Unexpected visitors are so common in Tanzania that they are nearly expected. People who know you are often stopping by to greet you, and people who don't know you are likely to come by asking for money or selling something like produce or a large turtle. Last weekend, Eames was barking and Carson thought he heard something at the gate so he walked over to find two kids that live in the house behind us. They told him they had come to visit so he welcomed them in. Neema is 12 and Nevin is 3. We popped in Planet Earth because you don't really need to know English to enjoy it and I offered them some water and lemon tarts. Nevin must have enjoyed them, because he had two. After a while we had to go somewhere and they went on their way. The funny part is that they may have had no intention of visiting us at all. The Swahili word for visit (tembelea) is almost the same as the word for walk (tembea). Since kids here tend to mumble, they may have very well told Carson they were walking, not visiting!

6 Months

At 6 months Jude is still long and lean. He has really started moving in the last month. Favorite activities include eating, pulling DVDs out of the cabinet, going outside, watching Eames and the puppies, and most of all playing with cords and flip flops if left unattended for about .2 seconds!

Look Who Turned 5!

Just a couple of pics from Hailey's birthday last month.

This cake was my first attempt at using fondant. I think it turned out pretty ok considering.

Names I've Been Called

No, this is not a post about name calling in the negative sense, but rather about the funny things I've been called as a result of pronunciation problems and mistaken identity here in Geita.

Mama Yudah- this is actually the correct thing to call me. Jude in Swahili is Yudah. Judah and Judas are also Yudah which is a bit annoying. For some reason people assume that I named Jude after Judas Iscariot. I'm always like, "THERE ARE 2 OTHER YUDAH'S IN THE BIBLE" and then they're like, "oh yeah."

Mama Yubu- Yubu is a common name and apparently easily confused with Yudah.

Mrs. Carston- this is as close as anyone gets to saying Carson's name correctly.

Mama Bella- that would be Christie, mom of Baylor. We're both white and walk around the market with a baby. Sometimes I correct them, sometimes I don't.

Mama Katalina- that would be Alicia, mom of Katelynn. I was called this at one point when I was very pregnant. Not sure how they confused us.

Mrs. Keviny- again being mistaken for Alica, wife of Calvin

Mzungu- this means white person. Kids say it alot. And then I say "don't you know how to greet?" and they usually do.