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!

Christmas Loveliness {an album}

Hands down, this was my favorite Christmas ever. It wasn't any one thing in particular that made it so special. It was all the little, lovely moments tied together. Ella is at the perfect age for soaking in the magic of the season. Taking her to see Santa this year was far more fun that I had imagined. She danced on her toes in front of him while asking him to bring ballet slippers and he stood and danced right along with her. Adorable. She whispered that the Christmas lights in our neighbors' yards were gorgeous and exclaimed with delight that Christmas is when we "celebrate Jesus' birthday!"

Those details were only part of it. Another was that since I hate the obligation of giving a gift just to give a gift, I tried to make each gift meaningful this year. I think I did a fairly decent job. It was fun searching through Etsy and Amazon for fun gifts way back when I was in the hospital in November. Some gifts came that way while others were second-hand things I found at shops around town. That was one change my family made this year. We've started giving thrift store and garage sale finds, which I think is fabulous, since I love, love, love second-hand shopping.

Pete had to work all the days around Christmas and was on call on Christmas Day, so I took the kids to his parents' house before Christmas and my parents' house after. Pete's sister, Kathryn, was able to fly in from Virginia for Christmas, so we definitely wanted to make our way over to see everyone.

Papa Olsen & Sammy

Ella's booster seat when we visit

Nana Olsen always does a beautiful job decorating

Auntie Kristin knows exactly what Ella loves!

Sam opening a gift with Auntie Kathryn

Nana & Papa with the little ones

The afternoon of Christmas Eve we ventured back to Duluth to be with Daddy. Ella & I made krumkake to set out for Santa with a big cup of milk. We've been working on intentionally doing things the last two years that we want to make a part of our holiday traditions.

Ella's one Christmas Eve gift

a recorded Night Before Christmas from her godfather Anton!

We spent a very quiet Christmas Day at home since Pete was on call. This is how we've spent our last few Christmases, and we love it. No expectations. No traveling or busyness. It's lovely. We started by checking our stockings with Ella when she discovered the milk and cookies were gone! She was in awe. And she got the ballet slippers she asked Santa to bring! Oh that Santa. He's got some pretty good elves, eh?

Sam's ornament from Santa

Thanks, Salvation Army, for the great slippers.

Ella picked 5 things from the dollar store for Daddy

Ella has her very own Knuffle Bunny! She loves the Knuffle Bunny books.

Ella's wanted a robe. I found this Gap size 4 beauty at Goodwill.

oops

The morning after Christmas, I took the kiddos to my parents' house where all of my siblings and their kids were anxiously awaiting more festiveness. (I like that word. Festiveness.) Being with my family is basically the very opposite of being with Pete's family. His family is quiet and traditional, which makes for a very nice environment for rest. I always consider it a vacation to go to his parents' house. Visiting my family is the complete opposite. We are made of noise, chaos, and lots of laughter. This year was the epitome of such gatherings. Six kids under five with two uncles who were all about getting the little ones as wound up as possible made the holiday pretty fun. Just as an example, my older brother brought balloons that are made not to be tied but to let out all their air while they fly about the room making crazy high-pitch squeaky noises. And this was before a single Chrimstas present was opened. It was great fun.

Malena & Ella were ready for food!

kids' table with Wyatt

Jake & his girl, Valerie. (We really like her!)

Maira, Malena, Ella, Hailey

waiting patiently

I gave her a girly tutu. Mike gave her the weapon. Jake defended himself with Ariel.

All this chaos and Malena has a plastic sword. Yikes.

I'm still tired from Christmas, which doesn't really set me up for success tonight. Unless I swing through Caribou on the way to Eli & Krista's for our New Year's shindig. At long last, we don't have to celebrate at the hospital, which is exactly where we rang in the last two new years. It wasn't all that bad since we could watch TV and eat free food from the caf. But this year I'm planning to put the kids to bed, grab an apricot ale, and ring in 2013 with long smooch with my man. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear, but I actually get to this year, so I'm taking full advantage. Unless, of course, a mama needs to have a C section right at midnight and he's paged in for it. That's a very real possibility. But I'm so praying it doesn't happen. Maybe he won't notice if I bury his pager in the snow.

Blessings, friends, as you ring in the New Year! There are so many good things to come.

Oh, and just 13 days till Kenya!

Merry Christmas!

our family photo card from Shutterfly

Merry Christmas!

our family Christmas letter 2012

We hope this letter finds you enjoying many holiday festivities and traditions alongside friends and family. We are especially focused on family this year as ours has grown with Sam’s arrival and Ella is at a perfect age to get excited about everything from Christmas lights (“Oh, gorgeous!”) to celebrating new family traditions (“Mama, let’s have strawberry shortcake for Jesus’ birthday!”). We are soaking it all in while also preparing to leave for two months in Kenya. More on that later. First, the family.

Samuel Thomas: On May 24 we welcomed Samuel Thomas Amani to our family. Sammy is now seven months old and is a smiley, social little man who loves to cuddle, eat, and play with his big sister. Sam was born with Down syndrome and has proven to be strong and very healthy. Though we were surprised by his diagnosis upon his birth, we know that God was not. We continue to trust that He will show us how to parent our darling little boy and look forward to all the things that God has for him.

Miss Ella: Ella, who will be 3 ½ on Christmas, continues to keep us on our toes. She started Montessori preschool in August and absolutely loves it. She is learning the alphabet, to care for her surroundings, and even how to sew a button. She enjoys running (she didn’t knock anyone over during races this year!), dancing, making up songs, and playing outside. Ella makes us laugh with her silliness and reminds us of the sweetness of a child’s pure heart when she whispers, “I love you, and so does Jesus.” What a lovely girl she is.

The Mama: Angela had a very busy year, indeed. She nearly completed her Master of Education, worked hard on developing her online bake shoppe, The Little Yellow Kitchen, had a baby (kind of a big deal), and went through the craziness of a ruptured appendix in November. With a desire to focus more on family, Ang recently closed her kitchen and extended her grad work through next semester. She continues to write the family blog and will be exploring the joys of photography with her new DSLR Canon Rebel camera.   

The Daddy: Pete spent the year working as hard as ever and is now in his third and final year of family medicine residency. He will complete residency at the end of July, take a month off (yay!), and begin a job in September. Details of the job will be on our blog as soon as they are finalized. In non-medical news, Pete bought a black, lifted Jeep Wrangler this summer and was pretty excited when he was called on to drive through the treacherous waters of the Duluth Flood to rescue the clinic in June. (Okay, he just had to close it, but our street was practically a raging river, so it was certainly an adventure.) When he’s not working, he loves napping with Sam and taking Ella on their weekly daddy/daughter date.

 

Kenya: On January 13 we will be trading the bitter cold of Minnesota for the warm sunshine of East Africa. Pete will be working at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya while Ella, Sam, and Ang soak in daily family life and explore local schools. We’ll be traveling with World Medical Mission, a part of Samaritan’s Purse, and plan to return in early March.

We ask for your continued prayers as we prepare for our adventure abroad and explore all that God has for us down the road. May you be blessed with happiness and peace through this holiday season and the entire year!

Love,  
the Olsens

Meeting Santa

Happy Tuesday!