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Recent Posts

A Testament to Prayer

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On November 20th, only a few weeks ago, what began as a joyful welcoming of child into the world quickly turned into a terrible nightmare. One of which we would find ourselves caught in middle of. Helping a Friend My friend, Bernadetta was due and as a midwife, I regularly visited her for checkups and to help her with labour education. Unfortunately she knew very little as there are no checkups during the last 4-6 weeks of pregnancy and there are no childbirth education classes. Historically, giving birth to a child is the number one cause of death of women in Tanzania. As such, there is also a lot fear surrounding child birth. 
It was 11:30pm when I received a call from Bernadetta's husband. Her water had broken and I had agreed to drive them to the hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital it was determined she would likely need a cesarean but they agreed to start with a pitocin induction. It was getting late (or early) and not being allowed to be with her I returned home. Later …
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Leaving Tanzania

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Today we are in Dallas, Texas. Getting here was a bit of an ordeal. The only way we could bring our dog, Nala, who is an 8 month old, 100 pound, South African Boerboel, with us was to take KLM airlines. To save $1,000 on tickets, Jacob took three of the kids and most of the luggage on Qatar airlines the day before. 
Each of us embarked on our 35+ hour trips which involved customs, 7 total security checks, very little sleep, and 50% total time of fussy children.
Silas guarding the bags while Jacob checks in at the counter in Tanzania
Jason hamming it up as usual
Waiting to check Nala in
Killing time in Amsterdam
Finally found a solution in Doha for hauling the kids and too much hand luggage.
So exited about the toothbrush
Esther found a giant stuffed dog in Amsterdam for the 3 hour layover
Tivoli, on the other hand, had to be content pushing the cart for her 8 hour layover in Doha
Cool moving dinosaurs
And a giant Pooh Bear???
Finally getting some sleep

We made it.
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Guilty

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Always so clean and fresh...
Just kidding!

 They had escaped outside, emptied the dogs water dish and then crawled across the gravel to the yard. Totally filthy and having a blast! When it was time to get cleaned up, I started their bath and went to get clean pjs... came back to guilty girls who hadn't waited for me to get them undressed.

As the first picture shows, all that dirt was eventually gone!
A chameleon we found by our gate on the way to school the other morning. The fact that they can move their eyes 360 degrees in DIFFERENT directions from one another is a bit freaky to watch! They hiss too when they think you are a little to close. 


For those of you have not heard we have both good and bad news. 
Good news first. Baby Esta stayed two nights with us after being released from the hospital. She is  eating, gaining weight, and currently being cared for by her aunt. 
Bernadetta, however, has been on the decline again. We received word this morning from the doctor that her …
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Sunshine & Rain

By Jacob
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The Tanzanian Aviation Authority granted a temporary, one month validation of my US license. Last week I was able to fly my first medical safari without another pilot along. Below is a short
video of the highlights.



We drove to the Northern coast in Pangani and spent three days over Christmas soaking up sun, sand, and water with Carmen's paarents! It was beautiful, relaxing, and fun.

Double baby wearing... its how we roll :)
It was the babies first time at the beach. Tivi LOVED every minute of it all and laughed constantly at the waves, went swimming, and threw lots of sand. 
Esther on the other hand wanted nothing to do with any of it. Consequently she spent nearly the whole time on someone's lap, in the hammock or any other location she could get  away from the sand!
The most popular place OUT of the sun.

In the early mornings and late evenings hundreds of little crabs came out of their holes
to run along the shore.




Again and again till we were so tired from throwing them!
…
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