Wow!  What a day…here goes, please try to keep up…

6:30    Awake!  So much to do today… Toby is already up and using the internet so I begin the day by making breakfast.  Our cook makes really great tortillas and there is sausage in the freezer so I make breakfast burritos - one of our favorites!  We won’t always have to make breakfast but I figure since it’s just the 3 of us I can manage.

8:00      After breakfast and showering we are rushing around getting the house ready.  We still aren’t completely moved in to the hostel, but today is a big day - my first time to host a group of Nigerian women in our home.  I am very excited and want everything to go well.

9:15      My friends are arriving.  I invited my Bible Study Fellowship group over for morning tea.  Since BSF does not meet again until September I thought it would be nice to get together a few times for fellowship.  Hanatu, our cook, helped me by making a delicious coffee cake and cookies.  Seven ladies show up.

We spend the time talking about so many things: electricity (or lack there of), weddings and the differences between the US and Nigeria, professions and how the university professors have been on strike for 2 weeks, and the fact that next time they come they want bigger coffee cups (as a typical American, I wanted the dishes to match so I pulled out this lovely set of china that is in the hostel apartment).  We decided that next time we would have bigger cups and a meal.

They departed around 10:45, each with a bag of cookies and cake to take home.  We had such a wonderful time, talking and laughing.  They are a really neat group of women - some stay-at-home moms, some single working ladies, and a few university students.  I look forward to having them over again soon.  

11:00    Caden and I go outside for a walk.  We walk around our compound while he points at things so I can tell him what they are.  I think I say “truck” 20 times because he keeps pointing to the truck!  He loves vehicles, especially motorcycles.  We end up at a neighbor’s house so he can play with their kids for a few minutes.

12:15     Toby returns home from his meeting just in time for lunch.  We have JollofRice - a traditional Nigerian rice dish with chicken, carrots, and green beans.  After lunch Caden goes down for a much needed nap.

1:30    Caden is awoken by the roar of the rain and hail hitting our tin roof.  In his bed he is scared but when I place him in my lap at the kitchen table he sits and watches and laughs.  He is so cute!

3:30    We are stuck in traffic!  It is crazy… we are on a two way road but the people going our direction decide that they want to all go together so the road because one way causing a major traffic jam.  We now know not to go downtown after a big rain!

5:00    I begin making dinner for a family who is about to return to the US for a year.  Well, I should clarify, I am finishing dinner.  Hanatu made a salad and dessert and cooked meat for me, I am making spaghetti and sauce, and garlic bread so I don’t have too much to do… it is wonderful!

6:30    Our guests arrive and we have a wonderful meal with them.  The spaghetti turned out great and the dessert was so yummy!  They stay until after 8:00.

10:30    After cleaning up and watching a little TV we call my parents using Skype video.  It was so fun to see them… we talked for half an hour.

11:00    Exhausted, we crawl into bed.  This day was one of the most fun days I’ve had.  I know that the time with the Nigerian ladies will be the highlight of my week!