Sorry I am a little slow with blogging lately. We have been thoroughly enjoying our time at home in Tucson. This afternoon we are planning to have lunch at one of our favorite little spots downtown and then go for a hike in the Catalinas.
We had a wonderful full day of thanksgiving last Thursday! I ran a 5k cross country race in the morning with Ryan's Uncle Terry. It had rained earlier that morning so the typical water pit and hay bale lain course was also covered in mud and rain-filled washes...it was a sloppy adventure...luckily our car wasn't clean so we could get in without any worries of dirtying it any more. :)
After the race we went over to Grandmo and Grandpo Green's for brunch! Ryan has a lot of cousins on that side of the family, so it was fun to be able to see a lot of them and have a non-turkey meal to start out the day.
Lori hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving meal at her house with Grammie, Sara, and us. Having just a small group was really nice to get to chat with everyone and have some meaningful time as we shared what we were all thankful for.
And then in the evening we went to Chris and Melissa's to celebrate with friends!
I just got home from an absolutely wonderful 3 hour visit with our friends from the Congo. I love that every time we go over there, no matter what time of day, it is as if they are just waiting for our visit. They are not pre-occupied with other things that they need to get done, they are not worried about how clean or dirty their house is, they are not concerned if they are in their pajamas or newest clothes, they are just so thankful to have company to sit and visit with. They live totally in the present...such a great reminder for me today!
Yesterday morning I had my 6-month check-up at the dentist office. I am one of those that actually likes going to the dentist. I think this is because as a child I had a funny hygienist that always joked around, and at the end of the appointment I would always get my photo taken for the "No Cavity Kid" wall after I picked out my toy from the treasure chest.
Yesterday's appointment once again started out with smiles and laughs. My hygienist told me it looked like I had been doing a great job brushing and flossing. Then my dentist came in, took a look at my x-rays, told me I had perfect teeth and that I should thank my parents for those genes (thanks mom and dad!). One look and two pokes with the sharp metal thing in my mouth though, and the mood changed. The dentist told me that I have not one, but TWO cavities!! I felt like I was such a disappointment to both the hygienist and dentist since they had just been praising me...I guess looks really don't tell a person anything. Now, these cavities might not seem like a big deal to many, but these are my first cavities in my adult teeth! I guess if I hadn't reached adulthood before, this is officially my entrance into this next stage of life.
We have made it back to Tucson safe and sound. From 9 degrees in Fargo, ND to 80 degrees in Tucson, we don't have too much to complain about. :)
Our last couple of tour days were spent in Boston and NYC! We finally got to meet Ellen Mueller, and spend some time visiting with her parents, our friends, Claire and Peter. Claire is from France and only speaks in French to Ellen, and Peter is from Germany and only speaks in German to Ellen...and we only spoke to her in English...tri-lingual baby, watch out! :)
It was great to see other friends in the area...as always we wish our visit could have been longer and we could have seen EVERYONE we love in the area, but I guess there will be a next time.
My roadtrip home to Tucson was made wonderful with the company of my friend Heather from Tucson! Who knew we had 50+ hours of conversation stored up? Sure enough, we did! and the entire trip home was filled with chatter and laughter...thanks for turning what could have been a long exhausting drive into such a great roadtrip Heather!
Visiting Heather's family along the way... Grandparents and family friends in Indiana:
In-laws in Missouri:
Heather's brother-in-law's farm (where we got hormone/antibiotic-free, free-range, local, fresh meat from for dinner!):
We are back in Boston for a few days before Ryanhood's shows on Thursday and Friday. Just a quick plug...if you are in Boston and free on Friday night, Ryanhood is playing with Owen Plant at Club Passim, 7pm and 10pm, tickets available at the venue or online, www.clubpassim.com. Without a question, Club Passim is by far the coolest venue that I've seen Ryanhood play at, or have seen any concert at for that matter. It's a 50+ year old folk club and vegetarian restaurant. People who go there love music, and are ready to go along for the ride and laugh, listen, sing,...it's great...you should come. :)
Or, if you are in NYC, Saturday night at The Underground Cafe, 20 Murray St. at 8pm is the place to be. :)
Okay...onto being back in Boston. I LOVE this city! It's starting to get cold and when taking public transportation and walking everywhere, there is definitely the need to wear a hat, scarf, mittens, etc...but I love it! I love walking past cute shops and restaurants, I love waiting for the T, riding the T, reading The Metro on the T, I love the eclectic assortment of people on the sidewalks, I love the recycling containers on the sidewalks, I love how big the natural & organic section is at the grocery store, I love the memories we have from living and visiting here, I love the friendships we have here, ... Visiting Boston puts me on a bit of an emotional overload I suppose you could say. :)
We are staying with our friends, Lisa and Stace, and their kids, Abby and Cameron (fun pick of names, eh?) in Porter Square. Last night we had a wonderful dinner by candlelight, and then this morning the house was bustling with their friends over for breakfast. Ryan and I went to the ICA (Institute for Contemporary Art) in the South End, and for lunch at Flour Bakery and Cafe (YUM!). Ryan and I have determined that Contemporary Art is definitely our favorite art to see in a museum. There was a great exhibit going on by Tara Donovan using all common materials in large quantities...have a look...
