An Extra Ordinary Life

Life for the Lupton’s in Ghana is rolling along smoothly.

A funny: The other day Paul brought home a movie that he, Addi and I watched while the boys were at rehearsal. The next night, I told the boys that I would watch it with them. So, we put on this movie… and about 10 minutes into it Dev looks over at Dyl and says, “Oh, I see why Mom likes this movie. It gives her hope.” You see this movie was about a college graduate that could not get a job, so she had to move back in with her parents. Ya, I smacked him with a pillow.

One of the hardest parts about living overseas is missing out on the everyday events and special occasions that we’d like to be part of. Today is Dad's 60^th b-day! Wish we could be there to celebrate. We are going to enjoy a cake in your honor. We are SO looking forward to your trip over here in just 4 months!

Life has been busy- so here is an update.

The boys are both doing really well in their classes at Liberty University.    This week Devon finishes his first 3 college courses and Dylan finishes his first 2. They have another 6 weeks until the rest of this terms courses are finished. They are both doing remarkably well- especially considering that they never stepped foot in a classroom. (grin)

It is reassuring to see on the far side of homeschooling that I did not stuff ‘em up and they will make it in life. Ü

Addison has been a bit neglected in her studies these past few weeks- life has been all about the boys and their papers, projects and computer time. I do need to correct that over these next few weeks. Fear not Dad, she has not just been sitting around painting her toenails- she has just finished her final Five in a Row project… and I am so sad that we are finished with all of their products. She enjoyed learning through Hitty and we just wish that Becky had another volume out for her to study through.

Devon is preparing for the Associated Board for the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) Grade 6 exams in piano in the spring so he can scoot on to the Grade 7 exams. We are borrowing a keyboard from someone at the Embassy- which has been such a blessing! He has not been working on his violin much lately- Dev has also picked up two piano students and teaches lessons three times a week.

Addison is doing well on the piano- she is coming along fairly well- the other day I had to come out of the kitchen to see if she was playing a piece or if it was on the Ipod- and she was playing it. Good girl.   She is desperately missing being part of a choir here!

Dylan is not taking piano this year- it was never his first love. He is enjoying playing the drums for the praise and worship group. His clarinet did not arrive with us in Ghana. I am thinking about getting him a sax- he would love that!

The Alice in Wonderland play is about 4 weeks away. The boys have rehearsals every night of the week from 7-9 and then for about 3 hours on Saturdays. Addison's had rehearsal about 3 times a week. It is going to get a bit hairier as opening day approaches. They are enjoying it- but it is taking a chunk of time!

Paul & I are doing well. He is not too busy at work right now, which is nice. We have the Marine Ball this weekend, and are looking forward to it. We are sitting a table with a great group of people and it should really be fun!  The two of us are heading off just after the panto has finished- I am looking forward to our time away together.  We are going to Portugal and Amsterdam. Woo-hoo!

Oi! We have finished some good reads- and have a few books on CD that we are listening to-  (Missy- thanks for the heads up on Cornelia Funke- We liked Dragon Rider and are waiting on pins and needles for Inkdeath to arrive!)  I have found a few favorites in the kitchen that we are loving- I should post those soon, you’d love ‘em.

Wow! All this for just under a hundred bucks!

OH… just for fun wanna peak at what $91.85 will get you at the grocery store in Accra, Ghana?

Yes. You too can have ALL of this for the low low price of $91.85

To list the items for you folks that’s:

6 chicken breasts, 12 coke lights, 4 cartons of juice, 1 small container of feta cheese

1 small block of mozzarella cheese, 11 roma tomatoes and last but not least 4 packs of butter.

Yep. We miss Costco!

Happy Halloween 2009

The American Embassy, traditionally, hosts a large bash at Halloween. There is such a great community here that even we decided to join in, so we wouldn’t miss out.

The Embassy had a cake decorating contest at the Halloween family event- Addison entered a delightful pumpkin and won!

And...Our other entry for the cake decorating contest 

We had to raid the kids dress up clothes for outfits to wear—good thing they are so well stocked!

Addi was a cutie

Dylan was so wolverine

Devon was Indiana Jones.

Paul was a pirate (sporting that puffy shirt that Devon made in AU ~Thanks Natty!)

And I pulled out a renaissance dress Addison had in her closet.

It was a fun evening catching up with everyone.

HIII!!!

Chocolate Banana Bread, Pumpkin Bread, Zucchini Bread… YUM!

“Bread is the warmest, kindest of all words.

Write it always with a capital letter, like your own name."

