It's back!

After enjoying a delightfully cool month, the last few days have been showing us that hot season is quickly approaching. At night before bed, I've been watching the thermometer climb daily. For a few weeks it was between 71-73 degrees in our room at night. (much cooler outside- one morning it was in the high 40's. We hear this is not too common around here!) Then, three days ago it went up to 76... the next night 78... last night, 81. It's just after 5pm, and looks like it's already 82 right now. Not to be confused with outside temperatures- it's 92 outside today. But when it cools down at night our house stays fairly comfortable at night. Once hot season is really here, the heat never ends, day or night. The house never has a chance to cool down at night, and the heat from the sun radiates through the cement walls all night. So we are still very comfortable for now, with the nights cooling off significantly.

Don't worry about us enjoying ourselves too much though. To go along with the beautiful cool weather we get the harmattan dust blowing like crazy, coating anything and everything indoors and out with a layer of red dust. Just in case you want us to be those "suffering missionaries in Africa." ;) Don't want you to think that we are loving life here more than we should... (We really do love living here though- dust and all!)

Cool season really suprised me! In fact, this year surprised a lot of people. I've heard numerous comments from long termers out here who say that this is one of the coldest cool seasons they remember. We survived two hot seasons, but this was the first time I can really say that I enjoyed the weather here in Niger. Last year we missed the cool season, as we were in MA waiting for Silas to be born. This year found me huddling up under a blanket it my sweatpants and fuzzy slippers. It was down to at least 71 in here! Apparently my Alaskan and Canadian winter-loving self has acclimated to life here in Niger. Hopefully that doesn't mean we will totally freeze our next winter in the US!

Night time noises!

Many of you have probably heard of the recent landmine event here in Niamey. For those who haven't, heard here's what happened: One night the first week of January, at about 11pm we heard an explosion. All the neigborhood dogs, ours included, went crazy barking! It turns out someone had set a couple of landmines in the road less than a mile away. And a car had found one of them. While there have been things going on around Niger, this seems to be an isolated incident, and nothing further has happened. We are just cautious when driving on dirt roads late at night/early in the morning. We aren't particularly scared, just a little more careful.

About a week after the landmine incident, we awoke at 2am to a huge bang! We woke out of a dead sleep to feeling our walls vibrate! Our first thought: another landmine! In the morning it became obvious that no one else had heard this mysterious noise. We forgot about it for a couple of days. Until one afternoon when one of the kids needed a band aid. They are kept in the top of the closet in our room, with most first aid supplies, lotions, and other toiletries. As I reached for the plastic shoe box of bandages, I smelled something very strong in the closet. My first thought was that my nail polish remover had spilled on the shelf. I located it- nope, still full. Then I realized that the paint was bubbling up, and peeling off of the bottom of the shelf. Not sure what was going on, I reached to start pulling things out of the closet. I came to the bottom plastic shoebox. Or, I should say, the remaining pieces of it. Apparently a canister of insect repellent had exploded inside it, and blown out the sides and top of the shoebox too! The repellent had then leaked all over the shelf, eating up the paint that was underneath it, and anything else in its path. Thankfully the only real casualties were the shoebox, the bug spray, and a few Curious George bandaids. (Don't worry mom- there are still a few left!=)

So that solved the mystery of the nighttime noise! It also explained why, although it was loud enough to wake us both from a deep sleep (NOT an easy thing to do!), and rattle our walls, no one else had heard it. We heard it so clearly because it was three feet from our bed!
I'm not sure why that particular bottle, which has survived two hot seasons in that very closet, decided on one of the coldest days of the year to explode. It was a comfortable 73 degrees in here! But it gave us a lovely adventure, and hey, it gave me something fun to write about!

Kira's flight

Yesterday Kevin was flying a couple of doctors to Galmi, and had room for Kira to go along. Since it's the shortest flight they do, it was perfect for Kira. So one happy little girl loaded up her things and went along with Daddy! Due to miscommunication, the doctors were not ready when Kevin arrived to pick them up, and then needed to go shopping before leaving Niamey. What should have been a relatively short flight (nearly 2 hours each way) turned into an all day affair. They got back tired!

When they got home I asked Kira if she had fun. She said "Yes!" Then I asked what was her favorite part. She said "The candy that Samuel's mommy gave me at Galmi." It's the little things...

Camera fun!

While visiting the new baby this morning Kevin, Dave, and others took many pictures. Everyone's first reaction? Just like our kids: "Let me see!" We'll print up some pages of pictures to take to the family.

A few weeks ago Kevin went to the naming ceremony for Abdou's fourth son. He was born on Christmas day. Abdou was at our house guarding, and she went into labor at night. She had no way of going to the maternity center, and couldn't leave the little boys alone. So she delivered the baby herself at home. Abdou returned home in the morning to find he had another son! Here are the family, minus the oldest son. And people think we had our kids close together!

The same day Oussmane's baby was born our neighbor down the street and his wife had a new little girl. They gave us an invitation to her naming ceremony, but it was the same time as Oussmane's. After returning from Oussmane's house, we stopped by to say "congratulations" and give them a little gift. We were warmly welcomed, and handed the sweet little girl to admire. A crowd of kids followed our kids in, finding watching them to be more fun than anything they could be doing outside! This picture of their family was taken in December- we had no idea that she was even pregnant!

Babies, babies everywhere!

In the last month Emilie, and both of our guards have had new babies. The latest was born just 8 days ago to our part time guard, Oussmane. It's his first child, a boy named Ibrahim. They give the baby a name and have big celebration on the 8th day. It starts the night before, but the naming part is usually at 7am. Kevin and Dave went for the beginning, and came back later to pick up wives and kids. We had a great time visiting Oussmane's family, and our kids provided quite the entertainment.
This is Kevin with all of the men who work for us. Our guard Abdou is beside Kevin. Next to him is Ibrahim, who is our neighbor. He cuts our grass, and keeps our yard beautiful. Last is Oussmane, who works one night a week for us- Abdou's night off.

I'm a grandma!

Yes, I know it will surprise most of you, since I'm only 31...
Let me explain! Emilie, my house worker, went on maternity leave at the beginning of December. She was to return to her home country, Benin, to stay with her family, and have the baby. Two weeks ago- the day after she was to leave- I got a phone call. "It's Emilie. I'm at the hospital." "Did you have the baby?" "Yes." "Is is a boy or girl?" " It's a girl" "Are you still in Niger?" "Yes"
"Do you need a ride home from the hospital?" "Yes"
So we headed to the maternity center to pick up Emilie and her new baby and drive them home, so they could avoid a taxi ride.
As Emilie works for us, and we provide for her, her Christian friend here calls me her "maman." When I walked into her room at the maternity center, her friend announced "Here's your grandma, baby!"

Yesterday Emilie came by with baby Odil, to say goodbye before heading to Benin to see her family. We were able to get a lot of pictures, and spend a couple of hours visiting with Emilie, and holding sweet little Odil.

Now, with new baby Odil, Emilie and the baby's dad are on the bus headed to Benin.

Christmas party!

Wednesday was the last night of girls Bible Study for the semester. So we had a party! Cheese fondue, spinach dip, chocolate fondue, popcorn with seasonings... lots of food! Our girls were so happy to be able to stay out and participate. We played a few games, and everyone laughed a lot. Most of the fun was with the kids dolls and dress ups. That and the chocolate! Maybe there was a little too much giggling for Kevin and Silas. They hid out in the corner and let the girls be girls.