Well we are now much into this new year, 2012. We had many things happen in Bamako of late. Timmy, our second son, turned 5! He loved his minion cupcakes from the movie despicable me. I got the idea from Pinterest. I just LOVE that website :)Timmy is such a sweet boy! We have loved him since we knew of his existence even before we met in a dirt alley way in Kampala, Uganda. Timmy is kind hearted, ready to forgive and just plain sweet! He looks out for his siblings and friends. He is very attached to Hope, which is just so cute. He is okay with the fact that she is most often in control, he just goes with the flow. Timmy will be a great man in the future! His wife will thank Hope for preparing Timmy for marriage, I am sure ;)
Grace just turned 10! I am still in shock that a decade of her life has gone by. Wow! When people say the time flies by while you watch your children grow, they are right. Grace has been true to her name since the day she was born. She is sweet, thoughtful and has a tender heart towards others! We love you Grace! You are truly one of the best gifts God has ever blessed me with!
We had some civil unrest in the capital of Mali, Bamako, of late. Things are quiet now, thank God! Malians are kind, loving people and they have had a right to be angry over certain things here in their home country. We pray it can all settle out peacefully!
Other photos include a few items you won't find on American shelves. Cigarette cookies from France. Potent man tea that we found at a Super Market locally. My husband made the. Comment he could understand potent man beer or whiskey, but he would never think of tea and potency together.
There are also some photos of a new restaurant in Bamako. It is called Abissinia and it is a great place to relax and enjoy the evening. They serve both Spanish Tapas cuisine and Ethiopian. It was delicious!
Lastly, is my gift that my driver Aboubacar gave me :) it is a thumbs up sign decorated with the American flag. These stickers are frequently seen in all modes of transit in Mali. I love to see people giving each other the the thumbs up! Sure, it may be an obscene gesture in some countries, but most Malians understand it's meaning :)
