tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97121012012-01-17T00:29:43.851-08:00Random journeys into my crazy lifeHillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.comBlogger9641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-63086350317748625722011-02-14T11:00:00.003-08:002011-02-14T11:01:45.898-08:00

In preparation for going back to school, I'm brushing up on my essay writing skills. I found this list very helpful.Guide To Essay Writing1. Avoid alliteration. Always.2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.3. Avoid clichés like the plague.4. Employ the vernacular.5. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.6. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary7. It is wrong to

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-74251279740810909042011-02-03T12:39:00.005-08:002011-02-03T16:31:46.596-08:00

Scene: The lunchroom. I was sitting with two kindergarten girls while they finished off their lunch.Rosie: Um, Cece?Cece: Yeah?Rosie: Do you want to be my friend?Cece: No.Rosie: ...Cece: I'm already Lisa's friend.Miss Hillary: Oh, Cece! The wonderful thing about friends is that you can have more than one! You can have 2, or 5, or 10, or even one hundred!The girls joined hands, faced each other

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-38738978464763384002010-11-17T17:46:00.002-08:002010-11-17T17:53:44.423-08:00

I miss Whose Line Is It Anyway. Specifically the game party quirks. I stumbled across someone who has 30+ clips of just that game last night. I think I watched about 20 clips. But this one. Ooooh this one. I laughed till I cried. I'm still laughing about it, 24 hours later.

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-42637916820207983902010-11-13T20:40:00.004-08:002010-11-13T21:06:48.113-08:00

Ah, but it got me posting again, so why not? After all, unlike Katrina, I'm ok with not winning a sock zombie!* [Don't worry, Katrina, they're cool, I'd just be happier if you got it than if I got it! I'm guessing so would you! ;) ]Part of the not-posting has come from the fact that my life is pretty boring these days. Work, come home, pack. Or, perhaps more accurately, work, come home, crash out

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-191230058758483642010-11-09T16:55:00.006-08:002010-11-09T17:34:00.803-08:00

I was short on time and low on groceries. Racing out the door, I decided to swing through the drive-through that is conveniently (or perhaps not so conveniently!) directly on my way to work for a breakfast sandwich. As I was waiting for my food at the pickup window, I saw her.Purple dress, way too short. She was pulling it down self consciously as it rode up around her rear. White jacket. Bare

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-37511298558872162312010-11-08T22:54:00.000-08:002010-11-09T16:54:43.004-08:00

Having settled in to fixing some errors in his phonics book, Danny* was almost finished when he exclaimed excitedly,"Miss Hillary! I just have one more erection!""Just one more CORRection! Well done!"Hmm... Or maybe two!_________* Name changed

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-89110522320603640672010-11-07T07:12:00.004-08:002010-11-07T07:18:57.247-08:00

I got a new couch and put up some photos in my living room this summer. I also finally arranged some of my things from Kenya. I realized last night as I started packing that I don't have any photos of the finished product - so here they be. It looked good while it lasted! :)

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-19449477811112336762010-11-06T23:17:00.000-07:002010-11-07T15:16:44.224-08:00

Ugh... this late night posting has got to stop. I'm way too tired to think of anything intelligible.So. Step one of the Big Move happened today. Dad came by with a borrowed trailer and we moved all my bedroom furniture into my new room at their place. Now I have room to start sorting and organizing the boxes - what to move, what to store, what to throw out, what to give away... yikes.I'm SO

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-82348996241153665972010-11-05T15:58:00.006-07:002010-11-05T17:41:06.742-07:00

Earlier this week, I taught my kids about pee.Tired of the endless stream (no pun intended) of kids who come back in after recess or after lunch and, five minutes later, tell me with crossed legs, "Miss Hillary, I have to go the baaaathroom! It's an emerrrrrrgency!", I sat them all down for a lesson."Boys and girls, when we eat our food, most of it gets used by our bodies. But some of the food we

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-91260115829260685852010-11-05T06:15:00.001-07:002010-11-05T06:27:44.104-07:00

I know this isn't terribly elaborate (and might not even make sense!) but I. am. exhausted. Spent.I got home from a public meeting a little while ago where school board trustees were listening to people's concerns and ideas about the proposed closure of my school. It was a hard meeting to be at - there were some pretty emotional please from kids and parents who simply don't have the options that

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-8649184246848688792010-11-03T23:33:00.002-07:002010-11-04T06:37:00.913-07:00

I've got two computers in my classroom and I've been trying to think of how to make it easy for my kids to access some approved game sites (and ONLY some approved game sites!). So I thought... a homepage!Check it out! And if you've got more good sites I should add, please comment there and let me know!Primary Learning Online

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-25985724676843963322010-11-02T22:19:00.002-07:002010-11-02T22:44:04.343-07:00

I can tell I need to sit down and think about things I'm thankful for tonight, because as I sit here at my computer staring at the screen in complete and total exhaustion (it was another 13 hour day today), all I can think about is how frustrated and burned out I am by my job this year. Underfunding, huge cuts, a class full of seriously high need (and seriously awesome, but seriously high need)

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-31589003940953445032010-11-01T22:06:00.004-07:002010-11-01T22:25:56.205-07:00

