Happy One Year Anniversary in America!

The girls came home September 24th, 2008.

A little about the last couple months of our journey to Africa.

I boarded a plane for the first leg of my trip to Amsterdam on July 10th, 2008. I drove from Nashville to Memphis and probably cried most of the way. I felt so vulnerable. I was excited and freaked out all at the same time. It was the beginning of the end of a long journey and it was pretty mind boggling.. I arrived in Accra, Ghana that Friday evening. The first thing I remember was the smell of burning leaves and trash.. it was very distinct and I still smell it in my mind.. Grace was asleep when I got to Eban house, the care center where the kids were. Mariama ran and jumped into my arms and all the older girls stood around me and felt my hands and touched my hair. They spoke in Twi to each other and said things to me like "mommy, you have plenty hair.." One of them woke Grace and she came and stood next to the chair.. She was truly little.. miniature.. and half asleep..


When Shawn went back to get the girls he took this fuzzy crocs for Grace.. I think they were 3 sizes to big.. It was so hard to guess the size.. She still wears them to dance class sometimes!



Shawn gave the kids the camera when he got to Eban House. This is one of the only pics that isn't nostrils and elbows...



The first letter they got from Holly in Africa. I delivered it on my first trip!


The sisters three months later LOL!


The girls playing in their new room. First day home!!


Had to realize just what it meant to have a dog.. or two... LOL



When the girls first started school last October. Mariama has gained 12 pounds and 4 inches and Grace is no longer in a size 2 and toddler shoes! She has put on a whopping 7 pounds and at least 3 inches in height!


Mariama is in love with her teachers and school! This is Ms. Williams who teaches second grade.


Grace takes gymnastics now which has helped with the climbing. She used to scale people!


She's also fond of dance...


One of the girls dance teachers at Studio 1406. Miss Gabby! They also love Ms. Emily, Ms. Graham and Ms. Whitley!




The girls have met many wonderful new friends and family this year. This is at Auntie Elizabeth's wedding in North Carolina. They wanted to give her a picture of herself in her wedding dress! They would gladly move in with Uncle Don and Auntie Elizabeth any day.


I loved this pic from Grace's birthday! I made all the girls smile with a big "Cheesy" grin. Something that Robin Dodd Photography discourages! LOL! Mariama's b-day was May 11! and I was so out of it with dance recital pics and the craziness of May.. I forgot my camera! nice mom!!! I know one of the mommy's got pics!!



Summer was so much fun! We went to D.C. and met up with our new friends Amanda and Cort and their hilariously brilliant kids!! We are ready to go visit them in Nepal, where they are working for the next 2 years but the 80 hour plane trip there... It's daunting.... LOL!


Just chillin in D.C....


How do a little African girl and a country boy from Texas have the exact same personality? LOL!


Uncle Stephen and Uncle Gary were among the new peeps the girls got to meet this year in NYC! Come visit us please!


Africa and New York City.. two places I'll always want to go back to...




So as we round up this year of firsts



remember to Choose Love....



because the world is a big place and I've said it before and I'll say it again.. we are all connected..




<

Sic em!!!!!!!

I traveled back to Baylor Theatre literally and certainly in my mind, when I plopped my equipment down in the Mabee and breathed in that old familiar smell.. I LOVE going back and visiting my dear friends and meeting new students. It was truly a fun weekend. I shot portraits all day Friday, went to La Fiesta with Stanley Scrunchy Socks Denman, who tried to put me up at the Mardi Gras Inn!!!!! Just kidding.. I stayed at a lovely apartment on campus. Then I got to see a bit of the rehearsal for the Drowsy Chaperone... I love it that the musicals flow now thru Baylor Theatre. It was Shakespeare, Shakespeare and more Greek Tragedy for us.. LOL. But alas, I wouldn't trade one memory..well maybe one or two... the next morning I woke up and headed to the the mother ship, Starbucks to meet Elizabeth, one of my Baylor Theatre BFF's who was up for the game. I have to say that we laughed for three hours straight. That's what you do with Elizabeth because she has the single most contagious laugh in the history of people I've met in my life. This picture below is not of her, that's Sarah, a girl with one of the best voices I've heard in a very long time. I mean GREAT VOICE. Elizabeth was too busy getting a picture of me and my eye bag... for me to get one of her... see Elizabeth Simmons's blog for my "thank God" photoshopped face.. LOL!

I then headed up to Fort Worth after having lunch with my niece and nephew who attend Baylor and sister and brother in law who were up to visit. And I mean, it doesn't matter, around every corner is a memory.. I just love it.. am I like one of those kids that keep coming back to high school or what? I mean it has been 20 years since I graduated... 20 years... I've already told Shawn,that in my 60's I'm going to come back and teach English or perhaps photography or even Theatre maybe..... at Baylor... he in turn told me that it will be a cold day in hell before he'll ever live in Waco...aw country singer... but I can dream can't I???