if you see them out- ha ha!!!

*****

Now... my visit was amazing & unforgettable. Africa is not a pretty country, but it's people boast a beauty that is immeasurable. I went thinking that I would teach them {and I did in terms of health, baby care, & English}, but I truly got the education. They have so little but are so incredibly happy. They love each other & truly "consider others better than themselves". A pastor there told me that "comparison is the thief of joy"- SO TRUE! I wonder how much better off we would be if we could just be content on our circumstances & not want what another has? Anyway... I could write all day about what they taught me or about how precious my Tigist was- but I have to leave y'all wanting more- ha! I hope to get my camera down-loaded this week & show you some highlights. For now- I'm just enjoying toilet paper & clean water- don't take those things for granted!!!!!!!!

*****

{I couldn't help noticing this on an intern's desk at one of the Compassion offices..... He is learning English & wants to be a teacher when he graduates. Knowing what I know now- it makes me that much more certain that God is doing amazing things in Africa!}