Sunday, May 29, 2011

LOTS OF LOVE!!

Just had to post this picture of the boys!! Since Jamey & Gideon got home, it has been all smiles and love!! The boys are so proud of their new brother!! Thank you, Jesus!!

Friday, May 27, 2011

HOMECOMING!!!

Just heard from Jamey.....VISA IS DONE!!! Jamey & G are coming home. They will be in Shreveport around 6 PM tomorrow night!! Praise God!!! We are so thankful!!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Packing.

I'm packing right now. I'm packing even though I don't know for sure if I will leave tomorrow. First thing in the morning I will wait outside of the US Embassy for one piece of paper that I need. I will then go into the Embassy and talk VERY nicely to the people who will decide if I get my visa tomorrow. If I get the visa, our flight will leave at 1130pm and I'll arrive in Shreveport at about 530pm on Saturday--a mere 27 hours of traveling. The fact that it is even a possibility for me to leave tomorrow is a miracle. Whether I leave tomorrow or have to wait another week, God's hand is very evident. I'm anxious and hopeful and thankful.


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Visa Update

I anxiously awaited Gideon's Ugandan passport all day today--it never came and I thought that I would have to delay my visa appointment until next Wednesday. However, our contact at the Embassy told me to come back as soon as I had the passport. I heard from our attorney that he got it late this afternoon. SOOOOO...I'm going in the morning to give it another shot. Still shooting for a Friday departure. We'll see. Please pray!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Ready to say goodbye to....

One of the challenges of being away from home for so long is that you have to make due with what you have. I mean, you can only fit so much in your suitcase. I need to preface this with the fact that I am very thankful for the things I have here at my disposal--I'm not trying to be a complainer! That begin said, I am ready to say goodbye to....

The Bumbo seat. Bumbo, you have come in handy when it's time to give my little guy some baby food BUT I'm so sick of having to sit on the floor and wrestle Gideon to sit still. Why can't you magically transform yourself into a high chair so I can strap my little guy in and feed him at eye level! While you're at it, can you make high chairs appear at all the restaurants in Kampala. Eating is always better when you can use two hands. Goodbye...boiling bottles EVERYDAY. Bottles, I am sick of you. I know I need you but I'm tired of looking at you. Why are there only 4 of you? Where are all your friends? Why can't there be more of you so I don't have to boil you EVERYDAY? And finally....GOODBYE (hopefully soon) Baby Bjorn. I will not miss the aching back you give me. I will not miss the sweat spot you leave on my shirt. I will not miss the kicks in the crotch. Goodbye and good riddance!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Gross. Not Gross. (part 2)

These are grasshoppers. This is food here in Kampala--not bait, not lizard food, people food. There is actually a street that several guys stand alongside with big buckets full of these cooked grasshoppers for your enjoyment. Gross. My friend Josh bought some and we gave then a try.
Josh actually cooked them again--lightly breaded them, stir fried them, and added salt. The Southern way! I tried them before we cooked them and after we cooked them.

The taste was described to me as a juicy french fry. The description is actually pretty accurate. After we recooked them, they were just crispy like an overcooked french fry. In all honesty, they were not that bad. Not good enough for me to go back for seconds though.

Don't you love the fact that Gideon is checking out what I'm eating! On the same night, my housemates made Mexican food--at least our closest Ugandan approximation. NOT Gross! Somebody had even found some tortilla chips at one of the grocery stores. It was quite the feast.

Still praying that I will get my passport tomorrow so I can head home on Friday.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Muyenga Baptist.

Gideon and I were able to worship again today at Muyenga Baptist Church. The church is just about a 15 minute walk from our guest house--a short but hilly walk!
I think I mentioned before that the church is on the side of one of the hills here. From the doors and windows you have a great 180 degree view over the surrounding area. This little guy is playing one of the drums used for worship.

It's funny...African men do NOT take care of children. So I often have African women trying to take Gideon and care for him. They're just trying to help. Even the kids try to lend a hand. The girl with the white earrings is Grace. She is the pastor's daughter. She has sat by me for the past two Sundays. She really likes Gideon. She is very sweet.

