Heart Song

 

I have big news to share.

Bigger news, than the fact that we enjoy

Scarecrows everywhere we find them.

 While at Cantigny Park,

we happened to stumble upon

a Civil War Reenactment. 

 

 

I swore a long time ago,

I would never be part of such geek hood.

I have actually had laugh out loud moments about this sort or thing.

 

However...

on this day it was a great history

lesson for the girls and me.

History buff D,

 appreciated it too.

 

The night before,

we had spontaneous over night guests.

 My friend, Missy's

little sister Carly came to visit.

She showed up late night

with her African fiance

 (that arrived in our country the day before)

He is from Uganda.

They both teach sign language,

he teaches Uganda sign

and she, America sign.

They met here in the U. S. of A,

 and fell in love.

She wondered if it might be crazy,

So she went to visit,

him,

Felix,

 The African in Africa,

they continued to love

and so he's here now.

And again.

On a 90 day fiance visa.

They are engaged.

The night after his arrival they attended

 an Uganda Fest in Chicago

and welcomed a place to stay,

Sister Missy, suggests they should ask me.

I am so glad they did!

 

Aren't they cute?

They are doing the sign for Uganda! 

 

You may or may not know, that my big dream is to go to Africa. 

Its my Heart Song.

I have mentioned it here, here and here.

I read a book gifted to me by cousin Paige,

called Tiny, Beautiful Things

(Highly recommend)

In one part of the book it talks about a Sister Life.

The life you would live if you didn't have kids.

Paige, Carly, Missy and Shakira are living my

Sister Life.

Someday, I will make a trip to Africa come true.

In the meantime,

I was blessed by Felix visiting me.

How lucky I was to have my

"if you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be?" Answer sharing

morning coffee with me

and admiring my kids artwork.

He was kind, grateful and open.

He answered all my wacky questions,

and laughed at all my dumb jokes.

He made me feel so comfortable.

I knew, that he knew

I was genuine in my naivety of everything Africa.

 

I was so humbled by his story.

His family is so happy he has the opportunity to come to America.

And that happiness overpowered their personal sadness to miss a son, and a brother.

 

I have no idea what that would be like.

I was just born here and I know nothing different.

 

So while I wait for my dream trip to Africa,

I play this song

Waka Waka

super loud on my iPod.

I pound my feet on my treadmill

and pretend its my bare feet on Africa soil.

I flail my arms in the air and pretend they are filled with bangles and bracelets.

I sing loud and pretend there is a chorus

of you all singing with me.

And I cry.

And it feels so good.

This time for Africa!