NaBloPoMo. "NaBo...what?"National Blog Posting Month. It comes 'round every November. It's a challenge. Post something every day for the month of November. I'm in. And I'm CAH-RAY-ZAY. But, I miss blogging. I miss getting my thoughts down, recording bits from my days, and the interaction that is a blog. Sooo... I'm signing up.My teaching year this year is the craziest it's ever been. I have HUGE

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-46493526262798524342010-10-27T11:57:00.002-07:002010-10-27T12:05:36.854-07:00

Scene: My classroom, helping a student who was having difficulty with the differences between long vowels and short vowels, particularly long a as in ape and short a as in apple.Miss Hillary: Ok, so what's a word that has the long a sound in it? Aaaaaay.Student: Umm...Miss Hillary: I'll give you a hint... 'I don't want to work, I just want to....?"Student: Um? [it wasn't the best clue on my part,

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-3491241240666569222010-10-17T11:08:00.002-07:002010-10-17T11:10:54.159-07:00

My heart sometimes aches for Kenya, and especially for the Rendille and for Korr. Here is a video about the need in Northern Kenya. It is full of my friends, narrated by my pastor, and has an interview with Nick and Lynne, the missionaries I stayed with while I was in Kenya. It was so good to see their faces and hear Nick's voice.Watch this video and enter in to the place and the people that have

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-48882123598685549802010-10-17T10:43:00.003-07:002010-10-17T11:07:53.148-07:00

When a friend of mine saw my re-designed blog and read my latest post, he said to himelf, "Uh-oh. Hillary sounds like a missionary to Africa who is trapped in Canada." Something in that resonated in me for sure. I feel like I'm home, but I'm not home. Though I have to say, the label of 'missionary' still seems foreign to me. But 'trapped in Canada?' I think that feels very true.Over the last few

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-53544737357042311752010-10-04T23:12:00.003-07:002010-10-04T23:24:18.955-07:00

I have a grade two and three class again this year. They're very fun (and a little crazy!), and they often make me laugh. Here's a gem from the other day from a student I've nicknamed Sunshine:Miss Hillary: Ok, please put your books away and come to the carpet for our lesson.Sunshine: Wow! That went fast!Miss Hillary: Well, you know what they say, "Time flies when you're having fun!"Sunshine:

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-43711495518385458682010-09-19T20:31:00.006-07:002010-09-19T21:42:31.780-07:00

Hi. It's been a while. Nearly six months, actually - a near eternity for the me I used to be. But that's just the thing... I'm not the me I used to be.I've been ruined for the ordinary.No longer do I envision my life unfolding as I thought it might. I have no idea what that means, but I know things will never be the same.They say that one a person has been to Africa, it will always hold a piece

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-34008056509478135492010-03-30T17:29:00.001-07:002010-03-30T17:29:50.627-07:00

Today at work when I went downstairs for my morning coffee, our lunch lady told me that one of my kid's grandpa had his motorized wheelchair stolen the day before.Seriously?!? What kind of low-life would steal an old man's wheelchair???He came in a few minutes later, so I sat down and chatted with him. He told me the details of what transpired, and a little bit about the search and the other

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-21259911866614969022010-02-26T14:36:00.002-08:002010-02-26T14:45:04.635-08:00

In the "just perfect for how I'm feeling" words of Velma at A Smeddling Kiss, "I know I've been posting quite sparsely these days. I've temporarily lost my taste for blogging, because so much is happening so fast and there are only so many hours in the day. I'm overwhelmed with the actual events of the day and have no time or energy left to turn them over in my mind and examine them and polish

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-13809172554688572612010-02-13T06:09:00.004-08:002010-02-13T06:17:13.410-08:00

So... who watched it? What did you think?

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-82255671631935906252010-02-12T06:27:00.004-08:002010-02-12T06:37:11.746-08:00

A very big welcome to the Vancouver 2010 Spring Olympics!Here's a FABULOUS tune that pretty much sums it up...<a href="http://bodhijones.bandcamp.com/track/hey-el-nino">"Hey El Nino" by Bodhi Jones</a>

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-16134372330058599222010-02-05T14:37:00.002-08:002010-02-05T14:39:42.202-08:00

My kidlets raised $410.62 for Haiti!!! And of course, the Canadian government is matching every donation, so we're at $821.24 (see my mad math skillz?).Hip hip HOORAY!!!!!

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-21239591457091982842010-02-02T15:46:00.005-08:002010-02-02T17:02:28.956-08:00

Can I just say for the record that I am so incredibly proud of my kidlets??? They are the best ever!!! Last Monday, I decided to talk to them a little bit about the earthquake in Haiti. I knew some of them at least had seen the news, and decided it would be a good opportunity for discussion. So with a lot of qualification and some censoring of some of the more scary details (they ARE just in

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-33235260555364911942010-01-27T07:29:00.000-08:002010-01-27T07:30:15.060-08:00

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-78344262746697384502010-01-19T17:36:00.003-08:002010-01-19T17:57:35.196-08:00

... I would train to become a children's counsellor/youth and family worker. I would hire a teacher to take care of all that "teaching stuff" while I worked one on one and with small groups of my kids and as much as possible with thier families. I would sit with them in their fear, in their pain, in their sadness. I would laugh with their silliness. I would cry with their tears. I would show

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-85459893922589811812010-01-15T15:21:00.003-08:002010-01-15T15:32:12.855-08:00

We're working on starting a behaviour system at our school known as Positive Behaviour Support (where we specifically and directly teach kids what is required of them in terms of behaviour - what a novel idea! :) ) and this past week we were to do the first lesson plan centering around behaviour expectations for moving through the hallways and stairways.The handout from our principal included a

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-69255328815734733282010-01-12T17:45:00.001-08:002010-01-12T17:46:59.023-08:00

Strike that. You're DEFINITELY a redneck if...

