I Bless the Raaaaiiinnnns Down in Aaaaafrica

Heyas,

Yes. I went there. Obligatory Toto reference now out of the way. I'm considering keeping a tally of how often I'm likely to hear such over the next few months, but I'm not sure I can count that high. Math never was my strong suit.

So yeah, exciting times. I wrote my first grant a few weeks ago with my colleague (and best friend 'round these parts) and just recently heard back that we got it! One of only two teams in our state that got this grant, and one of only 480 nationwide. I am stoked. And the grant? Only the most incredible educational tour in the history of history.

Well, my history anyway, and since this is my blog, that's the only one that matters.

This Elf is heading for Africa this summer. Three weeks. Three weeks in. The. Cradle. Of. Civilization. Granted, I don't get to see the pyramids or anything, but still. Africa. I get to walk the streets where Nelson Mandela led his country to freedom from oppression. It's going to be an incredible, humbling, life-altering experience.

And okay, yeah, we're going on a safari, too. Can't go to Africa and not squeeze in a safari.

But see, I have this list. Have had for a few years now. Sometimes certain things change on it, but it's pretty much stayed the same. It goes a little something like this:

Things To Do Before I'm Forty:

1. Have a baby (bio and adopted)
2. Buy my own house
3. Travel to Rome
4. Travel to Africa
5. Have spectacular, mind-blowing sex in a public place
6. Get myself a really pretty diamond ring
7. Get National Board Certification
8. Go to Hawaii
9. See the Pyramids
10. Write a book
11. See the Taj Mahal
12. See the Great Wall of China
13. Tour Europe--England, France, Germany

See all that travel? I want to see the world! And LOOK! Number four! Crossed off! And I'm not even thirty yet. Wooohooo!

Not that it's going to be a total vacation...I am going there to work. However, I signed up to volunteer as an English instructor or a childcare worker...both of which I utterly adore, so I doubt it'll seem very much like work. I can hardly wait until August.

On the ttc front (see List, Item 1), I had some hard thinking to do after this grant came through. Should I hold off? Should I go ahead with my planned insem? After much consideration, I have decided to go ahead with my plans to try to conceive my baby in July.

Allow me to divert from character and be really Miss-Suzy-Cream-Cheese-Pollyanna-Optimistic for a moment. Say I get pregnant first go (AND STICKY PREGNANT! YOU HEAR ME TTC GODS?!), I'll only be five weeks by the time I get back to the states...plenty of women in this world go that long without even knowing they're pregnant, and they aren't dropping dead. I think it'll be okay, as long as I don't try to overdo things in Africa.

Hehe, I love saying that: "While I'm in Africa."

And if it doesn't catch, I'll have August to relax and decide on a new donor (trying with NW 470, but I only bought three vials, and he's pretty much sold out) and then try again in September.

It's incredible how tempted I am to try in June, though. But no, vaccines. I need, like, a boatload of vaccines. Hepatitus A, B, and C, Typhoid, Tetanus, MMR, and maybe Yellow Fever...MMR and Tetanus, I only need a booster, but I gotta get the full strength of everything else. The rest of this month and June are pretty much going to be "Pin the Needle in the Elf" for yours truly.

Sheesh, as many tattoos as I have, you'd think needles wouldn't bother me. But yeah, I hate shots.

Still. Africa. Totally worth it.

Things that Elfgirl is looking forward to: Africa! Africa, Africa, Africa!

Things currently annoying the crap out of her: *sigh* Parents who won't admit that yes, no matter how good a kid they are, your average 12 year old will lie in order to avoid getting in trouble. And you know what? I'm a 26 year old college-educated professional...why on EARTH would I be the one lying????

I love my job. I do. I love my kids as if they were my own. But yeesh, sometimes I hate dealing with their parents.

Pretty Boy of the Moment: Jensen Ackles. Damn you, Kripke!