27 days

away from this guy...

with no diet dr. pepper...

unable to sleep in my own bed cuddled up next to my husband...

27 days was made, not only bearable, but absolutely heavenly...

because of these (plus about 70 other) snit snorts.

I was so blessed to be able to go home to Zambia for a few weeks. A very special thanks to Benny for letting me spend money that we don't have, while he was stuck at home working 15 hour days, with no one to iron his shirts or fix his dinner. 

I cannot even begin to put into words the love I have for the babies and my friends at Namwianga, and the ache I feel when I'm not with them. 

First Things First

I've been gone the last few weeks to the best place on Earth, with some of the best people on Earth - more on that later. But first things first: Family Vacation.

Remember that freezing cold trip I mentioned? It was a total success (minus that fact that Dad got a tad bit grumpy once or twice, Ben's flatulence tortured everyone, and that one minor freak-out that I had on the top of a mountain cliff where I thought we were all going to die.)

The trip included:

lots of four-wheeling (along very narrow trails - hence the said freak-out),

a bit of snow, 

a tour of the occasional gold mine, 

and sack lunches in a Walmart parking lot while waiting for the tire shop to fix a blowout.

Ben and I also celebrated our one year anniversary while in the beautiful Silverton, Co. We opted out to not stay with the family, in the trailer, on the bunk bed...

We stayed at an old hotel, that used to be a brothel (how romantic..but seriously). And my mom surprised us by bringing the top of our wedding cake. She thinks of everything. 

 (I couldn't really get this stupid hat off of him the entire vacation.)

Thanks for the best year of my life, Benny.