Anya's 11th Birthday
New city, new birthday! We had to explore options for celebrating properly. We settled on a coffee shop for hot cocoa and doughnuts. Yes, hot cocoa in Africa...it's remarkably cool in the mornings, especially these days. We are at 5,500 feet, after all.
So anyway, we headed to the mall and descended upon a coffee shop. The kids got their own table, Chad and I had a semblance of quiet conversation, and we all enjoyed chocolate-glazed doughnuts and drinks (Chad and I opted for mocha instead, and the 4 kids shared 3 cocoas since they never finish). We even splurged and got Omara her own doughnut, because let's be honest...who wants to share chocolate goodness with a 2-yr old?
At the end of the morning celebration, Omara's clothes were permanently stained, our wallet was $26 lighter, and Anya felt special, which is really what it's all about.
We later had a BBQ with our co-workers to celebrate with them. And since we live on the guesthouse compound and this was the weekend that the boarding school RVA started back, lots of people wandered by and stopped to chat and greet us. As I was putting the kids to bed later that night, I asked Anya how she felt her birthday went. With a silly grin and wistful voice, she said, "It was GREAT! So many people came to my BBQ that I didn't even know who most of them were!" Ahhh, the sweet oblivion of innocence--it didn't matter to her that they were there to ask me medical questions or talk to Chad about climbing Mt Kili. It was her BBQ, and she felt loved! And isn't that what childhood should be about????
So anyway, we headed to the mall and descended upon a coffee shop. The kids got their own table, Chad and I had a semblance of quiet conversation, and we all enjoyed chocolate-glazed doughnuts and drinks (Chad and I opted for mocha instead, and the 4 kids shared 3 cocoas since they never finish). We even splurged and got Omara her own doughnut, because let's be honest...who wants to share chocolate goodness with a 2-yr old?
At the end of the morning celebration, Omara's clothes were permanently stained, our wallet was $26 lighter, and Anya felt special, which is really what it's all about.
We later had a BBQ with our co-workers to celebrate with them. And since we live on the guesthouse compound and this was the weekend that the boarding school RVA started back, lots of people wandered by and stopped to chat and greet us. As I was putting the kids to bed later that night, I asked Anya how she felt her birthday went. With a silly grin and wistful voice, she said, "It was GREAT! So many people came to my BBQ that I didn't even know who most of them were!" Ahhh, the sweet oblivion of innocence--it didn't matter to her that they were there to ask me medical questions or talk to Chad about climbing Mt Kili. It was her BBQ, and she felt loved! And isn't that what childhood should be about????
Oh man! I can't believe how big Omara is getting. You don't have babies anymore!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Anya! We miss you