oh, Saturday.

First of all, happy birthday, Rica! Enjoy your strawberry shortcake.

Second of all, happy wedding day, Miara. Wish I could be there.

Third, I FOUND OREOS AT THE STORE TODAY. Double-stuf chocolate oreos, to be exact. It's not my fault: I had to go to the American Grocery Store for to buy White Person Face Wash, because my face is...imploding? Exploding? Whatever: it's not pretty. (Don't tell my Grandma; she'd be quick to tell you that the reason my face is breaking out is BECAUSE of the oreos, but I don't believe her.) The fact remains: I'm really happy about these cookies. And the face wash.


But I digress. A story for the birthday girl, per her request:

Once upon a time, I called a woman who was in possession of a beautiful stretch of land just below the Ngong Hills, south of Nairobi. Actually, we talked a few times. I told her I would like to meet with her once we had made some progress in our registration process, so that I would something to show her, and then we could talk about the logistics of buying her land.

Several phone conversations later, in fact, approximately 36 hours before I was due to leave Nairobi, when my bags were packed, my gifts purchased, my goodbyes goodbyed, my return promised, my registration underway, my lawyer paid, my welcome-home party planned, etc, etc, I recieved a phone call.

Apparently, and I really have no idea why I was not informed sooner, and I'm told it would be impolite to ask, apparently the land is no longer for sale, because she and her husband have used it as collateral to take out a very, very, very large loan (too large for our money to be of any use, she said).

So, back to square one. And here's the thing: deep down, I knew this land was more than I could afford. The dollar's dropped, the price of land has increased, and this location is, well, hard to beat. I guess I was hoping the owner could somehow be persuaded to drop the price, like, drastically. But there's nothing I can do now, save look for new land.

I'm amazed and blessed, as usual, by the way the women in Susan's church will bend over backward (where did that phrase come from? I've been wondering) to help me. Susan and I have recieved phone calls daily, with news about a new plot that is for sale, an owner they know, etc, etc. It's encouraging. I'm optimistic.

Now, the decisions: less land, in a more expensive location? more land, in a remote area? hold out for electricity and water, or pay to hook it up ourselves? two smaller plots, one for the school and one for the home? a remote area, which surprisingly has electricity, or a very (expensive, and) populated area- up a hill, with no electricity or water, but neighbours that we know and love? hills, plains, mountains, valleys, trees, bushes and grass: these are the things that cling to my heels as I crawl into bed each night.

I honestly have no idea what to do, and I'm very blessed by the people who have been quick to remind me that God is in control. It's a good thing, too, cuz if anyone else were in control, I'd up and leave.

I just wish God would, like, send me an email, or text, or something... (Lori! how many times have we had this conversation).



ps: after twenty minutes of waiting for pictures to upload, I'm giving up. But really, they all look the same: slightly hilly plots of land covered in dry grass and acacia trees.