December 11

Those of us who know Alex really well know that she is prone to night terrors, talking in her sleep, and such things as conversations with awake and confused friends while she is dead asleep. On occasion, folks here still comment on the time Alex stood up screaming bloody murder at about 3am in the school classroom we were sharing with about twenty mommas.

Alex had two such moments last night that deserve recognition. First - she was talking/dreaming in bislama, reprimanding a group a boys (this is the first time that I am aware of that Alex talked in her sleep in bislama!); and Second - later in the night she some how managed to fall out of our bed, pulling down the mosquito net with her.

It's 7:39 pm, it's dark, the sun set a while ago, there is a boat full of older teenagers passing by our house, they are heading home from a soccer tournament up north, the small boat is packed full, really full. The teenagers are being loud and rowdy, they are singing church songs at the top of their lungs. Oh, Vanuatu.