We're Home!

After a long day of travel, we are home in the apartment. We have some great pictures, but we are really tired, so we will update everyone on the trip tomorrow!

<3
Whitney

Galway

Good morning folks!

Well, I feel pretty good this morning. The throat is only minorly sore, and upon inspection, I have concluded that the nasty white stuff is beginning to retreat (Hurrah!).

So we're about to leave for Galway, on the West coast. All of the Irish people we have talked to say that the West is the prettiest part of Ireland, so hopefully we'll have some great pictures for Sunday night!

Love you all-

Whitney

Wild Wind

Last night was a hard night for me (Whitney). After realizing that I had one more day to recoup before our trip to Galway, I was getting discouraged that I am still sick. So, I took a flashlight t my tonsil and saw that the bacteria has spread (even if only a little) to the left tonsil now. While the scary black coloring is gone, the almost equally scary white stuff seems to be thriving. It was really frustrating. But we looked up tonsillitis on wikipedia, and all of the symptoms seemed to match, as did the nasty pictures provided. It also said most cases take 7-10 days to clear up, so I guess I am, indeed, right on track.

So, after feeling sorry for myself for about two minutes, I got distracted by what sounded like a raging sea outside. I looked out my window and saw that the wind was crazy! Duncan looked up the forecast, and the winds were supposed to be 25 mph. We're not just talking gusts here and there, it was a constant 25 mph. Kind of strange. No rain, just a lot of wind. It's pretty loud, but I eventually was able to go asleep. I told Duncan to take a video of the wind whipping through the trees, but upon review, it does not look nearly as impressive as I remember, so we'll spare you the boredom.

However, the highlight of the night was receiving pictures of Issie and her birthday party, so I thought I would share a view with you :) Enjoy!

Issie prepping for the party... by chewing on a brush (I think). She does look pretty though!

As you can see, Albert was really excited about his sister's party.

Here is Issie checking out her presents from Milkshake and Moe (what good friends!)

And lastly, the wonderful hostess Colleen gathers the party-goers at the birthday table.

More camp stuff

Since Whitney is still recovering, she doesn't have too much to talk about concerning her day. I also am recovering, but owe my symptoms not to bacteria, but to children. I am tired.

Keeping an eye on even a few kids, making sure they don't fight or climb things (which they love to do in abundance), trying with futility to get them to mind or to listen, and just being constantly on your toes is exhausting. We are doing a few weeks of day trips and day camps, for ages 5 to about 12, and it is an immense undertaking.

These kids, too, are distressingly street-wise, and some of them truly worry me by how they act and by what they know. Others worry me in different ways-- take the boy (10-12 year range) who asked me, in the park on the way back from the bowling alley if he could use the toilet. Before I could really respond, he just whips it out in front of a bush and begins to tinkle away. Not only that, but he notices that the group is pulling ahead, and actually starts to walk while he pees. No kidding. Like it was nothing unusual to him.

But anyway, being a guardian to kids is tiring. Tomorrow we head off to see Wicklow Gaol (and maybe lock up a few of the bad ones there :-)!) and to the beach at Brittas Bay. It will probably be a rainy day again, but we will go to the beach regardless, because the last thing you want to do is keep these kids cooped up inside for any length of time.

So... wish me luck for tomorrow, and wish for Whitney to get better. We are trying to go to Galway this weekend, so the better Whitney feels, the better :-)

I'm Alive

Hello all! This is Whitney- still at home, trying to recoup from the illness. It is a slow go. Luckily, the day following the doctor's appointment the body aches and fever seemed to go away. However, the sore throat is still just as bad. It's one of those things where when you wake up- you think, is today the day?!? And then I swallow, and sadly find out- no, it still feels like a dagger through my neck.

The good news is that I have had no reaction to the meds, so it's not mono! And the antibiotics are pretty strong, so I'm hoping that they will kick in soon. While they are wreaking havoc on my stomach, I am sure that within a few days I'll be back to my old self.

