Just the beginning...

We are back from Africa. My apologies for not blogging while we were there. The internet was spotty, at best, and I didn't want to use too much of it by uploading blog posts (*cough* Amy :) ). I have so much to say, so much that I saw and did, but also so much that I am still processing. However, I thought I'd share this sweet story as a teaser...

If you know my sweet Ava at all, you know she sucks her thumb. And has to have her mamie (blanket) in order to do it. (In fact, when I wash it--which is rare--she cries "HOW am I opposed to suck my sumb????) She has had two mamies since birth. One is "regular" and one is "poppy" (see photo). She never really differentiated between them until recently, when the regular one is preferred. But, if I should have to break down and wash it the poppy one works in a pinch.

So, she loves her mamie and has a very hard time giving them up. While preparing for our trip, I had a huge suitcase in the middle of the living room with donated items; pencils, underwear, toys, etc. Katie Davis lives there with her AMAZING 13 (14 currently) girls that she is adopting. Amy and I decided it would be nice to spoil them, so we divvied up the number of toys needed for her girls, and collected things for them. This said suitcase was in the living room for 4 or so days, open, for the kids to see. They sometimes got upset because I was putting in it some of their toys that they don't play with, and that were still close to brand new. One day, Ava collected her poppy mamie and, as I packed and rearranged the items, placed it on top and said "I want a baby girl in Africa to have my poppy mamie." I was stunned, proud and more stunned. This is like a smoker giving up his last cigarette. She loves these blankets. I explained to her that if I took it that it would be very far away and she would not get it back. She said she knew that, but she has another one, and likes it, and that "a baby girl in Africa doesn't have any poppy mamie's. " For a minute she got sacrifice better than I did.

So, the poppy mamie flew to Africa with us. Neatly folded, it journeyed over three continents, waiting for a sweet baby girl's love.

We went to Katie Davis'. She has 14 of the most beautiful, well-behaved, amazing girls I have ever had the privilege of meeting. Her newest (temporary??) addition, Baby Patricia, captivated my heart from the second we got off the bus. She is nearly a year old, and weight about 6 kilos (~12 pounds). She has the sweetest face ever. EVER. And, she loves Katie, and would NOT let me hold her. Cried for everyone but Katie. As she was gently lulled to sleep in Katie's arms, it struck me that THIS was the baby girl in Africa that should get Ava's poppy mamie. Katie put her down in her little Moses basket and covered her with her current, not-so-soft, polyester blanket. I told Katie the story about Ava and the blanket and asked her if it would be ok to give it to Baby Patricia. OF COURSE, was her response. I went in the quiet house, to the basket in which she quietly slept, and gently covered her with it.

Dan or I (can't remember) put the above photos of Patricia with mamie on Facebook, and the next morning as Ava woke up, Grandma showed them to her. She immediately exclaimed "there's my poppy mamie!! I told my mom to give it to a baby girl in Africa!!!"