The time between Christmas and the 4th was “Nothing Week” this year.  And what a delicious time it’s been.  Although David did work some it was not the pressured intense work he usually does.  And I completely shunned the very notion of CSB work whenever it entered my mind, instead focusing on nurturing my family.

We woke up late each day and ate two meals; breakfast not until around 10 or 11 and an early evening meal.  Just not having to cook as often was luxurious!  Most meals were shared by friends who are staying with us or nearby.   During our days we listened for hours on end to Naomi’s Christmas gift from her Gramma Elizabeth, the Laura Ingalls Little House series on CD.  Naomi and Quinn set up playmobil Little House configurations endlessly until we finally finished the CDs we have today.  Gramma you better buy some more for when we arrive home!!

The Nintendo DS’s we invested in this Christmas (trying to buy gifts that were small, lightweight and portable and useful all around the world!) have gotten continual community play as well.  I love that almost all the play is done together, not shut off alone somewhere but sharing the adventure with friends or a sibling.

The evenings have been devoted to Monopoly marathons with two young guys who are hanging out here.  Naomi and Quinn have really discovered the game for the first time.  So much laughter and fun for all!  We played other games too, sometimes all afternoon and then into the evenings, eating as we went.

David and I spent time throughout the week creating a holiday book for our children that will hopefully last a few generations.  I wrote and he illustrated and the results were pretty terrific if I do say so myself.  We presented the book to the children during the traditional New Years Day Scavenger hunt as the final prize.  They loved the pictures of themselves and learning more about Christmases around the world and the tradition of Santa Claus.

Meanwhile, Naomi and I sorted through clothes to begin winnowing down to clothes which will travel with us.  She is sentimental about her clothing so we chose which special friends to give different items to and then chose a few that will be included in a memory quilt for her.  From these I also pieced out some American Girl doll clothing for her doll.  I had great fun sewing together the tiny clothes as we listened to our audio books and presenting them to Naomi one by one.  I also began knitting a beautiful scarf for my little sunshine-haired princess to wear in her much-dreamed-of Paris as we pass through next month.

On New Years eve we had a small impromptu bonfire with a few staff friends and stayed up till midnight to make noise along with the rest of the town.   And on New Years Day we cooked our traditional Flanagan Family Olibolen (Dutch Donuts) for breakfast and had Nancy’s family to eat with us.  She laughed and cavorted and showed off in her fancy Christmas dress and generally made the morning delightful.  In the afternoon we headed up to Ngite Falls with Kakungulu, Ephraim and his big brother Tim.  For the first time Naomi and Quinn climbed all the way up and down unaided and Quinn swam in the falls.  What a sense of pride and accomplishment!!  It was an amazing day.

On the 2nd we continued in the adventurous spirit and headed up to Sempaya National Park where we trekked through rainforest jungle paths and saw the hot springs and boiled our plantains and eggs in them.  Another full day of beauty and wonder shared in community.  Delightful.

Now the reality hits me.  19 more days to do it all.  Tomorrow we will leave behind these idyllic “nothing” days and plunge into crazy work mode.  Wednesday the children will begin “RAS” Rwenzori Adventure School with Miss Anna for two weeks – a quest to suck the marrow out of life in Bundibugyo and end this phase of their education with a bang.  Meanwhile I will pack, purge, give away, write policy, consolidate documents, work on the library.  And David will begin the great handover in earnest.

Excitement, sadness, joy, grief, anticipation, hope . .. . All mingle as we move forward.