Shosho's Visit

When Lois (aka Shosho) arrived, Conner was so small to us. I guess small is a relative term though because in reality he was a really big baby. When we would tell people how old he was they always looked surprised.

When Lois arrived, she expected the brutal heat Anne and I always complain about, but instead she found a baby all bundled up. To our surprise, the weather was beautiful until the last day of her stay with us. Driving her to the airport, we hit the upper 90s for the first time this season and the high humidity made the heat index well into the 100s.

During the majority of her stay, it was beautiful. It even got cold enough on a few days that we made a fire! It was very cozy.

We really love our old fire place and get a lot of use out of it in the winter. Anytime its cold enough, I light it up. Sometimes I light it and we need to open the windows so it doesn't get too hot.

For some reason I always equate a burning fireplace to family time and a sense of home. I guess it's because I grew up in a house with a fireplace. I remember laying on the floor in the living room next to the fire, watching TV or playing with toys. It's one of my very vivid and warm childhood memories I hope to pass on to Conner.

While Shosho visited, Anne and I both went back to work. To help us out, she slept in Conner's room and helped with the feedings. This gave Anne and I an opportunity to get some sleep. And no, Conner didn't sleep IN bed with Shosho, this was just a cute little nap.

During her stay, we took advantage of the mild weather by having a few meals outside. There was a little more rain this year so the garden was very lush. It was also cool enough that we would put on sweaters and could make a little outside fire. The nightly chills kept the mosquitos and gnats to a minimum.

We also made a point to give the dogs some affection, We were worried about their reaction to Conner but for the most part they just ignored him. One noticeable change was that Sid became much more aggressive towards Wiggles. I wonder what Cesar Millan would say about that?

Our two months with Shosho was such a blessing. She cooked, cleaned, and nannied Conner. We could never thank her enough for her help. We could never thank Mark enough for giving up his wife for so long.

When the time came that she had to return to Kenya, Conner was much larger then he had been when she arrived. Although he didn't seem to know what was happening, we were all too sad to bear her departure. With a pit in our stomachs and tears rolling down our cheeks, we dropped Lois off at the Atlanta Airport. As we pulled away, Anne sat in the back seat with Conner. Looking up at his emotionally devastated mother, Conner got a huge grin on his face and and began to squeal with excitement...

And that was our first sign that our sweet little boy has an ornery sense of humor!

Binge Blogging is Dangerous!

You may have missed some entries as we are binge blogging. Be sure to scroll back until you reach the last blog you've read. We are trying to keep this somewhat chronological but we are very behind. Conner will be graduating from college next month....

The Arrival of ShoSho

After our week alone with Conner, the highly anticipated visit from ShoSho was upon us. For those of you who don't already know, "ShoSho" is Grandmother in Swahili and is what Lois will be called by her grandchildren.

ShoSho would be staying with us for about two months to help with Conner. It was a blessing that she would have such a flexible schedule and that Mark would part with her for so long. When Anne and I first started talking about a baby, Lois had one request, "Don't have a baby in the Spring of 09. " and surprise March 18,2009 !

In the Spring, WOW Safaris (Lois's company) was completely booked with tours and service projects and Mark (Babu) had just started his 5 year appointment as the Dean of Doctoral Studies at NEGST (http://www.jpafrica.com/negst/) in Kenya. If you are not familiar with Lois's organization, you'll want to check out her website: http://www.wowsafaris.org/. They are doing some amazing things.

Mark will have to wait until Nov of 2009 to see Conner in person and Lois wouldn't be able to depart until April. Although I know that was heart wrenching for ShoSho, it all worked out in the end. We really needed the help as long as we could get it. It also so happened that her visit just overlapped when Conner could start daycare and Anne could start back to work.

Of course when Lois arrived at our tiny little airport, she was without luggage. At one point we were told it had been directed to Albany, NY instead of Albany, GA. The next day Jonathan called from Newport News, VA to say he had received a call that the bags were in Richmond VA for pick-up? Apparently Lois's permanent tags have the NN, VA address and number...it was quite a nightmare. It took days to sort out.

