April to September

So much has been going on. But nothing seems worth of a blog post. Sense being home from Kenya I cannot seem to sit still. Kenya has put this little travel bug in me. I work and get money then spend it all on a road trip, gas or even a plane ticket. I ask myself where all my money has gone? Then I realize that I have been to Utah and Idaho twice, 

Got my ears priced for the first time in Utah

Megan graduated from College

Family reunion with my Grandpa and his brothers and one of his sisters

took a day trip to Wyoming with Megan and her roommates 

I took a trip all over Southern California, Vince Beach, Agoura Hills, Hollywood blvd, down town LA, Santa Monica Pier, and Universal Studios 

Linel took me on my first underground train ride

Yosemite trip with Rebecca, Julie and Emmanuel 

 the beach

 San Francisco for my 22nd birthday

most recently I went to go visit my best friend Scott Oregon for a week and Washington...for about an hour but while in Oregon I went to Pendleton's 104th Round-UP.

In between all of this I was the Girls Camp photographer and my oldest sister Kerianna got married!

But, not that the summer hype is over..maybe it is time to settle down? I have still yet to figure out what I want to do with life. But I know that real school is not the answer for me! But Kaleigh, what are you going to do you ask? That is a great question! I have no idea. I need to get a new job, again. I could be a nanny, again, I really do love being with children, but for some reason I really do not want to do that. It is kind of like been there done that unless you live in Australia or pay me an arm and a leg I don't think I want to nanny. Then I think maybe I will go to cosmetology school? I hear I am good with hair and things like that, but if I did that I would want to be a barber. Or do Black peoples hair, like learn how to braid. That would be the coolest thing ever! haha I am so weird I know.
But then I start thinking and if I go to any school I would want it to be some type of photography school because that is really what I love to do! I could take pictures, edit pictures, or just look at pictures for like hours and hours every day. I just love it! How do I start though? Once upon a time I was told not to go to school for photography they take away your skill and make you universal in a way. So that is kind of scary. We will just have to see though.When I figure it out I will be sure to let all of you know! 

four hours

I have been home for four hours now. I miss Kenya like crazy. I mostly miss the boys at TCRC. I was living a life most people only dream of. But it was not a dream. It was real life...but, now it just feels like the last three and a half months have been a dream. I hate it. I think I am most scared that I will forget. This might sound dumb. But it is the truth.

I am scared I am going to forget why I love Kenya oh so very much. I am scared I am going to forget the boys laughs. What makes them happy. What makes them sad. What they love to do. What their struggles are. I am scared that I am going to forget the language. I am scared that some other LAME volunteer is going to come into the boys lives and they are going to fall in love with them and forget me. I am scared that one of them is going to get hurt and nobody will be there to give them a hug and tell them they will be okay. I am scared that Stephen is going to come into the the dorms at night again and beat the boys and Megan and I will not be there to protect them while the other runs to get the other staff members (go to megans blog to read that story) 
But, I have to remember that they did fine with out me there before and that they will do okay with out me there again. God be with you till we meet again!

Night

Nights with the boys have always been my favorite. I think it will always be my favorite. Most nights they are allowed to watch the news or a movie for an hour before they get sent to bed. Those nights Me, Megan and a couple boys just sit outside by the water tank and talk about life, laugh, run around like crazy people, have the boys dance for us and just cuddle. I love it. The stars are so bright every single night. (we live in the middle of nowhere) We sit there and sing Yellow by Coldplay. I am pretty sure half the boys here know the lyrics, 

"look at the stars, 

look how they shine for you,

 and everything that you do"

I am pretty sure that this song was made for my boys. I would do anything for them. I want them to have every chance to succeed...now I just have to figure out how to help show them what they are worth. 

Tisa

Lately the power has been going out every single night due to the rains. (legit it has rained at least once a day for the last month..it makes washing clothes and letting them air dry really hard) Because of this the boys have been sent straight to the dorms to play and what not. So Megan and I go and play with them or read books off of the Ipad, which they LOVE! 

(he is so photogenic)

The other night we decided to go into the dorm and play. No books off the Ipad that night. There is a boy here. His name is Tisa. he is about 14 years old. He has special needs. He really does not speak anything at all. I ask the boys what he is saying all the time and they say 'I do not know...He does not speak swihili' He knows how to say go over there, Megan, Kaleigh, and a couple other things. Anyways, the other night he was just laying on the ground..chilling and he did a backwards summer salt. It was the funniest thing ever. He jumped up and screamed he was so happy then did it over and over and over with the same reaction. We encoraged some of the boys to go over and do the summer salts with him because it was just so fun watching Tisa enjoy life so much.

change

Change is good..or so everyone always tells me. I personally HATE change. You can ask any one of my family members. I do not do good with change. I am not ready for this change that is going to happen. But there is nothing that I can do about it. It will happen wither I like it or not and I know that I already do not like it. 

Abraham

This boy has stolen my heart. I do not even know it happened. He is always laughing and when he is not laughing you can find him yelling at someone to do something faster faster faster.

I really do not know how he was able to nuzzle his way into my heart. It is something I have been thinking of but cannot put my finger on it. He has always been there. But this year he has come around a lot more. 

I think it all started with...every time I saw him he just happened to have a sweet. He would take it then find a rock to break it up and give me half. Then at night he started to ALWAYS I mean always saves a seat right next to him.  It really happened just like that. We started talking more. I found out what he likes and does not like. He seems to really like it when our door is open. He comes in and tries to see how far he can get till we notice and tell him to get out of the house. His favorite spot is the shower or choo and when we walk back to wash our hands or to wash dishes he jumps out to scare us or  just starts to laugh.  Abram is always wild, loud, smiling, laughing and on the go. (he is also very accident prone...always has a new cut or gash somewhere)  Megan says he is the black 12 year old version of me. Which I am totally fine with. Babu says he is crazy all the time and I am just hyper all the time. Either way I cannot imagine my life with out him. Abram is always there to put a smile on my face or to tease me about some fake bogus lie that Megan told him. I love him more then ever and am so grateful I have been able to get to know him so well. 

Elders

The Dan and Elders in our ward came to visit. We had a full day planed. First we eat, teach class and then help the boys do there duties (chores). 

The morning started off bright and early as Megan and I got up early to head into town to make frosting with Katie at her house for the wedding cakes we were going to make the next day. Making frosting took longer then we had planed out. The elders were in Juja which is the next town over and would be in Thika in 15 to 20 minutes. So Megan stayed to finish making the frosting and I went to go get the food for Lunch. The elders asked for chicken. Something they never get. You know for us to cook chicken with our little gas element would take way to much time that we did not have. So we just bought 3 whole chickens made rice some veggies and had fruit. We wanted to give them a little taste of home. After we ate it was time for class. This week we were teaching the boys how to weave. 

After we weaved with the boys we played musical chairs. It was so funny watching the elders and boys fight over chairs. The boys really seemed to love it.

Dan and I, hes like my best friend in Kenya

After class the boys asked if they could show the elders there flips. They are getting so good at flipping.

Then after class the elders broke the news to us that they needed to go home because they had appointments that they set up at 5. It was kind of frustrating. But you really cannot get mad at them for doing the work they are here for. Dan stayed and we played football with the boys. All in all the day was so fun. I love playing with the boys.