Time for a new kid already?

Now, don't get your hopes up by the title - I'm not pregnant. But I've just discovered a new Tanzanian folkloric anecdote. Our friend Rose saw Jack (10 months) sucking his toes this week. She told me that here, when a baby starts sucking his toes, then it's time for the mother to get pregnant again! Her mother got pregnant with Rose's younger sister when Rose was only 7 months old. Yikes! Particularly considering that he was sucking his toes at 5 months. Not to fear - we're not sold on this tradition.

Other families keep their kids 2 to 3 years apart, in other words for as long as the youngest is still nursing. We won't be sticking to that tradition either - no, I'm not making any statements about subsequent children - just saying that I don't think Jack will be nursing for 3 years!

What to do with a flag?

I went to our little used clothing market to get some fabric to recover a chair some friends gave us, and came home with a much unexpected item. Isn't shopping like that? This is a 9'x5' flag (folded in half in the photo). I just couldn't believe that a huge American flag was randomly in our little market. It was pining for a new home and suffering a lack of appreciation and respect. I was trying to tell the sellers that I couldn't possibly use it and that they would never sell it to anyone here so I could get a good price on it. I don't think they really understood what they had. Anyway, this flag was just so sad and lonely that I had to rescue it. For five bucks!

Now the question is, what do I do with it? It's got a few rust stains, but is in good condition otherwise. It's too big for any of our walls, and I would never be so blatently American as to hang it from a pole in our yard - that wouldn't be too appreciated here. I could use it to make a quilt - denim on one side and flag on the back, but should I feel guilty for using it on a bed, particularly if I have to cut it up? So I need your creative thoughts. Help!!

Rare Photo of 4

Here is a photo for the archives: all 4 of us smiling. Our next effort will be to get one in which all four of us are smiling AND looking at the camera. Wish us luck. We make a special effort to get into the backyard on weekends and throw the frisbee or baseball and hang out in our hammock. It makes us feel a bit more American.

What's new with the Hills

It's been a while since I blogged because:
-We've been busily blessed with guests - one in Sept, and 2 in Oct. It was especially wonderful to host our good friends, Andy and Lyle from Denver. They got the real African treatment with days of no Internet, water, or electricity. But they also got to see almost all the African animals on their one-day safari. In Tanzania, guests are ALWAYS considered a blessing, and we've converted to that style of thinking.
-I was sick half of September with a cold and am now apparently shooting to be sick for half of October with a different cold.
-Our Internet has been insufficient to say the least.

Here's an update:
-My head has completely healed since the bump-removal surgery!
-Tessa is basically potty-trained except for diapers during sleep times!
-Jack has his first tooth and matching crankiness. My friend found it before I did, which gave me a "Bad Mom Moment." I'm over it though.
-We hoped we had entered rainy season, but I think we were wrong. It's been pretty dry.
-I'm having my first African dress made from African fabric in a local style for the office opening celebration. Photo to be posted later (if it's a winner). I'm a bit nervous.
-Dusty's extremely excited about the CO Rockies going to the World Series. That is an understatement. It would be impossible to describe how he feels. Especially since I am not him. He's really hoping the Internet will hold out so he can wake up at 3:30 in the mornings to listen to some games. Even I am happy for the Rockies, and that's impressive right there.

Tagged

Ok, I've been tagged by three or four friends, but as they were different topics, I'm just choosing one. (Tagging is apparently where someone writes a predetermined list and then chooses other blogging friends to do the same.) I am choosing the "8 Random Things About Me" tag without tagging anyone else.
1. I SCUBA dive with Dusty when we can - pretty rare these days as we can't so much as dip a toe in Lake Victoria.
2. I only have 24 teeth.
3. I own the World's Only Miniature Rottweiler (full grown at 50 pounds although her parents were both over 90).
4. I am secretly sentimental/nostalgic.
5. I never expected to be a career missionary.
6. I may never master the 16 noun classes in Swahili. The 2 in Spanish were more than enough for me.
7. I really enjoy gardening, but can't seem to do anything with seeds.
8. My favorite sound is Tessa and Jack laughing at the same time.