Beauty in Simplicity :)

Wow!

I have wanted to blog about this year's trip to Uganda SO MUCH over the past week, and there are JUST NO WORDS :) There are just too many thoughts floating around in my brain and I don't know where to start.

I love it in Uganda. I learn much in Uganda. And one thing I always miss coming back to Canada is the simplicity of the life that I experienced while away....Less distractions, less busyness, less choice (which can be both good and bad I realize ;)

This year I found some of the young girls making these AMAZING little dolls. They were literally made out of corn husks that were wrapped around plastic shopping bags and tied off with straw. THEN the girls used the pointy end of a protractor to thread through string hair (decorated with beads) and then ripped up used clothes/tshirts to make dresses for the dolls. They were the most creative and SIMPLE little dolls....and were made from the most simple and available supplies. Didn't need to spend any money etc. etc.

Which makes me think: Why don't I use my old stuff in new and creative ways? Why don't I cook something 'creative' out of what's already in my kitchen cupboards instead of buying new groceries all the time? And why don't I just go and tailor an old pair of pants instead of going and buying a new pair? Maybe I should be putting my own creative abilities to better use! :)

Anyhow, I'd love to post a whole heck of a lot more photos right now, but I'm only posting two ;) With these I assure you there will be more to come. But for now, here are two simple little photos: The first, one of the dolls and the second, a classic photo of a Ugandan mama that I find so SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL :)

Enjoy!

Snapshots and some tears ;)

I wish I could take pictures of my work at the hospital. There are some amazing and also hard moments there. And interestingly enough, I have a bundle of little snapshots of my work written on my mind....here's a few.

Snapshot 1: A mom, just recently up from the Operating Room, wheeled on a stretcher to see her preterm baby who was in our nursery incubator. The baby was being tranferred to another hospital because it wasn't breathing too well....and there was just this short moment where I lowered the side of the incubator and the mom reached out to touch her baby and she just couldn't contain herself....she looked down and then looked up with eyes glossing over and then she just started to sob. Maybe words just don't do it justice (or maybe they do).....it was just this horribly meaningful moment that will likely always stay with me.....

Snapshot 2: At a delivery a couple days ago, as I'm drying this (just born) baby on the mother's abdomen, I looked up and noticed that the father (who had seemed so "strong" during the delivery), had tears streaming down his cheeks. No sound....just tears streaming. I must say that whenever this happens, I'm nearly brought to tears myself. Nothing like the 'miracle' of life to bring out the vulnerability in a person ;)

Just some beatiful moments at work :)

And with that, a few more snapshots (not the written kind ;). A few days ago before lunch with a lovely friend....and a little family photo of my sister's family.....my favorite ;)

And my sister and her lovely family (and my new niece:).....yep! Marloe's the one in Jenny's arms ;) More to come.......

Have an awesome weekend :)

Sometimes.....

I just do not get it.....

At work there have been 5 fetal demises in the past 7 weeks. Two of which have happened during the last three nights shifts (that I just finished up). There is something just 'off' about seeing these babies delivered. As if hearing that your unborn baby has passed away isn't hard enough, we then need to get these women into labor to deliver the "fetus" (given that there is risk for infection etc. etc.) the longer they wait :(

I had one of these patients a couple nights ago. The baby was born (15 weeks) and it turned out to be about (but in reality quite a bit smaller than) the size of a lemon. It could fit into the palm of my hand. And as we do with all mom's experiencing this type of loss, we give them a 'memory box' with some baby bracelets, a hat, a crib card and some photos of the baby. So here I find myself, alone in a room taking pictures of this itsy bitsy tiny baby, thinking to myself "So what was your plan here God? Why have this baby growing for 15 weeks and then take that life away? Why have it's heart start beating and then decide to pull the plug?"

I do not get it. Likely will never see the light in this situation really.....

I guess (to look on the brighter side), it's really amazing to see how we're made. Honestly, us humans are some pretty unique creatures ;) The most amazing thing about seeing such a little baby was, to me, the fact that it had bones.....itty bitty teensy tiny little bones. And detail so intricate! Kinda neat to see something that only a select few will see with their eyes in a lifetime.....So I guess there's always some good with the bad.....

Anyhow, just thoughts. I'll close with a picture. I'll never look at a lemon the same way now that I've made the reference ;)

Memoirs

I sit here, at starbucks, relatively early in the morning, night shift tonight.....with Uganda on my mind. I just can't believe it's already been a month since I've come back! Time is flying.....

Anyhow, thought I'd share three thoughts: three thoughts, three pictures.....and honestly, if you're thinking, 'Oh my! I can't believe she's writing more about UGANDA!'.....I assure you that these people are absolutely amazing and the few little posts I've written don't do them justice (literally and figuratively) in ANY way.....

So here goes! :)

Story #1: Mary Kevin

I've talked about this young lady before (here). It was quite possibly the most amazing moment to see her again. The last time I'd seen her in '06, there was not a smile to be seen on her face, but the first day I arrived back this year, she came through the throng of children, shook my hand and with this HUGE smile said 'Hello! I'm Mary Kevin'......and it was from this moment that I think I'd found my match :) And to top it off, we'd sing wierd songs to each other....Simple little greetings in a 'sing song' way ;) Maybe a little odd, but like I said: I think I found my match!

