http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MqdElajYfc
Here is another one of him and his buddy Dillon playing in the back of the farm truck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yngTYPSgH4g
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, or good night -
We have made it safely to Nansana Uganda and life is in full swing. Between being parents and work we are more than busy, but loving it.
Jonah is doing awesome, he has made the transition to living with us very well, it helps that we live and work with so many Ugandans because they help with translating as well as helping him develop his Luganda (we really want him to know the language here so we are taking classes to learn it enough to keep it going with him back in the US). Wilfred and Vena are the couple he was staying with before we came, Wilfred is the man that founded the kids home we work with, Mercy Childcare Ministries. Wilfred is known to Jonah as "Apostle" or in Jonah's words "Aposo". Aposo and Mama Vena have done such an amazing job with him and we are so thankful. They currently have 2 other children staying with them and Vena just gave birth to Graham, a beautiful healthy baby boy. Jonah's development has amazed us, he is talking all the time know and is very good at picking up words from everywhere around him. He is extremely analytical and loves opening and closing things, turn things on and off. He will find something that interests him and stare at it forever until he figures it out. He is completely potty-trained with the exception of a diaper at night time, a simple "Mama/Dada fuka" and we run him to the toilet or longdrop and he does his business. He also learned the Lugandan word for fart and finds it quite entertaining say it over and over. He loves going around the neighborhood and playing with the other children, although he is not quite sure yet who is "top dog" so he often greets other kids that are his size or a bit bigger with a punch to the chest (he is pretty gentle/submissive to kids smaller than him or significantly bigger). We are working on it though and might just have to let him get knocked over a few times for him to realize he isn't as big as he thinks he is.
We had a meeting with Isaac (the Ugandan Adoption Lawyer) last Friday and he gave a a clear timeline on where the process is going. Thanks to the US adoption agency we have everything we need and we now are at the mercy of the courts here in Uganda. Isaac was very hopeful because to the judges we are a Unique case because we aren't here for 3 weeks to swoop in and pick the child up, we have established a solid part-time residency here which the judges prefer. We are still hopeful for a December 13th return to Illinois with Baby J joining us.
Currently our days are filled with meetings, planning and budgeting for some of the new projects (New School, Wakiso Christian International Academy - Phase 1, New Medical Clinic, and the Vocational Training School at the Farm). All these are ideas and dreams that have been developed over the last few years and our team goal this fall is to begin to implement them. We have 6 Americans and 10 Ugandans working in the field to keep this ball rolling, continued prayer that God unites us to bring something that is glorifying to him.
We will keep you updated on everything else as things progress. We are so thankful to be here with him and to have such an awesome opportunity to work with Come Let's Dance.
Love you all -
