Exams This Week, Lord Help Me!

So once again

It is THAT time...

The time

That stresses every teacher out

(I know I'm not alone in this!)

Exams...

To be precise...

Mid-Term Exams...

While going through

Some cirriculum

From here...

I discovered something

That pretty much 

Epitomizes...

The Ugandan take

On schooling here...

If you note

Under the badge

It says

"School is God"

Yep...

I found it

In the curriculum

A lot of people here

Think school is

The beginning and end 

Of all...

Please be praying

For the children

The school system here

Puts HUGE priority

On passing exams

So the way they go about that

Is by having the kids just

Memorize

The things the teachers know

Will be on the test...

Contrary to that

We have been teaching the kids

The actual facts

And making sure they understand

Each thing they are taught...

As a result

Sometimes our kids get discouraged

If they can't answer

Every one of the questions

Even though some of them

Are far to advanced

For a 6 or 7 year old...

Please be praying

That the McCourtney children

Would be a light

As they go for testing

That they wouldn't become discouraged

But would know that

Everything that they do

Is "unto the Lord"

And

That their teacher

Would have peace

That only comes from the Lord!

:)

Blessings all!

Birthday Birthday Birthday!!!

Happy Happy Birthday

To Miss Elianah

She is making!

This many

:)

 

In the absence

Of a cake

We made due

With candles...

And in the absence

Of an oven

We had

Pumpkin pie...

Minus the baking

And the crust...

 

 

All's well

That ends well

Right!

 

 

I love birthdays :)

Beavers or Ducks...

Trust me

I know this is

A touchy subject...

But it cracked me up

Too much

Not to post!

Yesterday

Enoch was a bit

Under the weather

However,

By mid-morning

He was back to normal

I asked him

To put on a coat

And he got

The OSU sweatshirt

That I am sure

Some avid fan

Sent us...

Anyway

I asked him

To continue resting

On the bed

As I continued

To read my bible

All of a sudden

I heard

Get this...

Duck noises

Coming from the bed

I have no idea why

But it destroyed me

That here he was

Wearing Beaver colors

And quacking

True contradiction!

Best of both worlds maybe?

:)

Autumn In Africa :)

So

A friend of mine

It a very gifted artist!

And she is always trying

To help those of us

Who aren't so "artsy"

Get in touch with

Our inner artist

So she has a little "event"

On Facebook right now...

Dedicated it Autumn

For that event

We are supposed to do

"Autumn" or "Fall" Things

 Whether it is

Crafts

Photography

Anything that has to do

With the Season

So being in Africa

Where we are in the middle

Of rainy season

Well...

I am a bit limited :)

So yesterday

I decided to try to get 

My "Autumn" on!

Here is the result...

Of my Autumn Pumpkin Soup 

:D

Love you Cassi!

Off to find the perfect pumpkin!

Eden

Enoch and Elianah

Eli and Ethan

This one is just cause

I thought the picture was pretty

And sort of artsy ;)

Back on the home front...

My cutting assistants!

Elyssa and Elijah

The onions complete

I have such amazing helpers!

Boiled pumpkin

On the way

To soup

Mashed pumpkin

With sauteed onions and garlic

Yummy

And the final result

Pumpkin soup

Accompanied

With fresh cooked chapati!

Yum :)

My Question

So here it is

The question that inevitably

Popped into my head

The other day

Why is it

That two minutes

After

 The weather

Looks like this...

Or this

Or especially THIS

Without FAIL

One of the young ones

HAS to go to the pit latrine...

Which

Is on the OTHER side

Of the farm...

And they CAN'T hold it 

Till it stops raining..

Why?

Kids Say the Funniest Things

So really quick

Since I am supposed

To be doing school

Right now

:)

Kids say

The funniest things

We just got

A package

From America

In said package

Was a "Marvel Comic Book" 

Coloring Book

Anyway

This sparked conversations

About various "Super Hero's"

And after the kids

Talked for awhile

About which one was the best

 The general agreement

Was "Captain America"

After a pause

Elianah looked at me and said

"Bri... You should marry Captain America"

My reply

"I totally agree!"

Pause

"But Ellie there is one problem..."

She thinks about it

The kids say in unison

"Captain America isn't real"

Ellie pauses again

Then says

"But if he WAS real...

You should marry Captain America"

Amen sister

Amen 

:)

Girls and Their Hair

So one thing I love

About the girls hair

Is how stinkin' neat it looks

When one of the local ladies comes over

And braids it...

As much as I would love to

I can't quite seem to get the hang

Of braiding hair

That is only about...

Well three inches long

:)

Fortunately 

We have a sweet neighbor girl

Name Susan

Who comes over occasionally

And braids the girls hair

A few of those hair styles

Well

: D

They are DEFINITELY

Noteworthy :)

So with no further adeui

I give you

The girls

And their sweet hair!

Elyssa

And the swirls!

:)

How about...

A closer look!

 

I know...

Jealous

Aren't you!

Elizabeth

This is a pretty standard

Hairstyle here

But it is my favorite

I think

 

Elianah

You can't see the back

But there is another row coming up

To meet her hair as well

Last but not least

Eden

In all

Her hair braided glory

:)