Our Time In Soddo

Our time in Soddo was probably the hardest (for me) and the absolute best. 

We stayed on the hospital compound where our friends are missionaries. The compound is quite nice. The homes are big, modern and very comfortable. There is a playground for the kids complete with a trampoline, as well as a huge grassy field for soccer, vegetable and fruit gardens everywhere and gorgeous tropical flowers around every bend. The boys were thrilled to have friends to play with every day. We had a house to ourselves and even a serentina (house helper) to aid with dishes, cooking and daily chores. Our friends taught us to roast our own coffee beans and a local boy brought milk every morning in a used water bottle (we learned to pasteurize the milk ourselves). 

Parenting got real with Norah during our time in Soddo. Our darling girl not only had a new family to get adjusted too, in a new environment, but she came down with the chicken pox.  Since both our missionary friends have young babies who had not get gotten pox vaccines (and could get seriously ill if they caught then pox) Norah and I got quarantined to the house.

The days I thought I would be chatting with my friends, exploring the small town, taking a day drive to visit hippos, playing with my daughter in the sunshine and one the swings were instead spend nursing a very upset toddler. Without going into detail I'll just share that those were tough days. Super tough days. Emotionally, mentally and spiritually exhausting.

However, I can see now why the Lord allowed Norah to get the chicken pox. It forced a quicker bonding between the two of us. Being sick makes you dependent upon another in an intimate way. Being a caregiver makes you love even when one acts unlovable (she was always loveable, of course, just not feeling well and letting us know it.) Plus, the Lord in his kindness, allow those chicken pox to wait to reveal themselves until we got to Soddo where we were comfortable, loved by friends, and where the boys were completely entertained so that I could focus on Norah.

Thankfully we did also manage to do some of those tihngs I had envisioned. Norah got well enough for a long walk through the town in the ergo. I was able to tour the hospital during one of her naps. RJ and Landon still went on their overnight camp trip thanks to a laptop and a bunch of my friends movies to help entertain Parker. And  after a few housebound days my friend Kavi insistned I sneak out with her for coffee and a donut. She reminded me that even if Norah cries in RJ's arms the entire time (which she did) he loves her and she is safe. I don't think a coffee and donut have ever tasted so good. Nor has a chat with a girlfriend been so encouraging.