June 2014

June has been full of good things. I have also taken time to catch up on the routine things that have needed attention, such as going through mail, my church calling, and catching up on blog posts. Here are the highlights from this month:

Swimming lessons- We have spent 2 weeks, each morning (M-F) at Morton Middle school. Sheri took the beginning level (above preschool), Sterling took intermediate (started in beginning but moved up to be with friends), and Eve in advanced. I have been very proud of how hard they all worked! I think they all improved in their ability, strength, and comfort level with the water! Eve will continue for just 4 more days with the "Skilled" level since we won't be here for the entire next session, but her teacher asked her to come practice anyway. Her teacher also encouraged her to check into swim team in the future. Sterling really became a more independent swimmer (not needing the sides as much in the deep water), and has become much less shy about putting his head into the water during various strokes. Sheri has had such determination and gusto. She has really given her best and I was so pleased that her teacher already felt she was ready for the next level. We will just need to keep their ability by swimming for fun throughout the summer.

Dance recital time-

The girls had their dance dress rehearsals and recital the week of June 9-14th at Burke High School. It was so fun to see Sheri in her very first dance recital! She loved it, especially getting all dressed up, including makeup! One especially sweet moment was when Sterling saw Sheri for the first time and told Sheri, very sincerely "You look beautiful!" She loved her white, sparkly outfit. She loved to pretend to be Elsa from Disney's "Frozen". Her numbers were danced to "Amazing Grace", and "You're a Grand Old Flag".

Eve had an especially challenging year since she was placed with a competition class that had more experience and training. She definitely felt daunted at times, but worked very hard to catch up! It didn't help that we left for 2 weeks just before recital, but it was unavoidable. I was extremely proud of how much she has grown in this year! She did well in her recital pieces, and realized that even when we have struggles, perseverance is worth it. I am so grateful that her experience was positive. I didn't want her to be afraid and give up when things get difficult. She also loved the glamour of getting dressed up. Her numbers were danced to "We're in the Money", "Dance Dance Dance", and "Copellia".

Father's day was pretty simple this year. It started with letting Matthew sleep in, then he got snuggle time with Christian. We had church and then invited friends from church over for dinner for a cook out. We invited the Snows, the Downums, and the Portwoods. We bar-b-qued ribs and had an array of sides to accompany them. It was a full house, but very fun. We haven't had friends over in a long time. The kids and I are so blessed and priveledged to have Matthew! Matthew and I also know that we couldn't have the happiness that we enjoy were it not for our fathers, and the heritage they have given us! We love them and are forever grateful for them!

We were finally able to celebrate the birthdays we missed while we were in Africa. We have decided to only have "friend" birthday parties every 4 years (ages 4, 8, 12, & 16). So this year we decided to have a horse lesson to celebrate Sheri's birthday. Sheri loves horses! This was a 2 hour lesson where the kids learned about the horse, how to brush/groom the horse, how to mount and dismount the horse, and basic posture and beginning riding skills. Everyone enjoyed it, but I think the girls were not feeling their best and so couldn't fully enjoy it. They have been asking to go again sometime however, so I think it was worth it and a very positive experience! Christian just enjoyed the barn animals and playing in the dirt.

We also had crepes for breakfast, hamburgers for a dinner, a horse themed cake and recently got Sheri a new bike. She has outgrown her old bike, and we are hoping this is the summer when she can learn to ride without training wheels. If only we could find more time! I am amazed that she is 6 years old now, and will be starting first grade in the fall!

Sterling turned 8 years old this year! This milestone year will be even more special in July when he is baptized. We are looking forward to having our families there! Sterling wanted a "Star Wars" themed party, and so I planned it. Birthday parties are NOT my forte, but I really tried for his sake.

Here is what we did:

Decorations

Light sabers for the guests

A Darth Vader pinata, that Sterling and I made together

Games such as "Use the Force", musical chairs, pass the Death Star, Who am I, and Jedi vs. Sith

Pizza and "Yoda Soda"

and a Death Star cake.

Of course, there were always light saber battles all around.

I think the party was a success. Matthew was a great help, the kids enjoyed it, and Sterling really felt loved! He knows that time and energy are prized commodities for me. He definitely recognized that for me to put this together, it really meant that I loved him! He is such a sweet and grateful boy! It was a lot of fun!


The rest of the month has been filled with baseball, Christian learning to say more words, reading, and free time. I think the kids have enjoyed friends and more discretionary time.

Here are some fun things Christian says: "Airplane", "Help me please", "yuck", "I lah lah" (I love you), "you do?", "Eeep" (Eve), "guck" (drink), "cars", "nack" (snack) and "book". He also sings "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", and "Let it Go" from Disney's Frozen movie.

Summer is grand! Here are a few more pics for fun!

Africa!

"You're going to Africa? You mean, THE Africa?" Was the common response when we told people of our amazing opportunity to visit Tanzania. Yes, when you know someone in such a fantastic place, who is generous enough to invite you, and show you where to go, and accompany you the whole time . . .How can you pass up such an opportunity?