Paper plates folded:
Toothpicks that were in a large crate and emptied out...not glue or adhesive used:
I am in a very fun position to work full-time with my husband. I do the booking, mail out the promo, and do all of that fun stuff months before the show, and then at the actual show, I sell their merchandise: cds, shirts, posters, etc. It is a very humorous position because most of the concert-goers have no idea that I have any connection with the band, let alone that I am married to one of the band members.
Some fun moments have included:
**(said to friend also at the merch table while looking at posters), "Oh my gosh, they are so hot...who do you think is cuter, Ryan or Cameron?" ... "I'm totally going to hang this [poster] over my bed."
**(said to me by two effeminate gentleman after a show), "Are you their manager?" Me:"I do their tour managing and booking." Them: "The guy who stands on the leftside of the stage [Ryan] is soo hot!" Me (unable to keep a straight face): "I think so too...he's my husband." Them (said while giving me high fives and hugs in celebration): "Oh giiiiirrlll...you get him...you get him...girrrlll!"
**(said at merch table before a show to a girl buying a ridiculous amount of merchandise before even seeing them play), Me: "Have you heard Ryanhood play before?" Girl: "Ummm...my friend like knows them personally." (I had no response to this one...I wish I knew who her friend was so I could have an in with the band too.)
**(At a past NACA conference while handing out neckties to students in our expo booth, a girl was asking Ryan for his personal necktie when I interrupted), Me: "Wow, he's going to give you his own tie?" Ryan: "Well, she said she'd bring it back to me by the end of the conference." College girl: "It's because he's totally in love with me". (Ryan and I then look at each other with a laugh in our eyes...if only she knew..). :)
We are in Hartford, CT this weekend for another NACA (National Association of Campus Activities) conference. Once again, thousands of college students in a small space where no embarrassing moment goes unnoticed. This time though, it was Ryan blushing instead of myself. We were all on the "up" escalator going to the ballroom for dinner, when Ryan decided to have a fun childhood-like moment and sit on the moving handrail...a fun balancing game of sorts, I suppose. Although, the game did not last more than 2 seconds, as the escalator started beeping and jerked to a halt...with everyone turning around to look at us to say, "Who did that? Who just got on and made it stop?" We followed suit and turned around to look who was behind us that could have possibly made is stop...the only problem is that there wasn't anyone behind us to pass the blame off to, so we just looked dumbfounded as if we had no idea why the escalator stopped. So, we all had to climb the escalator stairs, which by the way, why is it so much harder to climb escalator stairs than normal stairs?? After dinner, as we were on the "down" escalator we noticed that the "up" was still out of order with someone working to fix it...oops!
I've grown to absolutely love the above slogan. It has so much hope. So much positivity. So much enthusiasm. Watching the news as the polls closed and then Obama's acceptance speech last night was absolutely moving. I'm so excited and hopeful to be apart of a country where any child can dream of being the president, where I can go to another country and not be embarrassed to say that I'm an American, where I can afford to have health insurance, where there is an end to war, where I--and hopefully others--have a little less fear to bring a child into this world because of the previous two reasons, where poverty is addressed, where our children's education is valued...the list goes on. The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.
'One Home Many Hopes' is a home for abandoned and orphaned street girls in Kenya that was founded by a friend of mine from Boston, Thomas Keown. He saw the need for such a home when he visited Kenya and was shocked by the sight of children foraging through trash piles for food just to stay alive.
