I haven't blogged in 4 months. I think I have started at least 3 different ones and never got them posted. Then when you go so long it seems pretty mundane to just throw something out there but thats life. Which just got even busier the last few months as a new year started.
The kids finished their first term of school, their month long break and have just started back again this week.
I home schooled Jackson and Caleb and that went well despite my not being always available to teach them. I think I mentioned before that my goals are high for them but my expectations are low...yeah try to make sense of that one.
I know they learned a lot more than they would have if they stayed in their previous school situation and for that I am thankful and I don’t have added pressure on myself that we have to be at a certain place. I’ve been a parent now for 18 years. I’ve got 6 kids and I am pretty much done with worrying about whether they know every exact thing that other kids know, and is this curriculum better than the next and will this one test ok, etc. etc.
Apart from the homeschool this year, My time has been split up as well with the Cakery and HOPE Kabanana. We are making progress with the orphan program though it can still be a discouraging and daunting task. We have a great new website in case you haven’t checked it out. www.hopekabanana.org
My thoughts there as well have been whatever time and effort I can give to it, no matter how small it may seem is still better than how it was going previously so again, no pressure...
The Cakery on the other hand IS Pressure.
Business slowed down for the entire first quarter and the December high I was on quickly faded. We crept through the months all the while everyone kept telling us business is slow the first quarter in Zambia in general. I fired one staff, (which was a first) tried out 2 that didn’t work and then added 2 more that seem to be doing ok for now and promoted one to a manager. SO I have 4 full-time staff.
The business started in the house. Me making cakes. Then we added a staff. Still in the house. In September we moved the business out of the house into the empty staff house that is on the back of the property. The rooms had to be fitted for everything plumbing and electrical and it worked well out there for 9 months.
One month ago though stress was rising and the kids even commented on how our home was no longer comfortable and they didn't want to play outside because you never knew who was going to walk by. Staff and customers daily in and out of our property gate and our home was not private anymore. So we decided that we needed to move the business. Even just for safety. So I told the kids one day to start praying that we would find a place. And that every time they saw someone that was not part of the family in our yard to pray. As Ian pointed out that would be like 10 times a day! Exactly!
After just 2 weeks we found a place that was very near ours and that I can walk to. We were able to negotiate a decent rate and we moved into it this week. The amazing thing is that we also got the plumber and electrician and carpenter to come by and set up everything this week as well. So here, friday evening we are fully moved in, even have hot water and exhaust fans in place. That in itself is an amazing thing for Zambia. The Lord has answered prayer and I am very thankful for that!
So next week I will start school again with the boys. Sarah will be tutoring them for an hour and a half every morning while I am gone checking on the Cakery. Then when I come home I will teach them the rest of the morning. Emma is also going to be doing school at home and so she has started back into the DVD programs this week and is looking forward to that.
James is working harder than I have ever seen him work (which is saying alot!) and doing a great job with his business. It is growing and doing well and we are hopeful by the end of the year they will be starting to make a profit. It continues to be long hours and busy days and stress for him as well. We are looking forward to things settling down at some point. Whenever that may be.
The kids are chipping in where needed and despite the stress the family is doing very well. We are looking forward to home being more peaceful and relaxed and for it to be a retreat once again from the constant general challenges of life in Zambia. If you can't take a break from it all even at home, things will not go well. (Speaking from experience). You got to be able to shut the door/gate (literally) on the world outside so that you can be refreshed and ready to go at it again when you step outside!