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-9554686758082251492010-01-08T13:47:00.002-08:002010-01-08T14:03:45.044-08:00

I know it's just a snippet, but it's easy and a fun review of 2009 (good heavens, what a year it was!) If you do one for yourself (and I hope you do!) let me know in the comments so I can see! The name of the month links to the first post of that month (in case you’re curious and want to click through and read the rest):Here’s what you do. Just take the first line of the first post of every month

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-39589154517064490182010-01-06T16:57:00.002-08:002010-01-06T17:45:19.379-08:00

these would be my status updates for today...Hillary...... is wondering why her phone went gibbled overnight and therefore didn't wake her up on time. YIKES! Gotta RUN!... just got to school and... ARG!!! Staff meeting! I forgot and have SO MUCH TO DO before school starts!!!... is holding in the screaming - interruptions, scatterbrained-ness, failed lessons, temper tantrums... yep, it's that kind

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-66111826460430135432010-01-04T15:13:00.002-08:002010-01-04T15:15:47.770-08:00

Anonymous commenters are welcome to leave relevant comments, but they will first have to be approved. Random comments, links, and anything to do wit 5ex or p0rn will not see the light of day. So don't bother.Thankyouverymuch.

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-57014251011973561382010-01-02T17:56:00.004-08:002010-01-02T18:54:43.863-08:00

I've got a river of life flowing out of meMakes the lame to walk and the blind to seeOpens prison doors, sets the captives freeI've got a river of life flowing out of meSpring up oh well, within my soulSpring up oh well, and make me wholeSpring up oh well, and give to meThat life abundantly"... so I listened to the words that I was saying and I thought to myself, 'Are we serious? Do we MEAN what

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-88652014657130783132010-01-02T14:20:00.003-08:002010-01-02T15:31:45.157-08:00

Urbana, the conference I was at for the past week in St Louis, had a huge bookstore and AMAZING deals on books, so I went a little book crazy. I want to offer them up for lending to anyone who's interested. Take a look at the Amazon page for more info and then just message me if you want to borrow a book or two!Everyday Justice: The Global Impact of Our Daily Choices - Julie ClawsonA Credible

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-68652820102593985072009-12-24T09:44:00.003-08:002009-12-24T09:51:21.748-08:00

Underneath the starsJust a simple man and wifesomewhere in the darkhis words cut the silent nightTake my hand for the childThat you carry is God's ownAnd though it seems the road is long,We're not that far from BethlehemWhere all our hope and joy beganFor in our arms we'll cherish himWe're not that far from BethlehemLet us celebrateAs the Christmases go byLearn to live our dayswith our hearts

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-14384861261288183502009-12-20T09:04:00.014-08:002009-12-20T10:08:40.356-08:00

I know I haven't been super active on my blog lately. There are a few reasons for that, one being that coming back from Kenya is proving harder than I thought it would be. Not so much missing it, though I DO, very much. (Huh... just remembered that I dreamed I saw my friend Janet from Korr in the middle of a herd of camels meandering through Gastown last night. Weird). There's just other stuff

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-23136959265941352082009-12-10T22:06:00.002-08:002009-12-10T22:08:17.010-08:00

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-39396089168438303442009-12-01T17:46:00.007-08:002009-12-01T18:09:46.373-08:00

Miss Hillary's class has been working on "stretchy sentences" and "wow words" lately, using a variety of tactics. One is the framework below...I knew it was Christmas time becauseOn Monday I saw one...On Tuesday I saw two...On Wendesday I saw three...On Thursday I saw four...On Friday I saw five...... and that's how I knew it was Christmas!The kids have to finish the sentences by picking a

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-5811754128203437292009-11-24T22:52:00.004-08:002009-11-24T23:00:16.961-08:00

Heard this on the way home tonight. Haven't heard it in a long time, but sang along to every line and laughed about how very, very true it is. Brad Paisley is a genius.The video is fantastic. You can watch it here (couldn't find it on YouTube for the life of me).Someday, I'm gonna be famous.Do I have talent? Well... no.These days you don't really need it,Thanks to reality shows.Can't wait to date

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-20861393793345650002009-11-23T15:34:00.005-08:002009-11-24T04:25:33.388-08:00

A post every day... or, you know, a two week break with nothin'. Meh, whatever works. I found myself just posting for the sake of posting and realized that I just didn't really care that much. So, yeah. Here I be.But what I was REALLY going to talk about is pom poms. Sparkly, smooshy, fuzzy little pom poms with which I can get my kids to do practically ANYTHING. (Muah hah ha haaaaa!) One of the

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-14204813724690656582009-11-12T18:50:00.002-08:002009-11-12T18:56:41.354-08:00