Today, One Home Many Hopes is providing shelter and education for 35 young Kenyan street girls. Thirty-five girls who once ate flea-ridden scraps from trash piles, will today have cooked meals. Girls who once slept cold in the mud of Mtwapa's streets, will tonight curl up in clean sheets. Girls who had no hope and no future will spend nine hours in school tomorrow. These 35 girls who were once known to nobody, right now know that they are loved.
One Home Many Hopes was selected as 1 of 2 small non-profits to be filmed raising $20,000 in 30 days for a documentary. They have someone who is willing to match up to $10,000...so their personal goal is to have 1,000 people give $10...the need now, is to find 1,000 people to give $10...in the next 20 days! If you are interested in learning more about One Home Many Hopes, please click here. If you are interested in giving $10 to go directly toward OHMH, and also achieving the goal for $20,000, please click here.
Flat Stanley traveled with me from Tucson to Wisconsin last week to join back up with the guys on tour.
We had one show in Oshkosh, WI and then headed north to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where we stayed with my friend Megan's mom, and Megan and her kids who came up from Chicago for a vacation! I had been to the Upper Peninsula before, but the last time I was there, it was February and I was so cold, that I don't remember too much. This time was different though. The fallen fall leaves, the lake, the sunrises...it was GORGEOUS! I just love the stillness and peace that comes with life lived surrounded by nature. The smell of the bonfire, the sound of the leaves crunching beneath our feet, children laughing as they breathe in the crisp air, and the taste of home cooked meals. It was a wonderful time spent with friends!
Our friend Heather from Tucson made Ryan and Cameron "tie t-shirts"...the amount of time and intricacy blows me away. The letter boxes are all attached to the shirt still...she only cut away where you see the stripes sticking through. Ryan's shirt reads, "The Maestro" and Cameron's reads, "Mr. Passion" (sorry, Cameron was unavailable for the photo)...
Cameron gifted Ryan with Super Scrabble for his birthday! Now our games can be twice as long, and our point totals reach the 800s! For those of you into Scrabble, Super Scrabble has more triple word score squares as well as added quadruple letter and quadruple word squares! There are also twice as many tiles...now you can play those words that have two z's, etc!
And, Ryan's new pull-up bar that rests over doorways...you may have seen the infomercial for it, THE IRON GYM. That's right ladies and gentleman, we no longer need to leave our hotel room to get super fit! In all honesty, it's pretty great actually. You can do pull-ups while it's in the door way, or if you put it on the ground you can do dips or sit-ups with it.
We are staying with Cameron's grandparents in Bloomington, IL for a few days. They are absolutely wonderful to stay with...as we try to come by whenever we are in the area. They are totally with it, love to hang out and talk, and also give us as much space as we like to do whatever we want, as well as come and go as we please. Their 10 year old granddaughter, Meredith, spent two of the nights while we were here. She's an only child, and acts like a small adult. For example, the first time that I came with Ryan and Cameron to visit his grandparents, Meredith took Ryan aside on her own to say (please read in your best old lady accent), "Ryan, I can't believe you are married...when did this happen?" She's an absolute riot to have around. To her dismay, we had to spend the entire next day at the conference...but when we got home at 12:30am that night, she had this cute note waiting for us... It was so sweet to read, knowing that she'd be up at 7am waiting for us, yet she was willing to write "take as long as you like".
This past weekend we were in Peoria, IL at a NACA (National Association of Campus Activities) conference for midwest colleges to book their spring entertainment. Ryan and Cameron were in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for the first 2 days of the conference, so I was there on my own to represent. Thousands of college students were in attendance, and hundreds of performers were there to woo them in. The showcases all took place in a gorgeous theater. I had my "usual place to sit" in the theater, and afterwards I would usually go directly across the hall to the Ladies room before returning to the expo center. Well, for one of the showcases someone was in my "usual seat" so I ended up going down two rows and finding a seat there. After the showcase ended, I continued my routine of going across the hall to the bathroom before returning to the expo center. However, this time I entered the bathroom and was hit by an overwhelming smell of urine..."that's funny, I don't remember that from before...", I thought to myself as I ventured in. I also pondered that I had remembered the bathroom being much cuter...you know, the little couch and mirror in the "foyer" to the actual bathroom area, but I just blew it off thinking that I had been in a lot of different bathrooms over the past week's adventures of hotels, colleges, etc. and that I must be thinking of the wrong place. It wasn't until I was ALL THE WAY into the bathroom that I realized that there were very few stalls, and a whole wall of urinals!! ACK...moving a couple of rows down in the theater meant coming out there door directly across from the MENS bathroom! Luckily, there were no men IN the bathroom, but because I waited until the showcase was over to go to the bathroom, it meant that THOUSANDS of college students were streaming out the doors directly across from the mens bathroom, and I would for sure be seen exiting. So, I walked out quickly, head down, cheeks reddening, as I walked up three short stairs to the ladies room...where it smelled of potpourri and had it's cute little sofa waiting for me.
