Oh, internets. I do apologize.
It was never my intention to leave you hanging about the whole yellow fever vaccination thing. In fact, I was going to write about it over the weekend, set it to auto-post, and thereby make sure that all the yellow fever vaccination news that’s fit to print was ready and waiting for you first thing this morning.
But then my daddy WENT AND GOT SICK (one of my favorite Southern expressions), landed himself in hospital (one of my favorite British expressions, neveryoumind that I’m not British, because that is merely a technicality), and now the little man and I are about to make an unexpected trip to Mississippi so that we can see the patient and stay with Mama for a couple of days.
In other words: the best-laid plans, etc.
And y’all will appreciate this: Saturday night Daddy was in a tremendous amount of pain, the kind of pain that looks at over-the-counter pain medication and laughs maniacally, and when Mama suggested that they get to a doctor (aye, and quickly), Daddy told her that he couldn’t possibly go to the doctor because he was supposed to 1) sing in church Sunday morning, 2) count the collection after church, and C) serve as a pallbearer at a friend’s funeral today.
He couldn’t HOLD UP HIS HEAD, of course, but by diggity he had commitments. And he planned on keeping them. Yes ma’am he did.
So in the interest of GETTING ON THE ROAD, ALREADY, I’m going to temporarily take the easy way out and offer you some information in a lovely list format:
1) I need the yellow fever vaccination because I’m going to Africa in February.
2) Yes, I said Africa.
3) Yes! Really! Africa!
4) Specifically: Uganda.
5) And I’m going with Compassion International.
6) And I am so stinkin’ excited and nervous and excited and scared and excited.
7) I’m also tickled to death because Shannon is going, too.
8) And if you want more details sooner as opposed to later, you can click right here and read Shannon’s beautifully-written post.
9) I promise I’ll write more later.
10) But I really do have to leave now.
11) And if you think about it, please say a prayer for my daddy.
12) I believe that is all.
Love,
Me
January 7th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Oh, poor Daddy! I hope he’ll be right as rain (another Southern expression) in no time. Or lickity split. Have a safe trip home. Uganda. Wow! How exciting and wondrous!
January 7th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Get Out!!
Hey — hope your daddy is well soon.
Can’t wait to hear the rest of the story (using my best ever Paul Harvey impersonation).
January 7th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Uganda! Wow!
I have many friends in Rwanda…if’n you need anything. (It is right next door, after all). Some of them lived in Uganda for 14 years.
I hope your Daddy is well very, very soon. Even before you get there.
January 7th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Prayers for your Daddy!
I want to go to Uganda with you!!! How exciting!!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Certainly will pray for him and all of you.
January 7th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Oh bless his heart, dear Sophie. Have a safe trip to see him and give him what for, then hurry on back and tell us more about your trip.
I am so thrilled for you and the opportunity to go to Africa. Now that song’s in my mind as well! You stinker!!
Take care.
January 7th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21)
Well now, somehow I think if someone had told you, as you put Alex in the bathtub two years ago, hopped on your computer and decided to write your first blog post, that perhaps that little post would land you in Uganda one day… you’d have been the one laughing maniacally. God does have a way of surprising us, doesn’t He? So excited for you, Sohpie, and looking forward to seeing it all unfold. I’m glad to be able to put a Specific Thing in there when I’m praying for your “stuff related to some things.” HUGS
Praying for your daddy, too…
January 7th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Seriously, Uganda!…and with Shannon! Oh, I can’t wait!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
and now I feel like a jerk for pushing. May your father feel better, and soon. Best wishes
But AFRICA? how exciting!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I read the other update today and was excited for you. I will pray for your daddy. I have a sick dad too. :(
January 7th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I am sorry to hear about your father. I hope he is feeling better very soon. I think your trip to Africa is going to be the trip of a lifetime. I can’t wait to hear what you and Shannon have to say.