When I got home tonight, I had a fairly large envelope in the mail. It was a book, sent from somewhere in the States, called "She Loves Me" - a collection of observations that kids have of their teacher, and how they know that they are loved by the things the teacher does. It's illustrated by a 14 year old girl who has grown up in Malawi. The book is absolutely beautiful, and it brought tears to

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-76919218084612117932009-11-12T16:01:00.005-08:002009-12-01T18:11:45.684-08:00

"This! Is! Soooo! AWESOME!"Those were the words of one of my kidlets even before we actually started doing anything at Science World on Tuesday. You know a field trip is going to be a hit when...It was a busy, busy day. We started right off the bat with a workshop on structures. All the kids got to participate in building a giant dome out of triangles and pentagons. There were three jobs -

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-46407821791007573632009-11-11T11:00:00.000-08:002009-11-11T11:00:03.393-08:00

Take two minutes, would you mind?It’s a pittance of timeFor the boys and the girls who went overIn peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died.It’s a pittance of time~ Terry Kelly

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-50120673800541774602009-11-09T22:28:00.002-08:002009-11-09T22:41:18.471-08:00

Have I mentioned how much I love my class this year? Cause I do. Love my class. They are SO fun! And super adorable. And I SO wish I could show you pictures of their cuteness.We were in gym today, and we're vaguely doing a floor hockey unit. We do a few passing drills, talk super briefly about a few general rules, and then let them play a game. Of course, they're little, and there's only eleven

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-62224390524798088682009-11-08T22:26:00.000-08:002009-11-09T05:11:59.255-08:00

Low key birthday party on Friday night, a bunch of errands and some house cleaning on Saturday, games night at a friend's just down the street Saturday night, a great church service Sunday and lunch with a friend, more household organizing, and a lazy evening on the couch watching Patch Adams. 'Twas grand!How was YOUR weekend?

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-56808589160483060872009-11-07T16:14:00.006-08:002009-11-07T16:47:30.275-08:00

UN.BE.LIEVABLE. Since Korr isn't on any map, I never was very sure where to situate it. Since coming home, I was able to pin point it a little closer, using the mountains (hills) around as landmarks, and I actually was pretty close! But this week I was poking around on Google maps again, and learned that YOU CAN SEE KORR on the map! The town, the goobs, the airstrip, the school, the church, my

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-71646517745197765222009-11-06T18:21:00.002-08:002009-11-06T18:25:13.914-08:00

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-91888151793121237652009-11-05T22:43:00.000-08:002009-11-06T03:56:05.893-08:00

You know how when you learn a new word, you suddenly seem to hear it everywhere? It seems to be the same with going to Africa. Once you've been, it never leaves you (not that you'd WANT it to!), and you find connections seemingly everywhere.The first Sunday I was back, a lady from Kenya recognized my purseand my scarf, and wanted to know if I'd been to Kenya...A friend's two roomates are from

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-44138030535045810512009-11-04T22:54:00.001-08:002009-11-05T03:36:07.540-08:00

I really don't know what to do with this.On my way home from work, I stopped for gas. I also checked for oil, which was a break from usual routine, and so with the second time I closed my door, I locked my keys in my car. Genius, I know. It was just what I needed when I was trying to get home early, get a little bit of work done, and go to bed. (I'm feeling much better today. Still tired, but way

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-57381630085530290222009-11-03T23:58:00.002-08:002009-11-04T00:03:31.961-08:00

Step one - start feeling a wee tad feverish and more than a wee tad achy at school, and really, really, really tired.Step two - prepare for a sub for tomorrow JUST in case.Step three - shiver and freeze and shiver and freeze and shiver and freeze some more all evening long.Step four - get home and fall directly onto couch under the warmest blanket I have and shiver and freeze and ache some

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-16046284697265265312009-11-02T06:32:00.005-08:002009-11-02T22:17:16.721-08:00

So here's a few snippets of what I've been up to the last few weeks...HikingWent up Cypress with my friend Chris around Thanksgiving. 'Twas glorious to be out in the mountains, especially with all the fantastical fall colours. But good golly, I'm a big ball of wuss when it comes to hiking these days. Something about the no mountain and 45 degree heat situation in Korr that wasn't so great for

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-55637514841237246432009-11-01T19:07:00.007-08:002009-11-02T06:32:04.229-08:00

It's been pretty scarce around here these days. I've missed a few weekends of Watch it Weekends, partly cause I'm busy, and partly cause I'm not sure anybody's actually watching. But I definitely need to get blogging again, mostly cause it's a great way to get my thoughts out. That and it's fun to write.So what better way to switch from famine to feast than NaBloPoMo? Ah, yes. National Blog

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-63541267146416936102009-10-22T19:39:00.002-07:002009-10-22T20:26:56.196-07:00

Let me tell you, using a Kenyan cell phone as totally RUINED me for the cell phone shenanigans that go on here in my country. I'm sorry, access fee? Three year contracts? Minute counting? Ridiculous charges? BAH HUMBUG TO ALL OF YOU! I definitely long for the days of "Buy phone (cheap). Buy SIM card (less than $2). Buy top up card (as much or as little as you want). Phone. For cheap. Run out of

