My Dad Forgot His Toothbrush

Titles are supposed to capture the reader and make them want to read more. So this is my title. True, my dad did forget his toothbrush but he got a new one today. So, fair warning, this post has almost nothing to do with that. I just wanted a good, hooking title. Yesterday we left Kara at six thirty, and got to Lome around twelve. We made good time, and the weather all day was rainy, but not pelting, chilly, but not freezing. It was a pleasant trip. After we got there, we got to go see the MercyShip. Let me just say this: It was not what I expected. When I think of 'hospital' and 'africa' together, my idea was indeed a ship, but a ship with maybe a few American doctors operating on people on small cots, hundreds crammed together in a large room with the smell, the flies, and the moans of the sweaty, miserable patients. In short, a typical African hospital. Well, may I start with there was a Starbucks aboard. It was a huge ship, with one gangplank and about a hundred people going up it at one time. There were four or five decks, and you entered in the... One of those decks. There was a cafeteria there, and we got some juice. Then there was a Starbucks, with a candy store place, and a living room place. There was a school for the kids on board, which was bigger than my school definitely(it's in our backyard) but only had a few more students. The very top of the ship was mostly storage, but since the weather was nice, we went and had a look. The actual place where they control the ship, does not have a wheel, and a surprisingly low amount of buttons too. No idea how they actually control it. The hospital was in the lower decks. lots of people are there, and honestly, it's more like an American hospital. The rooms are bigger though, and you may have twenty-five or so patients in one room, while there are a few operating rooms(that were sterile so we couldn't go in). I was very surprised at the kind of things they did and how much like a huge family it seemed. I didn't know too much about the MercyShip before, and had never even been on one. It was a pleasant first experience. Anyway, so now we're in Accra. We go swimming tomorrow and then to a sleepover on Saturday night and to a movie on Monday. Our visitor, Elizabeth, arrives Monday as well and then we make the entire twelve rickety driving hours back all on Tuesday. Let's just say we'll be ready to crash. Overall though, I'm excited for all our trip, and glad we got to see the MercyShip. I might even get to go back there someday. It's late. I'm tired. I was able to do my math at the border this morning. Now it's not a pile of bricks strapped around my neck(hah! Clever isn't that? I made it up just now. It's a metaphor. Like when someone says 'it's hanging over my head' or something. Except this is better because I made it up. Ha! I'm being original).

The Magnificent Muncher

Well, what has gone on since I last blogged? Not much. School. Writing. Reading. Doing homework.I just found this hilarious 'essay' I did for school on one of my previous teacher's blog. I don't know what I was thinking. I guess that's just me though. Now that I read it, I sound boring. I will try to be as amusing as I was when I was eleven from now on. *Same spelling and punctuation as used in the original* Invention for a Princess, by Maddie Kennell (rated pg-13 for destruction of sharks and well-done steaks) If I made an invention for a princess it would be called the “Magnificent Muncher.” The invention would be able to eat anything. But it is mainly for eating grownups. And the princess, whose name is Moussie, would opparate it to eat her teacher, Ms. Bethany. When you press the green button, it hands you out a piece of raw steak, rope and a speech bubble that ays “Come and get it!” You tie the steak to the toutor and then press the botton labeled “well done.” This willactivate the fire. It will Cook the steak to well done. Then tie the steak to your victem who at this point should already be begging to live. Then press the botton labeled “destruction.” (You might want to stand back for this part). Then the button will release a shark on your steak-a-fied victim. The machine takes 3 AA bataries (not included) and the shark requires 2 steaks a day and likes “Goodnight Moon” for a bedtime story. "Don’t be too alarmed that Maddie is writing about my being eaten. She actually likes me a lot, she just enjoys being shocking. We all laughed at this." –Bethany Cannon