Here she is dancing with Gideon after the service. Isn't he big stuff.

Here I am with my new friend Edson. He is a college student. He lives and helps out at the BMU where I am staying. He goes to this church and has been my host for these past two weeks. I've really enjoyed getting to know him. He's a great guy....helps me stay connected to college students!!

Pray that I would be able to get Gideon's passport by Tuesday. This is the vital step to insure that I will be able to leave on Friday. Otherwise, I'll have to wait another week.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Friday, May 20, 2011

Welcome to the family!

While we still have the adoption process to finalize in the US, as of today, we have legal guardianship of our Gideon. He is officially a part of our family! Now we can post all the pictures we want of the little guy...thought I would start at the beginning. This is a picture of the very first time we met Gideon at the Babies Home. Mary me him first and he was a bit apprehensive with both of us. He kept checking us out...looking us up and down.
I looked a bit rough. We arrived only a few hours earlier after a 30-something hour trip to Uganda. BUT we were so excited to meet this little guy that we couldn't wait.


This was a few days later when we were out and about...only 1/2 of the family. Looking forward to reuniting with the other half.


We still have some things that have to be done before we get home but these things are not "if" things but "when" things. Hopeful that everything will fall into place and I will be on a flight next Friday. We'll keep you posted. Wonderful day!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Hopeful.

Tomorrow is our ruling date. This is where the judge will tell us his decision. We are counting on a positive ruling but will not take that for granted. Please pray and I hope to bring good news tomorrow.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Hello. I am your brother.

It was a whirlwind the four days right before we left for Uganda. In the middle of all the chaos, the boys wrote these notes to their new brother. Jonah was the first...we attached his pic after he gave it to us. This was totally unsolicited.
How awesome is that? Next is Abram's. We had to give him a little help with his.

Super sweet. Finally, there's Seth.

He included an illustration:

And this is my favorite part....

" I AM SETH"....just thought you should know Gideon. Can't wait for all these guys to meet in person!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Good News.

Fourth time's a charm! Saw the judge today and have a ruling scheduled for Friday. It was an exhausting experience and I'm thankful that it's over. I'm celebrating by eating some oreos that I bought today. Good times.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Court tomorrow.

Praying that court tomorrow morning goes smoothly. Have to get going by 730am. Court time at 930am. Just another step on the journey.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Worship.

I'm still getting to know the area around the guest house I'm staying at now. Found out that there's a church I could walk to. I didn't know if I wanted to brave getting out with G in the heat and sitting through a couple of hours of a service. Glad I did. The church I had been to before was very large. Today I went to Muyenga Baptist Church. Much smaller but sweet congregation.

The church was literally on the side of a hill up a dirt path. This is the view from the road!



Also, you had to pass an old quarry to get to the church. This picture does not do justice to just how deep it was. The green dot that look like moss or something are acutally big lily pads on the pond at the bottom of the cliff.



On the homefront, we found a snail on the wall of our patio. It was huge. We think the little trail at the top (bottom?) of the snail is a trail of poop. Disgusting and fascinating.


Finally, one of the girls who had been staying at the guest house flew out today and left behind a partial pack of nutty bars. Now, Mary knows how much I like these. That's why we usually dont buy them! Needless to say it was a nice treat!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Repost.

I don't usually repost or forward things that I read BUT tonight I will make an exception. I recently read a post from a blog I follow that connects orphan care to being pro life. It's worth a read.

Oh, today was Abram's birthday party so I got to skype with them while he blew out the candles. Pretty awesome. Not as awesome as being there, but good. Don't know why I'm posting this picture. Just found it and I don't think I've posted it yet. I wonder what the guys behind us are saying?

Friday, May 13, 2011

Thank you, Inventor of Skype.






Thank you, Skype Inventor.....


Okay, so Jamey is usually the one chronicling his African adventures, or lack there of, with each daily post. So, while he is sleeping on the other side of the globe, I figured I would give it a go.


