Four of us have early morning flights, so we felt like it would be unneccessary to get hotel rooms, to only leave a few short hours later. So we trekked to Terminal 4 and set up camp for the long term stay. We grabbed our first real meals since Uganda (McDonald's salad for me w/ a pinapple & mango smoothie - seriously, can I get more "American" than to have McDonald's as my first meal?) By the time we ate (almost 11 pm) there were only two options, so we didn't really get to choose from much.
Then, we scoped out the two levels of the terminal and settled upstairs near to a few electrical outlets. I had saved the little package that comes with earplugs, socks, and an eye mask from one of the earlier flights, so I settled into my little corner to sleep for about 1 1/2 hours before taking my shift of staying awake with the luggage.
Now, I am waiting for 3:30 am to roll around so that I can head to my terminal and check in. I will be uber early (my flight isn't until 9 am), but I can't sleep very long on this hard floor - plus, that's when all my other teacher friends leave to catch their own flights...
Here's to the looooong travels and the welcome home hugs that will greet me soon!
(the edge of Central Market in Gulu town) 
(this little girl runs to greet us every time we leave our gate, saying quietly "Munu, munu")
(one of the neighborhood kids)
This is an author I have grown to love and laugh with (you'll see another one of hers on this list in fact). She is hysterical yet profound and human at the same time. I wouldn't say this is a "Christian" book - but she is a Christian, she does write about it in her book - but her perspective is fantastic and true and real and witty - all at the same time.
I've actually owned this book for quite some time, but have had no time to read it. So along it came to Uganda, Africa. I have waited to see the movie b/c (as we all know) the book is always better. But, if you're looking for a fun, quick story to draw you in - this is the novel for you. Filled with intrigue and romance, it's definitely a good read. (By the way, I'm beginning to sound like I should write those short descriptions on the back of books for a living - new career path? I think not...)
This is one of those books that I've been hearing about for ages, and not until I was in the Baltimore airport and saw the soft copy on a shelf, did I think "Ooh, I should pick that up." So, I'm glad that I did becaust it is FANTASTIC! Such a good read, I couldn't put it down. I think I finished it in only 2 days. It's about African American maids working in wealthy homes in the South in the U.S. in the 1960's. They begin to write a tell-all book about raising white people's children. Such a great literary find - AND it comes out in theaters the Friday I come home - August 10th! I didn't even know it was being made into a movie, so imagine my shock and excitement! Who's going with me???? 
Here's my girl, Anne - breaking it down, real-life style for you. Again, she writes in short-story style. So her books are always easy to pick up, put down, come back to when you have time.... just good stuff over all.
One of my good friends from college recommended this book when I had breakfast with her in April, and to be honest, I totally forgot the title to even look it up. It's a long title, ok?!? But, please DO NOT let that deter you - this is SUCH a great book! It's the tragic story of a wife and mother who gets deathly ill and dies of cervial cancer, but her cells are (without her permission) harvested and then grown, and I mean grown. Her cells eventually become the primary cells used in medical research - even to this day. Her family doesn't find out until years later, when her children are adults and all suffering from medical conditions that they cannot fix because they have no health insurance. Yet, the medical community is making billions off of their mother's cells. It's a story of race and class and ethics - and it's great. Phenomenal. Maybe one of my top two or three reads of all (so far).