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-52830688618061850302009-10-12T07:47:00.002-07:002009-10-12T21:22:25.568-07:00

Welllll... it's a long weekend. Does that mean I'm allowed two "Watch It Weekend" posts? Oh wait, my blog, so YES! I LOVE these kiddos. Khoboso is about three and a half or four, Kulmise (the older girl) is in class two (maybe six? seven?) and Liyoogo, the kookiest, craziest little boy, is about the same age as Kulmi. Good gracious, I love these children.All three of them live nearby. Khoboso

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-88984088059190136762009-10-11T07:23:00.004-07:002009-10-11T07:48:28.634-07:00

Ok, so one really big thing I regret is not taking longer video clips. Ten seconds is NOT. ENOUGH. Thirty seconds is better. Guess I'll just have to go back to do it again.Every Sunday after lunch, the trucks go out to the goobs, filled to the brim and more with people from the church, for evangelism. Everybody climbs off the truck and walks through the village, inviting people to come and hear

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-40404058639617793442009-10-07T18:07:00.005-07:002009-10-09T22:53:49.203-07:00

Yesterday, our class went on a field trip. We've been talking about the community - learning about different people in the community and how they help with things we need or want, how communities change, roles and responsibilities of different people in the community - so I booked a field trip to the bank. As we walked there, we were on the lookout for community helpers all around us. "Oop! I see

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-4215804654622760432009-10-06T23:24:00.002-07:002009-10-06T23:28:41.439-07:00

Here's pretty much how my internal dialogue is going right now:I'm really tired. I should go to bed. Ack, but I have so much stuff to do. So I should do my stuff. But I'm too tired to do my stuff. So I should go to bed. But what about all that stuff I have to do? I should do it. But I'm too tired. I really should go to bed. But then all that stuff I have to do will just turn into more stuff I

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-45276352759575452762009-10-04T10:45:00.002-07:002009-10-04T11:01:32.462-07:00

Here are a few videos I took of home in Korr... first a tour of my house (don't mind the nerdy Ikea excitement). Ah, home sweet home!Nick and Lynne love their pets - by the time I left we had two cats and essentially four dogs (two didn't technically belong to us, but were always around and ate at our house), plus one who decided our house was a good place to hang out. This video was taken

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-14044420362993990082009-10-04T09:21:00.000-07:002009-10-04T11:05:08.523-07:00

I got an email today from a fabulous missionary couple I got to spend some great time with in Nairobi asking if I had changed my blog address... they had been visiting my blog and hoping to find news from me on how I was settling in and what has been going on in my life since I got back from Kenya, and had not been finding anything! It's true... I've been pretty quiet in these parts these days.

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-79521409989048312202009-09-27T00:43:00.009-07:002009-09-29T16:53:40.834-07:00

Ok, I've been sitting on this for almost a month, sworn to secrecy, but I just got the go-ahead and I'm BUSTING to tell everybody I possibly can.....Soooo.... This is my mom, Patt.She's awesome... of course, anyone who knows her knows that already! My mom is a preschool teacher. And, seeing as she's awesome, she's also an awesome preschool teacher. In fact, she's won a number of awards for her

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-27844462797804428092009-09-26T14:49:00.004-07:002009-09-26T15:07:13.574-07:00

Stones is a game that a lot of the kids in Korr play. Just take five small rocks and throw them up in the air, catch them, put some down, throw the others, pick them up... sounds easy, right? Wrong! Ann, a girl in my class six class, was playing one day at lunch. I stopped to watch her and was amazed! My particular favourite move was hen she held five stones in her fingers, threw them up, and

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-15759482492218179132009-09-24T06:42:00.005-07:002009-09-24T06:58:49.375-07:00

Grant and Loki are another of the missionary couples working in Korr. About two and a half years ago, they adopted these two beautiful gilries from an orphanage in Nairobi, and the adoption process has been creeeeping along since then. They have a court hearing tomorrow, September 25, to find out if Kenya will allow them to finalize their adoption. It's a big day with lots of emotion involved.

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-49977618516501650642009-09-20T07:53:00.007-07:002009-09-20T08:24:04.105-07:00

Two days after arriving in Korr, it was my birthday! There was a team of about 18 Canadian ladies who were in Korr visiting, too, so we wended up driving out to visit a literacy class and see a goob. I couldn't help but laugh at the contrast between my 29th and 30th birthdays! There are ALWAYS tons of kids around, and we spent probably a good half hour or fourty-five minutes playing with them

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-74801364786663228862009-09-14T07:25:00.004-07:002009-09-15T07:30:27.327-07:00

While I was aiting to go to Korr in January, I did a lot of different things, sone if it a little bit of sightseeing around Nairobi. One day I went to the Sheldrick's Wildlife Trust - essentially an orphanage for baby elephants. SO cute. Seriously.Then I went to the giraffe center. You walk up onto this platform and the rangers give you pellets to feed the giraffes with. The love to eat the

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-14494258933077330712009-09-10T19:19:00.005-07:002009-09-14T07:20:07.984-07:00

*tap tap tap* ... hello? Is this thing on? Welcome to the deserted wasteland that is my blog these days!Wow. Seems I've been running and running and running ever since I got off my plane. Family time, friends galore, unpacking, organizing, setting up my classroom, concerts, the Fair, more friends, more organizing, more unpacking, first days of school, curriculum planning, photocopying, dinner

