What a day...

Today was your typical Sunday at Karim! Kids running and playing, babies screaming, Dada washing floors, and Juma fixing bikes! But this was my last Sunday at Karim... and the day I wasn’t ready to face yet. After a morning of playing, the kids went for a nap after lunch and so did we! LOL When we got up it was 3 so we only had one hour until our ride would be taking us to Kibo for the night. We spent this last hour blowing bubbles and giggling in the yard!

We told the driver 4 as they usually run on Africa time but of course the one day I want them to be late they aren’t! So I started to make my way around the yard saying my goodbyes. It didn’t take long until you know what started to slide down my face. And they started coming faster and faster as Hawa’s eyes filled and Saumu’s arms clung tight and then Neema started to cry but when I saw Lucy with tears runnydown her face, I couldn’t hold it in any more. Gave Juma a big hug and left before the tears came and then found Dada and thanked her for everything as she wiped the tears off my face. Ran back to the house to tell Aisha bye and she was waiting for me. I told them all I would be coming back and that’s a promise I won’t have trouble keeping at all! I just don’t know how long I will be able to stay away from them. Ernest wasn’t home when we left so I didn't got to say good-bye, which was really hard for me because he was one of the first to capture my heart and I think Mom saw that pretty fast! Ellie gave me a hug and I waved goodbye to Mama Ellie and we were off down the bumpy road. This time it seemed longer than ever! Thank goodness we didn’t have to say goodbye to Linda or Rehema yet as they are taking us to the airport tomorrow night!

When we finally got to the hotel Bebe Granny and I raced to our room to get in the shower! We were both giggling at the thought of a hot shower! I realized it’s been at least 4 or 5 days since I’ve had any kind of shower! Oops!? It’s Africa right!? LOL I know what my brother would say to me right now! Haha “That’s just gross.” Then we skyped my Mom, Dad, Shane and Christina. The other day mom asked me “Do you have braids in your hair?” I laughed. "Umm, no Mom my hair hasn’t been brushed or washed for 5 days so I’m starting on the dreads!"  LMAO And to be honest it hasn’t bothered me the slightest, not even having a little sand in-between my toes, I had other things on my mind. But I’ll tell you that shower was amazing! After spending 15 minutes with the brush and a handful of hair late,r I removed the "dreads" and smelled clean and fresh! After getting out of the shower my first thought was “Man that felt good!” and my second was “Okay, I’m ready to go back to Karim!” I think It’s clear I’ve fallen in love with Africa and these amazing watotos (kids) in this beautiful place that so many people have helped make possible. I know where my second home is - it's in Africa now. Home is where the heart is right!? Each child and adult here have my heart now too. My heart is smiling, my eyes are wet.  I have collected hundreds of pictures and memories but I’m still not ready to come home...