I got an e-mail this morning from Helen, my hilarious co-intern. She said she hoped I was "sick" and really traveling because, as she put it, "tonsillitis is a bitch." It's good to have coworkers who care :)

The worst part is being stuck in the apartment 24/7 with no tv. It's hard to pass 10 hours alone with only so many movies I can watch. I finished reading Jane Eyre, so I may have to scrounge around and see what else I can find. I watched Finding Nemo this morning, and have plans to watch When Harry Met Sally for the second time in 48 hours this afternoon. You know that scene when Sally asks Harry what he's going to do the rest of the night, and he says, "Oh, just sit around and moan..." That's kind of how I feel :) But once the pain in the throat goes away, all should be well. I did find a website that has links to tons of tv shows to watch on-line (I watched 3 Sex and the City episodes last night), but they take a while to load. Today I'm leaning towards a Seinfield viewing.

Well, happy Independence Day! I think they are throwing us a little party here, so hopefully I can at least stop by- though I can't want to contaminate the scene :) Also, happy 1st Birthday to Isabelle (as I know she reads this faithfully). I hope she is wearing a birthday bandanna today.

Now I'm off to attempt to refute some arguments about homosexuality left on one of my facebook posts. At least I can try to be productive while staying in bed :)

Love you all-

Whitney

Whitney is sick.

So, it's official... Whitney has now succumbed to illness as well. I guess it was inevitable; first Jordan, then Kelly, then me, and now Whitney. It's as if we all have a penance to pay for being in Ireland...

We took a taxi to the doctor's office I went to for my ailment, and we were pretty certain Whitney had it bad when the doctor, as is usual for Whitney, said "Oh... that's bad" upon seeing Whitney's throat. Which is an appropriate response, I suppose, as Whitney's right tonsil was pretty much black, scattered with little white spots. Yeah, yuk.

The doctor called it as either tonsillitis or mono, but as Whitney only started feeling unwell yesterday, it was too soon to be able to differentiate between them. The doctor staked on the tonsillitis, and prescribed an antibiotic and ibuprofen to help treat it. The pills are massive (think a slightly flattened Mike and Ike), but hopefully a medicine of such concentrated potency will get her better in a few days.

Just pray that it is not mono, though, as that takes much longer to recover from, and we would have to miss out on the last portion of our travels. With rest and fluids, though, I think she should get well pretty soon.

Besides, I am here to take care of her when she needs me, so don't worry about being motherly, Donna- that's my job when you are away :-)

Much love,
Duncan and Whitney

Duncan's Stuff.

So I am back from a weekend spent at a retreat in Wicklow with 13 10-12 year olds. That age is the Irish 10-12, mind you-- these kids know more cuss words and subject matters than I did when I was 16. They'd be spanked quite often in the US.

Not to say they aren't great kids, because I found them all to be wonderful to be around. It is great for them to have a chance to do a camp, as well, and be part of a family, get affirmation and support, validation for their achievements; many of them are lacking such necessary developmental resources at home.

We had a really full weekend, with canoing, rock wall climbing, an assault course and zip line, a bonfire, a pitch-black midnight walk, and various team-building activities and God lesson (which most of them only grudgingly sat through, but that might have been for image's sake rather than disinterest).

I loved working with these kids. I loved being able to be someone they look up to and befriend, to get to know each of their personalities, to see them having fun and truly enjoy being there, and to see them just be kids. I kept thinking throughout the weekend, I can't wait to have a little one of my own. To be able to rear and shape a child, to see them grow into themselves and have them love you might possibly be the most validating thing that will ever happen to me in the future-- I have to wait a few years, but I know I will be up to fatherhood, and will thrive in it.

I am sad that I couldn't be with Whitney this weekend, but I am glad she had some time to just relax, and to bond with another friend and just be happy and laid back. She needed a weekend like that, with beautiful surroundings, SUN, and seals, and I am happy that it set her so at ease.

She's feeling a little unwell now-- I suppose it's just her turn-- but hopefully it might just be one of those flighty day-ills that will leave without a trace in the morning.

I am tired... here's a picture to leave you with, of the group I was part of this weekend.