Best Day Ever!

Wednesday was always my favorite day of projects because we spend the morning at Katalemwa, the rehabilitation hospital for kids with physical deformities, injuries, or disabilities. I love it there. I spent a lot of time with Gilbert. He was about 4. He probably had CP and was blind. He was fun. We sang songs and played games. I love to be there! It is my kind of party for sure...However my day was just going to get better because in the afternoon Felix was taking me to Nsambya to see Lola. I was so excited, and nervous all at the same time. I couldn't wait to get there. We were delayed at the house for a project that he was working on, and it was SO Hard for me to be patient. It isn't something that i am good at anyway, but this was especially hard. I was SO glad when my mom signed onfacebook because i could talk to her while i waited. I was totally alone in the house.. which never happens. Everyone was at projects but me. I played the piano because thats what i do when i'm totally stressed out. I am VERY glad that 1 - we have a piano and there was power and 2- that no one else was home. SO i played a little bit and tried to not be so nervous. When Felix was done building his shelves, we went to the taxi park to get a taxi, then a boda boda (crazy motercycle) to the babies home. That was totally crazy! I never thought i would say this but compared to the taxi, i LOVE riding the Boda bodas.They are SO dangerous, i'm not gonna lie, but kinda fun too... haha. You can zip through traffic, between cars, and get where you want to go fast. Unlike the slow taxi's where people aren't very nice, and you don't really know exactly where you're going. It was a long crazy ride but it was SO worth it for this moment...

When we got there, Felix took me to introduce me to the head Nun, then the social worker, and a bunch of other people who thank goodness weren't there. Not that i don't want to meet them.. because i do, but i have been dreaming and waiting to pick her up and hold her for entirely TOO long to meet a bunch of people when i know she's so close! I was so anxious of what i was going to feel, but the minute i saw her my first thought was there is my beautiful girl. She was 1/2 dressed in her chair watching TV (by herself!). That girl LOVES some TV.. which will change i can tell you that! However, it seems to be the only stimulation she gets so she can have that for now i guess. :( All i wanted to do was grab her up and hug and kiss her but it is terrible to have to ask if you can do anything. It was great when it was just me and Felix, but when there were other orphanage people there I felt awkward. I didn't want to overstep, but at the same time i didn't want them doing anything cause i wanted to do it.. AND they weren't doing it how i would want them to. I know this is crazy.. BUT its just how i felt. The first thing i did was put a bow on her head and change her dress.

After i got her dressed up, i gave her the Lola doll. She loved it! She just kept looking at it, and when i would touch her face, she would smile. I didn't get any personal smiles today (although i'm sure i will) BUT that doll sure did make her smile so i'll take it! :)

Felix put her in her chair and tried to do some therapy. It was killing me to watch because she was crying... so i might have jumped in and just took over. BUT she stopped crying so i was much better with that. We played hand games to songs to stretch her fingers, and feet. I think that possibly me being a lot more gentle and talking to her was the difference. Then her "care giver" came in. I use that term very lightly.. mostly because i did NOT like her.. at all! She i think is more interested in Felix, then Lola... BUT i don't get a choice. I really didn't like her more when she came and took her right off my lap. She is very rough with her in my opinion and i did NOT like it.BUT had no choice but to sit there and watch. I thought i was going to cry a lot when i saw her at first but after i was there for a while was more likely to after having seen that.. she started crying so hard and wouldn't stop. I couldn't take it so i just reached over and took her back, and she stopped. IT was AWESOME!!! I am pretty sure that Lola gave her the stink eye and possibly a smirk as well. (i dont think she likes her either.. my kind of kid!) I am also pretty sure that when Felix was feeding her, she spit out the food on him.. on purpose. It made me laugh. Feeding did not go well. I took thick it with me, but they were not quite understanding what was supposed to happen. I will definitely be re-teaching that, OR bringing different food. Not sure which. Eating for her was clearly traumatizing... not sure who it was worse for, her or me. After she ate, i was able to give her a bath.. which was a show that is for sure. Wet babies are slippery... i know this. BUT wet babies who are sometimes rigid and sometimes floppy are a train wreck when left to a muzungu who's never given a bucket bath before. All in all ... it didn't end TOO badly and i DID promise that it would only get better.

When i finished with her bath, i got her diaper on and ready for clothes. In Uganda, they use vasaline as lotion. WHAT! Are you kidding me! SO Yes.. for those of you who know me well.. i was a trooper and slathered her up. THEN Felix and i stopped on the way home to pick up some real lotion for next time i go. I also bought her some shoes to help with when she is in the stander and to keep her feet from becoming more rigid.

This might have been the best day i've had all year... Saturday we're going swimming!!! :)