Poopin' in a pit.

I had a very proud mommy moment. Just the fact that I found myself taking pride in what occurred, left me even prouder of how far we've come and how vastly different our lives look now from what they used to to.

I am proud of my girls for all sorts of things. I freaked out on all kinds of crazy levels when my girls went to the bathroom in the potty for the first time. I celebrate when Sydaleigh loses a tooth. I scream and shout when Marvelly learns to snap. I go all kinds of bonkers when both girls do something new and cool in the pool. Hearing Sydaleigh read fills me with overwhelming joy. Watching Marvelly conquer riding a scooter makes my heart dance.

I celebrate all their accomplishments. I take pride in all the areas of their life that they are learning and growing. I love that about being a mom. The part where you get to watch your kids navigate through life and encourage and celebrate with them along their way.

And last month was no exception. I celebrated a new first like we had just won the lottery. Except what happened was better than any boat load of money could bring....

...for I witnessed Marvelly poop in a pit latrine (that's fancy talk for hole in the ground).

It was a big moment.

Truly. That's why I'm documenting it.

I still get a little teary. For reals.

I mean, when you decide to up and move your family from a developed country that is a world leader in medicine, political democracy, religious freedom, and has every comfort imaginable (we're talkin' a place where ice cream comes out of walls, walls, at the push of a button).....and move them to a third world nation where there is no electricity and running water (or walls filled with ice cream) for 99% of the population and is ranked the 3rd most miserable country in the world to live in.....

...well, lets just say you pray your kids can learn to adjust.

And when last month we were out in the middle of nowhere delivering shoeboxes with Samaritan's Purse, and Marvelly had to go, well, I had my doubts that she actually would when she saw where she had to go.

Because there ain't no toilets out here. There's not too many in the city, but there definitely isn't any out here.

Of course I told her to go before we left the house, and of course she told me she didn't have to. And of course the second we arrived and it is inconvenient now for her to go...is when her body decides she has to. 

Fantastic.

Well, no time like the present to start working on your squatting skills I always say. Actually, no, I don't. I don't say that. I should probably start though.

I realize that there are places in the U.S., like icky public restrooms in gas stations, where hovering or delicately placing strips of paper on the toilet seat is preferable to touching any part of your skin on that toilet bowl because you don't know what's living there. And squatting over a pit latrine is kinda the same. Except there is like, no toilet bowl. Or toilet paper. There is just a crude hole in the ground. And you gotta hover there with perfect balance because there is nothing to sit on or prop up against, not even a rail to brace yourself with, and you don't want to fall and get your back side stuck in that nasty feces filled hole.

So when Marvelly had to poop, I figured she'd rather hold it than go behind half a wall and poop in a hole. But when we walked over that girl of mine did not even hesitate. Not only did she not even hesitate, she didn't complain, she didn't gag about the pile of poo smeared next to the hole where clearly someone missed, she didn't say it stunk even though it did. She just looked around for a quick sec, took in her surroundings, and that was it. I helped hold her arms because she wouldn't have just gotten stuck had she fallen, that pit woulda swallowed her whole. And when she was done we went on our merry way!

And welcome to how the rest of the world poops. 

I. WAS. SO. PROUD!!

It did not even phase her! She didn't think anything of it! It's like, that was a perfectly normal way to go to the bathroom, even though it was so different from what she was used to.

It was a big moment. I coulda cried. Because my baby pooped in a pit for the very first time like a total champ.

I think it's safe to say that they are adjusting. And if they can adjust to this, they can do anything. :)

My kids are awesome.