Owen's Africa

Owen's Africa is being on the porch and outside.

"Po'ch?" He asks, 26 times a day.  It's more like a sun room - walls, floor and door with 3 of the walls being screens.   He loves being out there.  But most days that only lasts a few minutes and he's asking to "Go. atside?"  He loves being outside.
I'm not sure if it's because it's so warm here or what, be he always wants to be outside.  His favorite outside activity: sticks.  The kid is always on the hunt for a stick.  And there are plenty for him to find here.  Once he finds a stick he will either a) bang it, or, b) draw in the dirt with it.  He is such a boy.  And when he's banging the stick and it breaks, he keeps going until it's too small to bang and he finds another one.  Yesterday I witnessed him banging sticks on the brick wall on the side of the property for a good 10 minutes.  Not even kidding.

Owen's Africa is playing with friends.

When we're at the Street's house his activities broaden a bit because there are friends for him to play with and toys and such.  His favorite thing to do there is push people on bikes.
The other day our dear friend Gaudy came over and O and Nikki (a couple months apart from O) got reunited. They met when we were here last time and became fast friends.  It was sweet to see them play and interact again.

Nikki was happy for the free ride :)

He also really likes Harper, the 2 year old daughter of the Loudermilk's (who are staying the guesthouse at Peter & Mary's).  He calls her "Ha-per" it's quite cute. :)

   

Owen pushing Harper while Faith looks on

   

At playgroup - area moms, in Moshi for all different reasons, gather each week to hang out and let the littles play.

Owen's Africa is not having to ride in a carseat.

He doesn't look thrilled here, but that's cause he was tired.  He loves the freedom of sitting on a lap, or next to someone and sometimes even (close your eyes Americans) standing on the floorboards.  Don't freak out.  It's only when we're going slowly on the dirt roads. :)

Owen's Africa is adventure.

He loves going new places, walking to the store in the stroller, exploring all the new territory, sounds and people.  Every time he hears a new sound he asks what it is.  Like the locusts buzzing in the trees, the rooster crowing (at all hours of the day/night), the dinner bell at the boarding school next door, the morning doves cooing, the cawing of the weird-looking large birds that are around here.  He loves it.  

Standing on a ladder at the House of Hope, currently under construction. (houseofhopetz.org)

 

That is Owen's Africa.