Sadly another good-bye is in our horizon. A dear friend of Marion and Davina is moving out of Nigeria this week. Today we had a little good-bye tea for our departing friend.

Farewell sweet girl...

xoxo

Just wanted to check in and say a quick hello. My Internet has just returned after a few day absence. Speaking of absence I am on my third day of husband missing. He is up in a part of world that requires armoured vehicles and big guns! Last night our evening call was interrupted because the security helicopter was landing on the compound for the night. I asked Roger that in the case of an emergency (like a bomb going off) which five people would be the ones to get dibbs on the helicopter? I joked that I would love to see a bunch of engineers fighting (the most diplomatic race on the planet) Roger response cracked me up, "which ever one of us could through our calculators hardest"! I laughed so hard. I think that just might be a Napoleon Dynamite Skill...nunchuck skills, computer hacking skills, calculator throwing skills...

I hope you have delights to look forward to this weekend (like the cinnamon sweetness above.) I will also hope that your Husband is safe and sound, spending his weekend with you and not in some foreign land where militia are a threat!

xoxo

Rosaleen

I met her weeks ago, confined to the limitations of a wheel chair ~ confined to poverty. Brown hands reaching, brown eyes begging. A new-born babe clung to the clutches of the grace I would show. The youth of her face and the youth in her arms broke me apart. I gave some change and drove away.

The haunting feeling of injustice followed me as I cared for my babes as I feed them from the abundance of my wealth, bathed them, clothed them. A mother clung to life, just beyond my doors brimming with goodness. I could not function with her need so near. I returned to the place our eyes first met, to the place I found myself ~ just a world away ~ a young mother. We found each other again. I gave her peace offerings. Trying to calm the wrenching feeling building inside. We talked with limitations of class and language. I drove away.

Today I entered a foreign world. I left the neighbourhood of my wealth and walked her slums until I spotted her crawling in the sand, her shocked smile lighting the horrendous surroundings.
Her home. Walls built upon the only place that welcomes her, a spot on earth that hasn’t been claimed. Precarious boards built on stilts, inched above black murky water of a lagoon. Waters of filth the foundation of her survival. Her babes shrills escape through the cracks, rattling my bones, my heart.

I offer her my intentions. Formula for the baby, nourishment ~ beans, rice, water, soap, bottles, clothing. She receives these gifts and searches my eyes with depth, looking for my soul. I crouch to her level, closer to the stench of the waters, closer to poverty. I return her gaze. Tears fill me. My voice is a whisper. I choke on my words “I’m a mother”. She understands. And presents her baby, ripped by the pain of a recent circumcision. I shutter at the crudeness of his wound. I ask of his age, I gasp, two months, I fight the fear gathering in my eyes. He is babe the size of newness, eyes protruding a gut swollen with hunger.
I lower my eyes, hiding my pain, the fragility of our relationship hangs on my responses.
I stroke his arm, brown skin dotted with infection. I ask her of her life. She shares her horrors of abandonment. I ask of the babies health. She says he is fine. She knows, I know ~ It breaks us both. We meet again eye to eye. I tell her, plead with her to ask me, for her ~ for his ~ needs. My voice cracks with urgency “If there is anything ~ anything, please ask”.
The neighbours have gathered around, prostitutes, beggars, thieves, orphans, they speak above us in a language I don’t understand. Humbly the mother asks for medicine to ease her babes pain. I smile a yes. I promise her a return with more water, more food.

It was in our parting I remembered to ask the babes name. Innocence. My mind raced around the meaning of his name. A baby far from the innocence of safety. So far from innocence.

As a bowed my head to duck through the exit of her home I bowed my heart in a desperate prayer. That death would not visit. That Innocence would not disappear into the grave of statistics. I prayed that a light of heaven was shone into the shadows of despair. I begged God to help me fight, as a mother, for this baby born of another world.

I drove away, again. In the quietness, my driver offered me the words of the neighbour’s language. He retold me their words, ‘Jesus has come wearing a white ladies body, bringing gifts of salvation’.

