We've Arrived! {Kenya}

We have arrived. I still can't believe this has really happened! I'm slightly jet lagged, so I can't even tell you how many days we've been here without looking at a calendar. Even then I'm a bit confused. We flew nine hours ahead of our Central Time and are now just south of the Equator. It's the first time in my life I've flown over the Atlantic and the first time I've crossed to the Southern Hemisphere. There have been a lot of firsts since we left a blustery, snowy Minnesota on Sunday, and we hope for many, many more.

If you had asked me before leaving Duluth what my biggest fear of the trip was, I would have quickly answered that it was the flight over. Ella and Sam had never flown and the longest flight I had ever been on was 3 ½ hours. The first little jump from Duluth to Minneapolis was a breeze. Ella sat by the window and watched us leave the ground and float up through the clouds. Our second flight was 8 ½ hours from Minneapolis to Amsterdam. We had really hoped Ella would sleep (the Benadryl should have done the trick), but she didn't get a wink the entire flight. (We had even done a few practice runs with the Benadryl before leaving!) I think she was as giddy as I was about the personal movie screens and hot meals. Seriously, I really did look over at Pete after about an hour in the air and told him how excited I was as I started The Perks of Being a Wallflower and opened my plastic wrapped tray of chicken and mashed potatoes. (It doesn't take a whole lot to impress me.) Not that the entire flight was without issue, but as a whole it was pretty good.

not actually how he flew, but wasn't he cute?

When we arrived in Amsterdam, Pete and I had to part ways as we were told that one of our carry-ons that we checked at the gate was not accessible, though our stroller was. They had put it down below with the other checked bags, which I've never had happen on a domestic flight. Maybe it's a regular thing on international flights, but we didn't know that and needed the bag. After he worked with the airline to track it down, we were informed that it probably never even left Minneapolis. Awful. We had all our meds in the bag including Sam's nebulizer. We could do without the clothes, but my glasses (and make-up!) were also inside. We carried the anxiety of a lost bag on our very crowded 9-hour flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi. Sam and I were up a row from Pete and Ella so that we could use the plane's bassinet. I'm so very glad someone brought these amazing contraptions to my attention before we left. They attach right to a dividing wall in the plane. The baby can sleep inside it during the flight…if they choose to sleep. Poor Sammy clearly wasn't feeling well on the final flight and insisted on being held. At last, we saw the lights of Nairobi. Our bodies had no idea what time it was, but the time in Kenya was about 9:30pm. After making our way through immigration, we were overjoyed to see our missing bag on the baggage belt. Praise the Lord! We were thrilled!

Dr Olsen on his first day at Tenwek Hospital

After making our way through customs we were taken to a mission guesthouse for our first night in Kenya and our first night under mosquito nets. We were all completely exhausted! Tuesday morning we were taken to a grocery complex (general groceries in one shop, meat in another, and produce in another) and then made the four-hour trek by mission van to the town of Bomet and Tenwek Hospital. I cannot even express how gorgeous the drive was. There were open spaces overlooking immense, lush valleys and small towns. That same beauty now surrounds us in our apartment near the hospital. We can see rolling mountains by looking past the avocado trees and brick houses in front of our kitchen window. The grass is green and the air is warm but not hot. Not at all like Minnesota this time of year.

 We've now settled into our apartment. It's the perfect size for us with two bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room, and a kitchen. I'll post photos soon. We're in a building with four other families from all over the world. Pete walks to work in the morning and has even been able to make it home for lunch. That's something that very rarely happens in the States. I've spent the mornings with Sam sitting in the grass under the big trees outside. I chat with the neighbors while Ella has the time of her life running barefoot through the grass with the many, many kids around us. 

she's in heaven

  Today our focus was primarily to get Ella over her jet lag. The poor girl (or poor mama, really) was wide awake at 12:30 last night, begging to play outside. That went on for a couple hours. It was recommended to me today that I don't let her nap so she'll (hopefully!) sleep through the night. She went to bed about 10 minutes ago and was exhausted. Please, oh please, don't wake in the night! I'll let you know how it goes. 

