the boys. 2 and 4. whew. July 23

Laughing, crying, dancing, shouting, tickling and lots of night night. That’s what last week consisted of plus changing diapers and cooking “substantial meals.” I have a new found respect for parenting after the past 9 days. I have known that parenting is quite an in-depth and exhausting yet invigorating task. But now I realize how much love and daily living outside of yourself it requires. Aidan and Eli are almost two and almost four respectively. They get up around 6am every morning and don’t stop until 7pm that night. I’ve been reflecting this week (after 7p when they go to sleep) about what it’s like for God and His children. I wonder if He gets so exhausted because He’s been trying to teach us the same thing but yet we continue on the wrong path. Choosing unwisely. But each day is new and it seems with each day comes the next bit of strength. Then just when you think…this is not going to matter a light goes off and someone actually listens to what you’re saying! This morning Eli and I spent 20 minutes on the floor learning about sharing. He has a Thomas the tank and another train that hook on to each other and he doesn’t like for Aidan to come and play with them. So after a snatching episode from Aidan we took twenty minutes of me holding him while he cried for his toys back and constantly saying, “You have to share.” After about twenty minutes Aidan came in and Eli let him play with the trains…I felt victorious. It worked. It seems like Eli really learned how to share!!!! But then an hour after that…repeat situation. I am amazed how God never gives up. If our parenting is just an echo of the amount of patience and love we have for our children, His love truly is boundless.

We have had tons of laughs and Gifty and I have really grown closer this past week. You know the saying “you become like a child when you have children.” I think there is some truth to that. I found myself looking forward to playing night night. That’s where you pretend to fall asleep and then wait for Aidan and Eli to come over and say WAKE UP. Then you scream real loud and throw them in the air! It’s great fun! We jumped on the bed every night after our neighborhood walk. They kids and parents here love Aidan and Eli. They constantly ask, “Are they twins?” We have cows that graze in front of our house so every morning and afternoon Eli runs outside side saying “MoooooooMoooo” Since he’s two and living in a foreign country his language development isn’t to where he’s speaking complete sentences since he has double the amount of words. My name is something like “gargar” and Gifty’s name is “gifee.” Going anywhere with these two if fun and they really enjoy car rides. On the hunt for bulldozers and dump trucks, which they call tippa trucks here because the tip out the contents inside.

Going to the Accra zoo was interesting. Since I was in the North a couple of weeks ago and saw elephants in their wild natural habitat I thought I couldn’t top that. Sure enough do you know that at the zoo in Africa there were no elephants! Wouldn’t have thought that huh. There were however tons of snakes. Not my favorite.

The other major God thing that has developed over this past week is the growing of Gifty’s and my relationship. We have laughed and prayed and talked about issues this week. We both like to be silly and loud. We got lost in Accra a couple of times and laughed about it together. Her closest relative lives six hours away so we both have those feelings associated with being away from family. We are both in the latter 20’s and have shared culturalisms from Ghana and America. God has put an awesome person in my path.

I also had a meeting last Sunday with a guy from Atlanta. He works with local Ghanaians discipling them so they can in turn disciple other nationals. I’m going to go up to Kumasi in the second week of August to shoot some video for them. Not going to edit it, just interviews and file footage. I really need to find a tutor and do language training. I’m calling a girl named Ama today I met at a print shop. I went with Claire because she’s involved in starting a new international school here and this girl was there looking for a job. I just asked how she was and what she was doing and that’s when she told us “looking for a job.” She got hired and Claire went back in the next week. Ama is taking Linguistics at University of Legon. So I think she might try and tutor us…I just got her number last night, so I’m going to call today. Oh and guess what’s in four days????? That’s right 27 on the 27th! Hooray. And I have to say I have the best friends in the whole world. Seriously. Thanks to Sarah for spear heading my “surprise birthday box.” We had talked how neither of us has ever had a surprise birthday party and weren’t going to get one the next two years. So she sent me a box with all the party supplies, hats, noisemakers and TIERRA (Marley would be proud) to make my birthday a celebration…THANKS SO MUCH!!!!! Also, I’ve gotten several letters and e-mails from everyone…it’s really a great encouragement! Love to all!

Margaret