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-75001145796219831232009-09-05T12:10:00.002-07:002009-09-05T12:30:02.785-07:00

Three videos this weekend... why not?The first is of Jaqueline - the amazing nursery school (pre-school) teacher - giving a lesson. That lady has SO much love for those kids, it's phenominal! In early January, which is the beginning of the school year for them, the kids are learning their letter sounds. This video is brought to you by the letter "N"I went on a Saturday morning to help with the

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-19040679024930051752009-09-05T10:59:00.005-07:002009-09-05T11:44:23.703-07:00

Wow. I really HAVE been hit with a whirlwind coming back. I've been trying to not be too busy, but even at that, in the last week I've been home only to sleep every day last week. Don't have time for a full update post right now (waiting for my cell company to call me back, emailing the printers back and forth about some cards I'm having made, got to head out to do a bunch of errands, then

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-5108546550005931812009-08-30T22:39:00.007-07:002009-09-01T06:04:34.665-07:00

In the whole process of coming home, people have asked me a lot of questions. I love answering them! But if there is one question that turns my brain into a big gelatinous pile of goo, it's this one.So, Hillary, would you go back? Uuuhmmmm, aaaah, buuuuh, errrr..... Pretty intelligent and articulate answer, hey?Would I do it again? Well, what does that mean? Did I enjoy the experience and would

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-3743946368232149632009-08-29T10:58:00.005-07:002009-08-29T11:08:48.337-07:00

Two posts today! Look at me go!Loading video in Kenya wasn't possible. But oh hooray, I'm back to the land of high speed, and hoo-boy do I have some fun stuff to show you! So welcome to the first installment of "Watch It Weekends!" I'll post a video (or two?) each weekend so you can get a better taste of the sights and sounds of my trip. Here's the first one!This is class four in Mitumba, the

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-60277650765377827082009-08-24T22:00:00.005-07:002009-08-29T09:26:53.356-07:00

I saw this quote at the bottom of Andrea's blog tonight:"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant."~ Robert Louis StevensonReading that, it hit me – a “boom, bang crash, open-your-eyes, ah-ha moment” kind of hit me.I wasn't a harvester.So much of my trip to Korr was wonderful. Incredible. Amazing. Words can not describe. But there were some things that were really

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-58843773398180642622009-08-24T21:26:00.003-07:002009-08-24T22:00:48.566-07:00

Yes, it's true! I'm home! Back in Vancouver - back marveling at the huge green leafy trees and the vast expanses of water... was there really that much water before? Were the trees really that big? I'm loving being back in my city, with my family, my friends. But of course a huge part of my heart is still in Korr. I'm not done with the stories just because I'm home. There's still so much I want

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-79003376591478844842009-08-14T21:21:00.012-07:002009-08-14T23:51:40.634-07:00

Three parks, six days, and LOTS and LOTS of animals. Here are but a few of the highlights.Saturday, 3pm: Why on earth is the road to the Masai Mara - the most visited place in Kenya – worse than the roads on the way up to Korr? Bump, bump, rattle, rattle, I sure hope this car stays in one piece!Saturday, 5pm: Giraffe! A whole herd! It’s our first big sighting and we’re not even in the park yet!

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-15871536057363572812009-08-06T13:39:00.001-07:002009-08-06T13:47:01.003-07:00

The “dark nights” in Korr are just that. For about half the month, the moon rises so late (or rather, so early in the morning) that none of its light illuminates the darkness. It is DARK - so much more than many of us have ever experienced. Your torch barely pierces a hole in the night big enough for you to see your next three steps. It is so incredibly pitch black, but for the millions of stars

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-22886443482071565992009-08-04T09:07:00.002-07:002009-08-04T09:10:36.038-07:00

I'm a Rendille!

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-37780197138365141372009-07-23T10:52:00.006-07:002009-07-23T11:18:23.925-07:00

I wrote recently about how the Rendille language is now a written language. Of course, it really doesn’t do any good to have a language written down if nobody can read it. That’s where literacy classes come in.Over the midterm break, I decided to take advantage of a weekday with no school and head out to one of the classes for a visit. I have the books and know some of the teachers, but I’ve

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-74473223170839058762009-07-10T12:21:00.003-07:002009-07-10T12:30:50.455-07:00

Education in Kenya is largely based on rote memorization. Memorize facts, spit them back. Memorize facts, spit them back. And I have to admit, these kid’s ability to cram information in their heads is phenomenal. But this does not teach them to THINK. Often it doesn’t even teach them to understand.Not even writing is exempt from this rote memorization. They literally have big books of expressions

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-68390602180573456642009-07-07T12:41:00.008-07:002009-07-07T12:55:02.896-07:00

My 'sleepover' took place at the end of March. Yep, I'm a little behind! :)-----------------------------------------------------Most Rendille don’t live in Korr town itself. Rather, they live in the goobs, clan villages scattered around the desert. The huts in each goob (pronounce the word goob with the same “o” sound as in “go”) are arranged in a circle around the outside and on the inside are

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-2975598842081848552009-07-04T14:08:00.004-07:002009-07-05T13:48:48.802-07:00

