New Year's Resolution!!!

Hey everybody.......searching for that one special new year's resolution???? I've got it! Drink more water!!! They say it takes 21 (some say 30) days to form a new habit and we've got 57 before we leave for Kenya. (OK....did that make your heart skip a beat?) One of the most important things you can do before, during, and after our trip is drink water. You're supposed to drink your half your weight divided by two. (if I weighed 160 pounds I'd need to drink 80 oz of water a day.......not saying I do but......) PLUS..... if you're exercising you need to drink an additional 8 oz for every 20 minutes, and while on a plane an additional 8 oz every hour. That's a LOT of water! (if you drink water you'll need to get up to use the bathroom in flight.....so will help to keep you moving occasionally too - and that's a good thing!)

Just read an article on "jet lag" and one of the main problems is dehydration! We'll be eating differently, making a 10 hour schedule adjustment, and being exposed to some different "bugs" - so drinking enough water is very important! You might want to stock up on Zip Fizz, chrystal light or whatever will help you drink a lot. We'll have plenty of bottled water on hand....so there's no excuse. It will be much easier if you get in the habit now. So hey, take the challenge!!!!!

If you have spoken to your dr. and you've decided that doxycycline is your malaria med of choice, please let me know right away so I can add you to my list. I'll be letting my "supplier" know the numbers so he can get it for us in the next few weeks.

There are some things you can do now to prevent complete overload as time gets closer...... cancel your newspapers for the time you're gone, prepare to pay double on the bills that will come due while you're away, make sure that your prayer partners have this blog address, set aside an area to start collecting "things to pack"so as things come to mind you can set them aside, pick up prescriptions that you'll need to take, make sure your family knows where your important papers etc. are (and that they're updated), get birthday/anniversary cards and gifts for February 26 - March occasions ready for someone else to pop in the mail for you........

There's a $10 reward added to the account of the first person that lets me know they've read this blog post. It's going to be important that we keep regular lines of communication open as time draws nearer. Check your e-mail every day and the blog regularly too.

May your New Year be blessed beyond your wildest expectations! God has some amazing things in store for us! J

The Southern Sky

There was an article in the Seattle Times, about Africa, a few weeks ago and the photos from it are posted in the following website. You might want to take a look at what you're in for :-) Skip....remember to brush up on your astronomy - I had no idea that the "Southern Cross" is also called "The Giraffe" - so looking forward to searching the sky with someone that can tell us what we're seeing!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/zoom/html/2008318331.html

Understandable Mixup!

Brian's mother was an, HIV positive, alcoholic who failed to provide adequate care for her ill son. She placed him in many inappropriate and dangerous situaitions as a result of her reckless lifestyle. in 2008 GCC agreed to assume guardianship and care for Brian.

A recent visitor to Kenya, Ashlee, fell in love with Brian and made the decision to sponsor him. She wrote to me for more information and I sent the requested information and also sent her this photo of Brian taken less than a year ago. She took one look at the child's thin little limbs and distended tummy and thought that I must have the wrong child, after all there are a couple of "Brians" at GCC. When describing him she said that the mums at the orphanage called the Brian that she was interested in "the chunky one," he was a very happy, healthy, and chubby little guy!

There was no mistake.....less than a year after entering GCC Brian is now "the chunky one" indeed. His favorite pass-time is eating and he is receiving excellent care and love. Here's the photo that Ashlee had taken for herself......no wonder she thought the photo sent was the wrong little boy. What a difference a year makes!

In the past few months there have been four brand new babies added to GCC: Jordan, Emmeline, Keiran and Violet.... praise God that these tiny babies are getting a great healthy start to a life full of potential!

Countdown.....

The official Kenya countdown has begun. Only 83 Days!

Before our departure we will be using this site for our team for ongoing information that needs periodic changes ie. lists of things that we need to be collecting, so that we can keep the list updated and you'll be able to know at a glance what is still needed! After we leave, periodic updates from our team in Africa will be posted for our friends/loved ones/prayer partners. You will need to leave this blogsite address with everyone that you know that wants to follow our adventures. They will need to know that you will NOT receive any comments that they may leave on this site, but rather if they want to contact you they will need to send an e-mail to cmiacotr@wananchi.com with your name in the subject line and David and Jennifer will print it out to give to you at their earliest convenience. Clear as mud? Let me know if you have questions....you'll want to be able to explain to the curious how to use this tool for communication!

If you have successfully accessed this blogsite please send me a quick e-mail, or leave a comment, so I'll know you're up and running!