Ryan left last Tuesday to resume the tour, and I will join him come Monday. I must say that it is definitely easier to be home while he is away, than in a random state while he is away. At least while I'm here I can busy myself by doing random household things, visit with friends and family, etc.
Today though, was kind of my breaking point...all I wanted to do was figure out a way to teleport myself to Wisconsin to be with him! But, alas, I remained in Tucson...and it turned out to be a pretty good day!
This morning Grammie came over for lunch. We had soup and salad on the back patio. Although it is still hot in the sun here, the shade provides a great breeze. And, since it starts getting hot later in the day, I hadn't really planned my laundry duty too well, and well, the clothes were still drying on the line while we ate lunch...which might not seem like a big deal, until you see where our clothes line is in our backyard...we were pretty much "fenced" in on the patio with clothes blocking our mountain view. Oh well, the company was great, and anything to make Grammie give a belly laugh is worth it. :)
Then, I went to Ginger's funeral at the pet cemetery. Ginger was Gary, Mary, and Rachel's dog for the past 12 years, but died a couple of weeks ago from cancer. And, it just so happens that there is a pet cemetery right next to where Gary is buried. Originally Mary just planned on having Ginger buried there with a little headstone, but a funeral service comes with the package...so 6 of us went this afternoon to share our memories of Ginger. It was actually a cool ceremony. The woman leading it, read a children's book which she then gave to Rachel, recited a poem about pets, and also read an obituary that they wrote up about Ginger. All in all it was about 15 minutes long. I couldn't help but noticing on my way out that there were "family plots". At first I thought, "Gosh they have lost a lot of pets"...in my head thinking cats, dogs, etc. But then I read closer and they were for fish, gerbils, rats, etc...I kind of wish I could've met that family. :)
I often eat pretty random stuff when Ryan is gone (a can of soup, tuna out of the can, cheese, ...no real meal ever), but tonight was great!! Carne asada, salad, and leftover soup from lunch this afternoon.
After dinner, I took a great bike ride out Old Spanish Trail, and finished heading west looking out at the gorgeous sunset! I wish I would've brought my camera with me! But I thought the responsible thing to do was bring my cell phone, and well, I didn't have room to carry both. But here is a pre-ride photo...
A friend of mine just wrote a blog post with "pet peeve" in the title, and it reminded me of a post I had thought to do a while ago, but never got around to it...
So, apparently I am often "that person" who does what it is that soo annoys you! This has only become known to me recently when I've been part of discussions where people are stating their pet peeves, and I realize, that I do what they are talking about!! Only, I never realized anyone was annoyed by it...oops! When in these conversations, I never know if I should sheepishly admit to it, or be defensive that clearly there is nothing wrong with the action that has taken place. If you know me well, I usually just start laughing in awkward situations, so luckily that has taken care of the problem both times this has occurred.
Pet Peeve Confessions:
#1--I love getting on the plane, waiting until it takes off and I can once again lower my tray table, and then pulling out my dinner (usually with some sort of strong aroma) and eating it. I view this as waiting until I can really enjoy the meal and not be stressed out about making my connection, etc. Apparently though, this is really annoying to have to smell someone else's dinner in such a confined space...sorry!
#2--Well, I never realized that the reason why there is frequently paper towel all ready to tear is because someone took the time to do that before they washed there hands as to not re-contaminate with germs. I on the other hand see a lingering paper towel ready to be torn from the dispenser and use it...and then I'm out the door and on my merry way, totally oblivious to the fact that someone was probably giving me dirty looks the whole time I was drying my hands...oops!
