Mrs.O's writing room.

It's Saturday night, the house is so quiet that hitting at the keys on the keyboard sounds really loud. Sam is on his way to Madrid right now,I miss him already, I'm hoping that this week flies by real fast. It's already hard being away from home especially this time of year, so it's definitely much accentuated when the small family here has to be split. All over a sudden I'm hearing sounds around the house that I never heard before,I'm certainly praying for good nights and pleasant days. Mich and I escorted Sam to the bus stop, we had already explained to him that daddy was going away for a while and he seemed to understand, but when the bus came I had to grab the young man because he was about to get on the bus too. He cried saying he wanted to go with daddy but I told him that wouldn't be possible, I would have loved to go too anyway. By the time we got back home he was over it, I on the other hand was just beginning to feel Sam's absence, I guess Mic...

It's almost Christmas day and I tell you this part of the city is dead quiet, seems like everyone (apart from us that is) has gone to be with family. I guess that's expected considering that three quarters of the people in our neighbourhood are students. The noise at night is less, the parking spaces are in plenty (doesn't make much of a difference, we don't have a car), but interestingly the laundromat is as busy as ever. I'm enjoying these days of bliss when Sam is at home, the stress from school has subsided, exams are over (for now). Results are already coming back and so far things are looking okay, well at least he is not at the bottom. We are believing God for good performance overall and we have been praying. I found out that at Wharton one can't be too excited about getting 90% in an exam because you will discover that there are a whole lot of people who actually got 100%. Seeing as they are graded on the curve (grades depend on the performance of the c...

"But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end". It's Christmas time, to some it's the snow and the cold outside that makes it time to cuddle in with loved ones. To others it's that time of year when family members come together and celebrate life, yet again to others ... it's all about the christmas presents and Santa Claus. m> Where do you stand in all this? what is Christmas all about in your minds eye? Well Christmas is the time when I remember the birth of my Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ although I must admit I'm finding it hard to focus with all the fancy things around. The Christmas sales, songs about Rudolf the reindeer (w...

I have reached a point in my stay here where I choose not to follow/trust my Christian buddies when it comes to drinks. I think for now I will stick with what is familiar, you know, juice, soda, water and stuff like that, these other drinks with fancy names, ah ah. On Friday I attended a get together for the WWW'07 committee, that is Wharton Welcome Weekend. Every year the school organises a weekend where students who have just been admitted can come and tour the school and the areas surrounding it, inquire about accommodations and things of that nature. The committee comprises of mainly current students and partners, I'm in for the partners and kids bit of things. We are basically there to encourage students with partners and kids to come along with them, we share a few experiences and tell them about schools for children and other activities they can get involved in. Anyway so I go for this get together and have absolutely no one to talk to, my buddies hadn't shown up ...

You won't believe it but my keys went missing again and this time it seems to be for kips because I can't find them. I have chosen to leave Mich out of this because I honestly don't recall him tampering with them. How they have vanished all over a sudden is still a mystery to me, we have searched the house and this is day 3 we are talking about. Mr.O was very unhappy with me and by the way he doesn't get this way very often, this time I think I really pushed it. Ok, so it isn't the first time I'm loosing them, nor is it the second, clearly he's had enough of that. This afternoon I was given very serious instructions, go to the bank withdraw some money, get a new pair of keys cut and get a key-holder with a whistle, so that when the keys get misplaced we can just ... you guessed right, we can just whistle. I felt really terrible about the whole ordeal and sheepishly walked out the door with my tail between my legs, literally. On the other hand I was happy to ...

I'm not that much of a TV fan but there are a few programmes that I wouldn't want to miss. Obviously the channels here are endless over 900 compared to WBS, UTV (I forget the new name)and LTV, the others didn't make it to my list or should I say they were not clear our side of Bukoto. I watched "Dancing with the Stars" dancing/ religiously, the show features celebrities getting on the dance floor with professional dance partners. The audience and judges decide who moves on to the next round. When I had just discovered the channel Jerry Springer was the clown of the day, seeing him dance the Rumba and Salsa was absolutely hilarious, he did it with a passion and I guess that's what kept him in for the next two rounds. Viva Fox was there too but unfortunately she didn't seem to please the judges much. The final show was down to Emmit Smith a football player and Mario Lopez who I only remembered from Sunset beach. I was certainly a fan of Emmit's' beca...

