A Reunion

This past weekend, Elkana visited (YAY!), and we headed out on Friday to visit two of his friends that he hasn’t seen in 3 years.  Elkana and Steve grew up together as “immediate neighbors” (as I was reminded 1001 times) and have know each other since they were “this big”.  S and E trained together, but Elkana was the first in his village to get a scholarship to the US.  Steve followed 1 year later.  But, due to distance and schedules, they haven’t been able to meet up. 

Even though I spent most of the time trying to pick out the few Swahili words I know, I was so happy to see my favorite guy so happy.

It was so stinking adorable to see two grown men so excited to see each other.  And leaving.  It was so heart-wrenching to see two grown men so sad to leave each other. 

Aren’t they cute?

Where?!

Weekends like this past one make me wonder where I’m supposed to “be”.  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE St. Louis.  I love the big city, the attractions, close proximity to my family, and my job.  BUT.  I always feel lonely after he leaves.  And Abby does too. 

Case in point: She slept in my bed, on the side that Elkana sleeps on, and said she was keeping it warm for him.  (Makes me cry!)

And, today, when I was pondering where to go shopping, I thought to myself…I wish I had someone to go with.  It sucks.  Sometimes I feel so alone in this city.  It’s an unsettling feeling, not knowing where you belong.  I know I belong with El, but where? 

Basically, I’m feeling emo.  It will pass.

Current Favorite Songs

Basically, I wanted to put all my current faves in the same place, so when I want to listen to them over and over at work, I don’t have to search for them on YouTube   Lucky you!

Whatever It Is by Zac Brown Band

Stella by Freshly Mwamburi
–This is in Swahili.  And 10 minutes long.  I “sing” along with words that sound similar, but basically this song is about Stella who leaves to go on vacation and comes back t0 Kenya with a Japanese fiance and Japanese baby.  Every once in a while you can hear a word that sounds like Japanese. 

Fearless by Taylor Swift
–Abby and I love Taylor Swift…even though her songs all kinda sound similar.  Ab definitely sings along.
Fave part (this is my ringtone):
And I don’t know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me head first
Fearless
And I don’t know why but with you I’d dance
In a storm in my best dress
Fearless

Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Calliet
Fave part (also a ringtone, because I’m sappy):
They don’t know how long it takes
Waiting for a love like this
Every time we say goodbye
I wish we had one more kiss
I wait for you I promise you, I will

Lucky I’m in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Lucky we’re in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

Wordless Wednesday

 This may be one of my new favorites.  The quality is poor…but whatever.  Abigail got a Dora umbrella from El and she insists on carrying it to daycare every day.  And at least once per night, she says, “Remind me to have Olkana get you an umbrella.  So your clothes don’t get wet.  Remind me.”  She’s also rocking her Dora sunglasses, upside down, of course.  Adorable.

A New Goal

My cousin Prezley inspired me.  She saved her spare change for a month and ended up with $100!  Impressive.  So….I’m going to copy and do the same.

I’m going to start giving myself a $20ish per week allowance, to be used on things other than groceries, gas, daycare, and trips to Kentucky.  Every bit of change I will save and see how much I end up with after a month or so.  Prez bought a camera with hers….I think I will copy that as well!

I haven’t posted in a while.  Maybe its because nothing too significant has happened in our lives…although that is often a good thing!   Or maybe because I’m lazy (yep, that’s probably it). 

I’m gonna make a list!   Once again…I’m lazy.

• Abigail is potty trained.  Have I mentioned this?  We haven’t bought diapers or pull ups in almost 2 months.  Niiiice.
• Work is great.  I’m #7 of about 35 in number of job placements, which I’m very proud of. 
• Elkana is amazing.  I spent last weekend with him, and as always it was perfect.  Nothing exciting (except our chicken-pork-beef chinese food was crap-tastic…never going to Cafe Fiesta again!….but I got our bill cut in half!).  But amazing all the same.  Have I mentioned that I’m in loooove? Sappy and annoying, yep.  But it’s truuue.
• Weekends are tough for me.  I like to busy all the time.  I either want plans, or I want to be in Kentucky.  It’s almost impossible for Abigail and I to not go somewhere on both days of  the weekend (zoo, museum, other parks, anything but staying at home!).  I try to keep it budget friendly, but varying. 
• It seems like I write the same thing in every post: Elkana, Abigail, something to do on the weekends.  I need a hobby!!!

I’m very lucky to have parents that LOVE to spend time with their granddaughter.  If I ever ask them to watch her, undoubtedly the answer is yes.  And, being a single working mom, I really appreciate the chance to just unwind, even if just for a day.  Last weekend, my mom asked me if Abigail could come visit her the following weekend…and of course, I said yes. 