Every time I think about beginning this post, I am overwhelmed. There is so much to tell, so much to explain. So many things are interconnected that if I start with one area, it’s understanding is dependent on another, and then again dependent on another. Where do I begin? I want to do an adequate job of explaining how truly exciting and - yes, I’ll use this word yet again - amazing the Tirrim

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-50520389354713050582009-06-28T06:49:00.002-07:002009-06-28T07:00:29.606-07:00

Saturday June 136:15 am – Wake up and lounge in bed for 10 minutes or so till I start to hear the voices of the night watchmen arriving for coffee.6:25 – Get up and go to the house to get the water on for coffee for the nigh watchmen who are going home, and the day staff who are coming on (usually Lynne does this, but they’re away for two and a half weeks or so, so I’m happy to fill in).7:00 – I

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-72214221604299911872009-06-21T12:05:00.006-07:002009-06-22T11:26:48.720-07:00

So much happens around here that is fun and exciting, but would make about a three line post, so here's a collection of tids and bits from the last little while...* I'm on mid term break right now. Four days of vacation. FABULOUS! We were supposed to get our mid term exams two weeks ago, but three supply planes came and went and no exams on any of them, so we decided to just do the exams later

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-87271952770057821152009-06-18T08:51:00.001-07:002009-06-18T08:54:22.647-07:00

Ok, so here’s the thing. Cross cultural stuff is hard. And rewarding, and frustrating and fulfilling and confusing and awesome. But six months here, and I’m still confused (I know, I know… it’s not that long!). I feel like I make so many mistakes sometimes… and other times I don’t even KNOW if I’m making mistakes. People are so gracious – sometimes I’ll ask if something is appropriate or the way

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-53322890677338432302009-06-01T01:52:00.004-07:002009-06-06T02:12:48.760-07:00

I've had a number of new posts lately - scroll down or click here to see Drought, A River in the Desert, Operation Library, and Desert Alive.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I’d been hearing rumours from the kids for a few weeks, but I wasn’t sure if they were true or not. Last week it was confirmed – there is officially a cholera outbreak in our district. It’s hard to know if it’s hit Korr or not,

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-24377413339809296412009-06-01T01:49:00.002-07:002009-06-01T01:58:21.419-07:00

I know I’ve talked about it before, and my posts about the rain may give a different impression, but the drought here in northern Kenya is really, really bad. The short rains in November and December of last year never materialized. It’s now June, and while God can send rain at any time, the long rainy season (April and May) has come and go with next to nothing. It’s a long way to November

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-24026668023669362122009-06-01T01:34:00.004-07:002009-06-01T01:48:59.314-07:00

I was in the middle of a Rendille lesson at my language helper’s house when the rain started. It was so loud on the mabati (corrugated metal) roof that I couldn’t even hear her when she was six inches from my ear. We finished what we were doing and decided to call it quits for the day. Anyway, this Vancouver girl was eager to go outside and enjoy the wet!It was incredible! There were little

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-73778405828999515722009-05-28T08:48:00.016-07:002009-05-28T09:55:00.393-07:00

The school library was in pretty rough shape last term. What very few story books we had were all over the place, tattered and torn, and nearly lost among all sorts of random books and documents. Among these were an eight year old document from the Kenyan Electoral Commission, a Nokia phone manual, and a large political and legalese document on the Middle East Peace Process under the Clinton

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-39248017367344733412009-05-25T11:35:00.002-07:002009-05-25T11:40:57.760-07:00

You know, it’s absolutely amazing how this desert comes to life after just a tiiiiny bit of rain. One night just before I got back to Korr from being in Nairobi in April, I heard that it rained for about half an hour over night. We has seven minutes fo rain overnight one night shortly after I got back, then about two weeks ago it rained again in the late afternoon for another half an hour. An

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-37563986183489774592009-05-17T08:48:00.005-07:002009-05-17T09:02:20.211-07:00

Don't you just love coming to my blog and seeing THIS in your face? These guys like to hang out in my room every night. It's pretty fun.Sorry, my story teller seems to be broken these days. I'm having a hard time making time, motivation, and computer power happen all at the same time to get some stories up. Camel rescues, desert rivers, sleepovers, holidays, funny kid limericks... for now, let me

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-18766327112869420542009-04-30T03:03:00.000-07:002009-04-30T03:15:43.607-07:00

This is what happens when I write posts offline, bit by bit. I have a million posts that I've started but have not had time to finish, and then when I have a bit of free time, I can finish them all off and end up posting them all at once. Then YOU get here and go "AAAAK!" So here's a list - read 'em all now, or read 'em bit by bit. Just scroll down to see them, or click the links to take you

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-1723560070967010292009-04-30T02:31:00.000-07:002009-04-30T02:32:48.515-07:00

Just before I arrived back in Korr, they had some rain – half an hour of heavy rain that fell overnight. That’s been about it for this rainy season – not nearly enough for what is needed, but just enough to bring out the bugs!Before the rains, the flies, looking for moisture, were getting worse and worse and worse. Nick and Lynne told me that they couldn’t even open their mouths to talk without

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-17899061876816522442009-04-30T02:29:00.003-07:002009-04-30T02:31:21.902-07:00

In town there is a tiny mosque with a huge loudspeaker that broadcasts the daily calls to prayer. The Imam goes to a microphone inside and sings out the call five times a day and it can be heard through the whole town (and all the way to Nairobi, I’m sure!) But the other night, around 9:30pm, we heard something strange. It wasn’t the normal time, nor was it the typical call to prayer. I just

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-49633537549047168202009-04-30T02:17:00.000-07:002009-04-30T02:48:29.585-07:00

Every year, all the missionaries in Northern Kenya get together in Kalacha, about a three hour drive north of Korr and very close to the Ethiopian border, for a retreat. I made arrangements for other teachers to cover my classes, and I got to go along, too.We set out after lunch on Monday, and just a few minutes into our drive we saw them – ostriches! Tons of them! There was a big… herd? gaggle?