At Wharton the students are divided into cohorts I guess we can refer to them as classes, I believe the range from A to J or something like that. Sam is in cohort E and this week they decided to have a little fun so they went bowling. Mich and I tagged along, we were the only family there but that was alright, we had a great time. This was my second time to go bowling and I'm beginning to think I should have taken it on as my sport, it's not too late right?! I got there and found Sam was playing with two other guys who were bowling gurus' after a while he asked me to play in his turn and I was striking helplessly, (striking means hitting all pins at once), so I managed to raise our grades. Some two other girls joined in and that made things so much easier for me, half the time their balls ended in the alley. Bowling is fun, I had even more fun knowing that I was rubbing shoulders with these extremely brilliant people and I was able to catch a bit of attention. I was just th...

Yeeee! we are back in Philly, I kinda missed home, I know that sounds funny but really it is nice to be back. It was certainly good to go away because now that we are back I appreciate home all the more. We had a great time in DC, it was certainly the Lord's doing and it was marvelous in our eyes. We had a union of friends away from home (Uganda) and I met new and fun people. Mich and I were scheduled to take the midday Greyhound bus to DC but we were only able to leave home at 11am, I thought that would be good enough time to get t o the station. Only I had forgotten how slow the bus from home tends to be sot by the time we were nearing the Greyhound station I was almost breaking out in sweat because it was 10 minutes to midday. By the time we got off the bus It was drizzling and then Mich started acting up, I had two pieces of luggage. At this point my mind is racing because we are almost late and I'm not sure how far the station is, meanwhile Mich wants me to carry him. I co...

The other day I toured Independence Hall , the birth place of "These United States of America. It's the historic site where delegates from all of 13 colonies (of America) met in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State house to create the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The site was flooded with a constant flow of tourists, my group consisted of about 35 people. Before we could start ogling around we were given a brief run down of the events that took place here. As the tour guide wrapped up he asked from where we had travelled- Ohio, Denver, Colorado e.t.c, when I said Uganda I nearly got a standing ovation. They probably thought I had come all the way just for this, I simply basked in their amazement. As usual I was with my buddy Mich who was quite at home moving around probably wondering why people were walking in and out of rooms. Our first stop the “Congress Hall”. Then Mich tells me he needs to go to the rest room, there couldn't have been worse ...

Days are getting real chilli, I thought I would take Mich out for a walk today but eh! man! the wind chill was a bit much for me. I guess the reason we stayed inside was we are nursing colds and I didn't think the combination would work. This past weekend has been a beautiful one, Sam was able to stay home, and that was nice. It was more than nice, it was spot on because Mich and I didn't see eye to eye, he made me so extremely mad that I needed someone else to handle him for a while lest I do something real crazy. For some reason he keeps forgetting where the restrooms are and seemed to be unlearning his potty training. I was not happy at all, even after we sat down and talked about the ordeal it would happen again. I realised that I was half upset because I had to do laundry more often than I had planned and I was low on money. It really takes God to raise a child the right way and His wisdom to know how to train and discipline. I realise I use Michs' mishapps to vent our...

Today started really well for Mich and I, he was up early and we got ready to go to church. Just as we were about to head out the door I begun to look for the keys. They were not where I thought I had left them, that put everything on hold because Sam had already left home for another function. Basically Mich and I turned the house upside down and couldn't find the keys, I was worked up but trying to be calm, he was worked up and begun to cry, well first he told me he was scared and I assured him there was nothing to be scared about, we would find the keys. Obviously he was upset, but the one thing that kept me going was the music that was playing on TV. It was just as if they had decided to play all my favourite worship songs, so even though we were absolutely late for church I had my time at home. At some point I decided to just sit down and relax then Mich came and asked me for a hug, so we sat there just rocking back and forth when I remembered who I last saw with the keys and ...

