Day... uh, 4?

I actually had to ask earlier what day it was.

It's only day 4 and I'm already having trouble remembering, just wait for 2 weeks from now.

Anyway, we've spent most of everyday so far at Sascu, I forgot my camera yesterday so I didn't post anything, it's boring without pictures.

Today we started the day with French toast and bacon, yum much? 

Then we met up with out friend Aisha and we went to the market, it was the first time I'd gone to an African market, we bought fruit and meat for dinner tomorrow. 

(No pictures from there, it was quite the experience but having my camera out would not have been a good idea)

We went back to Sascu and started by painting toenails, and more toenails, and more toenails....

More kids kept showing up to have their toenails painted! 

Eventually we had to take a break, there were just so many kids there!

After that we took a few of the girls inside and gave them dresses and headbands and hats to wear and took them outside and took pictures of them for their sponsor profiles.

Each of these girls is a happy, smiling, playful, fun loving little girl. 

Yes, they're stories are sad, they're pasts aren't pretty, but each of them could tell you what their favorite subject in school is, what they like to do, and loves to pick out dresses to dress up in.

We had 7 young girls in one room, dressing up and putting headbands and things on, they sounded exactly like any little girls in America would, they were having so much fun!  

Just because they're pasts are ugly, doesn't mean they're any different than any child you'd meet in the U.S. 

I love these little girls so much, they're so sweet and loving and amazing little girls.

*

When we left, each of the kids hugged us repeatedly and said bye a hundred times, even though we told them over and over we are coming back tomorrow! 

Jeff even climbed in the car! He's a cutie. :)

We'll be taking more pictures of the other kiddos tomorrow (We need to get more clothes for the little boys)

Tomorrow all the kids will be home from school, so most likely there will be a ton of kids there.

Day 2 in Uganda

Today was amazing. amazing.

We spent all day a Sascu, they have classes in the mornings for the kids around Sascu (who don't live there) and after they leave, the kids from who live at Sascu (And go to school) get home in the the afternoon.

So there were kids there all day, it was like a pretty fantastic dream.

I was kind of in Heaven.

Especially since the ones that go to Sascu in the mornings, are little, the Sascu kids are older, so playing with little ones was amazing.

This little cutie's name is Naheea, She was honestly one of my favorites from this morning, so stinking sweet!! She even came back to play with us later :)

This little girl was exactly as her name implied, Precious ♥

Of course, I adore the Sascu kids, so I was still really happy when they came home from school!

Shanita. She is a super adorable and incredibly sassy 6 year old girl. 

Granjan and Sophie, she's a absolutely precious and sweet 6 year old 

Miss Witness. She is one of the sweetest and giggliest little girls I know, she's 8 :)

Irene, I hadn't really met her before today, but she's really sweet, I'm also not sure how old she is, I'm pretty sure she's older than Witness, but who knows. I'll try and remember to ask her tomorrow

Jeffu! This little boy was terrified of me last year, but played with me all day yesterday, he's such a cutie!!

Me, Granjan, and a bunch of the kids :) Yeah, this is Heaven right here.

Our plans for tomorrow (today) are pretty much exactly the same.

My sweet girls.

Often when I think of what I'll do and who I'll see while I'm in Uganda, I think of Sascu, chasing the kids around, playing hide and seek, and teaching them other games.

But the last few days, my thoughts have been in Jinja.

My love ♥

With my babies, the little ones that I adore. Hugging, tickling, kissing, and laughing with them all day long.

Even the little bitty babies that I hold while the others are napping, feeding them bottles and watching them fall asleep in my arms.

The big kids at the children's home, laughing and talking to them, though they only know a few words in English, dancing and playing for hours.

But specifically with two little girls who stole my heart almost a year ago.

Esther and Gift are two sweet little 3 or 4 year old girls who I have called "mine" since last August.

The first time I really met these girls was one day we were walking with the older kids to the baby home because someone had snacks to give them. Esther was losing her shoes so I just held her and Gift was crying a few steps behind us because she didn't want to walk. I held her hand and she stopped crying and walked with me. Since then those two sweet little girls have held my heart.

I adore them, their big brown eyes, their contagious giggles, their sweet shy smiles.

Last year, moments after I walked into the children's home I would say "Where's my Esther?" and she would run up, giggling, and hug my legs. I'd pick her up and spin her around, and attempting to put her down practically turned into a game as she swung her legs up before they hit the ground.

In October I went to the children's home with a few other people who were there at the same time we were, all the kids ran up to the people with me as they already knew them, they had been there longer. 

All but little Gift, who threw her arms around my legs and wouldn't let go.

I hugged her and held her until my arms got so tired I had to put her down. She grabbed onto my hand and followed me around and sat on my lap wherever I went.

The following Sunday at church (Which is held at the children's home as well) they hadn't come out of the house yet and church had already started. I was confused as to why I hadn't seen them but didn't think much of it. They came out with the group of kids who were still inside, they saw me sitting down and both ran over and hugged me. 

