From the End to the Beginning

I know this sounds like the title to an Avi book...but really it's just me trying to catch you up on what's happening.
My trip to Kenya last July and August was awesome, amazing, all those over-the-top words that describe a great experience.  I came home fulfilled and refreshed.  Nothing like sanding, painting and priming a 12,500 sq. ft. building for a bunch of beautiful and needy children to put your priorities straight!
And, as you may recall, my only wish for my trip home was a Dairy Queen Oreo cookie blizzard and hugs from my kids...not necessarily in that order.

Well, here I am, very happy last August, with my blizzard at the DQ on Minnetonka Boulevard in Minneapolis.  My sister picked me up at the airport and said, "First stop...Dairy Queen?"  At least I know one person was reading my blog.

After I crashed HARD at her house for the night, my brother-in-law, Keith, and I drove up to International Falls MN (a.k.a. "the magical land of no electricity") to pick up my happy campers at Camps Ogichi Daa Kwe and Kooch-i-Ching, and then to spend the weekend at my sister's cabin in Rainy Lake.
Keith is pretty awesome himself...his "cabin" reminds our family of a small Vietnamese fishing village.  Lots of buildings...main cabin with multiple extensions, bunk house, out house, free standing screen porch, lots of docks, all varieties of watercraft, sauna and hot tub (both powered by wood burning stoves...of course)...you get the idea.  The place even has a wood burning pizza oven!  The really interesting part...it was all crafted from his imagination and sketched on napkins, and then built by him (and countless conscripts/friends) using felled trees and found boulders from their island in the middle of Rainy Lake.  (Okay, well, there may have been some wood pilfered from neighboring islands...I really couldn't say.)  It's an amazing retreat.

The campers (a.k.a. my children, Maria and Ethan) had a wonderful, adventurous four weeks in the north woods. Usually when I am away and return to the kids, I say "I missed you but I had fun."  And then they say the same thing to me...at least, that used to be the correct response!  But this time, after I gave my heart felt "I missed you but I had fun" to Ethan, he answered with a distracted "Well, you know, Mom, I didn't really think that much about you...and I gotta go find my friends.  Bye!"  Very sad. :(  But...he's growing to be an independent fella and that's the goal, isn't it?

But I digress...the real purpose of this blog is to return to the beginning.  I'm back in Kenya! 

Does this place look familiar?  It's the Karen Blixen Guesthouse in Nairobi.  We arrived last night, had a restful night in a comfy bed and a hot shower (Yay!!), and are now just  a few errands away from jumping on a plane for Eldoret.  Our wonderful driver, Phillip, will pick us up in Eldoret and take us on the hair-raising journey by road to Kitale.  We were just discussing at breakfast if we might convince Phillip to stop by his house to see his wife and children.  I visited his home in July but no one else in our group has been there...and it's pretty cool to see where he lives and get to know his family.

Speaking of "our group", travelers include Kiara Amstutz (soon to be resident of the Mighty Acorn orphanage along with 100 girls of various ages...that should be fun!), Kylee Heisler (artist-in-residence and birthday girl today...21!!),  Jenni Vorderman (photog extraordinaire), Maddie and Barry Devlin (father and 16 year old daughter) and me.  You'll notice Barry isn't cooperating for the photo, and I'm learning that might be pretty typical.  Becki and Jodi from the previous trip will be joining us in a few days to work their mural-making magic on the other 10 girls rooms that didn't get spruced up during our last visit.  (You may need to review my August posts "Amka" and "Odds & Ends" to learn about the beautiful and inspirational art work created by Becki and Jodi.)

We have two major "work" projects to complete for the Mighty Acorn Foundation: (1) finish the murals in 10 girls rooms (it's big job...trust me) and (2) help the girls with Christmas gifts for their sponsors.  Can't say any more about that one...it's a surprise!

The more important projects involve loving, hugging and playing with 189 kids...and, especially for me, visiting with my sponsored child, Millicent, and my sisters' sponsored sisters (pay attention, people) Jacqueline and Cathrine.

So that's enough for today!  I'll be back with more exciting thrills from Africa.  Stay tuned.

Tish