November is here and I can't believe that jingle bells are ringing. The supermarkets and stores are already selling christmas cards, seasons greeting cards, christmas decor, everything. This is going to be so much fun ... I think, having to celebrate for almost two months, this is cool! And back home people begin preparing for Christmas like two weeks in advance, then before you know it, Christmas is over. Remember we have not celebrated Thanksgiving yet, maybe that's how we get to call it the festive season. I doubt that the Wharton fellas are looking forward to these holidays as much or maybe they are looking forward more than anyone else in the world. A bit of a break from their crazy schedules would be welcomed with open arms. There is a student who is breaking under the pressure, I got to read some thoughts that she had put down and honestly she is going through much. A part from crying every single day and feeling like professors in Wharton are sadist, she left the love o...

This week has been amazingly low key if I say so my self, I didn't go anywhere, Mich and I stayed home. I wouldn't consider the trips we made to the Hospital and dental school. They were more for farmiliarisation than anything else, just to know if they accepted our medical cover and what the procedure was to make an appointment. It turns out that the trips were not necessary because here most things get done on the phone or over the internet, but I was glad we went. bOther than that we have been indoors, much of it has to do with the cool temperatures outside. Mich has been a real good boy this week, my heart is full of gratitude to God. Every single day this week he has kept to his napping schedule without throwing a tantrum and that has given me much needed peace and quite to read up on stuff and watch some programmes on tv. Staying home all day was a story one time because Mich always wanted to go out. So you can imagine my joy when he stays in all day and still takes his ...

Brent and Diane the navigators invited Mich and I to attend a get together at a retirement home yesterday. I was excited to go but had mixed feelings by the end of the evening, not about being there but the events that took place as I will let you know. I met quite a few grandma's, some were still very fun and stylish while others were a little grampy. It was organised so that the international students could spend sometime with the old ladies and share a little bit about their country. We had internationals from Taiwan, Japan, Ukraine,China and Liberia. I was given a slot to talk about Uganda and I thought that was tough, I have taken for granted the things that happen at home, somehow I got so used to seeing things a certain way that it became normal. Maybe that sounds a little silly considering that I have been away from home for a while and noticed the differences in culture and style. Never the less I planned out a few of the things I thought I would mention and waited for my ...

Yesterday Mich got up from his afternoon nap with a swollen eye and was scratching himself very intently. That was a bit of a surprise, it wasn't swollen before he went to bed and he didn't seem to notice the difference. I checked his bed to see if there could have been an insect that bit him but there was nothing. Immediately my mind went back to the play ground he had been at just before, apparently there is a poison ivy plant there and Mich had been by it but only briefly, I panicked. Poison Ivy is a very dangerous plant that has some kind of sap that is poisonous and if you get in contact with it you are basically in big trouble. It causes a very itchy rash, swellings on the body, sometimes a fever and it takes a week or so to cure. He had some of the symptoms, the itching and a little bit of swelling over the areas he scratched but there were no cuts or open sores. Before I knew it he had taken off all his clothes and was scratching himself all over. I told Sam about it an...

Sam has been home all day for the past two days and that has been really nice, he is preparing for exams which start today (he is actually in the marketing exam right now). I thought since he was home it would be a good opportunity for me to go jogging, Mich didn't have a problem with that. I set out and in no time I was panting, I felt so heavy, my whole body was shaking, it kind of felt like with each step I took the earth shook, it probably didn't but I sure felt like I was making a dent every where I stepped. I realised that taking shorter steps and moving a little slower would keep me going for a longer distance. I was glad that people on the streets were minding their own business and no one was staring or whistling at me. Back home it was very easy to get intimidated, the areas that one could jog through with ease were limited, there were always idlers standing by the road amazed at the fact that a woman was jogging. At times guys would whistle, call you names or in mor...

It was quite a busy day today, the kids club organised a trip to the Linvilla Orchards. It's a 300-acre farm dedicated to agriculture, entertainment and education, it's a farm market, bakery and pumpkinland. Certainly lots of fun for kids, it has lots of interesting sceneries, scare crows, legends about the harvest season and many stories about pumpkins and apples. The people at the farm tell the children how the different crops are grown and processed. It's got apples, berries, pumpkins,peaches, maize, tomatoes, figs to name but a few. For the first time I got to know that apples had names. I had only known them by their colours green, red and gold. We also took a hayride through the fields and orchards. I was so excited by all the things I was seeing, at some point I put down my bag and forgot it there. I remembered a while later that I had actually come with a bag, I certainly panicked. I run round the pumpkins hoping to find my bag where I had left it but it was gone. T...