January 7th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Lots of prayers for your Daddy, Sophie, and wonderful news re Uganda! Wow!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
What tremendous life-changing fun….really, how exciting! The hardest part for me would be not bringing any babies home with me. I would jump at this experience and will look forward to reading all about it. God bless you and God bless your daddy and get him better soon!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Absolutely exciting – what a great thing for you and Shannon to get to do; we’ve sponsored kids thru Compassion for years, and to get to go there – awesome! And I’ll be praying for your Daddy too. xoxo
January 7th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I hope your daddy is up and running very soon. I have a sick daddy too, and a sick mom, now that I mention it!
He and your mom will be glad to see you.
Africa – so excited for you!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
That’s great, Sophie! I can’t wait to hear all about it. I hope to do something like that this year too. I know you’ll be blessed & have plenty to talk about when you get back.
xo,
Rhoda
January 7th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
When I told my husband that you had to have a yellow fever vaccination he said “Oh, she’s going to Africa” because he went there as a kid and had to have one then. What an experience that will be.
Love and prayers to your Daddy!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
As if going to Uganda with Compassion isn’t enough, you get to go with Shannon! I’m a wee bit jealous!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Hope your daddy is better soon. Compassion Int’l is a wonderful organization — what an exciting adventure that is ahead of you!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I think that’s awesome for you and Shannon. I’ll be anxious to read your blog entries from that time. Hope your Daddy is feeling much better soon!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
I hope your dad feels better soon. You will be changed forever after your trip to Africa! God bless!
Laura
January 7th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I’ve been to Uganda. You will have an amazing time! Prayers for your Daddy. Safe travels for you and “Howard.”
January 7th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Praying now for your Daddy! And wow – such exciting travel plans….can’t wait to hear more!
January 7th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Okay, I’ll be honest…my first guess was that you were going to a far away country to adopt…and then my second guess was a mission trip. So I guess the mission trip won! How wonderful! I’ll be praying for your upcoming trip and certainly for your sweet Daddy! Hope he gets well soon, and I hope you and Alex have safe travels.
January 7th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
“Alex learned that God cares about people. And he told somebody. He did something. He took that little bit of Truth, and he acted on it. He shared it.
I would do well to do the same.
So, I have one more goal for the year that I’m going to add to the list. Since right now there’s only one thing on the list (”Keep Moving”), I think adding something new is perfectly permissible.
And here’s the new goal: find some ways to love on some people.
Why? Because God cares about them.”
- Boomama, January 8, 2007
I immediately thought of this post when I read about your trip on Shannon’s blog.
It’s amazing what happens when you’re open to the Lord…
Praying for you dear friend. May you be used mightily in ways you cannot begin to imagine.
January 7th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
How exciting. Our pulpit minister is going to Uganda in February with Compassion International…so I assume it is the same trip. I will have to be sure he has read up on your blog.
January 7th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I read about the exciting trip over at Shannon’s. I think it sounds so exciting! I’ll be praying for your trip and for Daddy. I sure hope he is better soon!
January 7th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Praying for your Daddy, Sophie…and for you as you travel to Mi (crooked letter, crooked letter)i(crooked letter,crooked letter)i(hump back hump back) i…and of course Uganda. If any folks from CS are going, let me know.
By your Daddy’s story, I think I see where you get your faithfulness…a good trait to pass down!
Much love,
holly
January 7th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I’m praying for your Daddy and will until you tell us he’s home and well!! And WOW!!!! What an awesome mission trip! I can’t wait to hear more about it. You can count on prayers for that as well.
Blessings,
steph.
January 7th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Hope your Daddy is feeling better soon. Excited for your opportunity to visit Africa. I know that the Lord will bless you greatly.
January 7th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
What a blessing!!! Your life will be forever changed.
Glad it wasn’t Afghanistan!!
Will pray for your Dad!!
January 7th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
WOW! I want to come! Take me!
January 7th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Sophie -
I am seriously SO STINKIN” excited for you and Shannon!
I just love that y’all are getting this opportunity. What an amazing opportunity for y’all to spread the word about the needs in Africa, first hand.
I know it will have WAY more impact than any news article could.
I’m praying for you both. And please let me know if there are any specifics you need prayer for.
Blessings,
K
(ps – and PLEASE tell me you went back and bought those CUTE shoes at Target?)
