Haven't seen this in a while...

We finally have a camera!!!  Thought I would take a minute to share two adorable pictures with you. :)

This was us Sunday morning in Tunduma.  Isn't B handsome?  I think so!

Our pups have found a new use for our treadmill - nap time!  Mocha will be staying with us, but Peanut will be going to a good home either tomorrow or the day after.  I should mention, our treadmill is under a leak - hence it has towels draped on it when not in use.  Hence they prefer sleeping on the towels to sleeping on the cold tile in the house.  At least they don't try to sleep on the couch!

Input please!

  Hey all!  I don't know how many of you know this, but we are planning a furlough next year (April through Julyish).  We don't have tickets or anything yet, so dates aren't firm.
  Anyway, I am trying to think of stuff that might interest people - maybe putting together a display for the backs of churches we visit.  I assume Benjamin will be sharing on most of the spiritual progress and such.  I am interested in hearing what you would like to see or read about, so if you have any input, please let me know!
  Thanks!

RAIN!!!

So, for those of you who do NOT live here, you have no idea - can not begin to imagine or TRULY relate to the excitement that I have felt today.  IT HAS RAINED!!!  This is our first honest to goodness rain since May (I don't remember the exact date...)

  Goodbye dust!
  Goodbye clouds of dust from every vehicle going by!
  Goodbye to inches and inches of dust on my bookshelves!
  (So much dust deserves at least 3 goodbyes....)
  Goodbye nasty brown everything!
  Goodbye guilty feeling upon realizing that the dogs haven't had any water in their dish...
  Goodbye having to water the garden!
  Goodbye dry, dry, dry skin!
  Goodbye brown, dirty feet and that gritty sandy feeling on the floors - even just after they have been mopped!

Of course, the excitement wears a bit thin after... oh... two minutes.  This is what helped it wear thin:

  Hello - Daniel left his windows open - so running out in the rain to close them!
  Hello - to the muddy paw prints left behind as Peanut followed me!
  Hello to wet dog smell!
  Hello to six months of mud!
  Hello to slipping and (almost) killing oneself on wet tiles!
  Hello to rain pouring in through windows that don't seal (esp when it rains sideways)
  and finally...
  Hello to the water leaking from my ceiling and dripping on my treadmill!!!!!

All in all, I am still happy to see the rain.  It is hottest here before the rain comes.  We may still have another few weeks to a month before the rains start in earnest - but we can officially count this the first real rain of the season.

Puppies!

These pics were taken a few days ago by a friend.  Sometime this month we will be getting our own camera and won't have to rely on the kindness of others!!!  I am soooooooooooo excited!

I really love this picture of Mocha with her Papa Puppy.  :)  It is all the more remarkable since he usually doesn't tolerate them touching him.

All in all, not flattering pictures.  Then again, I have just about given up on liking a single picture that has me in it.  If I knew how, I would probably put a big yellow smiley over my face.  But I don't.

Benjamin has gone to Ivuna today.  He is visiting some other missionaries and will stay the night.  I was supposed to go with him, but got a bad case of the runs which then compounded with a migraine last night.  It was deemed best that I stay here.  I have a test and answer key for the Kings of Israel that I am working on anyway - as my head allows.

I'll try to post more some other time.
xoxo - Aud