Every day is busy at the Happy House. Sue and Dave arrive at around 8.30 in the morning. By this time the older children are in school and the babies have had breakfast and are playing in the baby banda.
Every time Dave drives through the gates he peeps the horn and takes a detour past the babies - the minute they see him those who can toddle or crawl head at top speed to the edge, shouting and clapping.
Dave goes "hoy" and they all shout back. Linus, the biggest and strongest of all storms up going "hoy" back to Dave.
Where else could you arrive at work to such a greeting?
It was a day of meetings yesterday, essential and important, but there was still time to spend with the kids.
Baby Brian is still a bit wheezy but better than he was on Monday and today I am going with Billy to take him for a chest x-ray in Malindi. He's not going to like it!
Nurses Julia Durham and Hayley Barber have arrived from Blackpool. They spending two weeks volunteering. They had a long delay at Gatwick and then it took hours to get through immigration at Mombasa, so Sue has advised them to take a day to rest before starting work tomorrow.
Scott and Laura Webster, old friends of the charity , are back in Watamu and helping at the Happy House each day. Laura in the baby banda and Scott working in the gardens.
Extra pairs of hands are always welcome. With so many babies to look after the mums and aunties are delighted to have Laura there with them - it gives them a chance to get on with other jobs knowing that she understands the routine that is so important to little ones.
Even though they are tiny they have a real understanding of what is coming next in their day.
After lunch there is nap time. Mum Monica only has to say "Lala time" to the kids and they toddle or crawl over to the mat and snuggle down for a sleep. Only the odd one will need a little extra encouragement… and action man Linus is usually one of them!
Sue and Dave's close friends from Southend, Chris and Kenny Goddard, are also visiting for the first time in several years.
They have been involved in the charity since the very start , giving help and encouragement, and although they had not seen the Happy House before they were not surprised. It's exactly as Sue had always told them it would be..
