Hey y'all! I hope you get a chance to read Part 2 of my interview with Ife on her blog, Affrodite.net. This part of the interview focuses on natural hair - my decision to go natural, how that decision was influenced by my daughter, and the continuation of my natural hair journey. Enjoy and let me know what you think!
This is our new first family, America. Just let that sink in ...
I am so proud of you, do you know that? I am so proud of all of you who stood in long lines and made the effort to do your civic duty. Was it good for you? Because it was fabulous for me.
It was an historic moment for America, one for the ages. But, I'm not really going to delve too much into my personal feelings about the nature of this win ... at least, not on this blog. If you want to read that, feel free to skip over to Makeda. Instead, I want to talk about our new image of American beauty ... Michelle Obama.
Take a look at this chick. She is all kinds of awesome, no? I am so flabbergasted and grateful and awed that the new female face of America is this flawless Black woman. Not since Jackie Kennedy has this country had a First Lady with such taste and style. I'm wondering if as many people will want to rock her style as wanted to rock Jackie's. They better recognize!
If you're one of the smart women out there who want to emulate Mrs. Obama's style, just slightly, here are my tips.
This is a new time in American beauty. I am so happy to see it and I can't wait to see how y'all rock it!
Happy birthday to the most fittingly named Sarai Michaela (Sarai = my princess, Michaela = Who is like God?).
Princess Sarai ... Growing you, carrying you, birthing you and mothering you has been and continues to be, the joy of my life. Everything else I have ever done pales in comparison to you. Every compliment I have ever been given means nothing, unless you feel that I've done well. Hearing applause from audiences is great, but when I hear yours ... my feet barely touch the ground. Seeing my articles in print rocks, but reading your first love note to me in your lopsided scrawl made my heart sing. I dance because being your mother has added new dimensions to my life. I sing because I am happy in my heart. I write because knowing you has given me new things to say.
Simply put, you are my magnum opus. Pinky fingers forever, Sasha.
From this:
To this:
How did it happen so fast?
Sarai declared me Queen Mommy of Windsor Mill, herself Princess Sarai Michaela of Kevsway and Vic, King Daddy of Windsor Mill. Unfortunately, the only tiara she has prominently features purple and pink "jewels." Vic was not so happy about sporting it, but I managed to get the picture anyway. He's not sure how he feels about my posting it on the blog, but I couldn't help myself.
Victor, my husband. I still love him, after seven years of being together. We met seven years ago this month. See those eyes? Those are the eyes that looked into mine that night and told me he would marry me. I was sure that I had just met a lunatic. Turns out - I just met a very determined man. A very determined man who was determined to marry me. And marry me he did.
This is Sarai and I on Monday, right after she'd had her hair washed. Wonder where she gets that hair from? LOL! She's grinning fit to burst because it was the first time in her life that she's managed to get her hair washed and conditioned without shrieking. She decided that, with a new year looming, it was time to "girl up" and get through the hairstyling process without all the crying. Yay, Mumma! She also decided that she wants to add a nickname to her already very long list. She would like to be called "Butterfly." I think that's a fitting name for my little one - she's changing constantly, much to my delight and pain.
There they are: the two biggest loves of my life. I wouldn't sell them for a million, bajillion dollars.
At this time of year, we're supposed to take time out and count our blessings. We're supposed to be grateful for our families and friends, for our health and strength. And yet, sometimes, we take it for granted, amidst the rush of holiday shopping and commercialization at every turn. Well, I'm not one of those people this year.
As you know, in the last few weeks, my family has been hit with some hard times. Just last week, we learned that my husband's grandmother passed away, unexpectedly. She had been recovering from a recent surgery and, by all accounts, was doing well and then ... she just died. It was a shock. She lived a long life (she was 83) and had been married for 63 years. She had children and grandchildren who loved her. Vic had gotten to see her shortly before her passing. So, he has peace with it. But in the last two years, he has buried both his father and his grandmother - two of the most important people to him in the world.
So, this holiday season, I will have fun buying presents and wrapping them for my loved ones. I wlll love any presents I receive. I will sing carols and bake cookies. I will watch the Christmas cartoons. But when I say "I love you" or "I am thankful" this year, they will not be empty words, platitudes offered just in the spirit of the season. These words are heartfelt. I love my family. I love my friends. I love y'all, actually. You, my readers, make it possible for me to do this - I could write a blog just for myself, but it would mean nothing. It would just be self-indulgence. Knowing that people read my words somehow make them important and force me to be responsible for what I write. So, thank you. I am grateful for you. I am grateful that you would take the time to read my thoughts and to grace my blog with your presence. Thank you for your comments, for your prayers, for your thoughts.
Call your family members and friends today and tell them you love them. And mean it.
I just want to thank all of you who have prayed/are continuing to pray for my aunt. Your prayers are still needed. I can feel your support and I appreciate you.
If any of y'all are prayer warriors out there ... if you pray ... I would appreciate your prayers for my aunt, Cynthia. She has been battling cancer for a while now and we were just notified that it has spread to her spine. Please pray for healing ... she needs all the prayers she can get.
Thank you.
I know that today is the day that we celebrate Sarai, but I can't help but feel a little deserving of celebration myself - LOL! I did push her out, after all.
Yes, we should all care about all those who are battling cancer. But I am affected personally, as many of us are. I am participating in Comments4aCure because my father-in-law, Larry Marshall, lost his battle against lung cancer two years ago. He was a loving man - fun, funny, compassionate. He was the only one of my in-laws who truly loved me and I loved him right back. I am helping to raise money for this effort in honor of his memory and because of my husband - I had to watch him break down after the death of his father. I don't want anyone else to feel that kind of hurt.
I donate in thanksgiving for the life of my aunt Teresa, who battled breast cancer and won. I donate in recognition of her strength and her sense of humor in the face of chemotherapy and baldness (she had the best bald head). I donate in thanksgiving for the life of my co-worker, Michele, who beat cancer twice! I donate in prayer for the healing of my aunt Cynthia, who is now fighting bone cancer.
I'm donating because I have a daughter - I want cancer cured in her lifetime. I'm donating for you - in hopes that you never have to fight this dread disease. I'm doing it for me - may I never have to face such a diagnosis.
Thank you so much to all of you who have commented so far. Please keep 'em coming and please visit the other blogs who are participating. Mwah!
