Tuesday, August 11, 2015

...grows deeper, gets richer.


"Wine and cheese are ageless companions, like aspirin and aches, or June and moon, or good people and noble ventures." -M.F.K. Fisher

The new system for blogging, as mentioned previously, is still a work in progress. It has proven difficult to find a topic to speak about that is not our day to day scheduled lives. Working outside the normal procedure, but not too far outside, my intention is to tell you about the last few days. I have had some time to reflect on my favorite moments or thoughts since the last time we posted, so that is what I will write about. 

First, Sean made paleo banana pancakes this morning. We want to assure you that we don't care about the paleo part, only the ease of ingredients. It only took two bananas and two eggs, and they cook and taste like pancakes! In the past month I truly have enjoyed cooking (or being cooked for mostly) and learning new and inventive ways to eat good food with limited ingredients and kitchen resources. It is going to become one of our favorite hobbies in Swaziland and we talk extensively about how when we go back home to maintain some level of creative cooking despite the abounding resources at our disposal.  

Secondly, thoughts of Betty Joe were in my mind yesterday while the girls in our group learned to sew reusable sanitation pads for Swazi girls. I know how to sew, and how to sew well, because years ago BJ taught me how. While I threaded multiple needles and gave basic instructions to my fellow PCVs I was beyond thankful for not only the skill but the time that was spent together in the fabric room making beautiful things. While sanitation pads might be far from beautiful the end result exceeds beauty. Teaching girls to understand, know, respect, and love their bodies leads to powerful women. Powerful women desire change, and change is what is needed here. So I am thankful to have been taught beauty from such a beautiful person. 

Lastly, I will say we are blessed to have found some amazing people here that we now call our friends. Sunday afternoon we spent time together talking about our lives here, our new sites, and adventures we hoped to have together. They surprised us with candy and a cupcake for our anniversary and it made us feel so loved. We have begun to plan trips and holidays knowing full well that we will have an awesome time together. I can speak for both of us when saying they make our lives more enjoyable here in Swaziland. 

Now for a P.S. – we got our first package from home (reference picture above)! Thank you Granny O’Neill, now all my friends know that you are wonderfully crazy. We love you!

P.S.S. Happy 62nd wedding anniversay JL and Edna Collins. What an amazing example of love, respect, and all around fun! We hope to be like you in so many ways. 

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