We visited the Philadelphia Zoo, it was so much fun and learning for both of us. I'm glad I took Mich, now he knows the names of animals just by looking at them and by the sounds that they make. My personal favourite was the Lion, talk about being in charge, having self confidence and knowing that he looks good. .

I was so glad that I made it to church yesterday and was part of the worship team. I had a great time in God's presence, I loved the songs, all of which are on my list of favourites. There was no sermon as such but one of the church members shared her testimony and that was awesome. I got asked once or twice if I was fine now, 'no more headaches?', "I'm cool" that was just a one off. I actually discovered that my headache was a result of fatigue, I took Mich to the zoo that saturday and we spent a lot of time moving around. I got Mich something to eat and forgot I needed some energy too, so by the end of the day my body couldn't take it anymore. Cell group was great too, it was certainly larger this time, from about 8 to 13 that meant the number of children increased too. The first meeting had Mich and Ian, this time round it was Mich, Ian, Elizabeth,Andrew and 2 babies. There was absolute chaos at the beginning, I think they were shocked to see all the o...

A picture is worth a thousand words.

The other day Sam came home with an Asterix and Obelix comic streak, he said their marketing professor had recommended that they read it. Is that cool or what?, I'm thinking I should enroll at Wharton I mean this must be a lot of fun reading comic streaks and all. I was just thinking that whatever is being taught would stick in my mind for a long time, and even in the exam room I would probably be able to remember the points just from the comic book. Its interesting the things that sper us on, or trigger off our thinking. I haven't told you about our wierd neighbour, well lets just say we never see him during day time. The front part of his house looks desolate, a passerby would probably conclude that no one lives there except for his very hairy cat that is always sitting and sleeping on the front porch. At 1am in the morning, we hear him watering his plants, his garden is outside our bedroom window. You can imagine the startle I used to get hearing noises outside and when I lo...

It's been a busy week for Sam with all these companies coming to the campus to make presentations about themselves. In previous weeks I walked on campus and people were dressed the casual campus style, jeans, t-shirts and snickers. This week there was an amazing transformation, dark blue suits with serious labels and shoes to match. Its a time for students to interview and interact with potential employers, find out if its the industry they would be interested in and what it takes to get there. It's kinda two way, on the one hand the companies are beckoning them to come work for them and on the other hand the students are not only checking them out but also making their interests known. Those who know what industry and company they want have the task of leaving a lasting impression on the recruiters so that when the summer internships draw near you don't have to be introducing yourself. There were over sixty companies that came to the campus and it was a hard enough task sc...

I don't know if you recall me mentioning how Pastor Bradd gave me a call inquiring if I was ready to join the worship team?! Well he did and I attended my first meeting on Saturday. Evan, the worship leader was dealing with a new group, we had not worked together before so it was a nice time of getting to know each other. I appreciated his style, we had an ice breaker and then did an exercise, he played a song we were all familiar with and asked us to listen out for the different instruments and how they were being played at various points. We listened for the drums and on my chat I was indicating "loud", "soft" and "roll" well at least that's how they sounded to me. At the time of discussion guys were talking about "the snare", "High hat", "kick", "crash" and "cow bells" eeh! I was thinking wow! A little bit of background, as we had dinner I found out that Evans older brother played for one of the ...

This evening I attended my very first cell group meeting at the church office. I was very excited when I got to know that my church was cell based, it reminded me of church back home and the cell that Sam and I hosted in our house. The meeting was scheduled for 6:30pm and I got there about 6:50pm, apparently I was early because I found the leaders having dinner. That is one thing I need to adjust in my schedule, having dinner early. Back home Sam and I had dinner at 9pm and it was good time for us, here we get invited to dinners at 5pm, by 8:30 - 9pm I'm twidling my fingers and thinking of another snack. Mich and I had just had evening tea so we were not particularly hungry at this point. People begun to show up and we later found out they had all had dinner before coming. The cell agenda was pretty much the same as in KPC, here it was referred to as "wwww" welcome, worship, word and work (prayer and involvement in the community. As we fellowshiped the intimacy of sharing...

