WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY FAVORITES

The sun is shining, the sky is blue with white clouds dancing, and I am now "Mimi Sue." It is a Friday to remember, indeed. What a week of wondrous joy...and a week to celebrate in gratitude. My "Friday Favorites" come easily and certainly make me smile.

First, one of my favorite pictures of new granddaughter Abigail who apparently is most contented with her hands in prayerful contemplation :-)...

Next, not sure if this is exactly what Andrew looked like when he finally got the news that he was officially an uncle, but I was thrilled that the Tanzanian phone lines were up and going this morning so that I could have a great chat with him ~ he is so very excited and looks forward to printing off many pictures next weekend when he is in Moshe (actually I'm going to send him prints and hope they reach him first). He also gave me a wonderful update on his village projects - they are establishing bio-intensive gardens to take advantage of every precious drop of rainwater as they develop their crops. Things are moving quickly and going well ~ he's very encouraged and sounds happy.

I am hoping to see Gran Torino soon, and a friend had shared this link to a tribute to the film's music ~ incredible! Definitely a favorite from the week to share with you!

Finally, I've been "thinking pink" all week as we've welcomed Abigail and certainly as I look through my shops I do have "favorites" there as well.

~ "Pretty in Pink" Necklace at Artfire

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

A NEW DAY...EVERYWHERE!

Got an email from Andrew overnight and was able to catch up with him finally by phone today to learn how he experienced Inauguration Day in Tanzania. Here's a "snippet" of his email:

"In Moshi for Obama and it was amazing! Watched the entire thing with 3 other volunteers, an American, a Canadian, Dutch, and a New Zealander. The power in the city only went out twice, but it was during some crucial moments like Biden's inauguration and the very end of Obama's speech. Nonetheless, was very happy to be an American and a volunteer in the UNITED STATES Peace Corps, something that I'm now comfortable adding onto my introductions. ;)"

When we talked today, he explained that the atmosphere was very joyous and crowds were large, but they had opted for a smaller canteen-type restaurant to dine in and watch the event...and that he was glad for the choice. He said that one of diners was a former PC volunteer from the 60's and related her experiences with the Civil Rights movement. Noting the various nationalities also in attendance, Andrew said the discussion post-inauguration regarding politics, world-impact, etc. was very interesting and engaging. He said they were glad they had opted out of one of the larger "bashes" that was occuring throughout Moshi for the more intimate setting.

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

I see trees of green, red roses too

I see them bloom for me and you

And I think to myself

what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night

And I think to myself

what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces of people going by

I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do

They're really saying I love you.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow

They'll learn much more than I'll never know

And I think to myself

what a wonderful world

Yes I think to myself

what a wonderful world.

It's late, I know, but I couldn't help but think that it's already Inauguration Day ~ January 20th ~ a very special day that many have been waiting to celebrate, not just here, but around the world.

I've been watching the news (yesterday, now, I suppose) and have been amazed, overwhelmed at the crowds and stories that are pouring forth out of our Capital....and learned tonight that a dear friend's daughter will be there tomorrow as well - a "young girl" last I saw her, now an adult ready to live history. I smile.

And Andrew ~ half a world away ~ texted, yes, texted me a few days ago to double check on the ceremony in "Tanzanian time" as he is planning a trip to Moshi - the closest city where he can try to watch everything on a television. No doubt there will be other PC volunteers with him ~ when I called him on election night, they were gathered in Moshi around a canteen TV, cheering in youthful exuberance at one moment, frustrated at the next when the "network" would cut to some "insignificant" bike race! LOL! Fortunately, his village and Moshi are very close to the Kenyan border and television, when he can find it, is following President-elect Obama (only need to use the "elect part" until noon today!) very closely! I will be calling Drew at some point during the activities to see if they have succeeded in securing a TV connection and to get his feedback on the Tanzania/Kenya response to today.

Ok...and now on a lighter note (and no getting mad and huffy with me....) - this is all in good fun, 'k? Found these on the Huffington Post blog and thought they were worth sharing for the day! Enjoy....or not!

First, a game to try as you say "goodbye" to our "outgoing" jCommander - in - Chief

Goodbye, Mr. Bush!

