A Mother's Love.

When I first discovered a new life would be joining our family I was in shock. Immediately I went into fix it mode. How do we fix things?  How do we go from here?  The answers came on their own in their own time. Immediately you went from a young woman to a mom. You started taking vitamins, eating better, reading about baby, working on getting your GED. We went to counseling, doctors appointments, had a great support system put in place, and coped together. We prepared and planned the best we could. We had a great big baby shower.   Friends and family surrounded you and brought loads of baby items. 

I tried to cope with being a 34 year old grandma just like you tried to cope with being a young mom.  Natalie and Phillip were excited for sure. Phill was excited too. 

I prayed for you and baby every day. I prayed so hard on the day you started having contractions. You didn't even wake me up at 1:00 a.m.  You just stayed calm. I did the best I could but by then I was anything but calm. At the doctors appointment the doctor said you were 4cm. I flew out of my seat and practically ran us to the hospital. The doctor may have told me to hit the brakes. Man I wish I could keep it together better like you do. I just get so excited!!  

It was a long day for you. Being monitored while I sat on edge praying we wouldn't be sent home. I was preparing a speech on why we couldn't be sent home. We all knew baby would be little. She was early. I just kept praying for you and baby. The doctor broke your water and contractions started getting harder. I saw the agony in your face but you didn't even groan. I told you it was ok to scream and yell. You just kept so calm. Eventually it was time for the epidural and we both were growing impatient. I was about ready to do it myself. Finally relief. Thank God. I saw you smile at me. Thank God. Finally it was time to push. Baby's heart rate was dropping. I knew what the doctors were concerned about so I knew to keep my mouth shut. I held your leg and you pushed for 15 minutes. I saw baby's head and then a second later she was out. She was rushed off to be checked. She was o.k.  You were ok. We were going to be o.k.  I can't explain the emotion that comes with that amazing moment. She is beautiful like you. Naveah Mae beautiful sweet perfect. Watching you sleep deprived, in pain, and being a new mom is astounding. I knew you would be great. Patient and loving. Baby is breastfeeding and you two look like it was so easy and so natural.   

I know I keep telling you I am so proud of you, but I always have been. Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl. 

Back home

We moved "back" into our house recently.  It was stressful and emotional. There was a lot of cleaning and repairing that our old house needed. We are getting there though. 

Now that we are settled it has really hit me hard how much I miss Kenya. There have been lots of tears and frustrating moments for me personally. I would say it is hardest for me to adjust back to "normal" 

Most of the time I can't even put it into words. 

Maybe it is like coming down from such an amazing exciting ride or exciting moment. I have described to others feeling like I am lost or like I don't fit in. I am unsettled. I don't like the feeling and I know it won't last forever. 

The pace in Kenya is much slower and the focus is usually on God and family. Here back home the pace of life is exhausting and over scheduled. The focus is not always on God and family. It can be, but materialism is such a problem here in the US. I hate,absolutely hate going to the store now. It stresses me out. Plus I don't want to spend money because I feel like we don't really need much. We lived off of so little in Kenya and already we are spoiled by so much. 

I know I will find myself again. All I can do is just be patient and let the memories of my simple life in Kenya shape my life here back home.

I am loving seeing all of our loved ones and my dog, Reese is finally home. My best friend watched her for me while we were gone. I sure missed her. She has forgiven me and seems glad to be back. 

The kids are doing well adjusting to home. They love having their own rooms again. 

Phill- well not much phases him so I just am annoyed at how quickly he has transitioned while I still struggle. I think each day gets better but I have to be honest. I am not going to pretend like it is easy. The whole thing wasn't easy. There were many times I wanted to give up. We did it though. We made it. We made it home and to expect to return the same person is not realistic. Life changes people. Experiences change people. 

I am very grateful we went to Kenya and I am very grateful to be home. The best of both worlds. 

Back home from Kenya

What's it really like to be back?  Five months in Kenya was amazing. I have no regrets. I prayed that God would keep us safe and he did. There were times of lots of stress and tears and many unforeseen challenges but that is life. Have we changed as people?  I can only speak for me but I sure hope so. 

I enjoyed a nice bath at the hotel. I haven't taken a bath in almost 6 months. I drove a car. It was weird. I didn't own a car for almost six months and I surely didn't drive in Kenya. I took some of our laundry to a laundry mat and was so excited!  I only hand washed laundry a few times in Kenya, but it takes almost a whole day. I hated doing laundry before living in Kenya. Now I hope I don't hate it so much. 

