dresses for zambia

Seven years ago, I went to Zambia, Africa. I was pretty sure at the end of the trip that I wouldn't ever go back. Not because I didn't love it there, but because I was pretty sure God had a different plan for me. I didn't have any idea what that plan was at the time, mind you, I was just pretty sure it didn't involve Zambia. Which made me sad at the time. I met a woman there who really taught me what joy and trust in the Lord was. I would like to sit down and talk with her again. I had little girls follow me around and kids sit behind me so they could touch my hair. I was surrounded by hundreds of African people singing praises to Jesus. It was an experience I will cherish always.

Several weeks ago, I found out that my home church was sending some folks to Zambia on another trip like I had taken. And they were getting together beforehand to make dresses to bring for the girls they would meet. I thought of the little girls who had followed me around (my photos are on another hard drive, or I'd dig them up and show you). I thought about how they dressed…in cast-off American t-shirts and cheap flip flops with a wrap-around skirt that could double as a mat to sit on or a sling for a baby.

Even though I had a million things to get done at home before leaving on a long trip, I just felt like this was something I had to do. I got details on the dresses and found some fabric in my stash…fabric I had picked up for some other project a few years ago that never got used. Turns out it was just the right fabric, and just the right yardage, to make three dresses for some girls who maybe have never owned a dress made just for them.

I hope these dresses make some girls smile, and make them feel pretty and loved. I hope they stand up to being worn every day for years on end. And I hope someday I get to meet the girls who will wear them.

I'm glad to know that, though I may never go to Zambia again, my dresses will.

The tutorial I used for the dresses can be found here, and the tutorial I used for the pockets can be found here.

heeere kitty kitty!

I'm trying to remember the last time I was at a zoo…I think perhaps it was many years ago, that year that I was really in terrible shape but guilted myself into doing the zoo run/race anyway and almost puked right at the finish line. Maybe I did puke and I've blocked that part. Not a happy memory.

I think I'll replace that zoo memory with this most recent one. No puking, just sore muscles from all the crazy hills with a baby strapped to me or in the stroller…though I did manage to time the worst hill for when Dave was stroller-pushing…I'm savvy like that.

I took so many photos that I'm just going to share the kitty cats with you tonight.

Purr.

First up, we have a mountain lion/puma. One of these guys bounded across Highway One in front of my husband on his way to work a few weeks back. He may look all lazy and chill here, but from Dave's description, a mountain lion in an all-out leaping run is pretty amazing.


Lion


Jaguar


Snow Leopard


Chinese Leopard. Make that hungry Chinese leopard. I think he wanted Lucy for lunch. So glad for the four fences between us.



Tigger!


Did I just list all the OSX versions in almost backwards order?

orchid or alien?

The more I look at this one, the more I see a creature and not a flower. Maybe if aliens looked like this (and not like the x-files ones), we wouldn't be as afraid of them?

My addled brain aside, this was taken in San Francisco at the Conservatory of Flowers in the Golden Gate park (which isn't really all that close to the golden gate [which isn't really a gate, either], btw).

bridges of san francisco

The mystery I wanted to solve when we visited San Francisco recently was this: Why is the golden gate bridge…not golden?


As you can see, it is red. Quite red. (Seems like someone told me recently she knows someone who's job it is to keep painting the golden gate bridge over and over again. Dangling from the heights in harnesses and such. Sounds both exhilarating and frightfully depressing at the same time. You're never finished!)

The answer (why it's red & not golden) really isn't all that interesting. Apparently, the "golden gate" is the passageway between the hills that the bridge spans. Maybe you really need to approach the city from the sea to understand. I'm guessing it has to do with the golden color of the California hills most of the year?

Now, the Oakland Bay Bridge…that one looks golden.


Except when it's completely shrouded in fog. Then it's gray.


Or invisible.