Impromtu rite of passage into manhood

I know I said I’d do some catching up on my blog, but when so much time passes between posting, it’s hard to know where to start! So I’ve decided I’m not going to do lots of backtracking because then I’d just get behind on current life happenings, but I will share about Drews birthday from early January (yip, a wee while ago!) not just because he’s so awesome and deserves being blogged about but because his birthday was a bit of a disaster that gives a little insight into the unpredictability of our life and makes for a good read!

We had big plans for Drews 14th birthday. But plans don't always go to plan... we got the first glimpse that things might not quite go our way when everyone piled on our bed bright and early to give presents. All was going well til we noticed our usually full of beans Lily asleep on the floor beside the bed, burning up. Not long after putting her in our bed she started vomiting. I don’t know what it is with this girl – she hardly ever vomits – except on birthdays! (You can read about our last vomiting birthday here.)

 

So Lily and I stay home while Pete and the rest of the kids go out to find some icecream for our traditional birthday breakfast. Lily actually perks up by lunchtime - fever gone and vomitting stopped, which is just awesome because thanks to Gran in NZ, just after lunch the plan was to go to a paintball place we’d found in Kampala and shoot each other – I know, we were amazed they have one here too! So off we go with friends, and I’ll just throw in that it’s the middle of the dry season here. Dry season meaning it doesn’t rain for several months and it’s hot. Now I didn’t make this next bit up, honest…. Just as we’re arriving at the paintball place, smack bang in the middle of the dry season (where it just never rains) the heavens open, and not only does it rain but it hails. We’ve been here a year and this is the only time we’ve seen hail. The dirt road turns to absolute slush and we’re sliding around, with our friends sliding in their car behind us trying to get up the road to the gate. The sad decision has to be made to ditch paintball and get outta there before the road becomes impossible to get out of and we have to spend the night there.

Pete and Drew enjoying birthday brick moving in the hail to make a way to get the van out

finally on our way back home

So plan B, barbeque dinner at our place - make some burgers, eat cake, maybe have a dart tournament or watch a movie – still the makings of a good birthday. Or go to plan C when the power goes out halfway through dinner (it’s dark here by 7 in case you were wondering). Dart throwing in the dark as appealing as it sounded to the boys was ruled out by the sensible mum/nurse who was lacking in wound dressing supplies and artificial eyes. The movie was ruled out by the power company who obviously hadn’t consulted with us to see if we were ok with having a no power night. So we did what any other slightly abnormal family does when the power goes out and they need to come up with something party worthy that can be done by lantern light, we got out our Moringa Miracle Tree powder. I read about the super powers of this mowed rotting grass smelling powder on the internet so rushed out to buy some for about $2.50 (that should have been a sign right there) a few weeks prior. It promised wonderful and oh so energising results and could even be used for treating malnutrition that it practically begged me to buy it. I had big plans for this powder that now sits sulking in the back of my cupboard, big plans. Pete and I had both tried it and agreed it truly is a miracle powder. In less than 5 minutes of drinking it (you mix it with a little water) you literally feel like vomiting. Your stomach hurts, you feel tired and you really just want to die for several hours. Depending on how much you take. Well after telling our friends about this miracle working wonder, they decide they need to see it for themselves. And as it was a boys 14th birthday, it seemed this would be a good initiation into manhood for Drew! Well, it brought buff, rugby playing men to their knees. In fact we really thought Corey might have to stay the night. What is it with guys and dares anyway? Was a great laugh – for me, who wasn’t groaning on the couch for the next couple of hours.

Will, enjoying the miracle tree experience

Corey, straight after trying it

Corey, about 5 minutes after trying it

 Drew's big brave face after first mouthful...

...and when he thought the camera was gone!

told ya you didn't want to try it Lily! (Don't worry, hers was only very diluted!)

And that’s how our birthdays roll here. They might not always go as expected, but memories are still created, photos taken and candles blown out. My boy did get to go paintballing a week later in true Africa style where the minimum age is 5 and we could have our guns set on high power (the boys request of course). I think I still have bruise remnants a month later and I almost think I’d rather drink my miracle powder!