Those are the only two I can think of right now...but I'm sure you will all post comments now and remind me of the gagillion other things I do that annoy you...please forgive me! :)
I haven't done a whole lot of RH work since we arrived home a week and a half ago. In fact, I think the only RH work I've done is email a few schools and make a deposit at the bank (unfortunately our bank is hard to come by in the midwest). So, today I decided to spend some time mapping out the last month of the tour, since the ideal time to buy flights was a month ago...and the prices are only going to increase...oops...I made myself book all the remaining flights today instead of cringing each day as I re-check the prices. The last week of the tour involves RH flying in to do shows in Montana and North Dakota before returning home...and during that time The Green Machine and I will be making our cross-country trek from NYC to Tucson. Anyone up for a road trip? Or perhaps you need to get to point b. from point a. but didn't know how you were going to get there? (Given that points a and b are between NYC and Tucson.) The dates I'll be driving are November 16-21st. Please feel free to join me for the whole trip, or just a portion...seriously...this is an honest to goodness invite...I'd love the company!! :)
Remember that magazine I was talking about a while back, Relevant? Well, I'm still loving it and requesting Chris and Melissa's back issues after they finish reading. Relevant recently turned me onto a website called Rosa Loves. It's a website that sells custom designed t-shirts to raise money for specific people or causes.
I know I don't have children yet, but I am one of those people who like to plan ahead and do research, and recently was introduced by Eileen to gdiapers. They are a hybrid between cloth and disposable diapers. You can flush them down the toilet, compost them, or throw them in the trash because they totally break down in about 90 days. And, they have really cute diaper covers with a little "g" on the butt...perfect for the last name "Green"! :)
I guess there are only two new website favorite finds...I thought I was going to have a list of them. Oh well...there they are. Have a great night!
This past Sunday was just one of those days where I felt so much love pouring in and pouring out. I couldn't have smiled more, cried more (joyful tears, of course), or felt more like we were living right where we are supposed to be. (This last one is a good reminder for me as I am often longing for the Boston T.)
The morning started out with arriving at church and seeing our Congo friends (whom didn't know we were in town visiting, and also whom don't normally go to the same church as us). They were seated right by the door and immediately there was a huge hugging fest, with bright smiles and laughter. It was honestly the best "welcome home" anyone could have ever given or received. I am not going to write it off as impossible, but I don't think Americans could have given the same greeting...it's as if they have an innocence about them that we don't have...their range of emotions are just so much greater and they aren't afraid to jump up and down even when they are "grown-ups" because they are so excited to see someone or share some news! The room was just filled with so much joy because of their presence.
After church we had lunch with Ryan's mom, sister, step-mom, and half-sister. I feel so lucky to be part of a blended family that is truly blended and love each other and spend time together.
We met up with our friends Ben and Heather for a mid-afternoon coffee date to chat and share what has been going on in life.
And then we topped the evening off hanging out with our friends David, Eileen and Kaia for more chatting and gaming (p.s. my new favorite game might be Portrayal).
I guess the day could have been looked at as booked to the brim, or even as mundane hanging out with people...but it wasn't either of those...it was just totally filled with smiles and feeling loved.
I am not a very good birthday person. In fact, I'm not a very good gift person. Gifts are not my "love language" I guess you could say. Ryan always comes up with fun and creative things, such as Little House on the Prairie themed dinner party, mountain biking excursions, etc. So when it came to "planning" Ryan's birthday this year, I got very excited when I had an idea of what "the perfect gift" would be, as well as a surprise date to go on! It just so happened that Weezer was playing at the Arizona State Fair the night of his birthday!
One of my favorite parts about the concert was that for their last two songs, they had winners of a local radio station contest "Who can jam with Weezer" join them on the stage to play whatever instrument they brought. 35 people joined them and jammed out on everything from the flute to a xylophone to a didgerydoo (sp??)...it was awesome!
Perhaps I should have thought more about the fact that I am totally scared of roller coaster/fair rides, and Ryan loves them, before taking him to a concert at a massive state fair where the temptation to go on a ride would be very likely. I couldn't make him go on a ride by himself...so the Mega Drop it was! The good thing about the Mega Drop is that a.) they harness you in, so there is no changing your mind once you are on and b.) it is over pretty fast, so I didn't totally lose my voice from screaming since it was only about 15 seconds worth of "falling".
It was great night with lots of fun memories! Happy Birthday Ryan!
Our time in Tucson has gone by fast, as expected, but definitely worth the trip.
We've gotten to have some fun time with Ryan's sisters...
See Melissa's growing belly...
Celebrate Ryan's birthday with his family...
Hike with "Flat Stanley" and my friend Lori... (Flat Stanley is a paper cut-out that my nephew, Roger, mailed me...his class is trying to learn about all the places Flat Stanley goes, so he'll be making frequent appearances on my blog for a while...