We have been thinking and planning this trip for at least a year. Jeff (Matt's older brother) works for the State department at the Embassy and is finishing his assignment at the end of June. This was our last chance to go and visit. So, we saved, got our shots, booked our flights and adventures, and most importantly found someone to care for our kids.

Matt's sister, Kelly and her husband, Marcelino were extremely generous in offering to take the kids. (We hope to return the favor.) The kids of course couldn't be more pleased to be with their cousins! These cousins are so great; great examples, great friends, great at helping, and fun! I was so impressed with Kelly! She just seemed so relaxed about the whole thing and she took such great care of them! Christian was happy, slept well, and was quite entertained by the kids and new surroundings. I was the most concerned about him. Thankfully we were able to Skype a few times, which really put my mind at ease. Sheri and Sterling both had birthdays while we were gone. (Aren't we rotten parents?) Kelly took them to do special things for their birthdays, gave them gifts and Bart and Wendy sent gifts as well. I also made sure that they knew we would also celebrate when we returned. The kids missed us, and we missed them - the biggest difficulty for me! In the end, I'd say it all worked out amazingly!

Our trip was over 2 weeks long. I am sure that I can't include everything, but I hope to include as much as possible. This post will most likely be quite lengthy, so be forewarned! Here is a summary of our trip, travel log style:



Day 1 (partial) – Tuesday evening, May 20th
We drove to Michigan to Mar and Kelly’s House through the evening into the early morning of next day.

Day 2 – Wednesday, May 21st
We rested and got the kids settled. We passed information on to Kelly including allergy information, routines, legal paperwork etc.


Day 3/4 – Thursday, May 22nd /Friday, May 23rd (total travel time 26 hrs, 45 min- not counting transportation to and from airports)

We flew to Washington DC (took the bus to downtown and visited a museum- 6 hr layover), then Amsterdam (2hr 40 min layover), then flew into Kilimanjaro Airport. We arrived around 8PM local time and then got visas. “Team Kilimanjaro” our tour company picked us up and took us to the Outpost Lodge in Arusha.

Day 5 – Saturday, May 24th
Our Safari guide, Justin picked us up and took us to Tarangire for our game drive. We saw:
Water buck, Impala, Red headed kingfischer, Superb Starling, warthog, Giraffe, Lilac Breasted Roller, Buff crested Bustard, Plover, Bao Bob, Steel Blue Whydah, Hornbill, Quelea (flocks), long crested eagle, Vervet Monkey, Eqyptian goose, Ox pecker (on giraffe), Elephant, Water Buffalo, Magpie Shrike, White-bellied Go Away Bird, Fischer Lover bird, and African Hoopoe.

In the afternoon we were transferred to Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge (perched on the rim with spectacular views of the crater).

Day 6 – Sunday, May 25th
Our Safari guide took us into Ngorongoro Crater (161.5 Sq miles, 11-14 diameter) for a game drive. (Lake Manyara) We saw:
Wildebeest, Zebra, Caracal (cat), Crowned Crane, Gissel, Flamingos, Sacred Ibis, Blacksmiths Plover, Lion, Jackal, Eland, Black Headed Heron, Ostrich, Black Rhino, Hyena, Hippo, Purple Crane, Blacksmith Lapwing, Hartebeest, Kori bustard, and Crowned Plover.

In the afternoon we transfered to The Outpost Lodge in Arusha. Stacey flew in from Dar Es Salaam to join us. In the evening we met our mountain guide, Joshua where he briefed us on the upcoming climb and checked our gear.

Day 7 (1st of climb)– Monday , May 26th
Please note: Elevations are converted to ft. and miles from m and Km. Please excuse any minor estimate discrepancies.
Trek from Machame Gate (5,997 ft.) to Machame camp (9,908 ft). Distance 6.7 miles, over 3,937 ft. of elevation gain.

This was a tiring day for most of us. As Matthew put it "Day one was like Shock and Awe on the body!"
I really enjoyed this day! It felt good to give my body a good challenge, especially after sitting so much on planes and in vehicles!

Day 8 (2nd of climb) – Tuesday, May 27th
Trek from Machame Camp to Shira Camp (12,621 ft.) on the southern edge of the plateau. Distance is 3.23 miles.

These were our tents. See that tall thin one in the back? That was our portable potty. Our amazing porters hauled that thing all the way up to our final camp. This was so nice especially on day 4 when squatting became a real challenge!

Notice our porters. We had a team of 17-20 porters (usually required by the officials) that each carried 45-50 lbs in addition to their own packs! They were awesome! Although it was a luxury, I don't know if we could have done it without their help! It was so nice to have them set up tents, cook all our meals, and find water for us to treat and drink! They also brought us warm drinks in the morning, washing water before breakfast and dinner, and kept us on our toes. Apparently there have been porters (in someone's group) that steal from tents during the night, We kept all our valuables close at night, and I swear someone grabbed my foot one night! :) Of course, our guides (2 main) were essential and great company! They also helped us pace ourselves!

