Happy New Year - January 9, 2009

2008 is gone - but guess you all figured that out already. Tomorrow will be 11 months since I left home....it's gone FAST! Time really does speed up as you get older! Don't know if I've accomplished anything or changed myself for the better, but it's been an interesting experience!

After the fabulous Christmas party at Proidence Home I was off to London. Riley recognized my (but complained that my hair was different - shorter on top). Emma was cautious and Tucker just goes w. the flow. We had a great hotel with a kitchen in So. Kensington - close to lots of stuff. It was a struggle some days to get out and see places before the little ones (and big ones) got too tired/hungry but we did well! We did the city bus tour two days and saw the Tower of London, walked to Buckingham Palace, Trafalger Square, Big Ben, Westminster and, of course, to the Burberry shop and Harrods (world's largest department store - it was PACKED!). We were only about 10 minutes from the Natural History Musueum so we went 3x - it was free - great dinasour exhibits! We did a whole day bus trip to Windsor Castle, Stonhenge and the Roman ruins at Bath so got to see some of the countryside, too. We finished Saturday at the zoo! Everyone did great - Emma got sick once and Gail and Tucker had some problems, but it all worked out. It was cool (3C) - but I had long underwear, sweaters and two jackets!

It was very hard to say goodbye at the airport. On the plane home I had to keep reading all nite to keep from crying! I finished LONDON by Wm. Rutherford...a Mitchner type family saga over the ages (40 BC to 1997) that was fun because we'd just been in the places, and started the sequel to Pillars of the Earth, WORLD W/O END - am enjoying that - also set in England!

I think I'd forgotten how much I miss the little people. I am hoping to go home in August for 3 weeks and Holly is worried that I won't come back. They are at such fun ages....say the neatest things - sometimes wise, sometimes just hilarious.

Got home and washed clothes and went down to PH and was so warmly greeted by the kids and Sisters it helped a LOT. Ended the day w. a walk w. Holly (I whined, she listened). Life is good here too (I just want it ALL)!

Tuesday was the day of Sister Juliet's Profession at the Convent...I walked out my door at 9 a.m. and there were two soldiers WITH GUNS sitting on my front step! President Museveni was coming (he knew one of the nuns who was celebrating her 25th Jubilee). There were First Professions(4 years), Final (perpetual) Professions (another 6 years) and Jublilee nuns (25 and 50 years). A huge crowd under tents on the convent grounds - the convent is BIG but it was crowded! The security guards took my camera (darn)...had to take it back to my apartment. It was a four hour ceremony but really entertaining. The President spoke at the end. In her speech the Mother Superior asked the President to fix the road to Nkokonjeru (it's awful)..she said "for the hospital's sake". He said he would, but didn't give a date!(been promised before) After the Mass the groups divided and each celebrated nuns' village/family put out food they'd cooked before and fed their crowd - very organized and everyone ate! Sort of like a group wedding w. dinners - but our brides don't have to prostate themselves on the floor before their husbands (thank goodness). Saw some kids from town w. ripped and dirty clothes who just came to the convent for the free food - there was plenty for all!!!

It finally rained this week....most say the rainy season won't start till February/March but it was a welcome relief from the heat and dust! Lots of chirping at dusk!

We had the Epilepsy Clinic on Thursday - saw 42 clients - so I got back to work and it felt good! At the London Airport I got the Sisters the DVD of Sound of Music and Song of Bernadette (old black & white)...saw some of them watching it and they loved it!!! Lots of commentary!

I sent some pictures w. Gail - I haven't checked but am sure she has them up...had some of our pigs and "borrowed" pig shed (piggery)....am thinking that the Church money left would be well used to construct a new shed. Our new business manager (Fred), made up a plan and wants to put it just outside our walls w. a wall around it since a big pig just got stolen from the old one which is off site. Hope that works for you all...know the pigs look thin....they eat mostly garbage but that's how it's done here. It's a good income generator and would fit right into the plan.

Hope you are all doing well and enduring the cold. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2009. Thanks again and again for all your thougthts and prayers.

P.S. to the lady who wrote that she was coming in Feb. as a PCV in Uganda please e-mail me at kathywesterman@hotmail.com - I'd love to talk to you!