We were at Walgreens to get a prescription and while waiting for it to get filled, remembered that Ryan needed a temporary mouth guard to prevent him from grinding his teeth at night. I looked around, found a mold-able guard, and went back over the prescription counter. Unfortunately they weren't able to fill the script because of insurance chaos, so we decided we'd just come back for it at a later time. I then slipped the mouth guard into my purse (totally unaware of my actions), and proceeded to leave the store. The door beeped at me, and I looked at Ryan wondering why it beeped when we didn't even buy anything, and continued to keep walking. That is when Ryan asked me if I paid for the mouthguard? Oh yeah...the mouthguard that is in my purse, unpurchased...oops! Don't worry, I do have a conscious, we went back in and paid for the mouthguard, the clerk totally unphased by the fact that I almost shoplifted. :)
It feels soo good to be home! Unfortunately this phrase was first said last night while I was sick with the flu...so good to be home and in my own bed while sick, yet also the last place I want to be sick since I actually know people in this town!! :) But, I am feeling much better today!
I was at the grocery store this afternoon and realized how it's the little things that make Tucson home.
It's the peanut butter press (? I'm not sure that it's actually called a 'press', but it seems appropriate I guess) at Sunflower Market...
And, getting to go to the meat shop where they offer to make hamburger patties for me so I don't have to dirty my hands (not that I really mind).
Before I write Steven's story, I realized that I forgot to mention in my original Bitone post that another item I want to focus on collecting to bring over is mosquito nets!
Steven's Story...as told by Steven in a local language and translated for the newsletter. My name is Steven Kyobe and I came from the street. To come to the street my parents had died of AIDS and I was the only child at home with nothing to eat. And when I reached the street I found there many children who had different characters and many of them used to steal people's properties. So I decided to get one friend so that he could help me to get what to eat. I got a friend and his name was Herbert. He had some "tins" he used to play with and he also trained me how to play the tins. So one day my friend had gone to steal and I remained alone on the street playing my tins and two men came towards me and gave me sweets and told me that I should go with them because the sound of the tins I used to play from the tins was good and interesting. But as I was talking with them, my friend Herbert came back and asked me what those men were telling me. I was fed up with being on the street, so I accepted to go with them. After one month when I was in Bitone Children's Home, I found out that the situation was good and I went back for my friend when I was looking good and smart. Good enough my friend was also attracted to come to Bitone. We are now living at Bitone home and we are so happy that we were saved. We can dance, sing and even play music instruments which are very good. I thank God and I discourage children most especially those with talents from going to the street that one time God will remember them since he is their Creator. Lord I don't know how I can thank you, but thank you!
I love that feeling of having someone to look forward to...the stomach twists and turns that leave you feeling so excited you just don't know what to do and you end up busying yourself to make the time pass by more quickly. After having had two days to wander around Green Bay on my own...I was very much looking forward to picking up Ryan from the airport this evening! I went grocery shopping this morning, checked into the new hotel, cooked dinner on the hot plate (and put it in the fridge to make for a quick dinner prep this evening so all we would need is the microwave), considered going for a run, but took a bath instead...and then finally left for the airport! Somehow even though I was so excited, I still ended up being late so Ryan was out on the curb waiting for me when I arrived...oops...I don't know how that happened! We drove back to the hotel, ate our fancy dinner in tupperware down in the lobby, played a game of scrabble and then decided we needed to "get out". Our first plan was to go see a movie at the cheap theater, but the viewings were limited, so we decided to cough over the full price and saw "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist". I give it an "A"...very cute! Nick is the character from "Juno", another movie I also really liked. So, for those of you who aren't in Green Bay this weekend, I recommend going to see "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist"...and for those of you in Green Bay (which I don't actually think there are any of you that read this...), come to the RH show at Cup O' Joy! :)
Afosian's Story - as told by Afosian in a local language and translated for the newsletter.
**please be warned that Afosian's story is slightly graphic...**
My name is Afosian Joan. I am from war affected areas of Uganda (Gulu). It was one night when we were sleeping and the rebels attacked our home. They killed my father and they cut off my mother's breasts. Rebels did not kill me because they did not see me and I survived like that. I cried till morning and nobody could help me..when it came to evening time...a mother took me in, but after two months she turned against me and she told me that she no longer had money to look after me...so I decided to work in a nearby shop. I used to go to that shop every day and mop it and I even mopped all the verandas. There was a man who used to come to that shop everyday and he used to find me when mopping. So one day he came and asked, "Young girl don't you go to school?" and I answered him that I don't go to school and explained to him what had happened to me. He asked me whether I wanted to go to school and said he would pay my school fees. I was so excited about that! He then asked me whether I could dance and I told him that I could, so he brought me home to live at Bitone. And, that man was Branco. (Branco is the founder and director of Bitone).