So that's how we've begun! We're loving…LOVING…being here where we know God has called us. Thank you so much, again, for your continued prayers. Here are a few things today to pray for:

•  I really want to be bold in seeking relationships with other parents in the area. It's been going well so far, but sometimes I get pretty intimidated and don't step out to ask others to spend time with me. There are really great people here and I do want to get to know them and learn from their experiences.

• Friday Pete will be on-call on his own in one of the departments. He feels good about what he is doing in the hospital, but extra prayer for being on his own would really be appreciated.

• Please pray that Ella will be on track with sleeping by tomorrow. It would help this mama.

• Sam has a bit of a cold. He's slept a lot today, which will certainly help.

Chai tea is a very important drink in Kenya. Today Ella and I had our first cups. Ella approves!

 

Amsterdam

We've made it to Amsterdam! It's 7am here but about midnight our time. Ella hasnt slept at all yet but is doing very well. We have one more 8 or 9 hour flight that will leave in a couple hours. ...Wait. Funny story. I was writing this and had to stop because Ella got wedged between the wall and a bench. Maybe not such a funny story, but now that she's free, it is. Pete had to go deal with a baggage issue, so I had to get her out. All is now okay! So off we go for our final flight. {photo of Ella in Minneapolis, post written on my iphone}

All Our Bags Are Packed, We're Ready to Go

That's nearly true. Ella seems to be the most ready of all of us. The poor girl is so excited to leave, she doesn't know what to do with herself! I told her yesterday that she would have four more sleeps and then we would leave. The first thing she said to me this morning when she came out of her room was that she slept four times during the night and she was ready to go. Weeeellll, that's not exactly what I meant. 

photo taken by my friend Zaundia

But now we have three more sleeps, soon to be two. Unbelievable. We're nearly finished packing as of last night. We get to take six 50-pound bags to check, but at the end of our packing we had only filled two. (We prefer to travel light.) So then we got to have fun. Pete and I went to Sam's Club and Target armed with the lists we were given of things the missionaries and nationals have requested than can't easily be purchased in Kenya. We filled our carts with chocolate chips, decaf tea and coffee, almonds, and lots of candy bars and Crystal Light. Then we picked up some baby items from one of the hospitals nearby to fill the remaining bags.

old man Sammy (sweater from Goodwill, onsie by mama)

I find it hard to believe that our bags are already packed. I had hoped this would be the case, but I honestly didn't think we would really be able to do it. The last thing I want is to be crazy stressed and rushed right before we leave. We're steadily making our way through our lists of to-dos, hoping we don't forget anything. I'm trying to keep track of everything we're packing and prepping so that we'll have record of it for our future trips. There really is a lot to think about. Passports need to be accompanied by birth certificates and extra passport photos, just in case. All of those documents need to be copied and saved online so we can access them anywhere. We need to carry some cash, but there are rules about what kind of cash will be accepted in country. For example, bills must be crisp and printed in only the last few years. Our mail needs to be held, but the post office will only hold it for 30 days. Instead, we need to have it forwarded weekly to another address, which is actually better, we've realized, because they can then check through it for important documents. And what about our fish Tyrone and the plant that I have actually managed to keep alive for just over 2 1/2 years? We're so thankful to have friends and family who can help us keep things straight...and alive...while we are away.

loving on the banana cream pie at Duluth Grill

Our journey will begin at the Duluth airport on Sunday at noon. We'll fly to Minneapolis, then to Amsterdam, and finally to Nairobi. It takes about 24 hours in all with layovers. We'll stay the night at the mission guesthouse in Nairobi and then be driven four hours out to Tenwek Hospital where we'll settle into our two-bedroom apartment and begin soaking in all we can. It's hard to even imagine what it will be like. We'll know soon enough!

she loves her hot chocolate with sprinkles

Will you please continue to pray with and for us? Here are a few specific requests:

• We need to finalize everything here at home.
• We'd like to have a day of rest on Saturday so we have the energy and patience necessary for the long journey on Sunday.
• We really don't want to be sick! Ella & Sam both have stuffy noses right now, and we're hoping that is the extent of it. 
• We hope the flights will be smooth for all four of us.
• Our transition into the Kenyan culture will definitely be a big one. We want to remain open and flexible during our first few weeks.
• Pete & I really desire to be strong together during this transition. We've never done anything like this together before. Please pray that we'll be filled with a whole lot of grace for each other and that we'll feel very close to one another.

