Our first official visitor was our good friend Wendy Simpson. Wendy and I have run into each other all over the world, so it wasn’t at all surprising when she said she’d be traveling through Africa and could she stop by? Of course! Matt and I haven’t explored very much of Malawi yet, so we took the opportunity to find a few new places with Wendy.

Kumbali Lodge, just outside of Lilongwe, has a great little village and cultural center. We stopped by to check it out and climb their trees.

We didn’t know how to play the popular local game of bano, so we made up our own game. Learning how to play the real way is now on my Cultural To Do List.

Lake Malawi is a required outing for any first-time visitor. It’s also great for second and third time visitors. =)

Thanks so much for coming to see us, Wendy, and for letting us take you to new places! We really enjoyed your company, friendship, and encouragement. You’re always welcome in our home!

When I posted on Facebook the other night that I was going on a date with my husband, I didn’t realize how many people would want to know what a date in Malawi looks like. I must interject here at the beginning and let you know that Matt is mortified that I have chosen to post this date for all to hear about. It’s nothing fancy. It’s not as elaborate as the morning he made breakfast for us and we had an early morning picnic in the park, and it’s not as exciting as the afternoon we got cited for hiking in a park with a mountain lion on the loose… But hey, it’s really and truly what we did on Friday night.

So here you go – date night in Malawi!

We started off with dinner at The Copper Pot, a restaurant in a local hotel. They’re known for their Chinese food, so we tried that – sweet and sour chicken and King Pow chicken (yes, King, not Kung). =) We talked and had a great time just checking out our surroundings and fellow diners.

And then off to the show! We jumped back in the van and headed home to catch the great classic – Swiss Family Robinson. What a great adventure story! We read the book together last year, and I do believe that in the last few weeks we’ve put to use 4 or 5 things we learned from the book…

That’s it! Date night in Malawi. The most important thing, and the thing that will make every date special is that it’s time I get to spend with my husband. God has blessed me so greatly with this wonderful man. I don’t want to take for granted any moment that I have with him, especially times like these when we can laugh, talk, and enjoy life together. I love you, Matt!

I’m developing a new skill, and it’s becoming a habit. I’ve served tea twice this week, I’ve been served tea twice this week, and I’ll be serving tea again tonight. As that will make a total of 5 times this week, here are my…

Top 5 Tea Observations:

• You can’t ever serve just tea; you must also have something to eat – cake, brownies, muffins, scones…. homemade is best.
• Five Roses brand is the tea of choice, not Rooibos, as I would have thought.
• Tea makes people talk. I think it’s that we all just like to have something in our hands.
• If you don’t have milk, or better yet cream, just don’t even serve tea. Milk is half the equation.
• Tea happens even if the electricity is off… good thing we have a gas stove.