1 Month in Africa as of today!!!!

It is so strange to think I have been here 1 whole month today!! I can't beleive it. I have to say that there are days I feel I've been here for YEARS and then there are days I feel like I just arrived.
I do feel much more at ease here in Africa with going to the markets for fruit and veggies, riding in the Taxi cars(and not freaking out that they are driving too fast and praying instead:), the Dala Dala, hanging out my laundry to dry outside, dealing with the power going out or no hot water at times, realizing that things can always be worse and that I just say to myself TIA(That is Africa) to help me through!!
Today is our day-off work and were acutally staying here at Cradle of Love instead of zooming to the market or attempting to go to the Rwanda trials, which we all plan on doing next Wednesday and I'm SO thrilled to be able to expereince that!!!
We have been at the apt. all day. I would think I would feel confined and wanting to get out of there, but instead I made coffee, talked with Stephaine about the GA bulldawgs, had a bowl of cereal, read Upmost for His Highest, journaled, wrote down some quotes from the book I'm reading called Gracias, resting up for the work days ahead, reflect on what God has been teaching me here, hopefully watch Shrek later today, and realizing that a slow day here at COL was just what I needed...I felt a bit like I was in Atlanta on a Saturday morning with Erin and Becca drinking coffee and chatting on the sofa, it was so nice!!!
I have a few updates from COL...there is a tiny baby named Rebecca, who doesnt seem to be gaining any weight, but still continues to smile so big at you with her mouth that is the size of my thumb nail. If ya'll could pray for her health that would be just wonderful!!
The other babies are healthy and happy!! We do have a few leaving to go to homes and to transition into facilities for older kids, so prayer for their transition(Corey, Simon, Ben) would be awesome! WE will MISS them SO MUCH!!! Oh, its so sad thinking about losing them actually...
I had a treasured moment that I would LOVE to be able to watch over and over again with 2 babies named Hope and Martin. They both were in their high chairs waiting to be fed and I was helping Rachel, you can see her in the below pictures, drink her water. I looked over at the babies and Martin kept making the same silly face over and over again making Hope laugh hysterically!!! I only WISH I could show all of you this moment because it was PRICELESS! I absolutely loved watching them interact. It was so funny how they are only 1 or so and can make each other laugh like that intentianally...it was so sweet!!!
I got to go with Davona yesterday along with Heath and Christy to take 3 of our babies, Helena, Clinton, and Bahjiti to get their blood drawn for viruses. As we each had a baby in hand, loaded the car with no carseat, I felt so protective of these little precious angels. I felt like they were mine. Heath, Christy, and me held them so tight as we drove and arrived at the clinic. I was called by the nurse to come with Clinton first to get blood work. The hospital is nothing like ours at home, don't even try to grasp it because you can't. Eventhough the cleanliness or standards we have in the U.S. wouldn't even compare to this clinic I noticed something that was different. Heath and I talked about the love and attention each of our babies received from the nurses and Doctor. It was amazing to watch them all huddle around the baby you were with with smiles, funny faces, and touches of love. Clinton was so happy to have the attention of all the folks in the room until, ofcourse, they pooked him with a needle in the upper thigh and then he burst into tears with loud cries from his lungs. It was such a neat experience and I'm so thankful to have been there to take it all in!!!
I mentioned I'm reading a book here called Gracias, A Latin American Journal, by Henri Nouwen that Ali Dunagan gave me before I took off to Africa and I just want to say it is one of the most inspiring, heart-felt, honest, page turning books I've EVER read, thank you Ali:) for loaning it to me!!! I'm literally trying not to finish it, but its not working very well hahaha...I think the author sums up how children are the joy that life has to offer us in times that we see and/or expereince pain and poverty...I leave ya'll with this quote and hopes that all of you get to read this beautiful book...Much LOVE and KISSES and HUGS, missing all of you, Hallie
" I wondered how the poverty, the lack of good food and good housing would affect me; I was afraid of becoming depressed by the misery I would see. But, God showed me something else first: affectionate, open, and playful children who are telling me about love and life in ways no book was ever able to do. I now realize that only when I can enter with the children into joy will I be able to enter also with them into their poverty and pain. God obviously wants me to walk into the world of suffering with a little child on each hand."