Day 9 (3rd of climb) – Wednesday, May 28th
Trek from Shira Camp to Lava Tower (15,230 ft.) for lunch (4.35 miles), then descend to Barranco Camp (13,071 ft.) (2.3 miles). The ascent and descent helped with acclimation.
I felt really good this day as I had previously, but surprised myself by how tired I was when I came into camp. Matthew and I fell right asleep upon laying down in our tent. We enjoyed a solid "power nap" before dinner.

Day 10 (4th of climb) – Thursday, May 29th
Trek from Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp (15,367 ft.),(distance 5.8 miles) via the 843 ft. high Breach Wall. There were 3 rises (including the "kissing wall") and falls before reaching Karanga camp where we had lunch. From lunch we then ascended 2,101 ft. to Barafu. We went to sleep early in preparation for the next day. Notice that the summit is closer than ever!
Thank goodness for medicine to help with Acute Mountain Sickness(AMS)! We all opted to use medicine and despite it, we all had touches of AMS. It mainly manifested in lack of appetite, fatigue, and shortness of breath. I was quite nervous about AMS, as there really is no way to prepare for it unless you live or hike at high altitudes. I was grateful that we could trust our guides to keep a close eye on us. I was pleasantly surprised at how I handled it. I felt my body did quite well at dealing with the lack of oxygen.

Day 11 (5th of climb) – Friday, May 30th
Around midnight we began our climb to the summit (19,340 ft.). We climbed via Stella Point (18,871 ft.), and then the final 469 ft. Distance (5.6 miles total (to and from Barafu camp)). Then, we descended to Millennium Camp (12,532 ft.).

This was a day of slow and steady! Our guide was careful not to let us spend all our reserves. A few groups passed us early on, but we ended up passing them as they rested further up the climb. I am again so grateful for our guides! I am glad we kept our stops to a minimum, because it got so cold if we stopped for too long. I also preferred to keep our momentum! It was also nice to follow a guide because then you could just follow the person in front of you. If I looked up and saw the hikers and their lights on the trail I became intimidated. We just kept putting one foot in front of the other. One poor soul lost his breakfast on the way up. I won't mention any names, but his name starts with a "M" and ends with "atthew" Ok, so I am selling him out a bit. But I merely share this with you to illustrate that this was not a "cake walk". He has been known to quickly hike up Longs Peak (14,000+ feet) on a whim in no time at all! This was clearly an intense climb! We arrived at Stella's point shortly after dawn, and after briefly refueling, headed for the summit.

Then the long descent!

Our muscles and joints were very stiff and uncomfortable by this point!

Day 12 (6th of climb) – Saturday, May 31st
We descended from Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate (5,384 ft), where we signed the summit register. We were then transferred back to Arusha, and The Outpost Lodge. Before final drop off we enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant with our guides and cook.

Back at the lodge we had our boots cleaned, we showered, played cards, rested, and ate dinner. We were relieved to have conquered and grateful to rest!

Day 13 – Sunday, June 1st
We were taken to Kilimanjaro International airport for our flight to Zanzibar.

Upon arrival we got to see the home that Jeff uses when he is on assignment there. We also ate lunch, looked through the shops and had dinner with Jeff after he attended a funeral.

Day 14 – Monday, June 2nd
We purchased some souvenirs, went snorkeling, laid on the beach, showered, went to a spice farm and out to dinner for Ethiopian food.

Day 15 – Tuesday, June 3rd – We learned to play Bauoo, enjoyed the beach near "Jeff's house", flew to Dar Es Salam, enjoyed Jeff and Stacey’s home and ate dinner.

We then flew out at 10:55PM to Amsterdam (9hrs 20 min), 5 hr 40 min layover,then on to Washington D.C. (8 hrs 30 min), 1 hr 50 min layover, then on to Detroit (1hr 50 min). Arriving on Wednesday, June 4th in the evening. (Total travel time 27 hrs, 10 min not counting time to and from the airports)

Day 16 –Thursday, June 5th - We ate breakfast, did a quick shopping trip and got on the road around 2PM. We had to stop and sleep. We arrived around 3AM on Friday, June 6th.

This was the trip of a lifetime! The break from routine was refreshing! The food was delicious! The experiences were challenging and thrilling! It was so cool to see another place and perspective in the world! It was magnificent to see all of God's creations! It was priceless to spend so much quality time with Jeff, Stacey, and especially Matthew!

I am so grateful to Jeff and Stacey for carving out so much time to host us!

I am so grateful to the Sanchez family for opening their home to our children!

I am so grateful for Matt's adventurous spirit and kindness to me!

I am so eternally grateful for all the blessings that God has given me, especially my family, safety, and this beautiful earth!

And . . . I am so glad to be home again!