Thirty days of Thanksgiving - Day 30

I was tagged by Naapali. My very first tag!

I am thankful for life. Sounds corny but I have life, I have hope. I am thankful for all the things I can do without thinking about it. Talking, walking, sleeping, eating, even thinking.

I am thankful for Baba Lopes. In him, I have found the one in whom my soul delights. Not the perfect finished article but work in progress. And I have the certainty that the finished article will the perfect.

I am thankful for Lopes. I am thankful for my daughter, the one born at 5lbs 12oz, almost a week late, with a hole in the heart is whole. he will be 4 on Sunday. Thankful that she sleeps through the night in her own bed, in her own room, eats some of her fruits and vegetables, thankful that the I am walking in the light I spied at the end of the tunnel of sleepless nights when she was born. I am thankful that God answered our prayers that she should take the best of both parents and that God should fill in the gaps. Thankful that out of the blue, she will come and give me a hug and a kiss and say, I love you Mummy" Thankful that her favourite food is eba and yellow soup (ogbono) and it takes 5 minutes to make.

I am thankful for where I am now. Though it might not be where I want to be, it is a mighty fine place to be in life and the expectancy of hope will never be dimmed.

I am thankful for Mama and Papa Kemi for the example they have shown that 2 people who love and care for each other can still separate acrimoniously and the reminder it serves that talking is the most important thing in a relationship.

Thankful for my band of sisters. Such different characters and my position as the last born has trained me in the art of conciliation and diplomacy such that I could be an international peacekeeper.

I am thankful for my network of friends, those that tell it as it is with no sparing of feelings because they know that it will benefit us. I am thankful that they are not many but pack an amazing punch.

I am thankful for knowing to be thankful. There is nothing worse than ingratitude and not recognising that blessings abound.

Out of my comfort zone

It has often been said, by those who know me, that I love being in control. They are right, I do. I hate not knowing what is going on, hate surprises, basically hate not to be in charge of what is going on around me. I have been learning to let go but seem to go back to the bad old days more than I would care to mention.

So why I am so happy today? Search me, I should be in the pits now but have this serene calm and a stupid smile on my face.

Current Scenario

Lopes' nursery group went into administration and the individual nurseries were being sold off. An offer was made for the one we attend but the buyer pulled out, so if no buyer is found by Wednesday, the nursery will close for the final time on Friday.

The other nursery I considered moving her to only has space on Mondays and Fridays for now and on 3 days a week from February which is when I want her to go full time.

I only just decided to go back to work full time contracting and have been applying so this childcare blip could not have come at a worse time.

From Desiderata by Max Ehrmann. The best line for me in this situation is the opening line: "Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence."

I view this as the storm before the calm. It's going to be fun. Then again, it might just mean Lopes and I get to stay at home 24/7 making biscuits. Place your orders now!

Friday Cooking Session

Welcome to Mum and Lopes' Cooking Session.

As promised we baked some cookies and we were supposed to make Chicken Mede Med. Last night, Lopes had dinner at nursery, came home and had 6 crackers with Lemon curd, some breadsticks and cheese and the decided to eat some of her Dad's Eba with Okra Ogbono. She picked out all the prawns and decided that instead of Chicken Mede Med, we should have Prawns Mede Med. All that food and she is still skinny. I was like that. Sigh

So we decided to make, Beef Mede Med, Chicken Mede Med, and Prawn Mede Med and then have it with Tortillas, Salsa, Sour Cream and Guacamole. Lopes and her Dad will only have the meaty bits with Tortillas and Salsa and I will be left with the all that and Sour Cream and Guacamole :)

While I was slicing the beef strips, Lopes asked what it was and I said it was Beef from the cow. She assumed that I bought the beef from a cow and mentioned that he can't have been too happy to sell me the beef. If only she knew!!

Got away without putting on the telly today in line with our no TV Friday. Put on the radio so we danced in the kitchen. Lopes fancies herself as a singer! Her take on Johnathan Butler's song, He reigns. JB Sings "He is the Lord out God and he reigns forever". Lopes' rendition: "He is the Lord wide gard-en reigns forever Lore". Videoed it on my phone, but it's too big to upload. Will work it out one day.

Well, pictures as promised. Took them on the camera and uploaded them via Flickr. Hope it's a bit clear. Have a great weekend. Tomorrow I will be sleeping in all day while making sure I have all the bits for Lopes' Party a week on Sunday. Ah, scrap that, I am going out to visit 2 friends and hope that in the house of the second friend, we will order a take away and have drinkies :)

Little Chef Lopes mixing away and wondering when she can have a taste

Our Biccies, almost all gone now due to my stringent quality control measures!

Our Mede Med Medley. Enough said

Glossary
Mede Med = Whatever you want to make and don't have a name for. It originated during Tolu's restaurant games. She plays a waiter and comes to take the order and I always ordered Chicken Mede Med!

Who helps me????

I am mother

I am wife

I am daughter

I am daughter in law

I am friend

I am acquaintance

I am worker

I am supplier

All I ever hear is "Can you help me...", "I need a favour...", "I appreciate you are tired..." "I know you are good at this...", "Have you got a minute..."

I am tired, flagging, sometimes hopeless, running on empty. Who helps me????

GOD

Normal, cheerful transmission resumes on Friday when Lopes and I will be making Christmas cookies and a dish I have named Chicken Mede Med. Recipes for the Chicken Mede Med are welcome as it's a totally made up name and Lopes is expecting a master piece. I will provide pictures.

No television. Lots of baking

I have been trying to scale down the amount of television Lopes watches and realised that the television was usually for my benefit and not hers.

So I have designated our Fridays, the only day we spend at home together, a television free day. Woke up early and and jumped around with the wii for about half an hour. We had a leisurely lie in and breakfast and then did some reading.

The book we were reading had a hen baking jam tarts so I decided that baking jam tarts would be a great idea. So 12 jam tarts later, we decided to make some strawberry cup cakes and then I roasted some chicken. So which one did I eat, in light of my low carb diet? 2 Jam tarts :( Not pleased at all but at least I can say I make a mean shortcrust pastry. Nice and light with just the right amount of stodginess!

By 4.30, Lopes had not once asked for the television. Must be because all she was thinking about the sleepover at her favourite cousin's house. Was home alone as DH went out. I sulked a bit but realised I could soak in the bath with a diet coke and brandy which is all low carb.

I hope you all had a great weekend. Got a consignment of assorted meat stew from the caterer. Ahh, if only I could have some Dodo(fried plantain)

PS. TN, get off my blog :)) Or else....