I write to you tonight overwhelmed with symptoms of A.P.S. (Attached Parent Syndrome)! I know I have confessed to this syndrome before but today it seems to have being activated full-fledged… I think the trigger is that my oldest daughter is turning six tomorrow!
Half of me is rejoicing in the six beautiful years which have been graciously given to us. I cannot imagine life any sweeter then when Marion is in my arms, eyes glittering. I ache with thankfulness for every moment that I have had with her. But on the flip side I am emotional, forever having Marion the five-year-old gone.
Every little thing today beckoned an extra hug and kiss. Her last breakfast as a five year old...that was two or three extra smooches, her last bed-time was smooches in the millions...A.P.S…!
Tonight she is off turning into a six-year-old while I am left chuckling over the things she said today, on the topic of turning six!

Marion “When I am six I am going to be so much closer to being a teenager”

Mom: “Yes that is true, why are you excited about being a teenager?”

Marion: “ I can bake bread and give it to you with peanut butter when you are sick with having a baby”!

Mommy: “Any other reason?”

Marion: “I can read really hard books”!

Here is another exerts from Marion’s thoughts today.

Marion: “Mommy, when I am six I am probably not going to need any disciplines...I’ll be so much better because I am older, well maybe some small ones but NOTHING like when I was five!”

Here is a little moment with Marion herself:

What was your best part of being five? When I travelled!

Why are you most looking forward to being six? Losing my teeth...getting to do new school things and spending more money (she starts getting allowance now).

I am very excited because my Mommy said I get a really great presents and I cannot wait to know what it is. I am excited to finally have a Royal Ball, I have been wanting one for soooo long! We are going to dance and EAT!

Marion made such a great five year old. I am sure six will be better. She seems to grow more delightful every year!

I think I am going to go tend to my A.S.P by reminiscing my evening away!

You know you live in a crazy place when events like this take place…

Marion is washing the morning dishes at the kitchen sink where she has a view of the road surrounding our compound. This view always provides some sort of entertainment and this morning was non other then “a parade, Mommy come quick, there is a parade!” I rushed to see the instigator of her happy cries. Sure enough a procession was in action with drums and trumpets and people dressed in matching yellow vests, chanting some rant. It took a few rounds of the compound for me to understand what was really happening...no parade my dear, somebody at our company is on strike! Of course they barricaded our compound! And the only people who made it into the office were the workers who live on this compound, as there is an entrance from the inside walls!

Now I would have expected a call from my dear husband informing me that we are on lock down, but no such call came! I am sure his morning went something like this...

Roger arrives at work and no body but a couple expats were in the office. Roger is delighted with the quiet and wonders if the rapture happened and he was left behind to finish up his work...Roger silently thanks God for his understanding of deadlines and promptly gets to work. Giddy with joy at the silence and no interruptions, in his happiness he forgets to call me and fill me in on the excitement.

I have some good friends who know me and know Roger and guessed I would have no idea of what was going on (predicting that Roger was jigging a happy dance in his office). I am now informed that this should last a few days and that it is just a grand show to demand some extra somth’en-somth’en!

I would love to take a picture but am rearing on the safe/avoid conflict side. I am wishing for the blasted ‘parade’ to turn the volume down or better...off!

I also think I need to take my daughter to a real parade so she will never confuse a Nigerian strike for a parade again!

Everyday my girls come up with another thing to incorporate into their ‘Royal Celebration Ball’. This morning I finally had to tell Marion and Davina that we would never be able to accomplish all they wanted to unless the ‘Royal Ball’ lasted till midnight! Marion’s eyes widened with delight as if that was the grandest solution to her currant time dilemma. And Davina asked if at midnight she would turn into a mouse (my guess is she got that from the Cinderella movie?!) We then had a very ‘frank’ talk about how this ball was not going to be like in the movies and that it was only going to last a few hours. Talk about bursting two little girl’s Royal bubble! They have come to terms with the currant plans…I hope to still wow them with all the glitter and lace I have been using these last few day!



And now excuse me as I have about a mile still to run in my glass slippers before this ball is fully put together!

February is generally my count down month as some of my favourite advents take place in this grand month. This year it is absolutely packed with countdown worthy highlights. Here is my coming month: Count Down Style!

5 Sleeps until Marion turns 6!
6 Sleeps until the girls ‘Royal Celebration Ball’
12 Sleeps until we leave for North America!
14 Sleeps (or no sleep) until we arrive in Houston Texas
14 Sleeps until Valentines day.
15 Sleeps until I go to WholeFoodsMarket to buy organic blurberries! Craving 101!
23 Sleeps until Davina turns 3!


What a Month! Hope all goes smooth!