... three stories

Story ONE:

Holiday club ended on Friday with a HUGE day - over 1,000 kids and banana splits for everyone. Actually, it wasn't really a banana split... first bananas - then smashed up cookies - then marshmallows... mix in custard with your hands... and lots of random sweeties... then add jello- and finally ice cream. Everyone promised me it was amazingly tasty. I was just glad to have an excuse not to try...

On Thursday, I had the older girls come to my art room. I set them to work putting together octupus out of yarn- and I'm so glad I did. We totally ran out of supplies to make aquariums! As always, I had planned for about 150 to come through my room... but after the chaos was over, we realized we had gone through the 150 bottles and the 100 girls outside hadn't gotten to make. I'm SO glad we had the forsight to do those octopus. They came out super cute too.

A HUGE thank you and giant hug around the world to my friends that donated supplies and money toward these projects. At church on Sunday, the leader said "And Trace... who comes from America and doesn't know that we usually just color things in at the art station here... got it in her head to make these beautiful projects this year..." It's really only because of my friends in the states that were excited to put together ocean supplies and post them in a big box for me that the kids got to do something more... something they all took home and were excited about. Thank you THank you!

Story TWO... My dad - he's still at Butterworth - Robert Fletcher if you want to go say hello for me.... I'm sure my mom is there too. She'd love some flowers and a DELL crossword puzzle book. He's in a great mood when I've talked to him... totally the comedian. I've always said that my dad and David Letterman were somehow twins that just didn't know each other yet. Yesterday he told me that he's been sleeping on the visitors chair and letting my mom sleep on the hospital bed... "I think it's a good decision... I mean, if the nurse comes in the middle of the night with another one of her injections... she's going to go for the one in the bed not the one in the chair!"

Seriously, every time I've been able to talk to them, I've been so impressed with the way they are loving each other through all of this - my mom celebrates when he remembers someone's name... when he was in ICU, he'd wake up at 3:00 in the morning , disoriented and call her - she'd come right over.... they are laughing together and talking to doctors together and loving each other well. It has done my heart good to hear them - and learn from them.

Dad's motor skills and memory are improving... his vision will be permantly affected though. No more driving for my dad... and we'll have to modify his computer... but he'll be fine - and for that, I am ever-so thankful.

Story THREE: I won't see you again till Monday. We are packing up right now to drive up to Botswana tomorrow for a bit of wilderness camping. It comes at a really great time... we are so looking foward to the awayness of it - and the rest and the fresh air and maybe even getting to see some animals (hopefully not TOO up close!) I've done up my hair for the occasion... 10 hours sitting in the same chair with three girls working non stop... I'm planning to have this look for a while- I'm glad I love it so much. So, peace to you - no matter what your week looks like. Write a few pages, sing a few songs, sit for a spell and intentionally breathe in the fresh air. See you Monday.