I returned to wealth and washed the grime of diseases from my skin. My skin shredded raw as my heart. I re-entered my world. I kissed my boy, white, robust. My heart splitting with praise and pain, Innocence lingering with me, enlarging my love, tightening my hold on the Cross where hope and faith exist.

This week lovely 'brown paper packages perfectly tied up with string' arrived from the wonderful world of Etsy. I bought a beautiful reusable Christmas advent that has been upcycled from antique linen. It is simply charming. I have been thinking of twenty-four perfect ways to put it to good use! Mr.Principle ordered me some of those labels I had wished for. They were well worth all the wishing. I have a few pleasurable things to use during his two-week stint away...yet again! I am not complaining, wait, I am complaining, two weeks alone, three kids, West Africa...

Nothing a little Esty~loving won't cure!

I hope packages of charm show up for you today.

xoxo

Rosaleen

Today it is about savouring a growing baby.

Tomorrow I will return with a non-babe post...I promise!

I wish you a Monday filled with moments for savouring sweetness.

xoxo

Rosaleen

Please join me today for a visit over at 6th street where the theme for today is creative playrooms. All you sweet Mommies know what a challenge it is keeping 'toy mania' inviting. You are just a simple click (above) away to inspiration. I am simply flattered that our play area is along side the other incredibly creative Mommies!

Enjoy the inspiration!

xoxo

Rosaleen

The excuse for my absence this week is that I was having technology problems. Of course my window to the outside world went on a 'fritz' while my computer tech (husband) was away. He fixed what ever was ailing my poor-old computer with one click of his finger. During my 'computer down time' I was finally able to get a few pictures of me and my new guy. Yep, for-sure I'm totally head over heals...I think the above photos show that I am just a wee bit in love with Mr.Lach!

My Friday wish: That your Friday comes 'fritz' free!

xoxo

Rosaleen

There is nothing quite like finding the right accessories to capitalise an outfit. Just the right piece to make an outfit completely you…

Now if I were in a country that was cooling down for the year, I would be found dressed in the above lovelies. Unfortunately there is no cool air near the equator today. So I will resort to less accessories but hopefully maintain some of the charm. Sweat and all!

Hope your day is filled with little details that make it all come together.

Xoxo

Rosaleen

Mondays I enjoy getting our life back into the weekday routine. The girls and I touched up our school/play room. It is always nice to start out the fresh week with a bit freshness in the house.

I hope your work week starts out fresh.

xoxo

Rosaleen

The symphony of our weekend has been a pure rhapsody of laughter. Orchestrated from the fun of memory matches, marble mazes and music. Sweet friends, I hope notes of pleasure fill your weekend.

xoxo

Rosaleen

Perfect!

Need I say more...

I think I may have spoken to soon. ‘Plunking’ down has required a whole lot more tenacity then expected these last few days. My hours have slipped through the grime of frustration.

1) I was up sick during the night. Slept through my 6a.m routine which left me rushing to gain on lost hours.
2) Lachlan fell from my bed onto an unforgiving tile floor, his sobs broke my heart.
3) My freezer failed and rotted my precious supply of organic grains.
4) Roger worked late.
5) Caught the tail end of the film ‘Power of One’, cried because of how shallow my life seems.
6) Spent hours face down for our dearest friend who is having brain surgery today.
7) Feel so far way.

I will continue to

1) Have a nap and drink some tea.
2) Cuddle Lachlan.
3) Hope for care packages filled with whole grains.
4) Praise with thanksgiving that Roger is a diligent employee.
5) Pray to have the heart of Christ and the boldness to follow.
6) Spend my day on my knees petitioning for wholeness for a friend, shed tears for them.
7) Know that prayers cover distance and Canada is just a few flights away.
8) Look forward to the weekend…

Over the weekends Roger and I have been enjoying an afternoon coffee, it helps to enjoy this treat with a generous heap of whipping cream (Can I hear an amen from my Dutch relatives!)