I hope the biggest thing I can keep with me is not to judge others. We are so quick to judge others without even taking the time to understand their situation. I want to see others the way God sees them. Beautifully created for his purpose. We all don't have to fit in the same mold. God called us to Kenya and he used over 100 of our friends here in the US and other countries to help send our friends to school, college, donate clothes, shoes, pay off the balance of a stove for a school, volunteer, donate food and gifts,donate trees, chickens, goats, cows, electronics, books, beans and maize and provide jobs for many of our friends in Kenya. 

That's only to list a few things that was done in 5 months. We got to be God's hands through you. The love and support is overwhelming. 

We are happy to be back and touring the US with our family and visiting friends. Then it will be time to move back into our house and resume our new routines. 

I don't want to forget Kenya. Some of the best people I know live there. They have taught me so much about who I want to be. Forget the people who make you feel bad about yourself and enjoy the ones who love you just the way you are.  

Teach a man to fish

You may have heard the quote,"Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats everyday."

There have been many great ideas that many people have had over the years in helping poor countries. There have also been not so great ideas that have actually hurt and enabled poor countries. While Phill and I have been racking our brains for months on what is the best and most sustainable way to help our friends in Kenya, I keep being pulled back to that one simple thing that is the answer. Education. 

Education is affordable and essential in America. It is mandatory for your child to go to school. There are severe consequences if you don't. If you cannot afford to send your child to school, then school fees are waived as well as free school lunch programs. I understand that it is part of our taxes that we pay that funds these programs. It is a great system. I value it so much. 

Here in Kenya school fees are paid by the parents. If you can't afford to send your child to school then they don't go. I can't tell you how many children I see each day who are home on a school day. When you ask them why they aren't in school they just say no money and put their heads down. They want to be in school. Most families have multiple children. It is common for the families to send the boys instead of the girls. The girls can stay home and help raise the smaller children. 

Now there are great organizations out there that sponsor children and help pay for school. That is wonderful. I have heard first hand from one of our closest friends and director of a school we support in Kenya, that many people give just once and that is great. The parents of the kids sponsored then expect that you will follow through and sponsor that child all the way through graduation of high school. While I think there are some people that can do that, it is hard to commit to that long term. 

One idea we came up with was to find the balance of the local school fees and pay them off. A student wouldn't know they were being sponsored, but would be able to attend school. 

I will be doing a fundraiser in the near future for education. This will include school fees, and sending another friend to college to become a teacher. 

I know so many of our friends have already donated and continue to give. I cannot say Thank you enough. This will be our last big project before we go home. Please be praying over this project and I would love to hear feedback and ideas. 

I truly believe we can make a huge difference and be a long term sustainable solution by investing in a child's education. That is how we can teach a man to fish. 

Bleeding heart

I looked up the definition of a bleeding heart. It says "a person who is considered to be excessively sympathetic towards those who claim to be underprivileged or exploited."

I have been blessed with this bleeding heart, but it comes with a price. I feel too much. 

There is no wonder why I went into Social Work or became a foster parent. There is no wonder why I love my three kids more than anything in this world. There is no wonder why I love Kenya and all it's beautiful people.  I also am an animal lover. Especially dogs. 

This is rather embarrassing but last night I sat outside to check on that stray dog that has been staying here. My husband tells me all the time not to pet the dogs. Do you think I listen? Not a chance. This dog just needs someone to love him. 

Isn't that all any of us really wants?  Isn't that how God created us?  To love and be loved...the greatest of these is love.

Now what does this really have to do with loving a stray and disheveled dog?  God sees everything. He sees all our pain and joy. He sees our midnight tears. He hears our worries and our mistakes. He created us to be loving and compassionate people. Somewhere in the everyday grind of life and tragedy and hurt relationships we become hardened. We stop caring so much because it hurts too much to put yourself out there to be rejected. 

I love the song "I am a rock" by Simon and Garfunkel. I love it for two reasons. One night in college, my funny friend and roommate sang this song and danced all the way home from the bar. People on the walk home bent over in fits of laughter. I will never forget that. I also love it because I know we all feel that way at times. It might be easier to just not love or to be a rock or island so you can protect yourself from pain. 

I don't know why God gave me this bleeding heart. It is a blessing for sure. A glimpse into what he feels for his children. All of us. Regardless of what we have done or didn't do in our lives. 

One of the nicest things anyone ever said to me at 16 years old was,"Don't change."  Maybe what he was saying was the world will try to change you, break you and destroy you, but you are made exactly the way God intended you to be.

