Calculating (estimating, more like) back from Easter, I last updated Wednesday or Thursday of last week. That is better than I thought! It must have been Wednesday, because Thursday third grade lost 10 points because they were so busy. Eh, I think I missed a week in there somewhere.

The weekend was super busy. On Friday we were invited by Ruth and Gutu (Amanuel’s kids) to go to Flowha church on Saturday to watch their Pathfinder program. Gutu was going to speak, and Ruth and Nehemiah were also in it. Flowha church is the huge church in downtown Addis. We arranged it that we would be back in time to teach Pathfinders, and that we would meet Amanuel at his house in the morning so we could travel to Flowha with them. All went well—got there on time and in one piece. We attended English Sabbath school (do you know how long it has been since I saw an English hymnal?) which was good. The church was huge! We could have attended the English church service, but we wanted to see the Amanuel kids. Nehemiah was drill sergeant, Ruth carried the Ethiopian flag, and Gutu spoke. Nabon… sat quietly. Mommy was there… cool. Afterward, Amanuel got us on a taxi to… somewhere, and a nice complete stranger-man who spoke ABSOLUTELY IMPECCABLE English helped us know when to get off. Then we caught the taxi to Girji and then to Sefara, then walked home. We were hoping that Hareg would invite us for lunch even though we were late :-D. WE MISSED ANOTHER MEDICAL EMERGENCY! So Dr. Gemechu had been at the clinic with Hulu, and so they had not eaten, so awesome Hareg DID invite us! AND we just took our time and stuff because there was no Pathfinders (thanks for letting me know, I only run it) because some pastor is coming to talk to the kids in the baptismal class next week. So we spent a quiet Saturday afternoon.

Sunday I agreed to go to Selam’s house (one of my third graders). She reminded me every day that week “Don’t forget! Sunday, you go my house!” Mek’des had gotten all put out because we would not go to her house… or her brother Yohannes’ happy birthday (he turned three). I was playing with her and Samuel outside Sunday morning, and again got put out that I would not go to her house, but then her father (one of the guards) came and asked me to come take pictures of his birthday (well, the motions he made were more like “come look at his party with binoculars”), so I agreed we could go to their house at 5 (but not stay long, because we were meeting Selam at 6 (11 and 12 pm American time) to go to her house. Yohannes’ happy birthday was good. I managed to only eat a little little bit, but Cameron was not so insistent. He ate a lot and drank almost a whole soda. THEN we went to Selam’s house. We were expecting a very small, basic house, because when Selam came to the clinic, I swear she said her father was a farmer and her mother did not work. WELL WELL WELL. Their house is the nicest I have seen (except Hareg’s)! Her father, we think, is a driver (for a tour company?) and speaks really good English and her mother is really nice. She is the youngest of four (older brother Ezana, and older sisters Liya and Lidia). They have a kitchen table, and served us HUGE plates of spaghetti (Ezana insisted I eat it all; I could not), and bread, and fish, AND SALAD! I have not eaten salad since America! It is apparently dangerous because it might not be clean. I ate some of the pasta, none of the fish :-), a piece of bread, and half of my soda. We were offered wine, but, eh, we’re good with soft drinks, thanks. AND I HAD SALAD. Could not resist. I have never had eggs in my salad, but the white parts are not bad. The yellow parts are … icky. I like my dead chicken mixed together and cooked, thanks. Lettuce and onions, with lime and salt—can I ask for a better salad? Mmm. They liked the cookies I baked. Cake mix cookies, since our oven cannot cook cake. We had a wonderful time! Before we left, Selam gave me an awesome… t’ibbs or kitfo container! Well, I will not use it for cooked or raw meat, but it is so cool! Best ever. My coolest souvenirs have been gifts!