Braces?!

I have finally come to the point where I can’t deny the obvious any longer. I need braces. We knew that since I was a kid, but we always kind of put it off. The other day we went to see an orthodontist and he made clear to us what was going on.First we'll have to go to Nairobi to get this special x-ray to see what’s going on with my wisdom teeth. If I have them, I will have to get them pulled. As far as the braces themselves go, it’s disappointing. When we grew up in Kenya our family got fluoride on our teeth from the water. We never thought that was a big deal, as it just gives you some yellow lines on your teeth. Little did we know that that fluoride might make me look a whole lot weirder when I get braces. This is the reason: the normal braces, called bonds, might not stick to my teeth enough because of the fluoride. If they don’t hold I will have to replace the bonds with bands. Bands are like big silver bands that cover most of the tooth (making it look a lot weirder) and, although they are stronger and therefore work faster, they are more uncomfortable and take longer to get used to. So, I’m pretty much dreading the time when I will have to really face the braces themselves. I’m hoping that we can postpone the timing a little so that I wont have them when we go to America. Anyway, pray for some kind of a miraculous movement in my mouth so that I wont have to get these dreaded braces:)! And if I do, pray that the bonds will hold so I don’t have to get bands.

Remember

For a long time, I felt like I was striving and striving for a place of peace and joy (a fruitful, abundant season) in my walk with God. I was trying to be more and more intimate with Him, learn more about Him, and enjoy the fruitfulness of that. But it seemed like, although I was after the right things, I was never as happy or satisfied as I hoped I would be. Also, it was almost like I was trying to convince myself that I was happy and satisfied and had a great relationship with God, when I wasn’t really sure that I did…does that make sense? Anyway, that way of thinking is no longer a reality.

Just the other day, I was hit with the fact of how satisfied and happy I was with my circumstances and myself. I felt an uncontrollable joy with where I was, and an irrepressible thankful praise to God and who He had become to me. Things that kept me down before, like no friends my age, adjustment to Arusha, worrying of circumstances, etc., had simply vanished before my eyes. It was one of those answers to prayer God does that can easily escape you if you forget to look back and remember your prayers, and see how God has answered them. So right now, I am in an abundant season that I have been waiting for for a long time.

I think this new season has to do mostly with the mind and where you place your thoughts. Lately, I’ve been learning the importance of your mental choices. In my case, it was worrying. I found that there is always something you can worry about if you chose to pursue it. On the other hand, there is always something you can rejoice about and give thanks to God for.

So I just wanted to remind everyone to look back and remember what you prayed for to see how God is working in your life. Secondly I wanted to remind you to control your thoughts and choices, setting them to a goal of a positive attitude.

Pikis Again

Just the other day my love for motorcycles was re-lit. We went to see a families new house and watch them have a practice motorcycle race on a track right outside their house (they're really into piki-pikis). It was a really nice track and house. We weren't racing or anything just watching. The track was cool, but the riders were amazing. They were all getting huge air, especially this one guy named Layne, but was amazed me was these two girls who were racing. They were 8 and 11 year old sisters who had grown up with motorcycles since they were five. What an advantage! I couldn't believe how good they were at their age. They were getting pretty big air and going really fast. Basically just the way that they understood and controlled their little bikes. I can't wait to get better at understanding and maneuvering our bike. Sometimes I also wish I had a smaller bike that I can actually like pik up, move around more, etc. Well, I know I'll get there, just have to keep practicing.

Poor Snow-Bubbles

Good news: Snow got another mouse, this time she killed it by herself. Bad news: The mouse got her too.

We found the mouse in a cupboard. When I saw that he couldn't get out I decided to let Snow kill it instead of killing it for her. Well, she got it, and we were really proud of her. She was quite proud of herself too. Whenever she has a mouse she does a deep growl if you get anywhere near her. So we took her outside to eat the mouse, as to not get blood in the house. When she came back, she had a bit of a puffy cheek. It got much worse, and when we looked closer we saw s couple of bloody scratches where it looked like she might have been bitten. We're preaty sure that it was the mouse. Anyway, she looked comical! The swelling is down now, but we had a good laugh about it.