Red dress, orange dress, brown dress??

Some of you know that Erin Titus, our unofficially adopted daughter...or should I say adopted daughter?..., is getting married on December 10th, 2011. Erin is marrying a fantastic man named Robert and their wedding will take place in Kenya (East Africa). So for the last month, I have been hyper-focused on finding the perfect dress to wear to this wedding that will fit in with the bride's color scheme of red, orange and brown. After all I'm an American girl, right? And the American girl has to be color-coordinated, right? Follow me if you will: I am attending a Kenyan wedding in an impoverished country. A country with next to no infrastructure. A country without running water, sewer hook-up or legal electricity. I am rather ashamed to admit the number of hours I have wasted pouring over websites and magazines looking for a dress with sleeves. You see, in Kenya, modesty is still a common courtesy for women of all ages. To wear a tank top or sleeveless dress without a shawl can be interpreted wrongly. And to my way of thinking, Erin's wedding is an important day, one that I don't want to mess up. But...but...I still want to look good if you know what I mean. Last week I ordered a tasteful, red dress from Overstock.com. The price was great. The dress fits and and yet I surf the web again only to purchase an alternative dress. A girl's got to have options right? Like I really need options to visit a place like Kenya. Sigh... Fast forward to tonight when I am trying on the second dress I have ordered online for this occasion; the orange dress. The dress with a cap sleeve, fully covering all of my excess skin. Then it hits me squarely between the eye that I have been focused on style, and appearance and functionality. I have not been focused on Kenya, or on the simplicity of visiting a country that I love. I have not been focused on the joy of witnessing the union of two people that I really love. I have not been focused on Jesus. I have been an American woman, for all that it means and does not mean. I have been materialistic in my pursuit of Red dress, orange dress, brown dress. It was at that moment that I realized I already had something in the closet that would work just fine. A patterned red dress that just needs a simple shawl. Perfect. I can hardly wait for the next challenge for this upcoming journey... Until then...breathe Denine

Countdown to Kenya

Last weekend my husband suggested I resume blogging. I resisted because I simply have not felt the creative urge in quite some time. Some people say either you're a writer or you're not. Well, I suppose then that I am a struggling blogger, a person who only writes when the mood strikes. Should I work on this flaw? Yes, I should. Over the next 2 months I will be documenting The Countdown to Kenya. We are returning to Nairobi, Kenya on December 3rd to visit old friends and to attend the wedding of our second daughter, Erin Titus. We sort of adopted Miss Titus in the spring of 2009 when she came to live with us for approximately nine months. She is now a part of the Ziegler family. While in Kenya, my husband and I will also reconnect with our sponsor child, Terry. She is a precious little girl who gets to attend school and learn about Jesus. We receive such joy from her adorable letters and drawings!!! So, here goes. Kenya bound December 2nd, arriving at Nairobi Jobo Kenyatta International airport for another whirlwind visit to a country and people we have grown to love. 68 days and counting!!! Unless, of course my math is off...