Weekend List!

Sarah's List:

When a Congolese woman is at a loss about how to describe another they just say, "Elle est compliquée!" Or "she's complicated." I love this. It's not a bad thing and it's not a good thing. But you get the point that there's a lot to her story.

Apparently writers are making this great character less complicated and "more likeable." How is that even possible? So I totally agree that we're... 

"...missing out on an opportunity to usher in 

a new era of sitcoms: 

the era of the complicated woman."

I've never had a baby in the NICU, but the sentiment here in Dear NICU Nurse hit home. There's nothing like the gratitude you feel towards someone who cares for your baby and knows them sometimes better than you do. 

  by  Official U.S. Navy Imagery 

Are you a double-is-er? The thing is is I didn't even know this was a thing. (See how that works?)

Okay. If you're in the slight margin of people who missed this this week (Ah! I'm a double-this-er), check out Dear Parents, you need to control your kids. Sincerely, non-parents. And holy comments section!

C'mon, this cereal is just asking for a meltdown.

  by  pawpaw67 

The option of universal pre-school!? Slow clap D.C., slow clap.

Unless this is how you feel about pre-school... Find the story here.

We made this ice cream this week. It's 1-Minute Ice Cream. Seriously, ice cream in one minute. Life changed.

1 minute later.

Jill's List:

How one person in Congo is changing the world.

Image from UNHCR, by B. Sokol 

Do you read fast enough to be successful?

One of our many book stacks.

Have a layover in Paris?  Brush up on which iconic, reasonably-priced, fabulous French pharmacy products to buy...  (Or you can order a bunch of them from here.)

Some of my favorites...

Trader Joe's gets smart with expired food.  Novel.  People have been smartly ignoring expiration dates in Kinshasa for ages.

  by  Michael Bentley 

Some amazing work in Haiti.  Long live the midwife!  Thanks to Jessica at EMC.

Note:  The following three links were all gifts from Alice Proujansky, who always, always finds the best reads. I couldn't resist stealing sharing these gems this week, but must give credit where credit is due. If you like photography, birth, and world issues, please check out Alice on Twitter and her blog where she draws attention to the most deserved projects and writing out there.

Doulas doing what (I personally feel) they should be doing: providing support to the mothers that need it most (and can't afford to pay for it).

Check out this Brooklyn program here.

Although a very different scenario, this piece by a war correspondent mom reminded me of my own worries and questions as we choose to live in a "questionable" location with small children.

Talking to Anna Blundy (author, journalist and daughter of foreign correspondant, David Blundy) was probably one of the hardest things I have ever done. There I was, about to go to Syria on a clandestine mission, and I decided to interview the adult version of my own child, who basically told me I had no business being a conflict journalist.

I love the title of this article:  Everyday Nigeria - Not Idealized, Not Debased.  (I feel like that's what Sarah and I aim for with Mama Congo.)  The photos are out of this world.

This is my own photo of Kinshasa transport and is not a part of the series.
Go here to see iPhone photos in Africa at their very best.