So I say to you. Don't change. Keep what is God given and don't build up walls. Don't try to be a rock. It doesn't work. You will only become resentful and bitter. You will miss out on so many things if you do. Life is too short to miss out. Live life. No regrets. Love with all your heart even if it bleeds dry :)

Time is the new money

There is a saying that you can't have both time and money. I know there are exceptions to this but most people can't have both unless they work very hard to get to there. 

At home I was a stay at home mom. I have been off and on for a long time. I have had many foster children and raised my own children. 

I wouldn't trade these stay at home years for anything. I was made to be a mom.

I love the time I have here with my family. It is way more quality time than I could ever have at home. My love language is quality time so I am overflowing with my love language. Not sure there is a such thing as too much of a good thing. 

My time is filled with reading lots of books, homeschool with the kids, card games, walks with Phill, running, Zumba with Mary Jo and my two girls, Legos, playing with the dogs, and volunteering. We cook together, watch movies, and have friends over for parties. We also have volleyball tournaments. The Americans are undefeated but I think it is because we have all played before and the Kenyans haven't. It surely isn't because I am on the team!  

I just am enjoying the slow pace. Back home I was constantly rushing the kids to hurry up! We were constantly running late. My kids almost never had their shoes on as we ran to the van to get somewhere on time. 

Here I don't care if the kids crack the eggs all over the place and miss the pan. They are learning. I can sit down and play Legos with my son because I don't have a million household things to do. I am enjoying reading my books. I am reading my sixth book now. 

The trade off is not much money. I am not worried. There will be time to earn money. This trip has been so priceless. 

Combining Cultures

I would imagine that if you live somewhere long enough, you become desensitized. I don't want that to happen, but I want the real experience. 

In the beginning, I thought it was cute for all the kids to shout,"muzungo!"  It means white person. It isn't meant to be derogatory. It is just so rare these kids in this area see a white person. Our neighbors in the area know our names and that makes me happy. Some of the kids I see often still shout "muzungo" and I just remind them my name is Jodie. Then they smile and try to say my name. I don't want to be "muzungo" anymore. It is the first time in my life I had to think about the color of my skin. It is the first time I had to think about being different. 

Phill and I have been walking a lot. We almost got ran over by a sheep once. It ran at full speed right between us. We had a good laugh. 

I have to buy carrots for my rabbits. We like to buy from our neighbors. I bought the carrots and we kept walking. Apparently it was so funny to see a "muzungo" holding carrots going for a walk. Everyone laughed and pointed at me. Especially the kids. 

Now this is the stuff you might really chuckle at. Americans are actually pretty rude when it comes to bodily functions. It is not acceptable to burp or fart especially in public. This is a challenge for some of us in the Klamm family. Not mentioning any names. If you must do this, you have to leave or clap your hands to muffle the sound. I am serious. It is so rude to do in this culture. It is called polluting. Our friends tell us people will think something is wrong with you in the head. Thou shall not pollute. 

One of my favorite things about being here is the friendliness of the people. When you go for a walk, you stop and talk to everyone. You greet everyone you see. If you get invited in for tea, you stop in. They are very hospitable. They want to show you their homes and meet their families. I love this. Even if we know very little Swahili, it still works. We can usually figure out what they are saying. 

Lastly, there is such a respect for the opposite sex. Whenever you meet, you shake hands. If you hug someone of the opposite sex, it is a distant hug like you are square dancing. You are called Madame. When a man talks to you he looks at your eyes and not your chest. 

Marquite has been asked for her phone number, has been asked out and jokingly has been asked to be married. She is still mistaken for being Kenyan. We just tell them she has a cute boyfriend at home. Which is true. They back off immediately, disappointed of course because she is gorgeous. There is a respect for a woman who is taken. 

You also NEVER see PDA. They might hold hands but that is it. Kissing in public is not appropriate. You won't see short shorts or tiny tank tops. I was explaining to our friends Joab and James what a massage was and how often Americans get them. Their faces were in shock when I said you only have your underwear on. 

It is such a great learning experience because there are definitely things I don't agree with. It is a mans world. Wives have very little say in major decisions especially when it comes to money. Men can have more than one wife as long as he can afford to provide for them. Teachers and parents hit kids with sticks to make them listen. I still flinch and it upsets me, but I have to know my place. I can't come in and expect to change a culture overnight. I can listen and share how we do things in America. I can respect a different culture even if I don't always agree with things in it. Just like I have with our culture. It is all about perspective and respect.