day 29 thursday 🚗

ugh. the time has come to go our separate ways from bella 😭. i am very grateful she has helped me so much with this project. as both a teacher and administrator, her input was critical. of course, first we have breakfast and coffee overlooking beautiful lake victoria. hugs and promises of seeing each other soon. esther loves her like i do 💕

before we start the looong drive to nairobi, stephen and i really want to go back by the property. it is so peaceful. he wants to talk with several workers as he will be overseeing the final stretch from his home in nairobi. he wants to have a fence put up to separate my property from the community buildings and install a filtration process for the water system.

the water results weren't what we wanted, and so plan B is required. pure and safe water will be worth it. the bore hole is over 500 feet deep, and yet bacteria has entered somewhere. this happened at kisii, so at least we know what needs done. small setback, but fixable without extreme effort or expense. 

now that my home is complete, stephen will begin construction of his home. his hope is to have vane, ombija and ariaro here by end of the year 😊. culturally, you only have a home if your parents already have one. and since i am his mom now 🤗, he feels free to begin his. it is down the road in a very secluded area. his brothers, evans and frederick, are next door. and his ginormous herd of goats are in his back yard 🐐. 

stephen stacked four stones, and we dedicated the place that will serve as his cornerstone. just like we did at mine last november. it was a sacred moment. 

and we begin the journey back to where we started. sportsview kasarani hotel in nairobi (think steam room, remember?!) we arrive around 9:30. stephen and i can converse for hours. he's knows so much about so much, we engage in really interesting dialogue. for sure, it makes the time feel not so long. we drive through miles and miles of tea farms. and for the 12th time, stop at sahara. as a lover of tradition, this feels like we tie a bow on trip #6 ❤️

and i just opened my quote of the day ❤️