I can't believe that I have made two month's here already, they seem to have flown by real fast. I'm not complaining, I hope the rest can go as fast, especially now that winter is round the corner. On Tuesday I auditioned for the Wharton Dance Studio, that stages a dance show for the school every year. I found three moms who got there before me, their babies strapped in strollers and I gladly added Mich to the bunch, they looked cute. Obviously Mich is not the kind to sit there while music is playing so he jumped out and was running all over the place, doing his own moves and making people laugh. Everybody was assigned a number and we registered our names and email addresses. We stood in four rows, there was over 30 of us. The lady in charge taught us some moves and asked us to follow along with the music, I enjoyed that alot. The song we danced to was done by Fox, something like "she gives me money...." it was obviously not christian but I certainly smiled when I...

Yesterday Sam and I were invited to celebrate Nigeria’s Independence with a party held by the Nigerians'at Wharton and hosted by Tolu. Yeee! Another excuse for a party. We got there an hour late because Mich had to take his nap but we were pretty much in good time, people had just begun to arrive, you know us and time keeping. The lobby to Tolu’s apartment was pretty raw, it looked like construction was still going on, the cement had not been smoothed out and no final touches had been made. You could actually smell the cement as you walked in. I concluded that he was in a hurry to move in and couldn’t quite find another apartment so he settled for this. We took the elevator to his apartment, yet again something really strange, the lifts were open until people stepped in. That was weird because it has always been the reverse, the lifts are closed until you press the button to use it. We went three floors up but man! That was one of the most scary lifts, one side was made of just gl...

The transition continues as I settle in, even then I can't help but think about all the things I miss back home. I miss listening to the 'morning show' on Sanyu fm, they have some really crazy topics for discussion each morning. In the building next to Rwenzori House there was a guy who sold pancakes every morning. I didn't buy them but I knew he would always be there as I passed on my way to work. (I miss the smell of Pancakes not the guy). Then there are those little boys who are in the mobile manicure, pedicure business. They are cheap, easy to come by and can do a great job if they mean to. I was looking at my toes the other day and thinking how miserable they are. I can't just walk out the door and get the job done for 500shs (less than a dollar) as I used to back home. I haven't yet ventured into these beauty shops but I doubt it would be less than 15 dollars (30k). I don't think I should even be trying to make the conversions because quite honestly it...

I took the bus today to meet up with some friends in Centre City. I was supposed to take a tour of the Kimmel Centre with them but unfortunately I was late and Mich didnt help much with all his running all over the place and trying to get into every hole. I was able to meet my friends after the tour so we decided to go to the library, not a good idea. Mich was not about to read or keep quiet for that matter so we had to leave. I have been thinking and one of my friends suggested that I should get Mich a stroller. That might make our lives less complicated in many ways, 1. I will not have to carry him on my back every where we go, 2. He will kind of be restricted in his movements and 3. We'll both be less tired at the end of the day, well I hope. On the ride back home there was a girl sitting opposite from me, she was obviously pregnant, probably 15 years old and she was sucking her finger. Hmmm! talk about babies having babies, that was not a very happy sight. Then the bus stopped ...

Judging from my previous postings it must be obvious that this Ugandan girl is getting settled. Atleast I haven't written anything dramatic, these past posting have pretty much been journeys within my mind and heart. You get to do alot of that when you are placed in unfamiliar sorroundings, thus the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness. Last Saturday, we took a brief break from the life in the city of brotherly love and headed to Washington DC. It was 2 hour bus ride organised by the International Students Programme, that was cool, it was a cheaper fare, you get to go with other "green" people and that makes its all the more fun. The best part about this trip was that a friend of ours Mercy, was going to be our tour guide and host for the day. Well there was nothing to write home about the journey but certainly lots to see when we actually got to DC. We were dropped off at the National Air and Space Museum, I thought that would be really exciting but unfortunatly the phy...

Its already Friday and I just realized the last time I jornaled was Sunday, hmm! I wonder if that's good or bad. Breaking news, yesterday I received a call from my pastor Bradd (gees! that sounds funny, its always been Gary). Anyway he was calling to ask me to join them in leading worship on Sunday. I freeked out, I know I had mentioned to his wife that I used to sing but eh! that was a bit too fast. I think I would like to first blend in properly before I start getting involved. He read between the lines and said, you might want to visit one of our practices first to which I responded very emphatically. Its very important to have your priorities right especially in this place. Sam has a class mate who came in when she was just about ready to have her child. The first time I saw her I thought she was a partner but no, she is a student. This place is really hectic book wise (I have mentioned that several times) you don't want to be having babies now. If you miss just one class y...

