Thankfulness Abounds

I don't have to think hard this Thanksgiving to figure out what I am thankful for. My heart is already brimming over. I have just been reading back over old blog entries from the past year however, to help process and get ready for debriefing this coming week. I noticed that my older entries flowed much better and were beautiful to read. The more recent entries seem to appear more straitforward and not so eloquent. Not sure what happened. Anyway, it's wonderful to go back and see what I wrote and what I was thankful for this whole year through. God's faithfulness is incredible and his blessings abundant. I sometimes fail to see them though. It is my prayer that I will never lose the eyes to see God's fingerprints on everything around me every day of my life.

Our time of celebration here at Mirembe House has been great. Yesterday we piled in the bus and went to the movie theatre to see Fantastic Mr. Fox. Kind of a wierd movie...but also strangly funny. Today was more of our Thanksgiving celebration. Thanks to a family from Kings Park International Church we spent a fun morning, at their Christmas tree farm picking out a tree, playing games, and taking lots of pictures.

With some time to kill after the tree farm we decided to crash the party at Starbucks. After ordering 21 hot chocolates and several fancier drinks for the aunties and uncles we settled in at the tables, on the chairs, the windowsills, and the floor of Starbucks to read books, play games, and enjoy our drinks. Once again, the children's behavior amazed the people around and made us proud! You should have seen the barista's face when I informed him that these are the children that recorded on the CD that he had on his counter. Right now if you purchase $15 worth at Starbucks you will receive a free CD called All You Need Is Love. The first song of the same title was recorded by Playing For Change and features in part The African Children's Choir (our kids!). The song was recorded by many people/groups so you may not be able to distinguish their voices but they are part of the chorus :) Go pick it up if you get a chance. This afternoon a lovely family from KPIC invited us all over for a Thanksgiving Feast. It was wonderful. With full tummies and full hearts we enjoyed a leisurly afternoon and then toasted marshmallows by the fire in the evening. With 21 firey marshmallows being waved around I was a little nervous. God spared us all though and we left with sticky fingers and warms hearts. Thank you to the Metty's!

19 days left until the children fly home. The marbles in the jar hardly cover the bottom and as each day slips by I try to focus on the children and not think about how hard it is going to be to say goodbye...