All i can say is, i can’t imagine what my mom is going through right now, as i don’t even want to think about the possibility of ever losing my own sister.

See,  just like Aunt Susie i have always been the one away from home. I had not seen her in years. I don’t even know her that much except through stories my mom told me about their childhood. She was always skinny, looked more like our grandpa, mom looked more like grandma. Something had happened and she moved and lived in Namanga Kenya, away from her family, and she truly didn’t move back home till this year i believe, and now she is gone.

Mom said they used to be very close when they were younger, but i guess when life throws you a curd-ball stuff happens and it is very easy to lose touch- but regardless of what happened, or the number of years that passed, they always knew they had each other.  I used to watch mom run down the little dirt road to her mother’s house when my cousins would come to get her, to let her know Aunt Susie was visiting. I always use to go see her, i guess more so because mom always used to tell me, how i remind her of Susie.

Mom would say ” Yes you are almost flat chested just like your aunt Susie, you definitely need to shave your legs, just like your aunty Susie, etc ” Yet i really didn’t know her.

When i took the boys home in April, i heard she was home and had been for a while. I stopped there briefly to chat with her and Julian got to meet her. Eli was home with my mom. She truly reminded me of our late grandpa, she still had this infectious laugh and smile. She was still very shy. She really wanted me to make sure that i see my cousin Wanjiru ( her eldest daughter) before leaving.  I was happy, i got to reconnect back with Wanjiru, it had been over 12 yrs since we last saw each other.

I know if you are reading this, you are probably thinking what the heck… Yes, sometimes life and family  can be like that. People lose touch not with friends only, but even with family.  I hope with me writing this, you will stop and look at your phone or some old photos of you , your family and friends  and just reconnect with someone that was dear to you that you just lost touch.

I haven’t talked to mom yet, it’s a bit too early at home now…I am staying up so i can call her.  I am sad for her. For all the years that slept by where she didn’t get to share with her sister. All the moments that you would want to laugh, scream with joy, or just cry on your sister’s shoulder.  I wonder what is going through her mind right now. She has lost her mother, her father, and now her sister.  I just want to give my mom a big hug and cry with her right now.

Losing a sister, or any loved one is hard…and plainly sucks!

Like my baby sister would put it ” God loved her more”  -  Very true.

She is in a better place where there is no more pain.  God rest her soul in eternal peace!

I love you Aunt Susie!

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Last night i went to sleep by  Julian’s bed since i don’t get to spend time with  him during the week due to school,  and i fell asleep. My husband was kind enough not to wake me up when Eli woke up. I can say that is one of the few nights i truly had a mommy full night sleep…Yes 4 hrs of uninterrupted sleep can be considered ‘plenty’ of sleep to a mom or a dad.:)

I  have been doing yoga at least 3 times a week and i love it. I love how i feel after practicing yoga. I feel stronger, more centered,  and definitely happier.  In yoga you truly get to focus on your inner self, and it is amazing how much  you can just let go.  So for some of you who can’t seem to just ever stop, always on the go, shuffling life, kids, work, people etc… being able to set a time in the middle of your chaos and just draw in- meditate, breath etc  can be truly good for you, and while you are at it – try yoga, i definitely would recommend it.

Well, i better go  catch up on  my Zs, i have to get the boys ready for church early in the morning.

Have a great week! Bonne nuit!

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Eli is my little independent guy, always on the move and quite and handful.

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So Julian is back to school. New class, new teacher and definitely new activities.

I took him to school Wednesday last week, and he was holding on to my thigh and his little hands a bit shaky.  I can only imagine what was going through his head. He was in a totally new classroom.

His teacher took his hand and led him to the school gym where all the other kids were dropped off.

I think i was more nervous than he was. I thought about him most of the day at work how he would do, was he going to get himself in trouble, was he going to get along with his new classmates etc.

Then of course i get a call from his dad later he had picked him up right on time at 3:30PM, and i could just hear Julian on the background, laughing and screaming. His dad hands him the phone to speak to me…

“Hi mama, how are you doing? Oh mama i had so much fun in Mrs Evans class. “  Needless to say, a chip was lifted right off my shoulder and my day officially begun right that moment.