This is what I've wanted to do my entire life. No joke. The entire thing. Even though that gives me great confidence it what we are about to do, I'm still a bit nervous. I've never been to Africa and I've never done something like this with kids. All I can say is that I am thrilled to live life knowing a God who cares about my family enough to put these dreams on our hearts and make ways for them to happen. I will never stop being amazed.

We will post updates when we are able, so please continue to check back! We'll also be updating our Facebook page, which you can find by clicking HERE.

Blessings, Friends!

Does It Snow In Kenya?

Passports are in place, plane tickets will be purchased within days, and we're making our packing lists. We're going to Kenya!!

a photo from the Tenwek Hospital website

I'm so excited my hands are shaking as I write this. We've been talking and praying and dreaming about it for so long that I cannot believe the time has finally arrived. (I wrote about it in February in this post.) God has thrown doors wide, wide open and we're busting through because there is no way we're passing on this opportunity.

We've watched over the last few months as things have fallen into place to make this trip possible. Okay, we haven't just watched, we've had to push in some cases. I'm so thankful to be married to man who has a strong vision and whose desire to make that vision happen is just as strong. He met with many people and had long phone conversations to make this come together. Pete had to make sure that there would be US board certified physicians in Kenya to oversee his work and then had to work hard to make our trip a part of his residency training. And he (and God!) made it happen. Half of our time away will count toward his training, which means his time in residency will only be extended one month this summer.

the arrow points to where we'll be living

We're still nailing down our exact travel dates, but we'll roughly be gone January 13 through March 8. Those are the dates that Pete has open. He'll be working at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya. Tenwek was founded in 1937 by World Gospel Misison, the same organization I spent a year and a half working with in Honduras in 2002-2003. The hospital is well-established and is known for offering high-quality care to many who can't afford it. (Their gynecology unit has 72 beds!) They also train Kenyan doctors and nurses who then go out into other parts of Kenya to serve small communities. There are lots of great photos on their website if you click HERE.

Tewek Hospital

We'll be traveling under Wold Medical Mission, a part of Samaritan's Purse, which was established by Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham. They take care of all of the travel details like flights, visas, Pete's medical license in Kenya, our apartment, insurance, and so on. While Pete works in the hospital, I'll be exploring daily life with Ella and Sam. I hope to befriend other women in the area (missionaries, doctor's wives, and nationals) and tag along on everyday trips like shopping at the market and going to church. I also hope to check out some of the local schools to get an idea of what the school system is like for future teaching opportunities. I'm also curious to see what school might someday be like for Ella and Sam. So much to do in two months!

in Bomet, Kenya

Some of you know our long-term plans but some of you do not, so here they are. Pete will finish residency in late July of the coming summer. Then he hopes to work in the area for two years while we pay off school loans, find a large organization to work under, and prepare to move to Africa. There may be another exploratory trip in there, too, as we're not exactly sure which part of Africa we'll be going long-term. We have lots of questions, but we hope the trip this winter will answer many of them.

hoping to see a few of these

 I've been waiting years to go abroad with my family. Practically my entire life. I've known this would be my path since I was very little, but I sometimes can't believe I actually get to do it. Now I have a strong, determined husband and two amazing little ones that will be traveling with me. How am I so blessed?

Ella talks about going on a plane to "Acita" after Christmas to see zebras, elephants, and giraffes. I hope she gets to see those things and so much more. One thing I can promise she won't be seeing, though, is snow.

our little man in his passport photo

To Wisconsin We Go!

Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we went. And what a time we had! Our very short trip into the heart of Wisconsin farm country was relaxing and lovely. This was Sam's first time to Nana & Papa Olsen's house and his first time out of Minnesota. I'm so very fortunate to have two amazing little travelers. Ella read books and watched a movie while Sam slept nearly the entire way. Near the end of the long trip, things got a little silly.

At one point I wanted to show Ella a few Wisconsin farms with their expansive barns and picturesque farm houses. It reminds me of where I grew up. We took a country road off the main highway to "find cows." As soon as we saw our first one, Ella started singing Old McDonald.

At last, we arrived at Nana & Papa's. Ella set to work helping them water their plants, something she's very good at. (Probably didn't learn that from me, though. You should see our outside plants. Or not. They don't even exist anymore. After the flowers on the deck dried up, I tossed them with the yard waste. At least that way I don't have to be reminded of my lack of plant growing ability. Inside plants, yes. Outside, no. Maybe next summer will be better.)

At dinner, Ella was given this enormous book to use as a booster. I remember sitting on a stack of phone books at my grandparents' house when I was little. I couldn't resist capturing the moment.

The first evening of our stay, Auntie Kristin and I were watching the Olympics while Sam slept and I wondered what Ella was up to. When I searched in a basement bedroom, this is what I found. A perfect little picnic. 

Papa and his boy. The two of them together just makes my heart happy.

While I was out, I saw this shirt in Ella's size. Pete says this all the time.

It was hot during our visit (so thankful for air conditioning!), but we still spent plenty of time outside. Ella loves to walk around the small lake behind Nana & Papa's house.

Ella loves her Auntie Kristin. We're so fortunate to be able to see her just about every visit to Wisconsin. Ella also loves taking pictures, but we already knew that, didn't we?

She's gotten really good at throwing rocks in the water after all her dates with Daddy down by the lake. I think they always end up throwing rocks on their dates.

Another moment I love of Papa and Sam.

I know this picture was taken moments before leaving Nana & Papa's because Ella is holding a melting M&M. Nana always has a bowl of dark chocolate M&Ms out, but I don't let Ella know that until it's time to go. If you ask what her favorite food is, she'll tell you without hesitation choc-o-late. Just hearing the way she says the word makes me want to give it to her. Choc-o-late. I hope she says it that way forever.

After our 48 hour stay, it was time to head back to Duluth. The drive back wasn't quite as peaceful as the way there. I was a bit on edge before we were halfway home. Not good. The sun was beating down on me as I drove and Ella was practicing her two favorite questions "what?" and "why?" a few too many times for my liking. We finally stopped at a park in Solon Springs, a little town I've been wanting to check out. Ella played, I fed Sam, my sanity returned, and we all got some fresh air.

We had been watching gymnastics on the Olympics the night before, so when Ella saw this parking block, she pretended it was a balance beam. My dad was a gymnast back in the day, so I had to capture these photos.

We eventually did make it home. I was ready for a nap the moment we did, but of course the little ones had been in the car so long that they refused to rest. Isn't that always the way of it? No worries. Being a parent just wouldn't be complete without a few moments of exhaustion every now and then. And after such a relaxing stay at Nana & Papa's, I didn't mind quite as much.

Dreaming of Africa

Today, as I peer out the window at the snow-covered trees and fresh tracks through the yard, I'm longing for Africa. Not because of the cold or the wind or the snow. It's because a part of my heart is there. How can a part of my heart be in a place I've never been? Let me explain.

For as long as I can remember, I've had an enormous desire to live and teach in another culture. Whenever missionaries would speak at church when I was little, I listened intently to their stories and watched their slide shows with great interest. When I was in fifth grade, a couple guys from my church traveled to China to smuggle Bibles to its citizens. When they returned, one of them gave me a piece of Chinese paper money and told me I could keep it as long as I became a missionary myself someday. I still have that paper money tucked away in my Spanish Bible from my year and a half in Honduras during college. They are my reminders of what God has called me to.

 Amazingly, when I met Pete, he shared a very similar dream. One night shortly after we started dating, he told me that he wanted to move abroad to teach medicine. Seriously, I felt like God was handing me a very special gift through an incredible guy who also had dreams of other cultures. I know plenty of people who have wanted to go abroad but had to put it behind them when their husband or wife didn't share the same desire. Clearly, God was letting me continue down the path to being able to teach abroad long-term.