I'll give you some perspective from my end, pretty much the same every day......looking at my husband and son...or the boys looking at their father and sometimes their baby brother through a computer screen. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for phones, but being able to actually see the person you are talking with is MUCH better!! Abram often kisses and or tries to hug the screen...very cute.


I never skyped until now.


We are all having a good time seeing and hearing Jamey & Gideon through skype...unless there is a power outage in Uganda.....which happens frequently. I remember being on the other side of the screen.....looking at 3 of my boys through the computer, seeing my living room in the background. It made me sad every time I saw it, longing to be home. Jamey is my hero because for 6 weeks now that is all he has seen of 3 of his boys and for the last 3 weeks all he has seen of me....and home.


God is good....every time I skype I am reminded of God's goodness and his ability to sustain even in the difficult times. He provides peace and comfort through just being able to communicate daily with my husband, best friend, and father of our 4 boys!!


Seth asked me the other day if we could skype Jesus. I told him that is what prayer is for. :)

Gross. Not Gross.

This is the bottom of my foot. This is what my feet look like at the end of every day. Gross. It's to the point that my feet are actually semi-stained. Thank you Africa.
These are two of my new favorite drinks that I have discovered while in Uganda. NOT gross. I recently discoverd Lemon with Mint and it's very tasty--it's either from India or the Middle East--but either way, more please! And I have enjoyed passion fruit juice from the first moment I tasted it--I even found a Passion Fruit Fanta. Hard to find the boxes of juice, though. I have to pace myself because I can go through a box very quickly.

Also, NOT gross are Sweet & Spicy Chutney Lays. From India?? Don't care. Want more!

If I have more days where I don't get off the compound, you'll keep getting posts about food. Fair warning!

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Looking forward.

Got to have a long conversation with Mary today. Refreshing. I miss that lady.



We told the boys before I left that we would all take a family vacation this summer since we didn't take the boys with us to Uganda AND we've spent so much time apart. Mary said that Jonah's been reminding her that we said that. SO, we are trying to figure out a place and time to go. It's exciting to think about getting away to a place that is NOT Uganda. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate all that I have been learning about Uganda and how it's become my home away from home. BUT, it's going to be nice to spend time together as a WHOLE family. Any suggestions?


Slow day in Uganda. Had to walk into the yard at 5pm just to say that I had gotten out of the house today. The presidential inauguration was today so we stayed close to home to avoid crowds, protests, and any nonsense that might be occurring in the city. I enjoy the peace and quiet that I'm experiencing but I look forward to the chaos of my home--all the boys talking to me simultaneously, jumping, wrestling...you get the picture. Can't wait.


By the way, my webcam has some weird effects...I randomly implement these when I'm skyping with the boys. For example....


I know...I'm really cool!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

New Creation.

In the last few days our Jonah has expressed an interest in making Christ his Savior and being baptized. He has been asking questions for awhile--it's neat to see how understanding has unfolded in his heart--AND that God will continue to work to mold him into the person He wants.

We have imagined this time for awhile. I'm excited but wish I was there to speak with him face to face. It's been good to talk with him over Skype and Mary's been talking with him. Mary and I have tried to strike a balance between talking frequently about following Christ with our kids while still allowing them to arrive at the place of salvation in their own time. It can be a tough balance to strike. Praise God that He works in spite of us!

My prayer for Jonah (I read this today):

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeaurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the work of His vast strength.
Ephesians 1:17-19


Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The big move.

I've been in Uganda for 5 1/2 weeks. We spent one week at the babies home and then 4 1/2 weeks at the Bridge Africa guest house. Time for the next chapter. Moved to the Baptist Mission of Uganda today. The straw that broke the camel's back is that the guest house didn't have water for 3 days. So I packed up....
It was actually sad to leave a place that I had developed such a routine in. Oh well, I have the next 3 weeks to develop a new routine before I head home. The saddest part was saying goodbye to this fan. It is capable of blowing your face off...it's awesome.