On Friday while the boys were busy at their studies and were gone for Praise and Worship rehearsal- Addison and I were busy baking some loaves of Bread for our freezer. Today, we made some yummy chocolate banana Bread, pumpkin Bread and zucchini Bread.

All the loaves are waiting, wrapped and placed in the freezer, for early mornings when we do not have time to cook but have somewhere to be.

HEY Everyone

tropical crepes

We had such the yummy-goodness for breakfast.

We made up one batch of crepes...

Sliced up some mango, papaya, pineapple and bananas....

Toasted some coconut.  

Whipping cream, when available, is VERY expensive here (12.00 per cup!) so we made up a batch of banana cream pudding and used that in the crepes and a dollop on top sprinkled with toasted coconut…

Oh, it almost makes the 90% humidity worth it. (lol)

At last ... piano music

If you could hear what I hear… it is literally… music to my ears. (big cheesy grin)

A friend at the Embassy has loaned us an electric piano until ours arrives at some point in the future.

(We don’t move our piano with us, I have always just bought a new one when we move somewhere and then resell it before we leave- pianos are heavy and we are only allowed so much weight each move. I had no idea that picking a piano up in Ghana was going to be next to impossible… and having an electronic keyboard shipped in is proving to be difficult.)

The kids have been going to friend's houses to rehearse and for that opportunity we are thankful, but when your kid is used to sitting down 5-odd times a day and playing a number of songs each time—going to someone’s house 3 or 4 times a week for an hour—really was not the same.

Yesterday, Dev and Paul picked up our loaner… this morning at 6am Devon was downstairs warming up and filling the house with the twinkling sounds of a lovely piece… they have missed playing & I sure have missed hearing it.

 Ahhh, everything is shiny.  

4748

4 748.

That is the number of days that you, my dear Addison, have brought a smile to our faces, love to our days, laughter to our lives, and thankfulness to our hearts.

I can not believe that are 13 years old today. That happened so quickly. When I close my eyes…

I see this little tiny precious baby girl all wrapped in pink getting cooed over and petted by her big brothers and her Grandmama in the hospital room with a pink doll by your side…

I see your big smiles and the light in your eyes, I hear your belly giggle

 I see you in Texas playing in front of our house with your hair up in pigtails, carrying around your pink ball, following the boys, trying to keep up, calling Nikita to come and help you, watching Madeline, climbing the slide with Momo, learning how to tie your shoe…

I see you playing in the snow in Colorado, seeing you beam when you were able to sound out words, watching you get married to your invisible husband, swimming with Sarah, in your Awana cubby vest, playing at Focus in the family, teaching you how to swim…..

I see you in the back seat of the car in DC, showing everyone where that good ice-cream shop is down in Old Town, spending time choosing what toys you’ll take with you, teddy in your backpack….

I see you in Uzbekistan with the Garner Girls and Sasha, giving hugs to Ms Gulya, catching your first  fish, playing the piano,  crying over squatty’s, learning Russian, getting Kit…

I see your frustration when we keep teasing you about the WC, your determination when you join the No Whiners club, your love of reading, you marking the AG catalog and VF catalog for all  the things you’d love, you dressed up like Robins daughter or playing LOTR, I see your tears every time you have had to say good-bye…

I see the anticipation in your eyes as we rocked up on Grandmamas door to surprise everyone coming home early, watching you play with your cousins, in the car, packing your treasures….

I see the excitement when you saw the first kangaroo, the penguins and the Cocky, playing the violin, performing with CYM, snorkeling next to me on the reef, playing Little House, at Redwall days, always with a pack of girls around, skyping Ian, crying when you were not old enough to hold the koala, singing on stage…

I see you sleeping next to me while daddy was gone, making cakes for the charity, playing with Ian, Bella, Trey, Sierra and River, swimming in our pool, singing at voice lessons, playing games on skype with Franny, the thrill of taking you to AGP in LA with those Briens, in the back seat of the car driving cross country as we reconnected with old friends, packing your favorite things to bring with you, Elsie Dinsmore, getting your pocket knife from Papa…

I see us sitting side by side enjoying Gilmore Girls, Psych and Monk, having pizza and movie nights, watching LOTRs, listening to books on tape, laughing, chatting, learning, going to Grandma Jodys house for lunch...

I see you in Ghana exploring the country with me, spotting elephants, auditioning for the panto, in the car trekking across the country, playing with Emily and Sarah, reading your stories, hearing you sing, scrapbooking….

I see a 13 year old girl that is just as much of a delight now as she was the day she was born and every day since. 

I cannot wait to see what your future holds… but I will be savoring each day along the way!

I love you my sweet baby girl!