It's been almost a day and a half since I dropped Ryan off at the airport...and already, I'm missing him like crazy! It doesn't seem to matter how much time we get to spend together every day, how long we've been married, or having had spent longer stretches of time apart in the past...I still miss him. I don't even have anything new to say, I'm still wearing the same outfit I was wearing when I saw him last (remember, I don't change my clothes? :), but still I am very very excited to get to pick him up from the airport in about 16 hours! :)
In just a little over two months Ryan and I will be leaving for our trip to Uganda! In addition to living with Liz's family and being apart of Charlene's baptismal ceremony, we will be spending some time at an orphanage called "Bitone".
Bitone was founded in 2004 by a native Ugandan, Branco, in his mid-20's. He is still the current director and runs the orphanage out of a rented home where he can accommodate up to 25 children.
The orphanage for 8-18 year olds whose MISSION is to restore the lives and hopes of Ugandan children who are traumatized by the death of their parents or loss of their home due to disease, war, or economic hardship.
Their VISION is to do this by providing basic food and shelter, a nurturing environment, counseling, an academic education combined with a unique and strong performance program of traditional Ugandan dance, music, and theater, the children’s lives can again become meaningful and joyful.
Over the next couple of days, I will be posting some of the children's stories of how they came to live at Bitone so you can get to know who we will be working with more.
Here is a youtube video with performance and interviews from Bitone!
Bitone is a very organized non-profit and has a list of specific needs. We are going to try to collect some of these things, and money to go towards larger items they are in need of to bring over with us when we visit in December/January. If you would like to contribute in any way, please let us know, or feel free to mail items to our home (email me at abby@ryanhoodmusic.com if you need our home address)..thank you!!
Twin-size bedding for the bunkbeds and toiletries are two things that I want to focus on collecting to bring over...but feel free to look at the full list and see if there is something that catches your eye! Please don't feel any obligation to give anything...I just wanted to share with you another aspect of our trip that we are excited about!
(I was going to shorten their needs list and only include items I thought would be easiest for people to contribute in some way, but I realized that some of you may have connections to items I would have deleted...so the full list follows...)
BITONES SPECIFIC NEEDS:
1.Rent: Rent for Bitone Center is gradually becoming a challenge. At the moment Bitone pays over $315 every month including water and electricity bills.
2.Nutrition: Bitone seeks to make improvements, so that all children at the Center can maintain a balanced diet. Currently, the daily diet includes maize flour and rice.
3.Tuition and Scholastic Materials: On average, the children spend approximately $140 USD every term of study. This adds up to about $420 in a year, which becomes increasingly difficult to fund.
4.16 Bunk Beds: Last year, the Albion group in Michigan raised money which funded 9 bunk beds for the children. We hope to continue to raise funds, as others are sleeping on mattresses on the floor.
5.25 Mosquito Nets for the kids: A must to prevent against Malaria and other sickness.
6.Blankets, Bed Sheets and Mattresses for each child: At the moment kids are sharing beddings and unfortunately they are also wearing out.
7.Clothes for each child: Sanitary items [underwear’s, towels, bathing soap, shavers etc]
8.Sound Equipment for Bitone Performances: These include; amplifiers, sounds speakers [bass and treble], microphones, mixers, stage lights, microphone stands, cable wires, CD-player, generator etc
9.National and International Performance Opportunities: This will help generate more revenue for Bitone
10.Musical Instruments: The Uganda traditional instruments can only be purchased in Uganda. Others include; guitars, keyboards, violins, trumpets, flutes, saxophones.
11.Costumes: Most of the costumes used are traditionally made according to the authenticity of various cultural dances and CAN ONLY be purchased in Uganda. Other costumes needed for Bitone’s performances include; T-shirts [single colored e.g. white, red, blue, yellow etc], dancing shoes, shorts and trousers [single colored], bandanas, vests, stockings [long-heavy material].
12.Television Set with a DVD Player: This is for study purposes of our rehearsals and performance and also to act as part of source of entertainment for the kids.
