Ok, we know we are already over a month into this new year, but it's been a while since our last post, and it is our first post of 2016...
We hope you had a wonderful Christmas season and start to this new year. We recognize that this may not be the case for a number of you and for that we pray you find the hope and peace the Christmas season usually brings in the coming days/months/year.
Thankfully, 2016 started off fairly quietly at the Shinska household. We literally slept through most of the 1st of January; each of us took our turn having naps and the rest of the day we sat around playing card games and eating food. Of course, we are already over a month into it and so the busyness has definitely picked up for Ryan, but we were basking in the relaxation of a quiet first few days of the new year.
Since our last post, quite a bit has happened; Hope Smiles moved clinic spaces only a couple weeks past their desired move in date. They moved into a much larger place a little further from our home (about an 8 minute drive vs. a 2 minute drive;), and which suits their needs much more effectively. Hope Smiles now has two separate spaces for the dentists to see their patients and for the assistants to work and move around without bumping into each other. With a number of new employees this was greatly needed. Ryan now has a separate office and their operations manager also has her own desk/office area. There is plenty of storage space and space for future expansion as it is a two-story building with plenty of rooms upstairs. Although the renovations are not finished, which can be a thorn in Ryan's side since those are details he does not want to have to worry about, the place is functional. Each week the renovations are a little further along than they were the previous week, and the staff and patients are extremely happy with the clinic. There is much to be thankful for amidst the many frustrations.
As for the boys, they finished off their school year at the end of November and beginning of December. Uganda's school year runs from February through November and so they are currently on their "Summer Holidays." The boys were supposed to start school on February 1st, but due to elections coming up in the next couple of weeks, the school had a change of heart and decided to begin February 22nd; once all the election hype has died down - *hopefully. That means Alicia has them with her at home for another couple of weeks. With her back not really improving and the need to rest essential she has felt quite isolated; however, having the boys around makes her days MUCH more eventful than they otherwise had been when they were at school. At the same time, the boys are typical active goofs who love attention and showing all they have accomplished or can do - what kid doesn't want to show you every single new block they put on their tower so you can appreciate how it developed into their final masterpiece, or want you to watch how fast they ride their bike? - that rest isn't exactly looking the way the doctor prescribed.
Moving on, we had a pretty great Christmas this year, which was in fairly stark contrast to last years Christmas. Christmas 2014 passed by us so quickly, we - perhaps Alicia more than Ryan - almost felt like we skipped it altogether. In 2014 we unexpectedly lost a dear child/friend at Ekisa just two days before Christmas, and being away from our families and all their shenanigans didn't make it any easier. This year we were determined to make it a memorable first Christmas with the boys. Alicia created an "Advent Calendar" that allowed the boys to open a gift each morning through the month of December; they either shared a gift or there was one for each of them. Each gift was some type of activity, which included stories, a puzzle, making and painting salt dough ornaments, creating (slowly but surely) their own toilet paper roll nativity scenes, and a number of other activities - thanks to the Shinska extended family and some great friends back in Michigan for gifting us with some Christmas cheer!
We were also fortunate to enjoy Christmas with Ryan's sister, Meghan. We all went up to Sipi Falls, just a few hours away from Jinja, the weekend before Christmas. We stayed at the bottom of a waterfall, hiked around to see three different falls, and enjoyed cooler weather. And yes, Alicia did hike despite the injury to her back. It was evidently not easy, but worth it to see the boys so full of joy and wonder. Jamil was at the front with our guide the entire hike. When the hike was over and the rest of us were spent, he was just getting started. Grace rode shoulders for most of the difficult parts, but walked most times it was flat terrain. He was incredibly brave riding Ryan's shoulders up and down steep inclines, along the side of the mountain, and in particular, riding as Ryan attempted to walk across a bridge that was basically a broken, worn down trunk of a tree that had been laid across the river (just before the river became a waterfall) - it was a balancing act without a child on your shoulders, let alone with one. Alicia was not nervous at all. ;) Nonetheless, we had a great time and enjoyed spending time with Auntie Meggie.
From heading to Sipi for a few days, hosting a Christmas Eve finger foods/potluck dinner, to opening gifts Christmas morning, and enjoying a Turkey dinner downstairs with our neighbours and some of their friends, we celebrated Jesus' birthday well. With all the busyness and many people coming and going, it felt just like the holidays back at home with our big families!
We continued the celebrations on the 26th and celebrated Jamil's 7th birthday. We all had fun at his birthday party that afternoon, but it was HOT and the water balloon toss perhaps should have happened after the scavenger hunt, which had all, aunties and uncles included, running around the compound finding clues. It is safe to say we all enjoyed a quiet Sunday, and some much needed naps. Even Jamil, who seems to have energy for days, needed to have some quiet time and requested time to be alone "to organize his things" - "things" being the gifts he was spoiled with by family from the US & Canada.
