Happy Birthday Ian!

Today (8/22) we celebrate Ian’s birthday!

He’s a big whopping 35 years old.  He is an amazing husband, father, friend and leader!  I am so proud of everything he has directed here in Africa.  He really knows how to get things done!

Here’s what he looked like when we were first married, I think this was at a casino in Tahoe when we were there for a relatives wedding:

Ok, well this was almost 4 years into marriage

Ok, well this was almost 4 years into marriage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s what he looks like today (in all of his full beard glory):

 

Note:  I pulled this self portrait from Ian's BEARD file on the computer

Note: I pulled this self portrait from Ian's BEARD file on the computer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went to the market here in Makongeni and designed/ordered a pair of sandal type shoes for him earlier in the week.  The man assured me they would be ready by yesterday.  Silly me,  I forgot I lived in Kenya and believed his time frame.

I went to pick up the shoes yesterday late afternoon after work and…..they weren’t ready.  They hadn’t even been started.  ARGGH.  But, he did have a huge gigormous pile of about 30 other sandals he had made sitting there on the workbench.  When I enquired what they were for, he replied, “Nairobi”.  Dang, I don’t think my 1 shoe order can compare to the demand of the Nairobi market!

Anyhow, at least Ian gets some birthday loving from the kids (complete with way too early morning back scratching) and a birthday outing, dinner & cake.

SKIP FORWARD….THIS IS AN UPDATE ON THE REST OF BIRTH-DAY

So, we went out for our birthday adventure to explore new places of Nairobi with Ian & I both feeling a bit under the weather.  Our explorations to 2 new places in Nairobi were dampened (literally) by ran and horrible traffic.  In total, we probably spent 4-5 hours in the car (with 2 preschoolers) in traffic.  Not the best way to spend the day when you aren’t feeling well, let alone on your birthday.

Megan and I drug Ian and the kids to the Toi Market which we discovered last week.   We thought it was WONDERFUL!   Ian described it as his worst nightmare, but here he is in a rare moment looking at something in the market:

 

Looking for new *old* pants

Looking for new *old* pants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eli enjoyed the market, especially because vendors kept trying shoes on him:

 

the vendor trying to cram Bob the Builder sandals on Eli

the vendor trying to cram Bob the Builder sandals on Eli

When we got home, Megan and I worked at making dinner and Ian’s birthday cup-cakes:
August 09 241
August 09 242
We ended Ian’s birthday by lighting the candles on his birthday cupcakes and singing happy birthday to him with his parents who had just skyped in.  But, because it had been less than a *perfect* day already, Eli added some drama by throwing up his last tiny, tinybite of soup and then some that dad had somewhat insisted he eat..all over himself, the chair and the floor.  We had to take a little break before we felt ready to eat cupcakes after seeing and cleaning that up.  But in the end, the cupcakes were delish and we all went to bed happy and full.

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