Goodies from Rwanda...

Sorry for the lack of posting in the past few days.  Bronwyn made it home safely from Rwanda late friday night and we have been making up for lost time.  She had a great experience, and we are so thankful to the Koonces and everyone else who took care of her on her journey.

As is the tradition in our family, gifts were brought from Rwanda for everyone in the family.  I love African art - I have several batik paintings hanging in our living room that I bought at an international art fair that comes to Porto Alegre every year.  So I loved all of the goodies that Bronwyn brought.

Here's a look.....

Louise sent me this really cool wooden salad set made from olive wood found in the place where Bronwyn went on a safari.

Anderson and Giovanni each got a drum.  Anderson got to choose which one he wanted.  He chose the black one with the white furry top.  I think it won because it has two big sticks to beat with.

Giovanni was thrilled with his one-stick drum and spent a while beating on it.  Then he insisted that I (and only I) play a rhythm for him while he danced around in circles.

Anderson got a puzzle that has been teaching all of us some African geography.

This is a Rwandan peace basket that will be a Christmas ornament for us.

This cute elephant is for Giovanni.  I am thinking of making a mobile with it to hang in his room.

Carys got this cute purse made from bark of a banana tree.  Ansley also got a cute purse.

Garrett had a special request for a Booth soccer jersey from South Africa.  Bronwyn brought him a jersey and was going to get Booth's name put on the back, but all of the stores in the airport were out of the letter "O", so no BOOth name on the back.

Garrett also got this cool soccer ball made from banana leaves and string.  It is the kind of ball that kids who can't afford a real soccer ball play with.  Garrett and Anderson have been putting it to good use in the hall.

Kevin got a cool t-shirt....

and a key chain.  (the other ones are for friends)

Bronwyn bought a bunch of pretty necklaces made from beads that are made by rolling up long strips of magazine pages.  They are really cool.  She brought me the pretty basket that the beads are in.

And all of this cool fabric.  I can't wait to figure out what to make with it all.  Love it.

And finally, I have no words for this picture.  This is Carys.  Enough said.