Saturday

Random realizations:

--Starting to recognize the various birds' chirps that wake me up in the morning.

--Strangely becoming used to 'swimming' while I sleep.

--Realizing just how few traffic rules actually exist in Malawi.

--Having the little kids run up to your window at a stop light asking for money (and/or available chocolate candy per Rachel!)  The smiles you get in response....priceless.

--Grocery shopping: I have done more money math conversions in the past week than I have in the past 5 years combined. Whew...

--Riding on the back of the golf cart with Rachel, while Mrs. Nell Chinchen drives...wondering "what are we doing here?!"

--Then proceeding to bottom-out on the golf-cart amid hysterics.

--Getting really excited about a coke, sprite, or Soba...the new orange drink!...anything to substitute for water.  No worries...i am well-hydrated (water for every meal)...i refuse to have an 8th kidney stone while in Malawi.

--Becoming accustomed to the 6 pm blackouts...Electricity cuts out about every 3 days at predictably 6 pm.  Just in time for dinner.  

--Realizing that there is so much to process when living here...so much so that it almost seems impossible to write it all down...thus making responding to emails difficult! (yet loving getting them!!)

--Just how excited one can get from someone lending you spare dishes and a spare rug!  Rachel and I 'laid' on the carpet forever...just relishing the moment.

--Hysterically and somewhat deliriously laughing at the delays on Skype--makes for some funny family moments talking to Mom and Dad.