Laughter and Rain

Two major events occurred in the past two days. On Monday, baby Sarah laughed for the first time. Just weeks ago she was fighting for her life and was so thin and frail that I could hardly bear to see her. Now she has bounced back and is getting more lively every day. Her first laugh is a cause for celebration. You can read more about it by clicking on the title which will link you to Lauren's blog site.

Then yesterday afternoon we had the first rain of the season. The air had held the smell and promise of rain for a couple of days, but we were still surprised when the first drops hit the ground. After six months of dryness it's hard to even remember what rain is like. The familiar routines soon kicked in, however. We unplugged the appliances when the thunder and lightning started. The electricity went off half an hour after the storm began, so David grilled the chicken I had planned to bake. We sat on the veranda with Lauren, Meagan, and Louisa sharing stories of rain before enjoying a candlelight dinner. The lights came back on around 8:00.

Today the air is crisp and clean again. The sandy paths are smoothed and void of their usual animal footprints. A few puddles can be found, but most of yesterday's rain soaked into the parched earth. Now we wait for the invasion of the flying ants that follows the first rains. Stay tuned!