Babies, etc.

I've been settling in here at the baby home and started shifts this past Wednesday. These are the faces that greet me early in the morning!

Lots of twin time lately. They are still small enough that I can carry both of them around at once. Sometimes I can feed both of them at the same time. ;) Mama Patricia says they are synchronized in all the wrong ways! They like to cry, eat, and poop at the same time. But they are sweet! They aren't identical but it took me a few days to be able to tell them apart. Once I still mixed them up because I didn't realize they slept in either cot and couldn't tell in the dark...I thought Grace was Peace and Peace was Grace all night. Oops.

I still know how to tie a baby on my back. I was afraid I might have forgotten but I guess it's like riding a bicycle - you never forget. =)

Happy enjoying his porridge

I walked with Crystel, one of the interns, to my favorite little thrift shop (about a mile away). It's the first time I've been since I've been back. I wasn't sure if Elizabeth, the lady who runs it, would remember me, but as soon as I walked in she exclaimed, "You're finally back!" She made us tea and sandwiches, showed us pictures of her grandchildren, and continued her attempt to teach me Afrikaans. It was fun. The store is in a bigger room now and has all kinds of things - it reminds me more of a small rummage sale than a thrift store. I dug through a rather gross bin of mismatched plastic containers and lids until I found some that went together. This was what I ended up with after I got home and cleaned them with a LOT of bleach:

I also found hangers for my wardrobe:

And from Facebook: this was my Thursday adventure:

"African adventure of the morning: jumble sale at the church around the corner. Although garage saling is about my favorite thing ever to do at home in Ohio, I rather got the impression that white people don't go to jumble sales here. Like, ever. At least not at this church. I'm all for happily breaking stereotypes, but it was a little awkward. The sale was behind a gate (as is everything here in Pretoria). It took a bit of explaining to get the guy manning the gate to realize that yes, I actually wanted to come in to SHOP at the sale. Even once I was in, people kept walking up to me with confused looks on their faces and saying, "Can I help you?" My deductions were that a.) only black people shop at these things, which is fine, I'll go ahead and do it too, because I don't really care, or b.) this is some sort of charity not for any racial group in particular, but for poor people, in which case, oops. I did get two pairs of jeans for my rug for R5 (> 50 cents) each, and a rather well-used muffin tin. It was in a big bag of random containers, etc, that I didn't want and couldn't be split up, so I asked the old lady who was buying it if she'd take R10 for the tin, and she was more than happy to oblige..."

So yes, I am getting on with life here, and it is good. Joy is one of the best roommates ever. =) (I still miss Alyssa - "Lulu.") We've been busy with various events - soccer ministry (that no one came to this week), Bible studies, a baby shower, etc.

Oh, and I put down a deposit on the car I am going to buy! I'm so excited. You all will have to wait to see it until next week when the wire transfer comes through.

Keep in touch! Miss you all!