Play time with one minor hiccup

Oh my goodness, I'm still laughing as I write this because I just read James' post.  For the record, James is the pretty amazing one.  How many dads' biggest pet peeve is when others use the word "babysit" when watching their own children!  How many dads can step in and take over without ever asking for a break, help, meals or anything.  (although Mithona, I think your dinner was a huge unexpected treat, so thanks!) I can only do this here because James is holding the fort down there so amazingly.  So thank you honey!

Ok, enough of that.  

It's been so fun to watch Charlie and Kate shower abundant love on little Kirabo.  They, along with Alice and Lucy, prayed endlessly, and completely on their own, for over 18 months for him and none of them ever lost interest and forgot, grew impatient, complained or waivered.  They only grew stronger in their resolve to bring this boy home through the months that passed.  As James and I let our fear overcome our faith at times through this process, we leaned on them and they carried the torch for us.  When they met him they had already known about him for months, but Kirabo had only just heard of them! Kirabo was very hesitant at first.  I had warned them to hold back and not touch him first and be very calm around him.  Charlie was great and able to restrain himself and move slowly with him.  Cute Kate had quite a bit of difficulty constraining her need to hug him tightly...over and over.  This was a bit overwhelming to Kirabo as he needs time to adjust to new surroundings and people.  However, Kate was undeterred and she won him over while playing soccer with him for hours and hours! The three of them together just giggle and giggle. It warms my heart to see Charlie with his brother.  He's waited through 3 long and hard pregnancies and 2 failed adoption attempts for his brother (the only thing ever on his Christmas list), but I know he agrees it was worth the wait and they are two peas in a pod already.  Kirabo just adores him and copies everything he does.  He has the greatest laugh that sounds almost musical and he laughs hysterically at Charlie.

Kate bowing with "respect"

We have been painting the town every morning, having a great lunch, and then heading back for a late nap for Kirabo and a relaxing afternoon at the guest house, a perfect combination.  We went on a tour of the Bagandan Palace and Parliament (Kirabo comes from the Bagandan Kingdom which means he is a Mugandan and understands a bit of the language, Lugandan.  It was so great to learn so much about his history.  

Where the Bagandan Speaker of the House sits

jack fruit

men do the bow and arrow sign when approaching the
king as a sign for power

what women do when bowing before the king

men do this when bowing before the king

buying art work painted on tree bark, unique
to Uganda

Torture Chamber of Idi Amin's 

Charlie once again showing his musical prowess as he one ups all of us by being the only one who could play this instrument!

We were walking where only the Bagandan King could walk, because  "they don't like to make turns and need to walk straight."

playing Ugandan musical instruments

We went to an African craft market behind the National Theatre and we found a few special things there including a piece of artwork for me and some musical instruments for the kids (although they are surprises so shhhh.)

teaching Kirabo how to play the bow harp or Adungu from
Northern Uganda

Us with our Mango lady

teaching them how to play the Endingidi, a single string
fiddle introduced by the Bugandan people

Kate with Ankole cow horns

Kate walking with her bag of mangoes the African way!

Although it doesn't seem like it in the picture, crossing
the street in Uganda resembles an ill-fated game of Frogger

women plucking off wings and legs of grasshoppers

Charlie eating his grasshopper.  Kate took until we got home, but she ended up eating one too!  They were way more daring than me!

Nakasero Market

very hot and sticky day!

Maribou Storks sit on top of or in trees all over Kampala.  They are huge!

Kate wasn't ready to eat her grasshopper yet.  Charlie was teasing her.

Nakasero is a large fruit market downtown and we braved the heat and crowds to try to find some different fruit to try.  The heat and smells were heavy and we squeezed our way through all the crowded stalls in search of jack fruit and other exotic fruits.  We ended up with mangos, plantains, an avocado, and an entire box of...roasted grasshoppers.  No jack fruit to be found.  Carma started dry heaving from the smell of compost and then I joined her as we passed through the meat and fish area (this is outside in oppressive heat at noon mind you) so we decided it was time to leave.  What a great Ugandan experience!

And of course, what kind of mother would I be if I didn't take them out for milkshakes???

It's been so fun to experience this city and country with its rich and diverse culture, unique food, constant sunshine and red dirt roads mixed with lush greenery, not to mention some of the most friendly people you'll ever meet.

 Carma knitting Kirabo's blanket or "yaya"while sitting on the terrace of our guest house and enjoying the gorgeous view

            Night time baths and books.  Kirabo loves both!

Now on to my hiccup...I still don't have my passport.  It was suppose to come Tuesday, then Wednesday (so we cancelled the 3 day safari we were suppose to go on), then Thursday, then Friday by 11:30 so I could still make it to the U.S. Embassy before they close it to Americans...go figure.  11:30 Friday came and went so then it was promised by 5:00.  I waited until 6:00 and he finally showed up and said he was suppose to get 8 passports, but they only gave him 6 and Kirabo's was not in there.  So now, I'm going to the passport office at 9 am Monday in hopes of getting to the Embassy once again by 11:30 when they close.  This visit to the Embassy is when I turn over all my extensive paperwork and get an appointment.  They are only open to Americans M, W, and F and there are only 4 appts issued each of these days.  I don't think I will be able to get an appt. by Wednesday now as those other 6 passport people will be over there bright and early Monday morning taking up all the appointments.  This isn't including all the other people trying to get appts from different lawyers.  So I think best case scenario is an appt Friday.  Then I pick up the visa, again only on a MWF, on Monday.  I'm getting down to the wire where I have very little leeway for much else to go wrong.  I've had a few delays here and there, but this has been more of a significant one, although it could be a lot worse.  It's also par for the course and to be expected, which it was at some point!  So...we'll hope Monday works out well for us so we don't have to delay my flight home.  

Thanks for all the sweet emails and constant support from you all.  It brings a smile to my face to hear from all of you.
xo