You know, kids adjust much better to changes than adults do! I mean, we want to protect our children, keep them under our wings, hang on to them as much as possible, the truth is we just need to have a little faith, and just let them fly. They will be just fine.

I picked him up from school on Friday and talked his teacher and she had nothing but praise for him. All the reading, teaching at home , did really pay off. He brought home his first homework. Learning to write, tracing letters and numbers. He did that as soon as we got home and we put it away so we don’t forget to come to back to it over the weekend.

It is Monday again, and he is back to a new week. I hope he will have a good day at school and a great week.

So for all the parents that are getting ready for the back to school mode, here’s to you!

May you all find a little balance, and some peace of mind. Your little ones will do just great.

Have a great week!

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I actually miss blogging.

So, The boys are doing great. Eli is up and running all over. He is beginning to be little Mr. Emotional. He doesn’t like it when you take away things from him.  He throws his mini feats. Julian just wrapped up summer pre-k of which he had a blast.

Last week they went to world’s of fun, the week before they went to a circus, they have been to movies, bowling, swimming etc . He tells me he enjoys Sunday school more, and can’t wait for Sunday to get here, and i can’t complain there.

So i got a list of his school supplies for Fall season and I can’t believe parents here have to get all that stuff! I mean , school isn’t cheap! We have to get his uniform as well It will be really cool seeing him all dressed up.  I guess all of it is for the greater good.

We still struggle to get Julian to eat,  and you would think as he grows he will be willing to try more and more foods, it is the exact opposite. Foods that he used to love, he isn’t touching.  He has been catching the school ” bugs ” as well.  He does well, M-W by Thursday or Friday he comes up with something it takes the entire weekend to recuperate and picks up something else the following week, and of course shares that with his baby brother, or the entire family.

Overall, we have been doing great.

Now, i better catch my Zs before little Eli wakes up again.

Have a great week!

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He chuckles, and then laughs and off he goes, sliding down from our bed and runs out of the room screaming for his big brother. 

So  half the night he is usually in his own bed, the remainder he is in our bed. Yeah, i know what people say about co-sleeping, it is funny, i think i was a little harder on Julian. That boy was in his own bed and room fulltime by God knows when. Eli we have let him get away with it. Maybe it is because i know he is the baby, and our final baby and am wanting to hold onto him for a while.

He has grown soo fast and he is wanting to be so independent. He wants to do everything by himself now, and i have to constantly remind myself to let him be. He is running, feeding himself, drinking, and i have to thank publishers for board books, because we sure have gone through many a books.  Yes, he loves books, too. He only believes in mommy opening the book, if he is too tired and ready for a nap. Other times mommy has to let him read to her.

He can call mama, dad, J, and of course car. So whenever he reads, everything is car car car car car  car  car car, then opens the next page and he repeats the same thing. It is hilarious, just listening to him, and he just sits there with that smile on his face as if he has just mastered it all.

Oh Eli…

He loves food. He will grab food from Julian’s plate, fingers, and take off running to eat, leaving his  big brother crying “ that’s mine, Eli..” See Julian can sit on the table for what seems to be a whole hour just trying to eat and it must drive Eli crazy. I can see him just reaching for that plate, saying , give that to me… let me help you out for Pete’s sake so you can go on do something else

They wrestle, they make each other cry, and we constantly have to remind Julian that this is a baby, who by the way is soo strong, and seems to be a bit capable of defending himself from his big brother. I mean what can i say, boys will always be boys.

With everything, one this is for sure there is soo much love between them. They miss each other a lot. I can see Eli making mini trips to the door, when Julian is out, and when he comes back they just run to each other and wrestle to the ground. Julian always kisses his little brother and then they stand up and try to take something from each other.  Julian always notices when Eli is not around and always check up on him to make sure he is ok. I love that. I pray that they keep this up to adulthood.

