random pictures

******oops, I forgot to publish this one so it's a little old.

One of the best thing about being here for the summer is getting to see these trees bloom.  Streets all around Dakar are filled with these flame trees.

Regan finally had a Birthday party just a few weeks after her June 6th birthday.

It was a spa/pizza party

                                                                  Now that is a good friend!

                                                 
                                                                           facial masks

This is Monday Market.  There are markets every day of the week but they are set up on the mediums of the street in very close quarters.  This is the one most people like to come to because it's at the stadiums parking lot so more room to bend down and look at the piles of shoes and clothes.  This is where we will be doing back to school shopping.  By the way the shirt Regan is wearing in the above picture from her Birthday party is from Monday market.  It's a shirt from a dentist office and on the front it says Have a nice ray.  It's for laser teeth whitening but Regan's nickname is Ray so we were pretty excited to find it amongst all those heaps of clothes.  You never know what your going to find.

Shoes you can get as low as a $1.00 to $25.00 depending on the size, type, name brand and quality (how used and dirty they are or some actually are new)

                                You gotta get Beignets (puffy fried doghnuts) when you go there.

                        The girls and I have finally accomplished taking taxis all by ourselves!  I even was able to negotiate the price. I see going to monday market has helped me with my french numbers.

Ebola

Yep, it's scary.  Not gonna lie.  But thankfully the one case we have had here in Senegal was contained, treated and made a full recovery.  And really AIDS and Malaria are a lot more deadly here in the bush.  But, now that Mali has it's first case it effects us because of so many parents that board their kids here are serving in Mali.  My heart goes out to the family of the little girl (in Mali) because they are going through such a heart breaking and scary time and with the whole world pointing fingers at them.  It's just not a good situation any way you look at it.  So please join us in praying for them and for all of those that are effected by this and for those that will be working on containing this horriable plague.

lions!

We went to Fathala Nature Reserve here in the southern part of Senegal and walked with Lions!  Mike stayed back at the hotel with Monroe.  It was incredabile!  The walking sticks that we are each carring is what signified to the lions that we were the ones in control.  They are treated so well there, with such respect and love.  I often feel sorry for animals when they are on display but these lions were very content and very well cared for.