zoo, sick house, book reading

Lookin' at the Mama Giraffe and her 2 kids

Mama and Kiddo sweetly neckin'

Watching Mama Gorilla and her baby...getting nyo-nyo's???

Sliding down at the Zoomazium indoor playground

Well we started the week off by getting to the zoo on a beautiful day. We saw the 5 month old baby gorilla a couple of times which was wonderful. The gorillas are my favorite. And to get to watch this adorable baby gorilla with her fantastic mama was awesome. The baby rides on her mama's arm. Mama is highly protective of the baby. The baby can't stray more than a few feet from Mama's arms.
Then, the rest of the week we have been enshrouded in illness. I think everyone in the house was ill this week including dogs. Johari was totally out of it on Wednesday. She had a fever and slept in my arms the whole day while Grandma and Grandpa stayed upstairs with their stomach flu. Then it was my turn to have the stomach bug on Thursday, but I anticipated it's arrival and managed it pretty well by not consuming much besides toast, saltines and apple sauce. I think we are all on the mend. Not at 100% but working our way there. And it is snowing today!!!! It would be nice to get out for a walk while we are feeling a bit better but so far the snow falling is keeping us in.
I don't really watch TV. But for the past couple days it seems that was most of what I did. I got to see a few of the shows that people talk about when I go to playdates and have no clue what they are referring to. I went to a playdate a few weeks ago and 2 of the mamas were talking about this couple that had twins and then had sextuplets. And the way they spoke of the couple I thought they both knew them. Come to find out it is a reality show about this couple and all their kiddos. So now I am in the loop a tinsy weensy bit.
I finished reading Three Cups of Tea this past week. It was good. Very inspiring and thought-provoking. For one, I thought about how Greg Mortenson empowered so many girls in these rural parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan by focusing and stressing the importance of education for the girls. Then, I juxtapose that with my critique of formal education when I think about what I may want for Johari's education. How I could come to believe that it is so empowering for some and think that in many ways it is so disempowering for others. The other topic that the book made me think a whole lot about was how powerful and unifying Greg's work is to people of these countries which the U.S. just attacks and destroys in the name of fighting terrorism. Where empowering people through education, sustainable work, healthcare and a good water supply is far more anti-terrorist than war. But then again, I guess that is not what these wars are really about. It is more of a fight for control of resources and land with the guise of anti-terrorism and freedom-fighting.
Now, I have begun to read Eat, Pray, Love. I am definitely enjoying it so far.