Heading into the New Year we are excited to have had the boys home with us for about 5 months; it feels longer and at the same time it feels as though 5 months just flew by! They have been such a joyful addition to our family. 2015 was not an easy year by any means, but it was full of reminders of God's goodness and peace. Needless to say, we are excited to have 2015 behind us and to be heading into a New Year full of The Lord's mercies that are new every morning. Day in and day out, the grind is never easy no matter where you live; being far from family, friends and our usual comforts seems to be a blessing and a curse. It emphasizes and reveals to us our own brokenness, the brokenness of this world and our deep need and desire for a Savior. No matter what you believe, when you step outside your comforts you are challenged to grow and understand the difficulties of this world and how to fit that into your worldview. This isn't easy, but it is a blessing because it is evident to us that the Lord is moving and He is good, even amongst the difficulties and tragedies of this world. His timing is not our own, but he truly does work all things for His glory - His glory is good, peaceful, deeply moving and eternal - what hope we have in the Lord.
Thanks for reading, check out some pictures of our last few months!
Until next time...
Dr. Rogers & David with the boys at the old clinic.
The Hope Smiles Team - November 2015
That's a cricket - no fear.
Yep, he's a cutie.
Guy time = Football with a Spiderman ball.
Our little cottage by the falls.
Concentration while learning to throw a football properly.
Gray flying high and loving it.
Jamil checking out the view on our way to see the sunset.
Our fantastic friendly guide with the boys.
Not the clearest picture, but a fantastic one.
Spiderman jump.
Big jump for this little man.
They loved the cheesiness of this photo.
So happy Auntie Meggie was here with us!
That view.
Apparently our guide throwing rocks off the cliff is pretty incredible to watch.
Such joy for such a simple reason - the best.
Beautiful.
Starting the hike to three different waterfalls.
Behind the first falls.
Our little cabin was at the bottom of this waterfall.
Climbing higher - Grace was incredibly brave and Ryan had a great workout.
So many great views along the way.
Near the top of the first waterfall.
We made it to the top of the first falls. This young one wasn't even sweatin' it.
Finally, he got to walk around and begin hiking himself.
On our way to the second waterfall. Not many pictures of this one, but it's there in the distance.
Third falls, the ones we could see the first night at sunset.
He's a champion.
We're glad we finally made it and the hike is almost over.
The next morning Jamil and Alicia went for a mini hike back up the trail we started the day before.
Loves the jumping pictures, and he's pretty darn good at them.
These boys.
We returned home and the boys completed their toilet paper roll nativity scenes. This would be Gray's. He thought everyone should be inside, finding shelter from the rain. ;)
Jamil's Nativity Scene. Every bit of this was completed by him...including how this was set up.
Christmas morning this stud got spoiled by family back home, and the last gift he opened was this trusty steed.
Like above, this was Jamil's final gift after being completely spoiled. He is trying to prove to us how skilled he is at riding, but he has yet to ride without falling as he attempts "sharp turns", breaks quickly, or maneuvers like a Super Hero to prove to us how good he is at biking. He loves a good adventure.
Family Christmas hug after all the gifts were opened. The boys call any hug that includes more than two people a "double hug."
Whether that's accurate or not, we love this photo, courtesy of Auntie Meggie.
After gifts we headed to church, came home and had a rest, and then headed off to Ekisa to meet Santa. Somehow Ryan is always "sick" when it's time to go to Ekisa to meet Santa.
Our friend Tasha and Mama Esther receiving a gift from Santa.
That is James tugging on a volunteer from Ekisa's shirt, and that is our good friend, Misach, receiving a gift and hug from Santa. This is as close as the boys would get to Santa. We did not expect them to be so afraid of him. They seemed so excited to go see him and had smiles on their faces when he first walked into the room, but neither of them had any intention of going anywhere near him.
Post-Christmas lego time with Aunti Meggie and a neighbour friend.
Boxing Day (December 26) was Jamil's birthday. It was a hot one and this water balloon toss game was greatly appreciated!
Jamil and his water balloon toss partner, Diana.
The boys LOVED spending time with Auntie Meggie. (Not for her iPhone, as it looks in this picture, but most definitely because of who she is).
The coolest biker around - Thanks to Nana and Papa for the sunglasses that complete his biking attire!
One of the sweetest moments of 2016 thus far. Completely of their own accord, these boys brought blankets, books, and their superhero capes from Auntie Meggie outside and had "quiet time." Jamil read many books and Alicia only participated by providing snacks and water.
We got to head to the village for a visit recently!
The boys enjoyed the food, playing with friends and visiting their village.
Hanging from a tree is apparently the best.
And again.
Playing with friends in the village on a vegetable stand (sans vegetables;))
They had a pretty great time.
Just chillin'.
Bike rides are a pretty fantastic adventure for these two, but it is not easy to bike with training wheels on a red dirt road - Gray got more of a workout than Jamil. Perhaps it's time to take the training wheels off.
