Up, Up, Up

Alright, funny story:

On Tuesday, I started noticing mouse poop in my dresser (again).  I cleaned it out and told Paris, the girl who cleans the cottage.  "Paris, I have a mouse."  

She answers matter of factly, "Yes."

I said, "You know I have a mouse?"

"Yes, I saw it running around yesterday."

"Okay.  If I have a mouse, please kill it."

"Yes."

Later, we looked all over the room and house.  No mouse.

That night, around 10, I was reading and heard a noise in my dresser.  I called Drew.  He and Amy came over.  We searched the dresser.  Well, he searched while Amy and I stood on the couch.  Then, we saw it run to  a corner.  I go brave and stood at the door with a broom in case it ran out.  Drew tried to jab it with a broom. He missed, the mouse ran. . . across my toes!  I screamed and jumped and almost had a heart attack.  

We searched all over outside my room.  No mouse.

Finally, they left.  I went to bed.  At around 3 am, I am pretty sure that mouse was on my bed.  I jumped up and stood on my couch again for about 15 minutes - eyes open wide.

Finally, I could not stand it any longer and got back in bed.  But, I slept with the lights on.  The next morning, I found more poop in the dresser.

Paris and I tore open the room again.  No mouse.  She explained that the mouse "is sleeping up up up"  She looked at the ceiling.  (Not sure how it gets up there.)

Yesterday, I decided that I was tired of the mouse.  I asked Beatrace to send the cat over after dark.  James and Moses brought over an unhappy cat around 9:00.  I locked it in my room for an hour. There was wailing and hissing and crying.  But when I opened the door, she was just sleeping and there was no mouse.

I left it in the house, just to roam around at night and leave a cat smell to scare off the mouse.

This morning at 5 am, I heard a terrible panicked screaming coming from Anna.  I bolted from bed and rushed in the room.  

Her net was down and she was screaming!  The cat was also screaming and running around the room.

I scooped up Anna who was actually shaking.  Then I rushed out and opened the front door so the cat could run out - still wailing.  

After I go Anna to calm down, she started repeating over and over, "The cat wants to sleep on Anna's legs.  The cat wants to sleep on Anna's legs."

I am pretty sure the mouse was watching all of this and just laughing at us! 

Cottage Signs

We decided to name each cottage at the Village of Eden.  I have been calling them by the order in which they were built - "1, 2, 3" etc.  But that doesn't work because it is not in a logical sequence, so unless you have been here from the beginning, you wouldn't understand the numbering.

So, animals!

At first, we were going to find someone that really knew how to paint and paint the animals on the cottage walls.

But, we are focused on kids here.  They are everywhere.  This is a boarding school.  Why not let the kids paint the signs?

Here you go -

Here are the first versions:

I "photoshopped" them because I wanted to have just the animal and name.

Now, to hang these up!

Term I is Finished!

Wow!  It is hard to believe that a third of the 2018 school year is already done!

We had what is called "Speech Day" here - the closing term presentations.

The kids were very excited about their presentations. They have been practicing for several weeks.

  We have a Patriotism Club this year.  So, The Ugandan flag was carried in and then a prayer, the Ugandan national anthem, the Ugandan Education Anthem, the school song and the school verse were quoted to begin the Speech Day.  I was very impressed.

The Baby class was also impressed. They sat very still throughout this part!

Then, the flag was very reverently carried back out.  I love it!

Then, the teachers were introduced and each one talked about a special student in their class. 

Anna was top student in Baby class!  (woo hoo - proud mama)

Then, the best presentation of the day!  The babies got up and played the drums for us!  It was great!

Then, each class performed by singing, dancing, acting, or reciting a poem.

Finally, Sirili presented the Gospel to everyone.  By that time, many parents had arrived and the church was full!

Now, we have three weeks until the second term begins!

Anna is shading me!

We have a few kids who don't go home for term holidays.  On those days it is difficult for them to be left behind by their friends.  Emma is one of those kids.  He stays at the VOE during holidays.  

Today, after most of the kids left, he came up to me and just sat in my lap.  He was feeling left out.  So, I took him back to my cottage.  I needed a distraction for him.

We have some old tires behind the house that Brenda is going to paint and make flower planters.  I decided we could help her paint!

Anna and Emma loved it!

Emma did get frustrated at one point.

Here, in Uganda, coloring is called "shading".  I kept saying that he was painting, but Emma kept calling it shading.  One time, Anna painted Emma.  

He said, "Mama Jessica, Anna is shading me!  No, Anna.  Do not shade me.  Shade here!" and he pointed at the tire.  He was so serious I could not laugh.

Emma really acts as a big brother to 

Anna.  Loves her, protects her, aggravates her. . . 

Everything was going great until Anna fell onto the wet tire and got paint on her hand, then it all went blue. . . I mean bad.

Anna hates to have dirty hands!  Her entire body  can be dirty, but NOT THE HANDS.

She became obsessed.  

We went and washed the hands and within 30 second she touched the tire again.  We washed again.

Blue hands AGAIN.  Wash again.

Three washes later and so glad that is a disposable diaper!

Finally, we got back to business.

Then,  I decided the best way to finish the clean up was the water hose!  

Just like a big brother!

Field Day at VOE school!

We had field day at the VOE Primary School today.  

My job was to set up the Nursery stations.

We had a water station:

A bean bag toss station:

A bubble station:

And a chalk writing station:

Meanwhile, the older kids, 1st to 7th grade were divided into teams to have a netball (girls) and soccer (boys) tournament. Everyone that wanted to participate was put on a team.  We used donated fabric to differentiate the teams.

Christopher was the commentator.

Later, Christopher had some help with his commentary.