TV and Real Life

TV
Several have asked us what was up with the TV crew. Last year a German TV station decided to do a program on international adoption, covering a few different countries. They stumbled on us and asked if they could cover our journey. Two of the three main crew covering the story have adopted children from Kenya. This made us comfortable that there wasn't any hidden agenda, so we obliged.

Little did they know how hard they would have to work on this story! Each time we have had an "unsuccessful" hearing we have half-joked with the TV crew that they will deeply regret choosing our family as their subject matter. It was very cool that one of the guys returned to work after his contract was over, just because he wanted to see the story through to the end!

We'll let everyone know when the story is published. Unfortunately, only those of you who are fluent in German will be able to fully appreciate it! However, the celebration we had last Friday was incredible. Our biggest concern, as it has always been, is that people see/hear our story and be scared away from adoption, whether in Kenya or elsewhere. Hopefully anyone in Germany who sees the story will have no doubt that it was 100% "worth the birthing pains" to now have Sundi and Damon as our legal kids!

Real Life
Damon had a minor outpatient procedure yesterday that did not go as smoothly as expected. In spite of the pain, Damon is almost back to his normal self today. He just says ouch a lot more than normal and is a bit less reckless with his body than normal. This morning I took Sundi to the pharmacist to get some medicine and other things for Damon's home care. We normally walk there, but because I was in a hurry we took a matatu (a public 14-passenger van).

On the way back, Sundi was on my lap. Some guy in front of me dropped some money on the ground near my feet and asked for my help picking it up. And I fell for it! I have even been warned about that trick....grrrrr! You guessed it. When I got off the matatu, my wallet was gone. We have gone the whole time here without ever being robbed on a matatu, which is better than many of our Kenyan friends have made out. And I normally keep my hands right on my pockets at all times....isn't it ironic?

I hoped against hope that I had dropped it in the pharmacy parking lot. Fortunately, in my other pocket I still had the exact change to go to the pharmacist and back, so I dropped Sundi at home and headed back. When I gave the next matatu driver my change, he asked for twice the normal amount. I told him that what I gave him is what I always pay. He told me that no, I had the amount wrong. At that point, I told him I would be happy to take my money back and walk, then asked the driver to stop. He said, "No, no, it's OK." We shortly reached our stop, and I got out. And I forgot again to tell him that Jesus loved him.

Well, the wallet wasn't there....and I remembered that I definitely had it in my pocket when I boarded. On the way home...you guessed it....a different conductor asked me for double fare. I told him (truthfully) that I had given him all the money I had, and that we travel this route all of the time and we know it is the proper fare. Annoying. But really not that serious.

It wouldn't be fitting for the last few weeks to be without a little drama, would it?!!! When I got home, I said a few things that I won't put on the blog. Mama Sundi calmed me down about losing the wallet and reminded me that, at the end of the day, we have our kids, and it is not that serious that we are missing a material possession.