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-22848949502999869942009-04-30T02:08:00.000-07:002009-04-30T03:01:13.916-07:00

It is a pretty incredible experience living here in Northern Kenya. There are so many things that I love about it – standing in the back of the land rover driving trough the desert, my hair being whipped around by the wind. Watching the old ladies at church slowly move from the bench to the floor as the service progresses because they find sitting in chairs incredibly uncomfortable. Hearing the

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-85075804154146800982009-04-14T01:18:00.004-07:002009-04-14T04:24:34.521-07:00

Woohoo! I've (finally!) got photos up! There's a lot, but it's ok, I probably won't be posting again till I'm back in Niarobi again in July (or till I'm home), so you've got lots of time to browse. There's a new link on my sidebar that will take you there whenever you want.I'll slowly be adding captions over the next few days, I hope! (They're also all on Facebook, if you want to look there).

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-68343068510956149262009-04-13T21:09:00.006-07:002009-04-13T22:23:59.790-07:00

Tirrim Primary School began in 2004, with the dream of one day opening a secondary. For years, they couldn’t begin and couldn’t begin and couldn’t begin – there are huge startup costs, salaries to pay, boarding to provide (Tirrim school are charity schools and require no fees from the kids), a school food program to run… not to mention the challenge of where to meet!Finally, this fall, Nick and

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-86679477134036891742009-04-12T05:59:00.003-07:002009-04-12T11:34:11.484-07:00

How wide is Your loveThat You would stretch Your armsAnd go around the worldAnd why for me would a Savior's cry be heardI don't knowWhy You went where I was meant to goI don't knowWhy You love me soThose were my nailsThat was my crownThat pierced Your hands and Your browThose were my thornsThose were my scornsThose were my tears that fell downAnd just as You said it would beYou did it all for

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-23107267607231750182009-04-10T08:54:00.008-07:002009-04-10T14:16:00.383-07:00

As a friend warned me before I headed to Kenya, "Africa is the place where even the trees are out to hurt you." Now that I've lived in the North for a while, I'm seeing that he's very right!The smallest thorns are from trees we like to call "wait a bit" bushes. These are small thorns - less than a quarter inch long - but they come in groups of three. Two are hooked forward and one, slightly

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-16231703310550971132009-04-04T04:48:00.008-07:002009-04-04T11:56:07.489-07:00

There's another new post below this one, too - "He's been to Infinity and beyond..."___________________________February 27 - March 1, 2009To celebrate the success of Tirrim’s standard 8 pupils, the Area Education Officer for our district decided that all the teachers from the seven little schools in this district should be rewarded with a trip (that’s the way things are done here in Kenya, it

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-17150130197883492912009-04-04T04:01:00.004-07:002009-04-04T04:27:58.515-07:00

This is my friend Phil. He’s in Disneyland, posing with Buzz Lightyear, a character from the movie Toy Story. This is one of the photos that I have in my album of photos of friends and family that I have taken to Africa with me. The same album that the kids LOVE looking through when they come to my house to visit on the weekends. “Madam, who’s this? And who’s this? And who’s this? And this is a

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-13662117109158145822009-03-30T02:48:00.005-07:002009-05-15T08:10:24.895-07:00

It is a pretty incredible experience living here in Northern Kenya. There are so many things that I love about it – standing in the back of the land rover driving trough the desert, my hair being whipped around by the wind. Watching the old ladies at church slowly move from the bench to the floor as the service progresses because they find sitting in chairs incredibly uncomfortable. Hearing the

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-87825534153675452012009-03-24T05:05:00.004-07:002009-03-24T05:44:19.893-07:00

Tirrim School began as a small nursery school class and in 2004, the Primary school was opened for the first time. It has grown and grown and grown, and last year has its first ‘graduating’ class of Standard 8 students. There are 397 students enrolled from Standard 1 to Standard 8, in two locations (only because the more permanent location is still not large enough to hold everyone). There are a

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9712101.post-33685397517428732532009-03-24T04:22:00.002-07:002009-03-24T04:31:25.912-07:00

Woohoo! I got the new template done! Turns out I could do it myself quite easily, with some technical advice from my friend Paul! (Thanks, Paul!!!)Since a few people have asked, I thought I'd tell about the photo... Yes, it's me! It's in Kalacha, where we went for our prayer retreat a few weeks ago (ak! Yes, I know, I'm so behind on blog posts/journals about what I've done!). I went for a walk

Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16396356143176333785noreply@blogger.com5