Highlights from this week.

Here’s a few highlights of the week in story and picture form….it’s going to be a long one…..lots has happened: I have 2 friends visiting, we played with the toddlers in the pool, THANKSGIVING in Mozambique, we have a new baby for the bercario, it’s HOTT here, snack time with the tots, and we had a little Auburn pregame party with the kids.

Courtney and Katie are here! Woohoo. We’re having so much fun. I wish had a little more time to spend with them as I’ve been working like crazy, but that time will come as we’re leaving Wed am for 5 nights/6 days of bliss!

I don’t need to say anything…this pic is self explanatory. It’s hot. There’s no air-conditioning. Normally, we get a cool day or two thrown in, some rain…something. Nope everyday including last Sunday for this entire week it has been over 100….today was the worst. 110. Just be thankful. We have been using the baby pools A LOT…….

guess who thinks it is fun…and who’s being traumatized and will need therapy later. I mean…it’s just WATER! I should have just worn my bathing suit….oh well….next time!

Thanksgiving in Mozambique. We (all the Americans and a few other nationalities that we felt the need to enlighten) got together for Thanksgiving dinner…..mmmmm……can you tell it had been a long hot day?

This is our first real admit to the Bercario since it’s been open!!!! HORRAY!

Meet Lucia. She’ll be 8 months on the 9^th…..that’s right, now typo here….She’s almost 8 months and she’s almost 10 pounds. Why yes, there are newborns that weigh more than this. She’s slightly malnourished as you can see….Her mother, father (deceased), and 3 year old brother all have HIV. She looks as though she’s in full blown AIDS though. Her skin is horrible, she’s been itching it like crazy to the point of bleeding and scabbing from head to toe, she’s weak, tiny, has a horrible cough (probably has tuberculosis which is next on the list of things to test for) and maybe an infection or two. On Friday when she was admitted, all she did was scream for 24 hours…no tears, just screaming. Today, she’s playing, laughing, cooing, and acting like a perfectly normal 8 month old (well, she can’t sit up for long and doesn’t know what to do on her tummy, but she’s in good company with D in the house). She’s refusing milk of any sort, so we’re tricking her. She’s getting milk and rice cereal mixed together every 3 hours in small amounts so she gets food and the milk she needs. She is LOVING it. She already looks better. Please pray for her as she’s settling in, gaining weight, and getting stronger; the tias as they care for such a demanding, sick baby girl; and me as I figure out everything that is wrong with her, how to treat it, and help her back onto the road of recovery. The plan is to keep her for a year or so, get her healthy, happy, and fat, and return her to her family. Her mother and brother look very healthy despite their positive status, so it’s clear there are means for her, but right now she is one sick puppy!

We decided with everything she’d need, she’d be a good candidate for the Bercario with low baby-tia ratios and a smaller, quiet environment. It has been amazing for Dionisio who is now only taking 3 bottles a day, sleeping through the night for 6 hours, eating a normal 6 month old portion of cereal for breakfast, eating lunch and dinner and 2 snacks of food throughout the day. He is laughing, giggling, stealing pacifiers from Lucilia, learning to suck his thumb, rolling over onto his belly (and surprising himself since he hates this position), doing a lot better in the sitting department, trying to physically PLAY WITH lucilia, and just in general being a happy healthy baby! Oh, and he’s gaining weight too! Woo HOO! Go D! He even waved goodbye to the tias today when I took him to church.

This is snack time with toddlers. I physically made applesauce with cinnamon for them. Dino is weird about textures. He didn’t want any, but he REALLY wanted me to eat it. All of a sudden he (is 2 yrs old) started yelling mana erin, and shoving his fork full of apples toward me and declaring MMMMMMM with a big mischevious grin. Well, if you can’t beat them, join them. He literally fed me half his bowel in this fashion. It was hysterical. He is so funny.

War Eagle! Now, I know I’m writing this post game and all, but we celebrated African style…or Auburn style with a little African flare. We taught the kids about Auburn, gave them stickers, shakers, temporary tattoos, and had a good ole time! They thought it was a lot of fun! Really…..I mean, if you have to be away and not being able to see the game, it’s the least Court and I could do to help cheer on the team…who clearly needs a LOT of support at the moment.