13.Means of Transport: This will help reduce on travel expenses we incur during our performances and in other emergencies.
14.Medicine: Often, kids are struggling with different illnesses of malaria, flu, cold etc. A well stocked and permanent “Drug Kit’/”First Aid Box” would be ideal.
15.Volunteers: We are always in search of volunteers on to assist in short programs such as: counseling, training in arts, education, health services, domestic-related work plus other developmental workshops and seminars.
16.Security: This is needed both during day and night periods. Bitone rents a house which has no fence and is prone to trespassers.
17.Marketing of Bitone: Our mission and activities!
18.A Lighting system: This include back up electricity when power goes out, which happens quite frequently. This may include; a standby generator, solar system, large-seized lamps.
19.Video and Sound Recordings: for Bitone’s artistic works; dances, songs and/or other practical activities that are done at the center.
20.Indoor and Outdoor games for the kids: During leisure time, kids need to engage in such games for health purposes, and to boost the socialization.
Listen to them on myspace: www.myspace.com/bitonetroupe
I am back in Wisconsin...yeah!!...I've really enjoyed this state! Ryan and Cameron are in Idaho for 2 days of shows, so I have the time off to just relax and get caught up on some business. I am currently sitting at a Starbucks, and enjoying the coziness of this particular location. Inspired by another blog, I decided to write a post about 12 things (I couldn't limit it to 10) that have made me smile lately (in no particular order)...
1.) The University of Wisconsin River Falls has an agricultural program and had "home made" fresh ice cream in the cafeteria! To get the most out of this experience, i decided to try a scoop of each flavor! (Vanilla and Maple Walnut were my favorites.)
2.) Blue skies and crisp air! For 22 days straight, we have seen nothing but blue skies...in fact the last day that we had anything but a blue sky was the 1/2 marathon.
3.) My not-so-new shoes. I got these shoes for the tour because of their versatility...they are great for warmer weather and can be worn without socks, and they are also great for chilly weather with socks.
4.) Friends and family!
Ryan's Aunt Jo and Uncle Donny drove to the RH show at St. Joseph's College in Indiana last Friday. It is always so nice to see familiar faces and have a conversation with people we know and that also knows us.
On Saturday, friends Brock and Kat who recently moved from Tucson to Bloomington IL, came to the RH show, and we later got to spend more time with them at their house.
And, on Sunday, we stayed with Cameron's grandparents in Bloomington, IL! They are a wonderful couple filled with life and vibrant conversation. Ryan and I borrowed their bikes and went for a great ride on a trail near their house and found ourselves at a bandshell with a Big Band playing...we did a little swing dancing...and rode on...a truly relaxing day.
5.) Buffalo Exchange. I am not sure if it would be considered a thrift store or what...but it's used clothing store, where you can sell your old clothes to them and buy "new" clothes! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! www.buffaloexchange.com
I bought this vest using credit, and have been wearing it pretty much everyday!
6.) FRESH CHEESE! This morning I went to the grocery store and found some fresh cheese whips...intrigued by the term "cheese whip", I had to try them...the layman's term is probably "string cheese" based on what I can tell. :) They were unrefrigerated and warm...delicious!
7.) Spending time journaling every morning...
8.) Relevant Magazine. Chris and Melissa gave us their back issues to bring with us to read while in the van. I'm not typically a magazine reader, and the thought of reading a "Christian" Magazine kind of made me want to gag a little...BUT, I love the magazine! It's a very progressive magazine with articles on the environment, other cultures, finances, meditation, music, etc...I love it!
9.) My merch money apron. I love wearing this apron at the shows because it makes me think of the friend who made it. And, it's so flippin' cute! I think I might try to start a new trend soon of wearing aprons as a daily accessory. :)
10.) www.vroomvroomvroom.com This rental car website not only has a great deals, it also pays for all of their customers to be carbon neutral. For every pound of carbon that each VroomVroomVroom rental car produces, they will spend money on neutralizing that carbon with various green initiatives.
11.) A blog of creativity and love... www.soulemama.typepad.com
12.) Knowing that we are going home to Tucson this weekend!!
Ryan and I have a 2 day layover in London on our way to Uganda. We are super excited for the chance to explore the city, but a little overwhelmed by the cost of hotels there. I was wondering if any of you know someone that would be willing to house us for 2 nights? We want to spend a lot of time "out of the house" and exploring, so they won't need to entertain us or anything like that...just a place where we can rest our sleepy heads. :)
