Thankful

Just two of the many people I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving...



My nephew Jesse and his aunt Dianna. (My sister-in-law, who's expecting her first baby in June. Something else I'm thankful for.)

Roommate reunion

Yoori was my roommate in Whittier for several years before I moved to the Bay area. We got together to catch up over Thai food last night, only to find that our favorite Thai place is closed on Tuesdays. Bummer.


We had fun with PhotoBooth, though.

My baby nephew

This is Jesse, hanging out at the ice rink for his oldest sister's birthday party.

Reunion

Coffee in Costa Mesa with friends from South Africa. (Not quite as cool as eating Chinese food in Swaziland on the way to Mozambique from South Africa. But we never did get to do that.)

Let me get your cell phone number...


Melanie, me, Melanie, Katie

Reading

I've been experiencing that small anxiety that other avid readers may relate to--the fear of running out of reading material. The bulk of my library is in boxes in my parents' garage. I brought a (very) small handful of books back with me from South Africa, specifically these two, which I am currently reading.



The rest of my books from South Africa are somewhere between here and there, and will ostensibly arrive in mid-December. If the South African and United States postal services do what they are supposed to do, anyway. In the meantime...I need books. Well, today I managed to forage in the garage for the box of books I'd thought I might take to South Africa but didn't. I knew those were more easily accessible. And now my reader's mind is more at ease, with this modest pile to choose from:

Wedding

This is why I left South Africa a few days early...

Choir friends reunited for Hannah's wedding: Sarah, Melinda, Hannah, Corina, me. I like how we all have red-eye and our outfits are color-coordinated.


All of us minus the bride:


We didn't settle the question of whether it'll be Melinda or me who gets married next--we're the only ones left. But then, I left before the bouquet toss, so maybe I successfully handed that (duty, joy, privilege, responsibility) off to Mel.

Goodbye

The five of us at the airport, saying goodbye to Sarah as she left for her trip to Rwanda. A few hours later, we returned to the airport to drop me off. And that was goodbye to South Africa for me. It's been a great year...

Farewell Dinner

Here's the whole gang. I'm missing them...

I've been to the zoo...

On Thursday afternoon, the five apprentices were sent on an outing to the zoo (to keep us away from Pangani and the secretive farewell dinner preparations). Sarah's parents & brother are visiting and they came along, too--making a perfect total of eight people for two golf carts.

Where did Sarah's family go? Sarah looks so forlorn.


The pelican that came very close to eating Carissa's arm:


I really don't know. Can they?


Tyler's sweet new bachelor pad


The baboon that, according to Sarah's mom, looks like Will Ferrell. I think I see the resemblance...

Happy Birthday, Daleen

We celebrated Daleen's birthday at a local cafe called Deja Vu. (Have I been there before? Hmmm.) I stole these pictures from Carissa...




Small explanation of the below: the music for the afternoon consisted of an eclectic mix of classical, Christmas carols, hymns, and...The Star-Spangled Banner. The last of those we heard at least twice. Was it that obvious that all but three of us were American??

Hangout with Melissa

Melissa was Sarah's and my staff coach/mentor this year. The three of us went out together for a goodbye hangout time...snif.

Baby shower

We had a baby shower this afternoon for one of the girls who works for the EI business here at Pangani.

Jostinah and Muriel

















Petunia, Lizzy, Carissa, Evelyn, Kevin, and Kele (the mom-to-be)

















I won the diaper game...don't ask.

Dinner with Carissa

Carissa made a goodbye dinner for all the apprentices (and Kevin, the honorary apprentice).

Thunderstorm

Dogs get scared by thunderstorms, too.

I was sitting in our doorway tonight, with the door wide open, as this was the only way to pick up the wireless internet connection. It was just starting to rain, and the lightning and thunder were already well under way. Since the door was open, Jessie thought it was an invitation and pushed her way inside. While I tried to drag her out, Chippy decided to come on in as well. Carissa and I then had to get two scared, determined, wet dogs back outside. Sigh.

Year-End Celebration & Prayer on the Mountain

This afternoon was our year-end celebration, which was held at Wonderboom Fort. We invited friends who've been part of our lives and ministries over the year and had a meal together at the top of the mountain. Afterwards, we spread out around the walls of the fort and spent time praying for the city.

Katie enjoys some watermelon






















Bryan and Tyler and the guys from Sosh

















Prayer on the walls, looking down over the city

















Goodbye to Annah

















Clouds and rain in the distance

Games

Carissa's friend (and physical therapist) Martelize came to hang out and spend the night on Saturday. Here's us in the coffeehouse playing games...I love Carissa's ghosty hand in this one.

Katie's birthday, observed

Katie's birthday falls near the end of November, after our time here is done. So, we planned a surprise birthday outing on Friday. We began with an afternoon of shopping with just the girls, then made our way to a chocolate shop where everyone else was waiting to surprise Katie.

Melissa takes our coffee orders:






















The group enjoying coffee and chocolate:

















Shoe shopping: Lizzy, Katie, and Daleen

















Me and Katie

















Hanging out at the fountain before going to see a movie:

Heart project

I finished it!