New hairdo, passport, Bandia Reserve...

Well, this week Mommy, Daddy, and I haven't done too much. Just enjoyed each other and rested.

Tuesday, Mommy, Aunt Cindy, Cousin Erin, and I all went to the hair salon so Mommy and Cousin Erin could get their haircut. Mommy's hair looks great. While we were at the hair salon, Daddy went and picked up my passport!! Praise the Lord we got it and now we can apply for my visa to go back to Mali!

Here's Mommy's new haircut . The hair dresser's here really like the 80's big hair look!!

 

Friday, Mommy, Daddy, Aunt Holly, her friend, Hannah Rachel, and I all went to Bandia Reserve. It's  a 1500 acre reserve that has all kind of different animals. We saw monkey's, warthogs, zebras, giraffes, rhinos, antelopes, gazelles, tortoises, savannah buffalo, ostriches, and some other animals that I don't remember their names. It was a lot of fun!!! My favorite was the giraffes.

Mommy warthogs with their babies.

 

 

 

 

Zebra's

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mommy, Daddy, and me with the giraffe.

 

 

 

 

A female giraffe

 

 

 

 

 

A male giraffe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't remember this one's name. But check out those horns!!

 

 

 

The Rhino's

 

 

 

 

 

Us and the tortoise

 

 

 

 

 

Us in front of a giant baobab tree.

 

 

 

 

A giant baobab tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Bandia Reserve we went to Accrobaobab which is an obstacle course they have built in the top of baobab trees. Daddy and I hung out while Mommy, Aunt Holly, and Hannah Rachel did the obstacle course. They were all tired after they got done but they had a great time!!

Getting some practice on the ground before climbing to the first platform

 

The girls getting ready to do the first leg of the course.

 

 

Me hanging out with Daddy.

 

 

 

 

Praises:

1. My passport and visa are now complete!
2. We've had a great, fun, relaxing week!
3. I'm growing like a weed and I'm a good baby!
4. For my Daddy and Grandpa's...Happy Father's Day!!

Prayer Requests:

1. Monday (6/22), we are flying back to Mali...pray for safe travels and that I'll enjoy my first plane ride.
2. Pray for us as we all re-adjust to being back in Mali.
3. While we've been in Dakar our team back in Mali has been steadily working on the farm project we are doing. Please pray for the success of this project, that through it the villagers would draw closer to Christ, and those who don't know Him would come to know Him.

Until next time...

A week of firsts...

Hello everyone!! It's me...Zeke! I figured even though I'm only 2 weeks old, I've been pretty demanding lately and Mommy needs a break, so I am going to write this post to our blog!!

Here am I relaxing with my daddy.

 

 

                         

This past week I have experienced a lot of firsts. I went out to eat in a restaurant for the first time, I don't remember much about it because I slept the whole time!! Mommy and Daddy were very thankful for this because they actually got to eat their dinner!

My umbilical cord fell off  Thursday (6/4) and that gave me the go ahead to take my first bath!! At first, it wasn't so bad but then I started to get a little cold. I didn't really like that too much!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally..it's over and I am pooped. Time for a nap!

 

 

On Monday, I went on my first boat ride. Mom, Dad, my two grandma's, and I all went to Goree Island. Goree Island is right off the coast of Senegal. It's where they took all the slaves before they shipped them to America. The tour was pretty interesting and we were all glad that we got to experience while we were here.

                     Me and Mommy on the boat. Me asleep on the boat.         Here we all are on Goree Island

Tuesday, we had to go back to the Embassy to pick up my American Birth Certificate. Praise the Lord, I'm officially an American Citizen. Mommy and Daddy applied for my passport and it should be ready in about two weeks. After our stop at the Embassy, I went shopping for the first time. My grandma's needed to buy some souvenir's, so Mommy and Daddy took them shopping. Once again, I don't remember much about it because I slept through it.

This is rare... I'm actually awake and not sleeping

 

 

 

Wednesday, was not a fun day! I had to get circumcised. The worst part was I had to fast before the procedure. I couldn't have anything to eat after 2am and my appointment wasn't until 9am!! Mommy was really worried about this. Praise the Lord, I did great!! Mommy got me up at 2am so I could eat one last time. I then slept on and off until my appointment and didn't even fuss that much! Mommy and Daddy were very thankful for this!! After my circumcision I had my first appointment with my pediatrician. He said I was doing great!! I gained some weight (up to 8.6 pounds!) and grew 2 cm. I also, got my first shot. That was not fun!!! Praise the Lord, I am healthy and growing.

