My life according to my camera!

Since I'm so behind in blogging, I'm letting my camera be my guide in recording chronology and daily life.  Frankly, the camera is probably also recording the random nature by which I manage to pull out the camera and document things.  Alas. In my mind the "blog" is also my way or recording our life-- with kids in Uganda, with USP, with family and friends.  So, here is a small recap:

Daniel, learning to dive

Mary with Favor or Treasure-- one of the twins of our colleague Margaret Opol

The girls with the twins and with the women who help watch the kids

Rachel with the other twin

Rachel and Lisa helping to pick material for the USP staff farewell outfits--my friend Mary Jane also in the background picking fabric-- a perk to life in Uganda is personalized tailoring

Our booty once we got home-- the orange one will be the USP outfits as you'll see in the upcoming photos

A picture of the CCCU accreditation team who visited the program in March

Mary, learning to swim

A fun day at a pool in Jinja

The kids have had a fun year of afternoon preschool with Teacher Becky, who was Daniel's homeschool tutor this year

USP farewell-- girls have on a traditional Ugandan gown--gomezi

The girls best friend Hannah who lives down the hill from us

Our family with Becky and Hannah

While the photo might look like I'm "great with child", I'm actually just with my great children! :) 

Speaking of surreal.... Wonder World!

You might think that because we're now in the US, I'm about to wax eloquent about amusement parks and general child-centered amusements.  But no, the following pictures are live from Uganda, about two months ago! Yes, there is a funny place (formerly known as Didi's world) that is now called Wonder World.  Honestly, if I could name it, I might have to call it Surreal World of Wonders.  :) 

The above pictures demonstrate the 6-10 rides/wonders at the park that are currently functional (of perhaps 24 possible rides).  The park is a "condemned" park from Italy (probably in its prime in Italy in the 1970's-- I don't know how long its been in Uganda-- at least ten years.  The next set of photos show the remains of a playground that in original form far surpass any other playground in Uganda.  Sadly, due to their ill-repair and their placement in the beaming sun, they don't quite hold the "wonder" that they might have done in former days.  

Some of the "wonder" of the park, is that there are some very "local" solutions to running the amusement park.  I.e. you might find someone hauling a battery/small generator from ride to ride and sort of wrapping some wires around the batter and connecting them to the ride.  You might find that seat belts or seat cushions aren't quite on each ride. The bumper cars often require an attendant hopping on to a car and conducting electricity through his body to the electrical circuits above that make the cars work. 

But no matter the situation, the wonder of wonder world still holds an appeal to the kids and to me.  I can't say this will be the last time we go.  And if you want to come visit us in Uganda, we'll be happy to take you to your own experience at Surreal World of Wonders!