A Few of My Favorite Things

*Micah Jude—his once toothless grin, his laugh, the way he wiggles when he’s excited, his blue eyes, his baby babbles and serious conversations



*The color purple
*Cold season mornings
*Cold season in general
*The smell of fresh cut grass
*Drinking from the garden hose
*The ocean



*Pretty flowers



*Christmas lights and candles
*My 0 degree sleeping bag (it’s heavenly!)
*My down jacket
*New clothes
*Sparkly things



*Spring mornings
*Summer evenings
*Fall afternoons



*Winter storms in Humboldt
*Crepes from Renatas
*Kyoto sushi
*A sunny afternoon on the Plaza
*Family celebrations with my sisters
*Camel rides at sunset
*Sleeping out in the bush (or in the mountains back home) under the stars
*Yarn
*Market Day in Abalak
*Fresh cow and camel’s milk
*Chloe
*Massages
*Ben and Jerry’s
*Dessert in general
*Jeff Stanley’s paintings
*A day at the river
*The smell of jasmine
*Taking a dip in a lake after a long day of backpacking
*Creating
*My Ergo (Thank you, Sherry!!!)
*Long bike rides

March 18 2010

Not to make you all pity me, but I post this just to give you a bit of a glimpse of the reality of my life in Niger. Some days during the cold season it gets super windy and dusty. The dust just fills the air. The sky looks overcast, but it’s just the dust in the air. This cold season we didn’t see too many of those days…we’ve actually had more now that the hot season has started. Usually, on those days I sweep my house twice a day. Here’s what I swept up one morning in just the living room:



I’d just swept the night before.

Today was another one of those days. The upside to all this wind, dirt, and dust—the temperature is much, much cooler. Today, for example, it only got up to 89F in house. Last week we had a high in the house of 98F…not sure what it was outside.



And because it was so cool today, this little dude got to wear his jeans that my mom got for him before we left. It may be the only day he gets to wear them. Normally, I don’t put pants on him, especially now that it’s getting hot, but I thought his knees might feel better…



…because this little dude is crawling!
Motherhood just recently got a whole lot harder.







Here’s a close-up of his belly…Grandpa Jeff stamped him and then tried to sign him while we were in the office this afternoon. Kind of reminds me of a Cabbage Patch Kid except for that it’s in the wrong spot

Baby Car II

Now he can sit on the Baby Car all by himself!

Second bush trip

Made it out to the bush again last week for another quick overnight trip. This time it was out to a newer site for some grain bank follow-up. It was our first time out to this site. We arrived just after sunset. I was escorted over to where the women were while the men were getting ready to meet. The meetings started a while later. In the meantime we had tea, and dinner, and second dinner, and second tea. The moon was about half full and I think Micah enjoyed looking up at it. The women were suprised that I knew any Tamasheq at all. When I first arrived and asked how their children were they giggled and said, "she knows 'children'". So even though I still can't speak much, it was an enjoyable time. The kids loved Micah. The meeting with the men lasted until midnight (and so did Micah!). After we crawled into bed Donnie recounted (is that an English word?) to me a conversation that went on in the meeting between one of the men and his little boy--Apparently this little boy, about four years old, had taken a liking to Micah. He told his father that Micah could stay here in the bush with them (we could come visit him there) and he could drink cow's milk. Then his father said, well, why don't you go back to Abalak with them and you can have cow's milk there and go to school. The boy quickly responded with a no. His reason--"I do not believe that they have a cow!"

Property Update

Just last week we began construction on the new wall of our property. We moved the wall out, added some height all the way around, and put in a front gate.

So now we have some land with a tree and a wall. It's going to go in that little cleared out space along the back wall.

If anyone would like to contribute to our building fund, we are in need of and are accepting donations. Checks made out to us can be sent to 5249 Creekside Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243. Or, for a tax deduction, checks can be sent to Arcata First Baptist Church, 1700 Union Street, Arcata, CA 95521 with a separate note attatched designating it to "Hebert's House".

Bathtime

Micah loves taking a bath. It's so much more fun since he's been sitting up on his own. He just got his first rubber duckies in the mail [Thank you, Meghan!] and he thoroughly enjoys spashing around in his bucket.



He has recently discovered his belly and since most of his life is spent in just a diaper, he has plenty of opportunity to check it out.


And tonight, for the first time, he pulled himself up to standing all by himself.



Don't you just love those chunky little thighs?

First Teeth

I'd heard about what a nightmare teething could be, but Micah came through it like a champ! I know babies get teeth everyday, but I couldn't help but be so proud of him! And now he's got two teeth to show for it...or in Tamasheq-- eshin eshinen :)

Clean Baby

Isn't he just handsome in his little bathrobe?

My Little Laundry Boy

Here's Micah helping Mama bring in the laundry.

Sunset in the bush

Finally, after more than three months in country, we made it out to the bush. Here are a few pictures from the day...