I understand they will hate each other at some point, but i hope with the love between them, they will work it out all the time.

As for now, both my little men give me so much love and kisses, ain’t nothing out there can top that! Yeah their dad of course, but hey… They love me to pieces. I feel like the luckiest woman in the whole world.

Have a great week!

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Today, I wanted the Ghanaians to win. The world cup is held in S. Africa. We all know where all the other Africa teams ended up in…the sidelines.  Ghana’s win was not only for those young men in that national team. It was a win for every other country in Africa. It was a win for all of us of African descent spread all over this world.  I have to give it to them, for a moment there i didn’t think they could beat the US Team.

This game kept me on my toes, especially the last 30 min.  It was sad watching the US lose, seeing some of the players shed tears…Watching the star player Donovan walk away from the field, exchanging jerseys with one of the Ghanian players and not even look at his face, but it is all part of the game. You win some, you lose some. Honestly, just for today , i wanted Ghana to win.

Congratulations to Ghana, and thank you for putting Africa back on the play list, and for heavensake play the game like you played today in that  Keep the drama off the field, Play like you have never played before. You beat a good team today, so, you have to take that and go win it again!

I mean  the US Team really owned that second quarter…I was really nervous there for a moment, they  played well. Great game!

Go Ghana! Good luck! For Heavens sake, play for Africa this time, so whatever you do, know you are representing all of us. We are rooting for you.

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I actually woke up early today with some aches and pains. I need a warm bubble bath and some massage…mmmh a day spa would be the ultimate gift! So do i do now… get my butt off this computer go make some lunch then get ready to go to work, all sound like fun, huh.. it is the typical day of a mama. So when you get some quiet moments alone, it feels like serenity.

I miss my mother, she wasn’t feeling too good either when i last talked to her on Sunday… I need to call her tonight.

Did  i tell you all that i just had a birthday? Yeah i did.  The numbers are getting bigger, but i am definitely getting younger at heart and spirit, lol… Everyone’s favorite statement. Nothing is stopping me from pursuing my goals, and every day is a gift.

So, i may have some aches and pains here and there, but nothing is going to stop me from walking out of the door and carry on with my life…So no excuses for you, if you can breathe and walk, get up and do something today. Go for a walk at the park,  plan a day out with your family or friends,  hit the gym, of course  before or after work,  or like my favorite yoga instructor would say try something new!

With everything else,  bonne chance! et bon weekend!

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I can’t even begin to count how many times both boys call their daddy in a day… Daddy can you help me please? Daddy can you fix it? Daddy can you open it? Daaada.. Daddy it’s broke again! i mean that list is endless…

So, for all the daddies out there that are taking full responsibility of their children, and for the ones that have stepped into that role…I salute you. Here’s to you! May you have the strenghth to carry on this God given gift and responsibility, for as long as you shall live. It isn’t easy and it isn’t for the weak either, however one can agree, if taken seriously, it is one of the most rewarding jobs out there.  Not one single day is the same, and no matter how crappy your day can be…when you are greeted with that precious little smiley face, it is just hard not smiling back.. So Enjoy your children at every milestone in this life.

I look back at my childhood and there are soo many memories of my family and i. I can  tell you this, the ones that stand out the most are the ones with time spent with my father. For all the fathers out there, rich or poor…If there is one thing you do not want to ever regret, is not spending time with your child. I don’t care how rich you are, how many nannies or sitters your money can pay for… Your child wants YOU. Take that time to spend it with them as much as you can. If you really look at it, No matter how old we get, we always need  our parents.

Sometime you just want to talk to them, joke with them, play with them,  get a good hug, hear some  encouraging words, how about ” i love yous” , ” you can do it “, or just get a little advice.  I mean you know what i am talking about.

There’s nothing i love doing at home, than watching my boys play around with their dad. Anytime he is playing with one, the other one just doesn’t want to be left out. It is really a great way for them to bond together.

So wherever you are, whatever you do today, make sure you have reached out to your father or child and just share the love for today.

Happy fathers day to you all!

Happy father’s day dad, I will always love you!

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