The gardner at the BMU planned a very special welcome for me. He built me a giant bonfire to say "hello". Ok, so he was just tidying up the property but look at the size of this fire. This would be a no-no in the city back home. Perfectly fine in Kampala. People are burning stuff all the time.

Check out the shirt that I put on Gideon today. He's my little buddy right now. Where I go, he goes. Good to spend this time with him. Also ready for him to have some mommy-time as well...just as much, I would like some daddy time with the other boys.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Blog Fatigue

Today was a good day! Got out and about...no sitting around the house today! We're all exhausted. Don't really know what to blog about today: I bought some groceries, I ate some food, I washed some clothes...mundane stuff.



BTW, just found out that Thursday has been declared a Ugandan public holiday for the inauguration of the president. One of the families is scheduled to have a court date on Thursday. Praying it won't affect their date or ours.


Having to make some decisions today about staying at my current guest house or moving to a new one...pros and cons for both. Will decide tomorrow. Here's where I'm thinking about moving to:Just drank a Coca Cola Light in a bottle..very good. (also ate a twix)


Come home from our day out to no power in the house...came back on just before putting G down for bed. Hope he sleeps better than he did last night.


Got to meet some more IMB missionaries today.



Ok, so always something to blog about!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Special Occassion Double Dose

It's not often that you get to celebrate two big days in one! Today is May 8, the day that Abram James Droddy entered the world. I am so thankful for this little guy. He's our only Louisiana-born kid..and I still remember that day so clearly. I remember the 8-day stay in the NICU and how tough that was. I remember how people always used to ask if he ever cried. He was such a sweet, pleasant baby (they don't ask that anymore, btw!).
Now, he has so much personality, especially as he tries to keep up with his big brothers. And CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW BIG THIS KID HAS GOTTEN IN 5 WEEKS-I mean, granted, it's been 5 weeks but c'mon, this guy is HUGE!

He's still not too big for some daddy hugs and I can't wait to give them. Hopefully soon. Until then, I'll keep calling and skyping and downloading pics that Mary sends. Look how huggable this guy is!

Can't forget Mothers's Day! I'm so thankful for my Mary. She is a wonderful wife and excellent mother. She is totally outnumbered in our house-o-boys but she holds her own. What a godly example she is to these fellas. Glad she and I get to herd these guys through life together. Thanks to our friends for helping the boys honor their mother while I'm away.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Day Trip--Bethany.

Today, G and I went on a little adventure. There is a mission team from Alabama who arrived a couple of days ago (they brought me some formula and baby food--so thankful). As part of their trip, they were taking a trip to Bethany Children's Village, a ministry of Africa Renewal Ministry (the parent org of Loving Hearts Babies Home). They invited us to tag along. To get there, you can take a 2-hr taxi ride by land OR you can take a 30 min boat ride. Guess which choice we opted for? It was exciting to get out on Lake Victoria (second largest freshwater lake in the world, i found out today). Here's a fishing village on the shore that we passed on our journey. This is the only rural village I've seen so far since I've only really been in the city.
Bethany Children's Village is a pretty amazing ministry. They minister to orphaned and homeless children. There are 185 children living at the village in 11 different houses (the children are mostly between the ages of 10 and 19). Each house has a name given to it by the children who live there. This is Praise House. The man in the picture is Jimmy. He runs the day-to-day operations of the children's homes. He lives in one of the houses with his wife and 3 children, as well as 19 other children! I pray God's blessings on this man!!

This is Dennis. He runs the entire children's village and gave us our tour. First, he explained the overall vision of the village--very, very cool. They are trying to raise up next generation Christian leaders who will make an impact on Africa. Bethany has a church, a school, the children's homes, a clinic, and a farm (their goal is to be self-sustaining financially).

Not enough room to tell about all the things we saw. Was glad to visit! Here's the view from our boat coming back into the dock at Gaba.

Here's me looking crusty, sweaty, and dirty--I was all three of these things!