November

All the kids and James are home, off school and work for the next 4 weeks! 

Unfortunately I am working for 3 of those 4 weeks, but maybe we can arrange for a few coffee / smoothie days. You can walk to the cafe, so maybe the older kids can take turns for a few days walking up with the little ones. 

Since the younger kids are in Zambian schools, they have missed out on American History (obviously). The older 3 have studied it off and on for several years so their “project” to keep everyone busy at least for a few hours a week for the next few weeks is to teach the younger ones.  They are less than thrilled, but you learn also by teaching so... there they go. 

When you have a big family everyone needs to pitch in and work. During the school year, the weekdays they don’t do a whole lot of work and thats fine and good since they are in school. We have Auntie Catherine anyway who helps out in the house during the week, but on the weekends they all clean the kitchen wash dishes, etc. 

Usually, things run smoother during these breaks if they are not aimlessly wandering about the house, watching tv, pestering each other so I am trying to think of a few other things to keep them busy. Dad’s philosophy is to put them to work!  So, they each can take a turn making breakfast these next few weeks. 

November seemed to fly by. Sarah turned 16, and celebrated 3 different times. The first was with the family, the second was with a good friend of hers spending the night and the third was a party with her youth group friends. 

We had a “make your own pizza” and I was very thankful to have my big oven in addition to the small one. It was crazy, 20 some teenagers hanging out in the house eating, watching a movie but Sarah really enjoyed it. 

Emma worked at the school at the MacDonalds Farm, and C, J and G finished out the school year. A new school year starts in January for them. They had an end of the year christmas concert. Like pretty much all things related to Zambian programs we have seen since we have been here, this one was the norm. Twice as long as it should be , they did a good job, pretty cute, Zambians can sing and dance really well, but yeah this was really way too long. Every event I have this thought process. Oh thats neat. Its really cool that the kids are in an African school. Wait why do they feel the need to preach/ have a devotional at every event. Get through that part then excitement to see my kiddos on stage, Oh theres my white boy singing with his friends. Good job!...Gracie, where is she in the crown of 30 classmates...Ah there she is. She looks so cute, and likes to be up there on stage. Then more acts. Then more. Then, will this ever end. Ok yes, finally its over. But now some announcements and closing remarks and prayer. 

By the time you leave you are hauling everyone off to the car in a not so great mood.

A test of endurance!  

This month was busy with work,  We have had 2 people we let go in leadership positions due to some sketchy dealings with money. That has added some extra work as we have had less people to operate the register and oversee the shifts, so I along with the owner have split some of those shifts. I have actually enjoyed that part, though it has made it where I haven’t had time to spend on other things that need attention. In time I guess. Gotta make changes from the top down, so that literally has been happening. Feels like work was nonstop this past month so am looking forward to a few days off around christmas. 

Thanksgiving was a bit strange in that half the kids had to go to school for exams and James had to teach in the morning. I stopped by work for a few minutes and then we had the afternoon off as a family at some friends house for a group Thanksgiving dinner. It was sweet for our friends to invite us and host this big event. 

I have missed my Kabanana friends and had hoped to get out there this past month to see them. I was disappointed they could not come for the swimming party. I was told they did not have the finances in order for that. It usually just involved a lunch and transport on the buses to our house but I guess changes have been made since we are no longer involved in the work and seeing how the funds are distributed. So even as things have come up related to the college too It is a bit difficult to hear, but what can we do. 

On a happy note we had Pastor Nsangu and his whole family over for lunch yesterday. 

(Pastor of the “chicken church”) He and James stay in contact and he is always thanking James for his ministry to him and his church. Every time we go to their church I never get to spend time with his wife because she is always busy, so we told them last time we were there we wanted to have their whole family over (we would help them with paying for transport) for lunch. Their whole family was 7 kids plus the parents so it was a great blessing to have them all and see such thankfulness they expressed just for sharing a meal with them. It really did make my day! 

Now if only we could all be thankful ALL the time...

I am looking forward to christmas this year and spending the day just our family with a nice big meal. Since we have internet this month we are already talking about looking up recipes, and what should we cook. Jackson has offered to make his fried apples which he does a great job with. Red and Green Apples he said, so it will be christmasy.

Then just maybe we will go swimming. Still hard to get used to sweating, swimming and hearing the christmas carols playing over the radio in the grocery store.  It's December!