…..does not sound like that long but for parents of small watoto 24 hours without anyone needing your immediate attention, with no cooking or cleaning up, and no butt or nose wiping duties can sorta feel like a bit like paradise. Sometimes it is easy to forget to just be with Jason. Being busy with kids, work, fitting into the culture here, and the craziness of life can steal away that precious time. The friends we were staying with outside Nairobi offered to watch the girls so we could have a night in the city ALONE! Maybe it was our sorry looking bedraggled selves after everyone being sick or the obvious lack of sleep written on our faces everyday as we desperately searched out coffee but what ever made their kind hearts offer we jumped!(insert ridiculous amounts of gratitude for you Janders-rockstar award!!)!
We drove the just over an hour into the city just talking and listening to pod casts and sermons. No interruptions. We are city through and through. We love the mess, the noise, the people, the bustle. Our Chicago was out of reach but Nairobi suited us just fine. We stopped for coffee and just read and talked and relaxed. We wandered around over priced but ubber Western malls and even though we could not afford to buy anything it did not matter because we could hold hands and just be together. We aimlessly browsed Nakomat (the “target” of Kenya) with no thoughts of nap schedules.
We shared fancy hummus at a swanky restaurant that if you let yourself forget your were in Africa could pass for an uppity New York coffee bar.
Even after arriving at the cheap guest house we searched out and discovering they only had bunk bed rooms left could not kill our alone time buzz. Nope, we snugged and watched a bootleg Survivor episode and drifted off to sleep early. Wearing a cute shirt, pants, funky sandals, and doing my hair (well sorta, this is still me) did this girl good. Especially since last week I was sweating it up wearing an all you can eat dress and a sparkly head covering sitting on the dirty floor next to the severed head of a chicken. We live in both worlds but it felt great to be back in a more familiar one for a bit.
It was only 24 hours but it was bliss.
Sounds like something you desperately needed. so happy for you!
hooray! that sounds like a great refreshing time!and thanks for the package suggestions! not sure if it will make it to you by Christmas, but SOON! love you!
I am glad you get to see the joy you all bring into those that are blessed to have you in their lives! I see how much you give to all, and I am so glad you had some down time,and love extended to you! I look forward to the Birthday Experience!!!!