I'm beginning to think that either the Christians here are too luxed about working out their salvation or the Christians in Uganda are too "spirii". Last night we were invited to the Wharton Christian Fellowship (WCF) it took place in one of the apartments in Centre city, thats a bus ride away from home. The party was hosted by a nice guy called Kim David, he is studying for two degrees at the same time, people can really be sharp or is it having too much zeal for life?! He is studying for both his medical degree and his MBA, now how about that?, maximum respect I tell you. We were so looking forward to the event that we got there an hour and ahalf early.The communication we got was that it started at 6pm but as it turned out it was scheduled for 7:30. The host was nice, he invited us in and told us to feel at home while he went to buy food for the party. We watched TV and read some books, time went by and people begun to show up. The usual, introduce yourself, where you ...

Things are looking up again, my last blog must have sounded really sob but not anymore. Life at Wharton is pretty hectic right now, apart from the books, all the clubs are in the season of recruiting and advertizing. There is a dancers club, the whartones (singers), the writers at Kelly writers house, different business related clubs to name but a few. Students actually have their heads spinning trying to figure what club they need to join (for info and networking sake) and what would be nice to do. So apart from sorting through assignments there is the clubs. This has been fun for me because I on the other hand am rubbing my hands wondering what other club I can join, most of the clubs are open to partners as well. The down side is that most club activities take place in Centre City which means taking the bus and half them start at 11pm that pretty much says it all. One club though that is sane in every way is the kids club, we joined it and Mich and I had our first interaction with o...

Last night was a long one, I tossed and turned and failed to sleep. I was thinking again,feeling down because my life seemed kinda empty. Looking back over the period I have been in Philly, I want to have more meaning, something to do. After all the excitement of coming to the US, meeting new people, seeing lots of beautiful sceneries and my adventures, everything kind of becomes routine. So I was thinking, maybe I came to Philly too soon, I should have stayed home for a while longer and then Mich and I would visit Sam over Christmas. Now it was making sense because then I would be occupied, I really enjoyed my work at the bank and it was promising, I was just about to move into a new field, well atleast that is what my boss told me. Charity was there to help me with Mich, I still had the car, friends, family and ministry in the church choir. Things were going real well, now I was looking back with some kind of regret. Yet again I remember we discussed this with Sam and decided it was ...

Today started really late for me, seeing as Mich and I slept very late and were paying this morning. I was only able to leave the house about 1pm to run a few errands and also attend an introductory class on "Dance", I had been looking forward to joining this dance club so I made sure I had the location and time right. At 3pm the scheduled time for the class I call Sam to confirm the location of the lecture. I get there about 5 mins late, class is already in session, seats are all taken, people are standing at the back. I listen for a few minutes and figure something is definately wrong, for starters the person giving the lecture has a dog with her and she is discussing types of dogs and how they are not dangerous. This has nothing to do with dance thats for sure. I take some time and look around the class and they all have name tags and its a very serious setting. By this point Mich is restless and I'm getting abit uncomfortable seeing as I'm standing there with a li...

Today, five years ago America was changed for ever, completely and immensely. Just from watching the documentaries and listening to the stories of those who survived from the towers one cannot stop the tears from flowing. Its a very painful wound even 5 years later but the fear in the eyes of the Americans that day was indescribable and very real. I knew it was a terrible experience but now more than ever I see that it was something wicked, heartless and evil. Only God can truly bring healing to the Americans and only God can bring justice on whoever was behind this. May God grant healing and restoration and renewal to those who lost family and friends and to America as a country. I keep wondering about the natural events that took place after that, the tsunami and the floods in New Orleans, is God trying to get our attention?