We Got 'Arrested' on the Side of the Road

So you know how I said we were going to the bead market today? Well, it was fun. I met a few new friends who are pretty fun and got tons of new beads. That's fun because I collect them. It was quite a drive there, but I was able to chat and meet all the girls that went too. Turns out they're really fun. But that's not the most interesting part. Once upon a time, we were driving back from the bead market. We were all quite pooped from the trip and sharing our loot and showing it off. Then we came to the toll road. So there' a policeman there. Typical. He pulls us over. Typical. If there's someone to single out, it's going to be the van full of white people. So he points to the left side of the toll road and we pull over. Then he comes to the window and shouts angrily that we were supposed to pull over in the opposite direction that he pointed. Okay, sorry, because that was ever so clear. So we pull over again and he pulls out the ticket, demanding that we show up in court. So our friends get out of the car and talk to him for a while, I don't know what went on. Then they come back to fetch a bible from the glove box and say he wants to arrest them for dangerous driving. Okay... So they talk some more then he goes off for a while. Of course he must be doing his job at the same time(which he really wasn't, ironic, isn't it?) and so we wait for quite a while, then we all get out of the car and stuff, then they talk some more and eventually end up getting back in the car. I'm being honest when I say I have no idea how we began listening to the story about his ancestry. He told us a story where his great grandfather's son decided to challenge him. So his great grandfather was pulling his guts out for some reason, cleaning them, then was going to stick them back in. So the son changed into a hawk and snatched the guts(no, he did not actually call them guts but that sounds better and I don't know how to spell 'intestines'). So the dad knew he tried to challenge him, and whatever the hawk-ie son tried to land on to eat the guts disappeared. So he got tired of flying and returned the guts to his father. Everyone lived happily ever after, though some in shame. So after that we congratulated him on his lovely ancestry and slowly and graciously got in the car and slowly drove away. Then we went back to the guest house and mom and dad have now left for a date after I commanded them to be back by ten. So I met a lovely family and had dinner at the guest house, and am now posting on my blog. It was a good day altogether, and the cut on my finger is healing. I figured since mom and dad are gone I'd go and watch a movie tonight. He he.

In Ghana After a Traumatizing Run-In with Typical African Traveling

So today we succeeded in getting a traffic ticket, not having the right papers for the border, getting the right papers for the border, waiting for two hours at cutsoms because the network was down, stopped by seven police men on the way after another four hours(a common happening, uncommon number), and finally getting to the guest house to find that Jimmy and Sylvia have already left, leaving it feeling a bit less friendly and like home than it was. The trip today was a bit not-so-fun, and long, but it was okay nonetheless. So we're in Ghana now(who knew we'd even get here) and tomorrow we go to a bead factory with the homeschool group we're meeting(new people... scary) and then Friday is the beach and we go see a movie. Yay! We also got to see the Stolls for a while, we left on Monday and stayed Tuesday because we prefer to remain ignorant on what the border is like on May Day. So we left today and finally got here a few minutes ago.
I've been doing well on books... A new story just popped in my mind today, but I don't know if anything will come of it. And I always tell the Stolls stories when we sleep over, so that gave my mind a workout. Elena and I told the other girls a story once, about a boy who was stranded on an island and found a girl there and barely knew who she was, but he did know her. Then there was some stuff about monkeys and underwear(all good stories have underwear) and a mermaid who was trying to kill them because they're really a prince and princess who were stranded, and then she'll get the crown, but the the monkeys saved them. It was a good story(and if you think this is a glimpse into my novels, no, it was mostly Elena's making, I just dipped in a little).
Anyway, that's all that's happened today. Hopefully our trip back to Togo at the end of this week will be better!

