smiles

I've been struck since I've been back here in Bundibugyo, just how much the kids we see on the pediatric ward make me smile. This last week or so my little friend Joanne has been smiling at me every morning. The initial shock of her burns and the pain caused by the daily dressing changes has given way to her "well child" personality...so precious.

Until this morning, I thought she was a he, and that her name was Jowadi, not Joanne...oh well...

Earlier on in her stay she was sporting these super snazzy black and red striped underpants....and that's it...just the red and black striped underpants. Jennifer remarked that they were right out of Dr. Seuss or something of the sort...She would waltz around the ward in her snazzy underpants with her arms bent at the elbow and her burned hands flapping around like bird wings...it was pretty cute. I would stand weighing kids and she would just walk up and stand on the big girl scale we got from UNICEF (it's DIGITAL!!!! - we'll see how long it lasts) all proud of herself. I would thank her and off she went, waddling away with her big belly and hands flapping. Cuteness.