January 7th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
It’s not an international adoption, but I’m still terribly excited about this! I love Compassion International. We’ve had a sponsored child from Rwanda for five years now and it’ss been amazing for our family… and such a blessing to be a part of his life. I hope your daddy is doing better now.
January 7th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Excited/Envious. I want to go to Africa. Can’t wait to hear all about it.
January 7th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I will be praying for your daddy and for you and your little guy as you travel to Mississippi.
January 7th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Praying for your daddy and your safe trip home. I emailed you about Compassion and the trip – my friend works for them and will be going with you. Would love to hear from you whenever you get a chance.
Prayerfully,
Beverly
January 7th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Yay, Africa!
Prayin’ for your daddy, keep us posted if you have time!
January 7th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Sophie, I have been on two major mission trips and I will tell you now, your life and your thinking will never be the same once you are back home again. ( I never brush my teeth without thinking of the wastefulness of letting the water run while I brush.) May you share God’s love with all you meet and God will bless you above all you could ask or think! I will be praying for you as you prepare for this and also for your sweet Daddy!
January 7th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
What an amazing God we serve. He is going to do something HUGE with you and Shannon in Africa, that’s for sure. What an amazing opportunity.
I can’t wait for the journey to begin.
January 7th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Godspeed Sophie. Y’all are in for something amazing, I just know it.
January 7th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I’ll be prayin’ for yore daddy. (That’s a Kentucky phrase.) I shore do hope he gits better soon. (Okay, enough of that.) And I cheated and got the news from Shannon this morning so I haven’t been on so many pins and needles. But I do need to hear the “BooMama” take on Uganda.
January 7th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I hope your father gets well soon!
P.S. It is so exciting that you will be going to Africa with Compassion International. What a blessing!
January 7th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I’m so excited for you. Sounds like a huge, life-changing, God-thing adventure!
I am praying for your Dad.
January 7th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I am SOOOOOO excited for you!!! I spent 7 weeks in Africa in 1972 (yes, unfortunately I AM old enough to have done that, though I was a very, very young lady at that time) and it was the BEST and most horizon broadening experience EVER. I wish I could go back.
I did not go to Uganda, but I DID go to Sierra Leone, Zambia (where we were charged by an elephant, and not with a credit card either), South Africa and Rhodesia (now Zaire)
Enjoy the trip and tell us ALL about it.
January 7th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
congrats on your mission trip! I’m going to Honduras in March for my first ever mission trip with International Aid and a group from my church.
January 7th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I’m praying for your Daddy!
Keep us posted on prayer requests
and answers.
Your trip to Uganda will be amazing,
life-changing, stretching, and
fulfilling. As others have
said, you will not return unchanged! My
daughter spent a month in Uganda this summer on a mission trip. Last night, she
shared her video presentation and some of her life-changing expereinces with her
college-career group at our church. Even in the midst of much suffering, God showed
himself to be good, merciful, and gracious. Be forewarned: you will never forget the faces of the children! She’s already planning a return trip!
Praying for you and your family during
this exciting yet stressful time.
January 7th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I am so sorry to hear your daddy is sick and yes I will pray for him! I am excited that you are going to Africa. Back in 2003 I was suppose to go to Africa and a few months before the mission trip I was diagnosed with cancer. I will be interceding for you the whole time you are gone. God is going to be mighty in your midst!!!
Love,
Patty
January 7th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Oh my goodness……….this is so super exciting!!!!! Boy will you have a lot to write about when you get back. And I have a feeling your whole life as you know it is about to change. A lot. For the better.
And I can’t wait to read all the changes!
January 7th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Sophie and Sister, I’m praying for your Dad and hope it’s nothing terribly serious or life threatening.
Sophie – Yippee! Africa! What an opportunity to experience! And we’ll have the benefit of reading your impressions of the situation there. I’m afraid I’m like Shannon: I’m chicken of flying. Well, not of flying, just those unexpected sudden stops, LOL! ;-)
Safe journey to Mississippi and get well soon to your Dad.
Love and hugs,
Diane