Email Woes

Hello everyone!  I just wanted to let you know that our email here at TLC has been down for the past 10 days or so, so that's why none of you have heard from me.  We're connected again for the moment, but we never know how long it'll last.  We've been having extremely frequent power outages (either a power line goes down in bad weather, or the power station cuts our power as a sort of "power sharing" thing, or someone steals our power lines), and everytime the power goes out, so does our email server!  So for the moment, I am connected again, so keep the emails coming!  I received at least some of the emails that you all sent to me, and I will try to get back to you as soon as I can.  If you're concerned that I didn't get an email from you, go ahead and send it again, and I'll probably get it this time.  All my love,

Amanda

Raindrops are falling on my head...

Well, I moved into a new cottage this week.  They've just completed construction on new volunteer cottages so that they have enough room to house all of the volunteers, and I go to be in the first group to move into the first new cottage!  Sounds exciting, huh?  Well, it is very nice, but we discovered on our first night in there that it leaks when it rains.  A lot.  Rain came flooding in under the front door, in the windows and down the walls.  It would have been pretty funny watching us running around trying to sop up all of the puddles with the 4 towels that we had!  But we're settling in, and starting to get adjusted to our new house.  Now if only the rest of the furniture would arrive, we would be living in style!  I'm sure they posted pictures of it on the TLC website at TLC.org.za, so you should go check it out. 

 

Things are still going well here.  I really feel like I'm getting settled and adjusted and I absolutely love the work.  I've spent a couple more days taking babies to the hospital for various appointments, which is always an interesting experience.  Other than that, I spend nearly every day in the nursery taking care of the babies.  We're getting many new volunteers, so things are beginning to run more smoothly, and we're really starting to come together as a team.  That said, I'm still feeling pretty homesick sometimes.  It's been nice to be in contact with people, so keep the emails coming!  I LOVE hearing about things at home! 

 

We have two adoptions coming up next week, which leaves me with mixed emotions.  First, it is SO exciting knowing that these little people are getting a family!  I was holding one of the little guys last night, and I was thinking about what a privledge it is, to be the one holding him and snuggling him and loving him.  Somewhere halfway around the world, there's a mommy and a daddy who are dreaming of this baby boy.  They've seen only a picture, and they're wondering how he's doing and what he's like and they're already starting to fall in love.  And next week, we get to place these little boys, who we have loved, into the arms of their parents, and they get to start a brand new life.  It's just an amazing thought.  But then it is also sad, because these boys are going to leave a hole here at TLC for me.  New babies will come to take their place, because there are so many who need the care that we can provide.  But I love these boys.  I can't imagine the nursery without them.  On that note, I have to get back to the babies!  Love and miss you all!  Blessings,

Amanda

Instant Coffee and other such things

I'm just sitting in front of the computer right now, drinking a cup of instant coffee.  Why, you're probably asking yourself, is a self professed Starbucks-loving coffee-snob drinking instant coffee?  Well, here in Africa, where the best coffee in the world is grown, one can hardly find a real coffee maker, let alone actual coffee.  Hard to believe, isn't it?  Everyone here drinks instant and appears to like it.  Don't worry, I've formulated a plan for how to deal with my deprivation.  

 

Things are going well here.  I'm really feeling comfortable in the nursery and with all of our babies.  It's hard to believe how much, in such a short time, I have come to love them.  And yes, I do have a favorite.  He's an adorable little guy with huge eyes and wild, curly hair.  Love him!  There are a couple of babies who are sick with pnumonia right now, including my guy, so if you could say a few prayers for a quick recovery, that would be great. 

 

I've made several more hospital visits since that first one, and am still finding them interesting and challenging.  For one thing, it's nice to get off the Farm!  All of the doctors here are at hospitals, so these appointments aren't anything serious, just things like x-rays and audiology appointments, usually for adoption paperwork. The people have all been extremely nice and helpful, and although hospital visits tend to take several hours longer than they would at home, it's nice to spend some one-on-one time with the babies. 

 

It's still strange to be here on the farm 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  We all try to get a "lift" out of here on our day off, because you just feel so trapped sometimes!  I miss my own car terribly, although driving here doesn't look like an experience I'd enjoy.  I'm really feeling settled and comfortable, but am also still missing home terribly.  Homesickness is just no fun!  Okay, I need to head to work, but I will update again soon.  Love you all, miss you all, and you should all email me sometime!