Home

Where is home? I believe I am home, and the saying "Home is where the heart is" to be very true. I frequently get asked. When are you coming home? How long are you going to be there, as if there is some place strange for me to be? My reply: "I am home. I'll probably come to visit the states in a few years (or when Jackie is grown up and married)."
I really do feel at home. I'm at peace here. Roots have grown deep here and are going deeper by the day. My apartment is here. My kids are here. My life is here. I love Uganda and don't look at it as being a missionary here. I actually hate being referred to as a missionary. I live here. It just happens that this is where I'm serving God.
And it's not that Uganda needs me. I'm blessed to have the privilege to live here. I've been tremendously blessed here. Blessed by the love that has surrounded me (not that there's never any problems or conflicts in relationships), blessed by all that I have learned, and blessed by all that God has shown and taught me here.
I've always been somewhat of a gypsy, never really feeling settled. In fact, in my entire adult life, I've never spent more than a year in a particular residence (until the apartment I'm currently living in- by the time I move out it will be a year and a half). But, living in Uganda is settling me. I don't long to move around, unless out of necessity (distance from work, etc.). There is still a lot that I want to see and do, but Uganda has pulled my heart. No matter where I go or what I do, I believe I will always be drawn back here. I'm loving the sense of stability that I've had over the last couple of years here. And it's getting more and more stable by the day as roots do continue to grow deeper.
I am home.

I've Got My Room Back!

She did it! She finally decided that she would move into the kids room! And she's loving it! I am too!
At the beginning of April (after a couple of weeks of discussion), Jackie finally decided that she would move into the "children's room." Now, it no longer the "children's room." It is her room and her bed and she's a big girl because she can sleep alone in her own bed!
And I've got my room back! No more little kids clothes and toys strewn all over the place. I can go to sleep at whatever time I want to. I can watch movies or read a book while in bed before I go to sleep without having to worry if I'm going to wake someone up! It's given me some privacy! I can actually close the door and get a moment or two alone (although they are usually very brief moments before I'm interrupted by a knock on the door).

Lots of other stuff going on in the last month since I've posted. Visitors. Meetings. Staff changes. Parents craft group beginning. End of term I for students. A weekend away.
I really wish I was better and more consistent at blogging....... maybe someday.