That night, despite her 1000 hrs of travel, we took ShoSho to the most cultured dinning experience Albany, GA has to offer...

...the International House of Pancakes. And so began her indentured servitude in the Mzungu Cottage. She would spend the next two months working as a nurse maid and house keeper, for which we will be forever grateful.

The Last Cherry Blossom

In Japanese culture, the cherry blossom has come to be a metaphor for life.

Artist Unknown

As I cut away branches and stacked the logs of our old cherry tree, I couldn't help but reflect on it's life. Many years ago, someone planted a small cherry tree at the back corner of our lot. At the time, I am sure they were very excited about it. Considering our climate, they must have watered it daily until the small tree had taken root. Over the years it grew. It watch many families live in our home. Children no doubt climbed on it and played under it for hours. It provided shade for the ever changing cars that had been parked under it. A witness to progress. Couples had returned home only to fight under it. An hour or so later that very same tree would provide a flower covered branch as a peace offering. It weathered many strong storms, and a couple of resident wood peckers over the years. An occasional drought left it withered and weak. And yet it remained unmoved. A silent observer of the world around it.

In its life it provided shade and shelter to our home. In its old age it continued to produce beautiful blossoms yet no longer produced any fruit. Hollow and weak its limbs began to fail it. With each storm more branches lay on the ground. Molds and vines began to find it easier to live on the old tree. Insects and disease began to set in. However, even when it had become too weak to withstand the harsh weather, too old to make it to another season, it still managed to produce one last beautiful gesture.

The last cherry blossom. MSW 09

This sprig of cherry blossoms was picked from a small branch left on a log in our wood pile. Even after death there was beauty in this old tree...and later next winter when we are huddled around the fireplace as a family, I will wonder if I am burning the last of the cherry tree.

"I think there's a branch on your car...."

From the moment we came home from the hospital, members of our church began to bring us dinner each night. It was amazing. Everyone was so generous and the meals were excellent. We weren't sure how long it would last, but it did for the better part of a month. One evening one of our friends brought us a meal, and when I let her in, she said, "I think there's a branch on one of your cars?" She didn't make much of a deal about it so I figured when she left I would go out and check.

It's but a scratch...MSW 09

Well it was a little more than a branch. Half of an old cherry tree had broken off in a storm and fell on Anne's car and my boat. The roof of the car was smashed in pretty good, which actually protected most of my boat. The only thing on the boat that was broken was the foot pedal for the trolling motor (that I would later find during a fishing trip.)

What was left was a large part of the tree teetering over my neighbors house and fence on one side and a power line on the other. With a new chainsaw, some old climbing rope, a buddies truck and a lot of prayer we were able to pull that part down without incident.

We had the roof of the car fixed a month or so later when we returned from a road trip. You know its always something. Conner is only two weeks old and a tree falls on his mommy's car!

Please scroll back to be sure you didn't miss any entries.

We are trying to catch up somewhat chronologically, which means that we binge blog. When we go on one of these multi-day benders, we tend to update three or four entries at a time. Be sure to scroll back and read the previous blogs to stay up to date.
Thanks,
Team Mzungu

Our first week alone!

After working in the garden, daddy and Conner just chillax on the couch. ABW 09

As much as we hated to see everyone go, it was nice to just be us for the first time. It gave us some time to let it all sink in. It also gave us some time to just chill.

"Pimpin' ain't easy..." ABW 09

This boy is so mellow it's hard to believe. Check out how he sleeps. Some of the books we've read say that when babies sleep with their hands above or behind their head it is a sign of confidence and security. Personally I think it looks a bit cocky. " Yeah wasup...I'm just naaaappin'. I'll drink some milk a little later...then poop my pants...then I think you'll clean-it up for me. That's what I thought!"

Conner's first Easter bunny picture. MSW 09

Conner was invited to his first birthday party by my friend Eric. Eric's son Slade was turning one. They had an Easter bunny there for all the kids. It was fun. We posed these pictures and I think they came out better then the ones you buy at the mall.

The guy in the suit was a real sport because it was hot! MSW 09

It was nice to get out around other people with Conner. In his short life, we've had him out and about now a couple of times with no problems. I hope this is a sign of things to come.