Story #2: Water
This photo doesn't do the 'water' story justice. While I can just turn on a tap in my home and drink straight from it, these kids have daily chores, one of which is to go and collect water from a tap that is (what seems) a "short" walk down a hill. I tried on a few occasions to help, and after one trip up with two of these yellow containers filled with water, it hit home to see how hard these kids work everyday to satisfy the most basic of needs. The boys and girls rotate with who collects the water.....and they fill this GIGANTIC blue basin (I think it holds about 24 yellow jugs of water). While helping one day, I asked, 'I think it's full, yah?'.....and was quickly corrected as one of the children said, 'no, not yet' and pointed to the small amount of blue basin that had yet to be filled (the water was, in all honesty, an inch from the top :) Needless to say, that blue basin was filled to the BRIM and was spilling over. Maybe a literal analogy to how hard these kids work :)

Story #3: The Mama's
What do I say about these ladies! These three women have devoted their lives to caring for the 53 children who live on the 10 acres I visited. Three children's homes, three wonderful mama's! And although they're all amazing, I wanted to speak a bit for Mama Rose (in the middle, picking peanuts :).....Rose was on the 10 acres the last time I'd visited in '06. I have never met a woman who is more open about her faith in the sense that she would be up early every morning (aka 5am-ish) shouting 'HALLELUJAH!' at the top of her lungs for all to hear. I was behind one of the children's homes taking some quiet time for myself on another occasion, and she came around the home with her bible in hand (I think I might have taken her 'spot'). She sat a few paces from me, laid down a blanket and just starting worshipping like there was no-one else around (aka "I" was no longer there). She was humming to herself and raising her hands and then she opened the word and started reading, and then she started singing again....it was just her and God and that was all that mattered right then and there. It was lovely! So nice to see a heart laid open in front of me, and more importantly in front of the "big guy"......just encouraging :)

Anyhow, I think that's it. If you've made it to here, thanks for sticking around. Uganda will likely makes it way again onto this blog......Just far too many stories (and photos) to share :) But I've also recently taken pictures of a friend who was on the trip! So maybe I'll post those next time :)

Have an awesome day! And HALLELUJAH!! ;)

Spring Cleaning...

So, I was recently looking at a short devotion from 'Our Daily Bread' (yes folks, I definitely picked one up and tossed it in my purse!).....needless to say, one of the 'messages' that I came across intrigued me. The devotion held the title 'clearing out the clutter' and as I read through the words, I found myself thinking more and more about the baggage that each of us carries on a daily basis and how we need to let it go....

Here's what I read in 'Our Daily Bread' (yes, that rhymed ;)

"My garage serves as storage for things that don't have a place in our home, and, frankly, there are times when I am ashamed to open the door. I don't want anyone to see the clutter. So, periodically, I set aside a workday to clean it up.

Our hearts and minds are a lot like that - they accumulate lots of clutter. As we rub shoulders with the world, inevitably, perhaps unknowingly, we pick up ungodly thoughts and attitudes. Thinking that life is all about "me." Demanding our rights. Reacting bitterly toward those who have hurt us. Before long, our hearts and minds are no longer clean and orderly. And while we think we can hide the mess, eventually it will show...."

So, I'm moving. I have spent at least one day a week for the past couple months packing up my belongings and then, once a week, having them taken to storage. And it's funny (and I think that my roommates might agree), but it's actually nice to live in an apartment with less clutter. I mean the place looks empty....the walls in my room are now bare, as is the wall in the family room....but the clutter is disappearing and I feel my breaths easing with every box that leaves the house.

And it seems wierd, but I feel (and maybe even know) that this is how my life is going to be the next few months. I feel God prying at my heart with some things, and just encouraging me to let go of others....and it's hard to let go, but at the same time FREEING because I realize the relaxation that comes from looking at the bare walls all around me. I don't feel that God can work within the clutter (I mean, who can?), but that open and presumably empty heart....OH! I know he can do his work there :)

Anyhow, just felt like sharing. That seemingly small 'Daily Bread' manual really had it's way with me this time!

Next time Daily Bread....you're mine!

(And because I feel it necessary to include a picture, here you are: I will officially be seeing lots of Ugandan sunrises in the weeks to come! Booyah!)

Oh the Mystery!

Not long ago I somehow 'misplaced' my favorite lipchap. Needless to say, I went out and bought a new one, and put it in my purse (where the other one had gone missing from).

Well, that 're-purchased' lipchap just went missing a couple of days ago.....very confused, I told myself that I'm a) Not one to really misplace anything and, b) Not going crazy :)

WEEELLLL, yesterday one of my lipsticks disappeared! Now I'm really losing it....well, not losing it, but wondering what the heck my lips are going to do against the vancouver elements without 'goop' on them.

I was out to lunch with a friend today, and she said 'maybe there's a hole in your purse'....I mean, my purse IS large, but it's NEW also.....there couldn't possibly be a hole already ;)

Well, there was. I felt at the bottom of my purse and there was a whole whack load of stuff lounging out underneath the fabric in my purse.....and after reaching into the small hole and retrieving all of the items at the bottom, this is what I found:

-2 Burt's Bees Lip chaps (Woot!)

-1 Covergirl lipstick

-Feminine hygiene products ;)

-3 bobby pins

-A small bottle of American Eagle perfume

-A spare car key

-Candies

-A button AND....

-Rewetting drops for my contacts.

All in the bottom of my purse! Needless to say, Christmas has come WAY early for me this year (minus maybe the feminine hygiene products and the button :)

Don't know why I felt the need to share that....but there you go! My taste buds, car, eyes, hair AND lips are now very happy :)