.once upon a lunch.

I live 5 minutes away from work. There is a small mountain that lies between the two but it's a quick climb. I was thinking when else am I going to be able to say I have to climb down a hill/thru a forest to get to work?!?! 


Anyway, when I'm in Machinga I always go home for lunch. So today not unlike many others I left the office around 12:30pm to climb up the hilltop to make lunch. I was greeted by my two squealing boys. We (the boys and I) went to make lunch: rice, beets (what a treat from the zomba market! yum!!), carrots, onions, and lentils. Washed, chopped, shredded we pack up the goods and head out back to the cook house. Thankfully, the guard had been cooking so there were still coals and it was fast to build the fire. When Charity the neighbor girl came over and started playing with the boys. Next thing I know Ossie is screaming. Charity had grabbed his t-shirt to catch him and he slipped and slammed his head on the cement. I picked up him and rocked him, gave a "mommy" speech on the dangers of rough housing (have I really turned into THAT person! I can hear my sister yelling "YES!" at her computer screen right now!) and then after Charity and Promise started laughing (at my speech) I sent her home, continued to rock Ossie who had calmed down to a whimper. PHEW! But by the time he was ok the fire had died. SO we start the fire again, cook the rice and veggies, broke up a fight between two chickens who came into the cookhouse, and finally sat down to eat. It was a delicious meal. 


We finished my lunch break with taking a family vote on what to have for dinner: tortillas, beans, and  mustard greens (these kids ARE mexican!). I told a friend half joking a few weeks ago that I've become a single mother, and I'm starting to believe it.


Some days I'm glad to come back to work after a rowdy lunchtime break and others I wonder how I am ever going to be able to leave these sweet sweet boys that make my heart swell like none other.