Up until the week of October 17

To say the least... I have slacked in my blog writing and to those (if any) who read I apologize. Three weeks ago, I was hospitalized nearly the entire week with malaria and a bad infection. It was an Experience to say the least with the ants everywhere, sharing a room with 6 other sick women with a single ceiling fan in the center of the room, having my IV "penetrate" whatever that means to the point where all the nurses and students were crowded around me as I threw a tantrum as they pulled it out while Paul just held my hand, to being wheeled around in a wheel chair being to weak to stand with everyone gawking at the lone "white girl" in their hospital. There was some good though... Paul was at my side as long as he could be until the nurses kicked him out, Paul's sweet mom Mary was working most of the time and made sure that I was treated better than royalty, and my cuter than cute friends Abby and Emily (visiting Ghana from Virgina) would come in to visit me and read me Harry Potter until I slept.
After the hospital, I had a few days of serious bed rest (ordered by Paul and his mother) and I felt a lot better. Paul picked up my cousin Ali on Saturday, October 8 in Accra and she stayed for a week and it was Such a great time. We went to the monkey sanctuary, the waterfalls, on a muddy adventure to the river behind Paul's house, she fell in love with Fanice, we went to the orphanage, the kids all fell in love with her and the s'mores she brought, we went to a Very drawn out opening of a school built by a German couple and the "king" of Hohoe, and basically just had a lot of great bonding-family time. Oh and I do want to mention as well that Paul (after spending a night in Accra and getting to the hospital at 4 am the next day to wait in line all day) got all his immunizations, and exams required from the embassy and his results will be ready in time for our interview on November 2.
 Then on Thursday, (with Ali being my vomit assistant the whole way) we (Paul, Ali and I) went to pick up my best friend Kylee at the airport who we were So excited to see after she'd had a hard time getting all her visa stuff together. We went from the airport on to Cape Coast, it happened to be my birthday and Ky had brought with her cards from home, the most amazingly thoughtful video birthday present and Ali had brought me a magazine, a flashlight (very handy), and a peanut butter chocolate cookie that we put in the middle of our dinner table and I had Happy Birthday sung to me :) Nothing like home, but still wonderful with my sweet husband, best friend and dear cousin. The next day we went to Kakum National Park where Ali and Ky did the canopy walk (haha with apparently some assistance from Ghanaian girls) and then we went to the castle which is always interesting and haunting at the same time. From there we went on to Kokrobite to spend the night watching cultural dancing and then the next day just relaxing in the sunshine and us girls doing a bit of shopping. It was wonderful but bittersweet because from there we came to Accra to ride into Hohoe for the start of the adventure with Ky but then also had to say goodbye to Ali, I really did love having her here.
I had a great week with Ky, we had a lot of girl talk, went to the waterfalls, did some good shopping (thanks to my parents for the birthday money), found ourselves some "americanish" pizza and went to lunch twice (almost felt like home), gave all the great stuff that Jenna and her young women had sent to Eric, Confi, Felix, Vera and Sika plus Paul's mom and little brother (Which really quickly do have to say that Paul's mom figuring out what floss was, may be one of the highlights of my life), gave the rest of the hygiene kits to the orphanage (Mama Eugenia was thrilled), got all the food sent by my dear mother, did glow sticks with the kids (Paul was fascinated), lit of sparklers when the power went off, watched my birthday video from home over and over again and I cried, and just honestly had a grand old time. Paul this week too went into Accra and filled out his form to request his police report for the embassy requirement which also should be done this coming week. Been a whirlwind for the last couple of weeks and I'm tired yet very, satisfyingly happy. Please Please keep us in your prayers this coming week as we get the final preparations for the embassy ready.