Bungee Bungee Here We Go Bungee...COME ON!!

(Leah) Today was a pretty good day for me. Amy and Betty were at the clinic yet again with a baby (I think we should make that place our second home). Mark and I stayed at Sonrise with the babies. Mark spent most of the morning painting the new room that will serve as the storage area for baby items. I stayed in the back (in the shade, thank goodness) with the babies playing. One of the nannies set out a carpet for them to play on with a lot of their new toys. They love the blocks!! Catherine, Nulu, and Miko had stuffed animals and were acting like they were their babies - feeding them bottles and even trying to tie them onto their backs like they see other African women doing. It was so cute!! We had our usual squabbles among several of them, but all in all a good morning. Snack time came and it was popcorn. It was kind of burned, but it may as well have been manna from heaven because it was a small taste of home. I stayed outside and ate mine while writing in my journal, and when the kids finished and came back out to play they all crowded around and wanted some of mine. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted. After awhile I brought out some books to read. Thank you to whoever donated a nice selection of board books (no tearing!). I have to maintain control of the book at all times, but they love to look at the pictures and point out things that they know - "flower" or "frog" or "cat". One of the books was "Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed". I used to sing that song growing up. Edrin loved it when I would shake my finger and say, "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!" He would laugh and laugh : )
After Amy and Betty returned and the kids were gone to bed, we decided to head out for Mark's afternoon adventure. Little did Amy and I know what was in store for us! Allow me to give some background...
The other day Betty happened to mention that there was a place that offered Bungee Jumping over the Nile River. Of course Mark was immediately interested and was ready to sign up. He has been talking about it for days, and we were finally able to break away today to go do it. Amy and I were going to take video and pictures and provide moral support (not that he needed any). We had NO intention of doing it at first. But the more we talked about it we thought that maybe we MIGHT entertain the idea. Mark was all pumped and wanted us to do it, although he said he wouldn't be disappointed if we didn't. Everyone here at Sonrise was rooting for us to do it...that's because they haven't done it though (except Damali). At the last minute Amy and I grabbed extra cash and some shorts just in case... We arrived and I walked over to the lookout place to see how high it was...there was NO WAY I was voluntarily jumping off of that platform and careening down towards the water. Amy walked over to look and we both were pretty resolute that we did not want to participate. Then we found out that you had to have a minimum of two people sign up...shucks! Now we HAD to do it. I guess one of us could have backed out, but Amy said there was no way she was doing it alone - what are friends for?? We paid our money and went to change. All the while we kept thinking..."What have we gotten ourselves into?" By the time we were ready to head up to the tower I was in a pretty good mood and wanted to make the most of this. After all...how many people can say they have bungee jumped over the Nile?? Not gonna lie that I was definitely doing this for bragging rights!The tower looked so high, but I think they said it was only 200 feet. Mark went first while Amy and I watched. He jumped off the tower and headed for the water. Before we knew it, we heard a splash. He had gone in up to his chest into the water. We left Betty at the lookout place with the video camera...we needed proof that we did it! Mark was still alive when he finished, so that gave us a little bit of courage. He looked like he had had the thrill of his life! Before we knew it, Amy and I were making our way out to the area where they would tie us up. They bound our feet together with straps so that you could only shuffle very slowly to where you jumped off. We asked him not to let us go into the water because with Amy's hair you are not supposed to get it wet. Once we were each bound up they attached the bungee cords...two since we were going together. We shuffled out to the edge and were instructed to turn in and hug each other.
This is where we encountered a few difficulties. Because of our height difference, I only came up to Amy's chest. This meant that when she was hugging me her arms were around my shoulders. The guy running the show said it was very important for us to stay holding on to each other so that we wouldn't come apart in the air and then crash back together because of the force of the cords...no pressure! Amy soon realized that her death-grip on my shoulders would transfer to my neck when we jumped because she was planning on squeezing really hard. So, I put my arm on the outside (very scary). We were still shuffling (it is SO SLOW) and I realized that I felt like I was falling backwards...too soon! I kept telling him this, and he said not to worry (too late!). Before we knew it, he was counting down...Three...Two...One...BUNGEE!!! Off we went!! Unfortunately, I closed my eyes for the first jump, but Amy had hers open the entire time. Before I knew it, we plunged into the Nile and came back up wet, but alive. What a thrill!! I think this is when I started screaming (Betty said that was all that she could hear). We bounced around a few more times and then he lowered us to the waiting raft that would take us to shore. The thing around my ankles was so tight that it was throbbing. I was so relieved when they finally got it off. My ankles are still a little sore. Once we started the climb up to land Amy and I gave each other a big hug...we did it!! I was so proud!! Let me say that Bungee Jumping was never on my bucket list...now I guess I'll have to add it and cross it off. It was so much fun!!
The guys that ran it are from New Zealand (you know how I love those accents!). Betty said that they were really cute...we were misinformed. The only cute thing about them was the accents. They thought Amy's southern accent was hilarious. No one ever thinks I have one though and we are both from the same area!!
Well, I am about to head to bed. Thanks so much for journeying with us. Oh, I think I am over the sickness at least for now. I ate some "matoke" (a potato-like plantain that is cooked) and beans today for lunch and had some watermelon for dinner. So far no ill effects! Thanks for the prayers.