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.Mine was ok, I'll think back to see if anything drastic happened but for now I just want to say hello and also say how much I'm missing home. Something happened to me today that has made me look at myself in a whole new light. I know that being alone is a healthy thing, well, not too often but once in awhile, here I'm faced with it, not exactly out of choice. Its happened to me quite afew times that when the house is quiet, say Mich is sleeping and Sam is in reading or not in the house my mind tends to wonder in all sorts of directions, I think alot. I have literally stopped and almost looked at my self (if that is possible, I guess in the mirror it is) but just the things I have thought are shocking. For clarities sake I'm not running mad, I didnt think of killing anyone but eeh you!.The thoughts can be really loud, just confirms that I need God every moment of my life. I will not tell you what I thought, I just wanted to confirm ...

Its been a quiet week and nice at that, nothing drastic just the everyday routine settling in. Monday was a holiday, labor day, it also happened to be Rachel's Birthday. Rachel is "our daughter" she is Ugandan, came in about a week ago, she is studying for her first degree and planning to be an Actuarial scientist. Don't ask me what that is but you might want to check it out on the Internet, when I first heard about it, I thought of aquariums and fish but no, they are not related in anyway.It has something to do with mathematics. She did her A levels at Namagunga and decided that Makerere was not the place to be so she applied to Wharton and was accepted. We met her and her parents before leaving UG and seeing as she is very young, is a first born and she is leaving UG for the first time, her mother thought we would be good company. We are pretty much family. I did a search on the net for the 'Navigators ministry" in Philly and I was able to get an email add...

I would like to thank you all for being supportive and for the wonderful suggestions on how to make life in Philly better for me and Mich. God continues to watch over us in more ways than I could have imagined I am really grateful and thank Him for being there for us. You may be wondering what has brought on all the praise but truly its just the way I feel His presence and in the things He does for us. I think I can confidently say that we have found the church where we will be attending while we are here. This might sound funny but indeed it is "Vineyard Community Church" the very first church I attended. Pastors wife with the nose ring, remember?!, speaking of I haven't yet met with her, we set a date for 5th, that is Tuesday. We've been to two other churches and as we visited my prayer was always that God would confirm it in our hearts. Today we went back to Vineyard and honestly it was simply amazing, nothing miraculous, just a peace and feeling comfortable there....

Today there was a trip organized for Wharton international students to go shopping at one of the malls out of town called "Franklin Mills". I'd been there once before with Sam but since I was nothing doing I thought I would go again. Franklin Mills is a maze, really really huge, like five times Game Store and some, so the time I went with Sam we didn't quite go all round. Of course I went with Mich, I happened to be the only black person and non student but it was okay. We were told we had four hours to walk around or shop. It went well until five minutes to the time we were scheduled to get back to the bus. Mich had wondered off, at the start I thought he was in the Jessy Penny store, we had walked in earlier and played a little hide and seek among the rack of clothes. I walked around once, then twice, by the third time I was getting freaked, I couldn't see him. At this point I decided to let the guy at the counter know I was looking for my little boy. The shop ...

They say no news is good news and I think that is true for me, I haven't gotten lost or done anything really crazy so I don't have much to say. Well except for once when I went to order food at a take away and I told the guy I wanted chicken and chips. The guys says great, how do you like your chicken and because I know they serve the chicken with hot pepper I said I would like it mild and that was fine. Then for the chips he asks what size would you like, and I'm thinking size?? don't they all come out the same? he goes on to say there is the big packet, medium size and then the small one and by now he was pointing at packets of what in UG we call "crisps". Immediately I remember the other phrase they use here "french fries" and so I tell him, and that sorted me out. He was a really nice guy plus I was so glad they had the "crisps" on display coz I honestly don't know how I would start explaining to Sam my new concoction of chicken and...

I was really close to tears today as I watched Mich try to play some of the kids in the neighbourhood. We went to a play ground near by and Mich was all too glad to join in with the other kids, unfortunately for him the first thing that catches his attention is gadgets, bicycles, skates and the like. There was this one kid who immediatly picked his bike and began to ride ofcourse that wasnt his original plan, so Mich follows him for abit and finally gets the vibes that he is not welcome. He runs off to find some boys playing freezby and even there some mean little kid screams at him saying "go away" you should have seen Mich's expression, he moved back and then looked at me with the expression of "what did I do wrong" that got to me. Anyway I told him to run along and play with the slides and when I got a good chance I told the boy to stop being mean. Most of the kids are older than Mich, they should be ranging between the ages of four to eight years but because...