Don't get me wrong, there are so many kids in Uganda that I adore, from the babies at Sonrise, to all the kids at Sascu, but these two both have a special place in my heart ♥

My sweet Esther <3
Sadly I don't have a picture of miss Gifty, but I'll post one when I'm in Uganda :)

12 days

6/30/13
***
Less than a month,

 3 Weeks,

21 days.

Until I'm back on a plane to Africa.

Just about 24 hours after that, I'll be stepping on Ugandan soil again.

I'll be back.

Back in my favorite place in the world.

Back to the place my heart calls home.

Where my heart soars.

Where I'm more comfortable than anywhere in the U.S. 

I'll be back in my element.

Whether it be chasing 8 year olds for hours on end,

sitting on the couch talking to the girls at SASCU while they braid my hair,

Or cuddling babies all day long,

I know I'm where I'm supposed to be.

Where I dream to one day truly be home. 

But for now, I'm only 13.

And I can't wait to soak up every second I'm on Ugandan soil.

Every moment I spend with my favorite kids ever. 

Every second I get to hug and kiss the sweet little babies I miss so much.

Every minute spent with our amazing Ugandan friends <3

It's SO unreal to think that I'll be back in 3 weeks.

The last 2 weeks have flown by. 

I just hope the next 3 will as well!! 
***

It feels like it was just yesterday that I typed that quickly and ended up deciding for some reason or another, not to post it, seemed repetitive I suppose, but I wanted to put it on here anyway.

That was 9 days ago, I am now 12 days away from getting on a plane to Uganda.

Yes, you heard that right,

12 Days.

Woah. How on Earth did that happen!?

It's certainly beyond me.

I began packing my suitcase on Saturday, trying to decide what and how much I want to take.

Most of our luggage is devoted to stuff we're bringing for people in Uganda, so I'll mostly just have my carry-on.

Part of me is saying

"I'll only be there for a month, how much do I need?"

The other part is still comprehending how long a month is, how long I'll be away from my family.

I've said it once, I'll say it again, this is so unreal.

A little voice in my head is saying I should be nervous.

Except I'm more busy listening to the one that's dancing around and singing 24/7 because it's so stinking excited!

I'm hoping to update from Uganda at least once a week with everything we've been up to, hopefully closer to daily or every other day unless we don't have wifi.

I'm sure there'll be plenty of stories to tell and pictures to see :D

12 days, it's approaching rapidly, and yet it doesn't seem as though it's fast enough.

See you soon, kiddos ♥

*45 Days*

45

It is beyond me who that number has declined so quickly.

And how much has changed in the last 35 or so.

Originally, the plan was that Dad would be coming for the first 2 weeks, possibly with a few other people, and the me and Granjan would be there for 2 more weeks after that.

Now Dad won't be able to go at all, the tickets are extremely expensive right now and since Dad will have to go back soon he isn't going at all in July.

SO this is the longest I'll be away from both my parents at the same time.

Not only that but I'll be 8,000 miles away in a third-world country.

Not that I'm nervous, it's just so unreal.

We just got our tickets last week! We will be leaving Kentucky Sunday the 21 of July, and arriving in Uganda late late the 22nd.

I can't use words to convey my excitement for this trip, my love for these people and the country of Uganda is too much to put into words.

Today I woke up later than usual due to the fact that I was dreaming about my Ugandan babies.

Every now and then I decide to go through pictures of the trip back in August, as pictures are the closest thing I have to seeing them.

I've looked at my pictures a billion and one times so instead I scrolled through Rileigh's pictures.

Half the time it was fairly difficult to see the pictures as I had tears in my eyes. 

I have memories from that trip that can never be matched.

I cannot believe that just 45 days from now I'll be on a plane, back to see these very same kids that I love so much.

I'm so beyond thankful.

♥

How can you say no to those eyes?

I feel like I didn't realize until now how much I adore those eyes.

Their beautiful big brown eyes that have so much depth, that I know have seen so much.

So much I wish they hadn't, so much I never want to.

Those eyes that are still filled with so much joy,

so much beautiful love.

That are so clearly asking, can someone love me?

It breaks my heart just a little bit more every time I look into their eyes.

How can you say no them then?

How can you say no I don't have enough money?

Or enough time?

Enough of anything?

"Someone else will do something I already have so much I need to do"

"I'm sure there's already enough people doing something"

"Let someone else do it" 

Let me tell you, that is not always (hardly ever) the case.

Fundraising is hard, because that's how everyone thinks.

And when everyone is thinking that way, nobody is giving. 

It's like playing a game when there are a bunch of people running to get the ball or whatever it may be, and everyone backs up to let someone else get it, and then nobody does.

Please, oh please, look into those gorgeous eyes and consider sponsoring or giving in some way.

Because when you do, it's really hard to say no ♥

I promise it's not hard to find a reason to give!

We need money to send the kids back to school in the next week and a half or so.

We send them money often to cover many different costs. 

There are a lot of different reasons to give, and when you do, you get to see your gift work to help these kids.

And you know you're serving God's children.

There's a link on the sidebar to our website where you can donate and/or sponsor a child at SASCU, we will have new pages added to the site as soon as possible but until then, Isaiah117.org is up and running! :) 

Wordless Wednesday

 ♥ 80 Days ♥