In the years since we got married, God has been giving us clear signs that we need to consider East Africa for our long-term plans. We often meet people who have either lived in Kenya or Tanzania or who have family or close friends there. Doors have opened to lead us closer to actually going abroad. My heart has been preparing for the culture and the people and the land as we make plans for the future. I can't make my heart do that. I really believe it's God preparing me for what is to come.

So that is why I feel a longing for Africa. I love this city and the people, but I'm not quite complete here. My heart was made to travel and to teach and to love people who don't speak my language. I cannot wait to get there. But I must. God is still working in me, and in Ella, and in Pete, and in the little baby we'll meet in a few months. I get so excited about it that I nearly cry (which could partially be hormones, but not entirely).

In the meantime, I'm thankful for dreams.

photos found here

Colorado: Day 8

This was the first day that we saw a lot of rain. We began the morning with all-you-can-eat pancakes here at the campground (yum!) and spent the rest of the morning playing games in the cabin. After we all took an afternoon nap, it finally cleared enough to venture toward Mount Rushmore.
When we arrived, the fog was just rolling out. What a sight it was! We hiked all around the monument, explored history exhibits, ate buffalo chili in the cafe, and watched the evening lighting ceremony just after dark. A full afternoon & evening.
Now we're packed up an ready to hit the road at 5am tomorrow. Ella & I will be back in Duluth by midnight. It's been a great trip, but I can't wait to see Pete! Ten days is enough for me. :)
Photos
1: the fog rolling out as we arrived at Mount Rushmore
2: with my girlie
3: a view from under their noses
4: somebody should be watxhin that kid...
5: a girl in a cave

Colorado: Day 7

This morning we said goodbye to the fair village of Keystone, Colorado and made our way to another Keystone. Interesting, isn't it? We are now staying near Keystone, South Dakota, only a few munutes from the majestic Mount Rushmore. Tomorrow we'll explore the park and see the gigantic stone carvings. Of course it will be a first for Ella, but it will be one for me, too. When we visited Mount Rushmore when I was a mere four years of age, it was too foggy to see. I'm really looking forward to the adventure.
On our way through Denver this morning, we had the opportunity to visit Mile High Vineyard. That's something I've wanted to do for a long time. I really enjoy listening to Pastor Jay Pathak's messages on iTunes, especially when I'm running. He's young & funny & a great teacher. You can find his messages on iTunes by searching for Mile High Vineyard.
We're all tucked in bed in our little cabin and it's only 9:20. Our excuse is that we're moving back to Central Time so it's 10:20. The truth, though, is that we're going through a sort of rest from our vacation. Isn't that a funny concept? We've been moving & moving, so now we need a rest. We'll take it easy tomorow in the hopes that we'll return from our vacation refreshed. Either way, it's been great!
Photos
1: a lunch stop made one little girl very happy. Isn't that why they call them
Happy Meals?
2: hiding from Papa in the back seat
3: our little cabin for Sunday & Monday nights
4 & 5: at Hill City Cafe for dinner

Colorado: Day 6

Today we spent the entire day in Breckenridge for the finish of stage 5 of the first ever USA Pro Cycle Challenge. It's pretty much the Tour de France of the US. It was amazing! We jumped on a shuttle to Breck at 9:30 am, found a city bench in the shade, and camped out for 6 hours. We were about 30 yards from the finish line and sat right behind the VIP seats. I'd never been to anything like this, so it was all very new to me. When the cyclists finally made it across the finish, they were moving so quickly it was hard to see them! We stayed to watch the awards ceremony afyer the race and saw them award each of the prestigious jerseys. It was a really fun experience!
Photos
1: Ella ready with her cow bell before the race
2: our spot in the shade
3: watching live coverage of the race on an enormous screen
4: right befire the finishers came in
5: with Ella at the finish. She had a great day, although the pic doesn't exactly depict that. :)