8 weeks, visitors, Three Cups of Tea, and girl power!

Anabel turned 8 weeks on Tuesday. She is growing like crazy (likes to eat, just like her brother), and has seemed so alert and active for weeks now. We continue crossing our fingers that she'll realize how nice daytime naps are sometime soon, but since she generally sleeps pretty well at night, can't complain too much.

Lucas started daycare this week. He is having a fun time playing with the other toddlers at 'Miss Etta's', and everyone loves our sweet boy. Of course they do:)

Last week we had our last round of guests for awhile. My mom, brother Josh, and aunt Linda visited, as well as mom's friend Gennie from Cali. The kids liked all the extra hands for playing and holding. Joan and Linda enjoyed swimming most days they were here, and even put together a nice synchronized swim routine. (Those pics are classified. I made a promise:))

I'm reading a great book called Three Cups of Tea. Got it for Christmas, and was certain I wouldn't get through it within the year with the 2 kiddos. I've found that nursing provides a good reading opportunity if someone else is able to watch Luke. Anyway, it is about a mountaineer who promises to return to Pakistan and build a school in a poor rural village after he is welcomed and attended to after trouble on one of his climbs. This guy subsequently builds over 50 schools, despite shoddy intermittent support in the US, great personal risk (death threats from both muslim extremists and US citizens), and sometimes seemingly insurmountable obstacles. His rationale: children everywhere deserve an education (preferably not funded and directed by Al Qaeda), and reaching out to these poor forgotten families with kindness and the hope that education brings goes a long, long way in countering terrorism.

I haven't yet checked the website (www.threecupsoftea.com), but want to pass on another website for an organization which focuses on educating girls around the world. I was introduced to Room to Read by a former patient. Colleen Vojvodich was an amazingly intelligent, bright, and thoughtful woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 42; she died two years later. I consider her my first cancer patient, as I met her during my last year of surgery residency and kept in touch with her until her death. She requested that donations be made to Room to Read in remembrance of her. It's been a few years since her death, but I plan to donate again this year.