I think this might have been the first time I didn’t want her to go.  Let me explain….

Elkana had been here since Tuesday.  With  a weeklong break between his summer classes, he, of course, came to visit his 2 favorite girls. 

Just the three of us.  It was perfect.   It was a family. 

I’ve never been good at giving up control.  I’ve been told that I keep Abigail with me like a handbag (um whatever, if you know me, you know that I’d probably lose that handbag and I’ve never lost Abigail…yet!).  I like to do things my way.  But, with El, things are different.  He understands her.  And he understands me. 

On Tuesday night, El did the unthinkable.  He attempted to put Abigail to sleep.    Putting Abby to sleep is like pulling teeth.  I blame the 3 hour naps at daycare (I’m going to talk to them about that, I promise!).  But, she requires someone to lay with her and someone to “pat her back”.  Which actually means just put their arm around her (it’s actually kinda cute…but really a pain in the butt).  After an hour, I went to check on them.  Abigail and El were sitting up in bed, Ab was wearing Elkana’s watch and OVC XC medal, and they were playing catch with Schnoopy (who is a stuffed dog…Ab and El named him).  Elkana GLADLY relinquished bedtime duties back to me, but he definitely got an A for effort.

Each night, around 2:30am, Abigail would sneak into our bed, and wiggle her way between El and I.  And each morning, he would dress her while I got ready for work. 

It was so hard to let her go to Biz-Elle on Friday.  Well, at least, at first.  We enjoyed our weekend together, but many times, you could catch us quoting Abigail.

Reason #134759238 Elkana is perfect: He bought Abigail a Dora shirt as a gift.  And a Dora waterbottle and a Dora plate.  It’s so easy to buy this kid stuff…she’s so freaking greatful!  She immediately put the shirt on and told us that “My friends at daycare will love to see this shirt”.  And she slept with the water bottle! How can you not buy her everything!?!

Update 3: The Boo

I could say a lot.  But, when I was visiting Kentucky last weekend, this quote was in the book I was reading.

Doubt thou the stars are fire;
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt I love.
~Shakespeare

True dat, Shakespeare.

And that’s THAT.

Wordless Wednesday

He feeds spitting goats with my little girl.  How can I not be in head-over-heels love?

Those goats are vicious!

From all the girls with band-aids on their knees….

My true princess wears bandaids on her knees.

I’ve heard that this movie is great.  And I briefly thought about taking Abigail to see it (but then I thought how miserable it could be for me and everyone in the theatre). 

In Abigail’s 2.5 year old pictures (yeah, shut up, they had a good deal.  Plus she’s super cute!) she was wearing a flowery, flowing pink shirt, white shorts, and sparkly pink slip ons.  And she had huge scabs on both her knees.  (I would upload it, but I don’t have it saved on a computer anywhere).  At first, my though was, “Ugh, those scabs are disgusting.”  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized “That’s her!”  she’s girly and tough.  A perfect combination.

I have nothing against princesses…heck, my favorite movie is Aladdin.  And, Abigail is a true princess (she’ll tell you the difference between a princess and a true princess).  Not everyone is a TRUE princess…Jasmine is, Snow White isn’t.  And Ariel is as well.   Koko, my sister’s dog, is a true princess puppy.  Elkana is not a true princess (thank goodness!).

Sometimes I get nostalgic thinking about what my little girl will be when she grows up.  Simple things such as movies will effect her thoughts, dreams and goals.  I know she has unlimited potential, and I hope she lives up to that, eventually (yeah, it takes some of us longer than others…).  It doesn’t matter that she’s a girl.  It doesn’t matter that she’s biracial.  What matters is that she CAN do it.  And she will have the support system behind her.

I sat in on an Employer Q and A yesterday.  The audience was a combination of the unemployed and employment specialists.  A young lady in the audience asked “Why do employers look at me different because I’m black?”  The panel wasn’t sure how to respond.  What do you say in that situation?  My first thought was, “She’s doing it to herself.  That mentality is a self-fulfilling prophecy.”  And I think that’s partly correct.  But.  But, there are people out there who are racist, still.  Some don’t even realize it. 

I kept thinking about her question last night.  And my two, OH SO DEEP conclusions are: Why would you want to work there if they are like that at first glance…it’s only going to get worse!?  and You have to be confident, NO MATTER WHAT.  If you are getting that feeling from ANYONE, smile bigger, talk sweeter and walk taller. 

And that’s what I’m going to have to teach Abigail.  Everyone has critics.  You’ve got to disregard their feelings/opinions and PROVE THEM WRONG.