02 June, 2014

Tree House

So we decided to build a treehouse/sandbox. The boys needed a purpose and the little ones needed a purpose. It wasn't til after we had begun building and Caleb the gutter cleaner showed up to, well, clean our gutters, that we realized how ludicrous it must seem to a kenyan. He wondered if we're building a "flat." Meaning apartment. If you add an espresso machine and a bowl of chocolate, why sure, I'll move in tomorrow. But since it won't have electricity i'll stay put. However, thanks to the culture block of some air headed americans, it never once crossed our minds that the treehouse would be plenty big enough for a kenyan or 10. I guess if you count the night that Marlin is planning on camping out in it with his sons it could be considered a "flat." And no, i have no intentions of joining them. I'm pretty sure my immune system would revolt.

On to some pictures.

Our truck. Sort of. At least the front seats have air conditioning so we can arrive at church looking like we cared. To bad about all the ones sitting in the back. 

Two handsome, hard working hunks. 

"Seriously, i know what i'm doing." And seriously, he's not running that thing, whatever it's called.

Now this one DOES know what he's doing. I'm just so proud of them. My wee little babies have gotten so big.  Don't tell them i included wee and babies in a sentence about them. They embarrass so easy these days. 

So it's not really a tree house, it's more of a "house between the trees."  And the  sandbox will be at the bottom. Oh glory, my boys will have somewhere to dig without getting their mama's attitudes all in a knot.


He's a cute one with two teeth missing.

His face is dirty but just ignore that and pretend that i cared enough to wash it after he ate.  Face washing is overrated. 

Eric's learning how to work with many "helpers." It's been a painful experience for all involved.  I could paint an amazing picture of how they just love all working together and of how Eric spends hours gently instructing his wide eyed little brothers as they stare with amazement and hero worship. But our neighbors live awfully close and hear pretty much everything. And i'm pretty sure God meant it when He said thou shalt not lie. So while i'm sure there's been instruction i'm pretty sure the instructions weren't  real gentle and the recipients weren't exactly hero worshipping. Wide eyed maybe but not from hero worship.  My involvement so far has been to yell, i mean gently instruct, from the window to stop the fighting and act like they love each other. So i would say all in all it's been going pretty well.

I now ask you a question. Would you like to enjoy a safari around the world and experience first hand what it's like to live without electricity? Sleep with the sounds of Africa surrounding you? You know, piki piki's, bar music, and trucks, while you're serenaded to sleep with the sounds of mosquitoes lulling you into dream land? Wake up and cook your breakfast over a little fire while scorching your backside every time you turn around too fast? It can all be yours, in a treehouse built from authentic African wood. Coffee will arrive every morning except i'll be drinking it while i check to see if you survived the wild night life of Kisumu. Tempting, isn't it?


6 comments:

  1. Very tempting! My kids would LOVE it... and so would their secretly adventurous mama. As long as you bring me chai in the morning before I need to interact with anyone. And your kids look great! I'm glad that they are beautifully human, like my own; it makes the thought of getting together with you again much easier. (I wouldn't want my human children to interfere with angelic ones... not that mine aren't angelic... when they're sleeping.)

    Thanks for the pictures, the laughter, and the likely unintentional reminder to delight in my children's humanity as they grow up all too quickly!!!

    Love you!
    One Curly-haired Mama

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  2. As always I enjoyed the update! The last sentence made me laugh out loud (at least you're keeping it real :), makes us seem maybe a tad more normal! Looks like a fun project for the boys.
    Marlene

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  3. great to hear from you again..so fun to see little boys busy becoming little men..pictures are wonderful..as always, i love your style of writing..have a blessed day hollering out the window, drinking your coffee, n supporting your man..I'll prob be hollering out my window also, swatting endless mosquitoes, laundry, endless potty training, and cleaning up the house 328.7 times (give or take). hugs across the ocean, jan

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  4. Licia, i would love nothing more than to serve you chai.....and have no fears, my angels won't be sprouting wings anytime soon.

    Marlene, glad i could make you laugh. :)

    And Janice, so good to hear from you and yes, i will join you in cleaning up the house 328.7 times. Lot of hugs back to you!!

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  5. My kids are howling with laughter at the thought of sleeping in a treehouse in Africa, and at the humour of your writing. I grew up in Kenya, so part of my heart is still there.

    My son would also love to know where your boys get their shirts.

    Thanks for writing such cheerful posts, when I know times are sometimes difficult.

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  6. I just couldn't get done laughing at the gleeful faces of your little men. They are certainly having a time of their lives, are they not? Someday they will stand proud and tall as they speak proudly of all their Momma put up with for their sake and they will be better Daddies because of it!

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