On the Planet of Routine

So I know a few people have been wondering what I've been up to lately, I'll do my best to tell you. School is going well, and I'm really liking our writing curriculum, and art(as usual). I've been doing much better on math, and I think that it helps I've stopped telling myself it's the worst invention in the world. It's nice to have Mama teaching us this year; she's my favorite teacher I've ever had. Everyday life is pretty much the same: School, playing piano, playing guitar, a trip to Lome here, a trip to Accra there, writing books, reading books, writing books some more... It's all very quintessential for an average kid(save for the part where I live in a undeveloped country and am devising a list of the things the government could do to make things better, starting with the roads). I missing friends a lot, but I got to go to our homeschool Co-op in Tamale and met a few new friends, which was really fun. I broke my toe then did a whole choreographed musical on it. Word of advice, don't follow my example. I'm also planning to save up money for a bike, I outgrew mine and it went to Michal(all before I could say 'but') and I could share mom's, but I want my own anyway, besides, if I get one here, it'll be much cheaper. My books are coming well. I finished my second book, the rough rough draft that is, and it's already 200-something pages. It's a feat, and I'm a bit proud of it. I'm also popping out a few short stories, which I might enter in competitions and things. I'm glad I've finally found something I really love to do. My room is finally re-done, and all we're waiting on is curtain rods and a desk, so once we get the curtains up, we'll take pictures and whatnot. I'm just glad to have a room at all anymore. I've also been doing a lot of drawing lately. My dad(who runs a private art store which only we buy things and it's actually all free) gave me some drawing things, and I've really been putting them to use. Not that they're half as good as his paintings, but they're okay to look at. Buster is feeling better too, he's almost completely back to normal, save for the fact that he sleeps a bit more. I think the vitamins and doggy asprin we got him have helped. The Heads have also gotten to Togo just fine, all settled into their house, but still waiting on a truck. The Hangens are also back for a little while. Well, I think that's just about all that's been going on, like I said, it's pretty much everyday life(except for the part where I'm bursting with joy at the fact that we get to go to the beach for a day in Accra!) with a small bit of excitement here and there. Of course I'm missing my family and friends since I just saw them all, but I'm keeping up with them over email and Skype, so I'm okay. Sorry about letting furlough blogging lax. In the entire month of January, we visited like ten states and didn't stay in the same place for hardly three nights... So all I had time to do was tell people about what it's like to live in Africa and sleep(and eat fast food and those self-serve yogurt places... mmm). So anyway, that's pretty much it. I'll try to be blogging more, but don't hold me to it.

Oklahoma, Team Reunion, Indiana

So since the girls retreat, we went to Haskell and Tulsa Oklahoma, where we saw a whole bunch of old friends. We also saw my great grandad Jack, and my aunts and cousin. I also drove a truck home by myself. It was fun.
Then we went to the team reunion, where we saw everyone from our origional team, the Rieses, the Millers, the Neals, and the Reeves. It was really fun, and I also gave my Uncle Tom his jar of dirt from Stonehenge. He really enjoyed it.
So far in Indiana, we've done a whole bunch of stuff. We still have to celebrate Michal's birthday, and we're going to Chicago to do it! Also, it's snowing! I'm so happy! We had a snowball fight and I was hit really hard, as usual. My Uncle Jim would have broken my nose if he were here. I had a whole bunch of fun though! I also found that ice skating is one of my favorite things to do.

West Texas Girls' Conference, Lubbock with the Browns, Junction with Uncle Smokey and Aunt Theresa

Okay, so here are pictures from the West Texas Girls' conference. It was really fun. We went on the bus with church friends, then we heard some speakers, including Christa Black, who is singer. I got a CD of hers that isn't even out until December, I think. She signed it.
Then there's Lubbock with the Browns. That was really fun, and Michal and their oldest daughter Gillian got along really well. They're fun, as you can see.
Then we went to Junction to see Uncle Smokey and Aunt Theresa. They manage a truck stop, a good one, and it was fun to go around there and pick up free stuff. We also drove up to Lover's Leap, which was a typical Indian girl couldn't marry the pilgrim so they jumped off a rock together. It was a beautiful view. We also saw tons of deer and I saw a six point Buck. He was beautiful. We also saw a river.