I had taken these pictures this past weekend to show off the beautiful roses I bought at a bazaar hosted at the American International School. Apparently the lady selling these roses will be importing them more frequently! Now that there is a consistent supply of flowers and whipping cream here in Nigeria. I might just have to plunker down and enjoy this next stint of living in West Africa!

As I cleaned the house this morning I piled the families currant reads into a stack and thought I would share how eclectic the individual choices were. The beauty of books, I say!

Marion has disappeared into these...
Poems for Boys and Girls
Little Rascal

Davina thoughts are captivated by these pages...
The Princess and the Kiss
The Lord Builds the House

Don't ask me what topic seems to have Roger attention...
Wealth of Nations

I can be found praying through this spiritual delicacy...
Wesley Campbell

The familiar language of my parents landscape makes me just a tad less homesick...
The Homesteader's Daughter

I saw Lachlan reading this in his crib the other day...
Genius!

We are all in a flurry today as it seems we have misplaced our Wordsworth poetry book! As it is a daily read around here, it must have been misplaced as it rolled through all us readers! Marion is in tears because it takes a good four weeks for it to be ordered and sent to us in Africa! I sure hope she will survive... can some one say drama?!

We had another festive holiday on African soil, it was a grand dinner with fine friends as we reflected on the blessings of the past year. It has been a full year laced with God's provisions. Gratefulness abounds in our home and heart today.

Happy Thanksgiving Friends

Sometimes a girl has to break her own rules...

Like use plastic nature! Please forgive me Canada!

I sent my driver our to find me pumpkins (can be a rarity around here) he returned with heaps of small pumpkins. My girlies and I were happy campers yesterday, pretending it was fall and we were bringing the outdoors in. It looks festive as the anticipation for Thanksgiving day is building...

Well I am off to fill my 'Friday tin' with my sweet inchling chefs. Have a lovely Friday friends.

I am far from the world where nature holds your breath. I woke this morning with a wish to see Canada's crimson garbs. As I plan my thanksgiving menu, my mind can't help but wonder into the future when I can celebrate with color, knowing the whispers of cool are settling for the year. This year I decorate with pictures, looking forward to when bouquets of leaves can be gathered and my senses can be touched by autumn's beauty.

P.S Thank you sweet Meredith and Jo for sending me clicking my way to autumn in your woods.

Geography is a delightful topic around here. Each of us has a love for the geographic of this world. When I was a child I would beg my parents to take me to the far away lands that were printed upon the pages of National Geographic magazines. Roger also had a hunger for distant lands, spending his time engaged in the language of topographical maps. We both longed to understand what was beyond the borders we knew as home. This trait has been passed to our children. Each week we spend some time in our little school studying this grand world. My girls fingers fallow the lines of lands, they study the colours of flags, work on the roll of foreign countries names, met the waters, forests, mountains and cities of their World. This is why I love educating at home I get to experience the growth of understanding with my darling students!

My girl can be seen wearing the dots I have sewed with love. Still having to hold my breath hoping for a conversion to the dotted side of sweetness. Speaking of sweetness would you like to meet my perfect new niece? Miss Mila Esther...



Her sweetness is calling my name!

We went to the local market this afternoon. Here are just a few things we saw and 'snapped' (African term for taking a photo.) The things in these pictures seem so normal to me. It was not until I returned home and was looking through the photo's with my Canadian eyes I once again realized what a difference there is between the cultures and lifestyles of North America/Africa. Of course I feel blessed to be Canadian as do most Nigerians feel proud to be Nigerian. Just this week I was chatting with a VERY wealthy educated Nigerian who once immigrated to Canada. He only lasted a few months before he returned to Nigeria "his home" as he said while the stars of patriotism danced in his African eyes. I have come to believe that home is so much based on bias or what is familiar to us, home is more about what culture we fit into and and what seems right to us.

Hope you are having a colourful weekend...I have heard Canada is falling with Autumn beauty. If any of you have a picture of a tree that is warming your soul with seasonal colour. Could you, would you share your natural wealth by sending me a picture of it? I would love you forever...truly I would!

Today is Nigerian Independence day so the green and white stripes are out and flapping patriotically. I had green on my mind today, can't you see?