         Here I am with my Mommy and Daddy. Aren't we a good looking bunch??

Thursday, I got to help my Mommy celebrate her birthday!! For her birthday I gave her something really special.... I pee-peed and pooped on her for the first time. I don't think she was too happy about it but I thought it was pretty funny!! We also went out to eat at a Brazilian steak house. Then we came home for some yummy strawberry cake (thanks Grammy for bringing the mix to us from America!!). Thursday night was not a fun night!! I had to say my first goodbye to two people I really love! My grandma's went back to America. It was very sad but we are all very thankful that they got to come and spend some time with us!!

      Here I am with Daddy and Mimi. And here I am with Mommy and Nana...Grammy...I haven't decided what I'm going to call her yet. Praises:

1. I did great with fasting and my circumcision.
2. I am growing and getting bigger everyday.
3. The time we all got to spend with my grandma's and that they made it safely home.
4. My American Birth Certificate is done.

Prayer Requests:

1. My grandparents and family back in America - us being over here is very hard on them.
2. In a couple of weeks Mommy, Daddy, and I will be going back to Mali. Please pray for a smooth transition as we go back and try to get into a normal routine.
3. The Bambara People that Mommy and Daddy work with. Pray that God would open their hearts to His truth and His love.

Until next time...

1 week old...

WOW! We can't believe it but Zeke is already 1 week old. Seems like yesterday we found out we were pregnant!! The past week has been a little tiring but so worth it!!

I'm 1 week old.. .

 

 

 

 

 

Friday was our first full day of being new parents and it was a rough, stressful day!! Zeke was not nursing well and of course I was worried that he wasn't getting enough to eat. Many tears were shed and prayers lifted up but God chose to once again remind me that He is in control and I am not!! One of the challenges we faced was not having access to a lactation specialists who could teach me how to teach Zeke to nurse. Well, God answered our prayers but in His timing . Saturday a fellow "m" who had just had a baby in the states and had to go to a lactation specialists was here in Dakar (she and her family live 14 hours outside of Dakar and they just happened to be in town this week!!). She came and taught me how to teach Zeke. Needless to say, he more than made up for that long day of not eating much!!

The proud new Daddy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our mom's arrived to Dakar Saturday morning about 4:40 a.m. They were picked up by one of the men that works for the office here in Dakar. He then took them to our house and they were able to eat some breakfast and shower. About 8:00 Cindy picked them up and took them to the hospital. It worked out perfectly because Saturday Zeke and I were discharged and went home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, we had to go back to the hospital to get Zeke's blood drawn to test his bilirubin level. We got the results Tuesday and Praise the Lord it was all good!!

Tuesday, we had to go get Zeke's picture taken for his passport. No big deal, right?? WRONG!! For the passport photo his eyes have to be open, his ears exposed, and it all has to be behind a white background!! Of course, when we got to the picture place he was asleep. So, we tried to get him to wake up. Finally after about 30-45 minutes we were able to get a picture with his eyes open. The only problem was one of the guys at the store was holding him. Thankfully, all they did then was photo shop a white background in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, we went to the US Embassy to apply for his "American Birth Certificate". We waited for about 30-45 minutes and were told that the hospital issued birth certificate wasn't good enough. We then had to go to a local mayor's office and get a Senegalese birth certificate. Arnett was able to go get that for us. The Embassy is only open for American citizens from 9-12, Monday - Thursday. So, by the time we got the Senegalese birth certificate they were closed. Thursday, we headed back to the embassy. It was a lot less crowded and we were seen in 5 minutes. Thankfully, we had everything we needed. In about 3 days we'll go back and pick up his American Birth Certificate and then apply for his passport.

It's official! I'm the cutest kid ever!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Praises:

1. God provided someone who could teach me how to teach Zeke to nurse.
2. Zeke's nursing now.
3. Our mom's are here to help.
4. Zeke's blood work came back good...no jaundice.
5. We were able to get his American citizen paperwork started.

Prayer Requests:

1. That there are no issues getting his American birth certificate and passport.
2. Zeke will be circumcised sometime next week (they don't do it right away here), pray that everything goes well.
3. That we will enjoy the last week we have with our mom's.

Thank you all so much for your prayers. Until next time...