As usual sorry for the long silence. I keep thinking I will have news to report about going back, it's hard to write month after month that there's no news on that front. We have been in email contact but no decisions have been made, no "see you in a month" messages. It's long and involved but briefly here's the hang up: they have committed the money, "they" being PEPFAR. The money is granted and comes into the country through PEPFAR, is administered through US AID by an organization called AED (Academy for Educational Development). International aid is the land of acronyms! AED's role is to provide technical, administrative support and oversight for PEPFAR funded projects. It has been decided that I need to be partnered with another organization for all that support, so I'm not out there by myself wildly spending the US government's money (we all know nobody ever does that!). The hang up is figuring out who I should partner with and what that agreement will look like. In the meantime the infection rate continues to rise and kids who need the information my project provides aren't getting it. A lesson here maybe?
Family news: Emma is thriving! She is really fun, awake a lot and letting us know she's a force to be reckoned with. Jack is the best big brother, she's just kind of flowed into all our lives and now it's like she was always here.
Officer Tim and Liz had a beautiful wonderful wedding. The highlights included the couple on their friends' shoulders dancing to the Ring of Fire, the groomsmen getting their gifts - handcuffs with their names engraved on them! Tim and Jack walking down the aisle together, hand in hand, Jack holding on to his ring pillow, my first glimpse of my beautiful new daughter in law. Our family is truly blessed.
And the sad news, Sammy continues to deteriorate, the last few days he's had fevers, is sleeping more. It's hard to know for sure from here what's happening but we may be nearing the end. The fact that this will be the 3rd Cottage D Samuel I lose is more than I can bear. I will keep you posted. That I promise.