shop lady

Kaleigh and I would come here everyday to get food from this little lady. She was always so patient with our bad Swahili. She was super sad to see us go. We were sad to say goodbye. She told us that when we come back to bring her an American dollar. That is a promise we will keep. 

It was so convenient to walk across the street and just pick up any fruit or veggies that you needed or wanted for the day. It was also always at such a good price. I am down for that. 

lucky summer ward

The last Sunday we were in Kenya we made sure that we took a lot of pictures. Kaleigh and I kept it together the whole day. We did so well. You can give us a pat on the back the next time you see us. No tears at all. It was a miracle. 

The Lucky Summer Ward in the Kenya Nairobi Stake is the best and most favorite ward I have ever been in. No jokes. 

Brian and Oscar wanted a picture with Jesus. These boys. 

This is my friend Eugene. He is so great. He always cleans the building on Saturdays and never complains. He is waiting on his mission call. He has been waiting on it for a few months now. I am getting so antsy to see where he goes. 

Rispah's mom came out to visit us on our last Sunday and to give us some of Rispah's things to bring to America with us. 

This is Oscar's family minus him, one niece and one sister. I love this family. I love this family so much. His sisters are so spunky and just so funny. His mom is such a sweetheart. I swear they are all the funniest people I have ever met. The best part is they crack me up and it is mostly in Swahili. I have no idea what they are saying but you just know it is funny. 

These were the goof balls in the ward. Just look at them.Oscar was the freaking ringleader. He always got everyone to be a little more crazy then they really are. 

These were basically the cats I would hang out with at church. The only real person missing is Eugene. It feels like I am at home when I am with them. Kaleigh and I are the token white friends. It is fabulous. 

This is Brian. He is wonderful. He was on a branch mission for most of the time I was in Kenya. He was the boy who got down on one knee at the YSA dance. We only hung out for the last week I was in Kenya but it was great. It was so great. He just finished his mission papers. I am so excited to hear where he is going but I will also miss him so badly when I go back to Kenya next year. He is Oscar's best friend. They are man lovers. 

Elder Karson Cook was a turd when I first met him. I did not like him at all. He was a greenie with a bad attitude and was always dogging on Kenya. I love this place. He doesn't even know how lucky he is to get called on a mission here. He and I both had a change of heart. I love this boy. I love him with all my heart. He became one of my best friends. He is so kind. He is learning to love the people and the culture. When we were driving to the airport I got a text from him, "I already miss you so bad." That was the breaking point for me that day. I miss him terribly. 

Lastly, Oscar. This boy. 

I will tell you more about him later. 

These are my people. I love them all so much. 

The weekend before this one was testimony meeting. I went up and bore my testimony to all of my ward family. I teared up a little. It wasn't bad. I got in the important things for them to hear. 

Like:

Flirt to convert. 

White Mormons are boring. 

Idaho is going to kill me.

I love them all so much. 

And most importantly... the church is true.

dull knife

We got invited to a wedding. It was more like we got commanded to go to this wedding. 

We got there super early. I got roped into helping make the food. I cut all the zucchinis and then I got the lucky job of cutting the carrots. The knife was so dull that it was hard enough to cut the zucchini let alone try to man handle these carrots that were as thick as my wrist. In the end I finished what I said I would finish and had pretty bruised up finger. It hurt for days after. 

They decorated the chapel all pretty like. The wedding was about 3 hours long. I think. It was super long. They had opening prayers and songs. Then after that there were talks about marriage. It was so hard to sit through all of it. 

After there was eating and dancing in the back. Kenyan weddings are so much different then American weddings. 

I mostly just hung out with the missionaries. They are kind of my crew. I love these boys so much. I also helped wash all the dishes. I felt like I was back in New Zealand at a family reunion. 

Richardsons

This is the white family in town minus Dave. They are so great to Kaleigh and I. She gave me a haircut and great advice about life. Their hearts are just so set on Jesus and service. They are such great people. I love that Katie tapped me on my shoulder in Tuskys last time I was in Kenya and found out I was also from San Jose. We had a insta-bond. I am so thankful for her. I am so excited to see this family again next year. 

They are always a good break from Kenya life and a taste of home. 

goodbye party

For Kaleigh and I's goodbye party we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, we gave the boys lollipops, juice and chips. It sounded like a great idea but the boys ate a ton that night and were just too full to eat the food that we made them. 

The best part of the night is that Kaleigh put together a slideshow of pictures for them. The boys loved it. We just put her laptop on a table and pressed play. I loved hearing the giggles and the pure happiness that it brought them. These boys just know how to hit me right in the heart. 

Kaleigh and I did not cry at all. We held it together so well. 

animal orphanage

We wanted to be tourists. We went to the animal orphanage. It was basically like going to a zoo. It was so much fun. 

Oscar is a perfect tourist. He smiles and waves at the locals. He taught me everything that I know. 

There were a lot of cool animals. This baby giraffe was wicked. 

This is Gabby trying to communicate with his brother or something. 

This monkey was so freaking creepy isha. I have no idea how to describe him. He just scared me. His cage was also under some tight security. I don't think he was a safe animal. 

There were the tourist animals in cages and the local ones were just chilling where ever they felt like. Here is one of the local animals. 

After the animal orphanage we headed to the stake center. We were going to go salsa dancing but of course the one night that we make it there it is canceled. Perfection. 

We went and visited the bishop and the missionaries there instead. 

Oscar and I told the bishop we were getting married. He didn't believe us. 

This is our walk home from the stake center. It is always so fun with these kids. 

We also have to walk through this huge park. It is a dream. You feel like you are in NYC or something for a split second. 

After we got home we hung out with the street kids for just a little bit before we headed over the Sizzle N' Grill because our white friends were playing love songs there. It was so fun. Dave did such a good job. I also loved just hanging out with Katie. 

To end the night we went back to our house. Brian came out of our room with his number on. It was so random and funny. I loved it. Of course the mustache was upside down and made it all 100% better. 

I also tatted up the boys. 

We went to bed that night after 2 and had to wake up at 6 in the morning. The next day was hades. That is no joke. Kaleigh and I were over emotional and so tired. I broke down multiple times. Elder Cook was so worried about me. Poor child. 

water 2

We had another water fight. Obviously I lost. 

I had no hope.