- twelve -

Alice - (affectionately known as Alabama) - our prissy little old lady we adopted from the shelter. For weeks she refused to eat dog food, only liked women, wouldn't let us brush her matty fur. She had to have six teeth pulled last week, they were so yucky from whatever her life was like before she came to live with us. She's settling in to life just fine now - loosened up a lot living here in this festive chaos. Dogs don't get to choose which family chooses them - and that family shapes so much of who they grow in to being. I guess it's the same with kids... which is where my mind is today.

Sparrow - (whose Tswana name is Tsholofelo.... hope). These days we either see Tsholo like this... completely zonked out... or with her mouth wide open, teeth ready to sink into whatever is nearby. Puppies. She's already doubled her size in the 5 weeks we've had her and by the size of her paws, isn't slowing down any time soon. I can't imagine having a puppy trapped in a full grown dog's size - no wonder golden's are labeled destructive - there is a lot of exuberance packed into this growing girl. Luckily, she's adorable, so we can forgive her nearly everything. Except I still can't find my other teva.

because of this March project - I'm working hard to get my camera out every day - and then doing my post processing every day - to bring you glimpses of the day we are actually living. Some days are more exciting than others. Obviously - because today you get to meet our dogs.

Billy is out today - but I'm home with the kids , at least for now. It's Friday and on Fridays at DiCocco home school - we watch Little House on the Prairie. Today, the poor neighbor lady died, leaving her orphan children in Charles and Caroline's care. It made me think of the funeral that's happening later today for a friend's cousin - or another friend who has been in and out of the hospital since Christmas, last week she took a turn for the worse and went to stay with her family outside of Johannesburg, very sick. I didn't think to ask anyone where her one year old son is staying. I am sure he went with her. He's too little for his momma' to be this sick. It happens way too often here. Violence, poverty induced illnesses, lack of consistent or easily accessible health care, HIV - both its prevalence and its taboo that causes people to hide from the reality till it's too late - .... there are too many serious sicknesses here - too many deaths - too many kids that don't have the Ingalls living next door. Wow, I got morose pretty quickly there. Dogs and kids and not getting to choose what kind of life you grow up in.

Fortunately, we do get to choose how we live the life we have.

I know that, but I forget it - or just don't pay attention to it. Now that I'm thinking it again, it makes me re-energized to look for what God is doing right now and join Him in that - instead of sitting at my computer coasting on auto through my quiet day at home.

wonder what it will look like today....