Secondly, a FUN video look at what LEGOLAND can do with the inaguaration...yes, LEGOLAND:

LegoLand Inauguration

HAPPINESS IS...

• TGIF, of course! :-)
• Anticipating our first "real snow" of the season (with a heartfelt apology to all my "north-western" friends, seriously!)
• A wake-up email from Andrew from across the ocean, thanking me for the birthday package -- especially for "the Zombie Survival Handbook as there have been countless times where I've just been beside myself as what to do about my highly vulnerable courtyard entrance as it would surely be damaged during the inevitable undead assault." (If you know Andrew, you really appreciate this...and his sense of humor!!)
  
• Dreaming of spring (I know, I know - totally contradicts the anticipating first "real snow" - get over it!) by drooling over this "Hello Yellow" Swing Coat! Love It!!



• And this wonderful "find" while I was "entrecard-hopping" this morning:

A Long-Awaited Phone Call!

First there was the email waiting for me yesterday morning telling me in very excited fashion of his official assignment, and then the news that he had, indeed, purchased a cell phone and was going to call me right away.....Yes, finally, direct contact and updates from Andrew, my Peace Corps volunteer son in Tanzania!

We had the most wonderful phone chat -- although I can't tell you the number of times both of us simply said - "It's just so good to hear your voice!!" (wonder how much that cost!!??) He is doing so well and succinctly states that the experience so far has been indescribable, incredible, and amazing.

The map above shows roughly where his assignment as a "MENTAL" (Peace Corps environmentalist) for the next two years will be. He was thrilled to learn that he is the first PCV being assigned to this site, but reassured me that there are "plenty of cool volunteers already there" in the region, and explained that he will be approximately 14km from Same. As he describes it, "I'm going to be in the mountains... like... IN the mountains." You can see from the map the close proximity of Mt. Kilimanjaro - a climb he has hoped to make sometime during his time in Tanzania!

Andrew will be sworn in officially on the 20th and then sometime in the next couple of days after that make the trek to his new "digs". I was also happy to see some new photos that he's shared, and he tells me he's sending me more of his host family who I'm looking forward to "meeting" through pictures since they took such good care of him and he thought so much of them!

"No worries, Mom!"

Tanzania Report

Yes, I've had another long-awaited (whew!) email from Tanzania and, thanks to the "wonders" of Facebook, a picture as well of Andrew "in Peace Corps action!" (he's on the far left, wearing his "signature" beanie!). As a Mom, it is so good to hear from him and yes, so good to see him looking well! He tells me that he's completed his language training (Kiswahili) and has been shadowing another "mental" (the slang term for Andrew's position - "environmentalist").

Official training period is rapidly coming to a close, and he will be returning to Dar Es Salaam soon to be sworn in officially and receive his village assignment where he will serve for 2 years. And yes, he promises that he IS getting a cell phone when he gets to Dar so I'm really looking forward to that first phone call!

AND...Andrew even found time to update his Peace Corps blog so be sure to check it out!

Where in the WORLD is Andrew GOING????

If you've been following our Peace Corps-bound saga with son, Andrew, you know we've been waiting anxiously for the "official" invitation and assignment....as promised, they arrived this past week (while said son was enjoying a well-deserved spring break Caribbean cruise - a special senior "gift" to him and a friend from his friend's very wonderful parents). So.....drum roll, please......yes, his first choice actually (well, after Kenya - which actually, I think should have been "off the table" since I think the Corps removed everyone from there a couple of months ago!) -- TANZANIA! He's very excited - graduation is Mother's Day weekend -- then June 8th he heads to Philadelphia for 2 days of orientation before flying to Tanzania for a couple of months training at a "Peace Corps hub". Then it's off to his assigned "village" where he will serve from Aug. 24th through 2010 as the "Village-Based Extension Facilitator" (project has to do with crop expansion in the village). Hmmm....wonder how they will feel about pumpkins and gladiolas? LOL! Soccer girl and I are already trying to figure out how we can "swing" a visit sometime in his 2+ years over there (cha-ching! Of course, soccer girl thinks the biggest hurdle is all the shots she would need to get!).

If you want to see exactly where Tanzania is located, there is a map of Africa/Subsaharan Africa posted on the right column of the blog. Tanzania is on the eastern coast, just south of Kenya, and is home to Mt. Kilimanjaro.