Laughing silly

The simple things in life make it all good. Really, it’s these moments that really make me smile and dance around. Anyone can attest to it, though the kids would be the first to share that their Auntie Sarah is a little silly but the “funniest in all the world.” Ahh…thanks.

The joys first came with the trip to the beach on our free, day-off Friday. A real beach with waves of the Atlantic ocean that filled our mouths with salt and sand. I tried to convince the kids it was sugar, but they wouldn’t buy it. I carried different kids on my back as we jumped waves, ran from them and dove right into the water. At one point I took one of the smallest boys on my back and ran across the beach, chasing a bird who kept running at just the right speed to taunt us. Godfrey and I were screaming and waving our warms (I was- he was holding me by the neck) and still the bird kept scuttling along without any fear or trepidation. I realized throughout the excursion, Godfrey was mainly laughing at me and not helping the scaring-bird-off-it’s-feet-into-the-ocean mission. Oh well, I looked silly again, he took to giggling: mission accomplished.

Yesterday, the Summer Olympics started with an amazing display of art, technology and China’s unique culture colliding into a ceremony meant to bring hope, harmony, and a charge to make history. I came in from the bus in time to remember the ceremonies had just started. I jumped on the couch and remote to find NBC. And jumping, I remained to view 2008 Chinese drummers putting on a spectacular light show with their instruments with the precision that dropped my jaw for several minutes…when I wasn’t squealing with delight. The whole event kept me captivated, though I did have to scurry in and out of the kitchen during commercials to grab a bite to eat for dinner. The kids just laughed and watched in awe at the mere
madness of me.

Then there was the refrigerator. With 34 people living out of a few “ice-boxes,” as my grandma would say, things tend to spill, leftovers can be forgotten and tucked away, and who knows all the ways humidity comes into play. So I cleaned it out with the help of a few willing volunteers. Now it sparkles. I open the doors just to look at the clean shelves and I inevitably do a little jig. Job well done.

New discoveries are probably the #1 source of smiles. Mr. Lubega, as we formally call him, has come to a new level of dexterity with the English language. Once the littlest boy with the most anxiety and unknowing in his eyes, Lubega now chats up a storm, tries new and strange foods, and offers profound pieces of insight. Tonight the kids enjoyed ice cream and more than just the usual vanilla. Rainbow really mixed things up. And Lubega didn’t miss a beat for, as he tried he first bite, he held out the bowl to offer me some, saying, “Auntie, have a taste of the goodness.” Boy, did he have that nailed down; the ice cream couldn’t have been better after such a praise. The special English lessons are paying off, even the African chaperon said so. Lubega is just lucky I didn’t come dance around his chair poking in with my spoon when he wasn’t looking. Oh, I still giggle inside at his big, toothless grin and bowl of goodness.