I woke up that cold November morning in 2006, made a few additions to my luggage and started my journey to the Grey hound bus station – I was going to celebrate my first Thanksgiving with some friends in Washington DC. In the Thanksgiving tradition, families gather at a parent or older relative’s home to share in a sumptuous meal. The bus station was crammed and busier than an ant colony. Ticket queues were so long and the lines leading up to the gates where crisscrossed, it was hard to tell them apart. The Philadelphia highways were clogged for miles, somewhat like Kampala on a rainy afternoon only on a much larger scale and more organized. The journey I had planned for 10am eventually started at 1pm. Everybody was making their best effort to get home in time for the holiday. I saw a mother with several kids all under the age of seven and on their best behavior. In case anyone got wiggly, she gave them a look that made whatever was bothering them magically disappear.
The Thanksgiving holiday in America is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November - a tradition that started centuries ago. Pilgrims fleeing religious persecution, left England in search of a “New World” one where they would be free to worship God as they saw fit. They arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 but because of a harsh winter that year, they suffered and many died of disease and starvation. The Native Americans welcomed them, taught them how to farm and the next year they had a bountiful harvest. To show their appreciation, the pilgrims cooked lots of food and invited their Native American friends to join in the celebration – to thank God for bountiful blessings. In 1789 George Washington made the first Presidential proclamation declaring Thanksgiving a national event. Then in 1863 President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November a national day of Thanksgiving.
It’s not Thanksgiving without a turkey, so while chicken die like a problem on Christmas and Easter in Uganda - turkeys suffer the same fate over Thanksgiving. They stand a better chance in America because every year some turkeys are pardoned and left to die of old age. The turkey is traditionally served with cranberry sauce which is the one thing I didn’t quite appreciate on the Thanksgiving menu. Cranberry sauce tastes like sour jam, so eating it with turkey took getting used to.
When I was told we were having pumpkin pie for dessert my insides cringed, I never imagined pumpkin as a desert but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s really tasty and nothing like the pumpkin I was thinking about. So, baked turkey with stuffing, a little cranberry sauce on the side, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn (maize), pecans, and marsh mellows and it’s a Thanksgiving feast for sure.
On the morning of Thanksgiving, parades march in procession on the city streets. The most famous being New York City’s Thanksgiving Day parade presented by Macy’s department store. It attracts some 2 to 3 million spectators along its 2.5-mile route and draws an enormous television audience. It typically features marching bands, performers, elaborate floats conveying various celebrities and giant balloons shaped like cartoon characters.
After Thanksgiving there is an eager buzz about Black Friday. Judging from its name I thought something terrible was going to happen - apparently not. Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days in America. It’s considered the unofficial start to Christmas holiday shopping and department stores slice their prices. From about 4am, parking lots are filled and endless queues of people brave chilly temperatures outside the stores of their preference. When the doors are opened there is a mad dash for items - customers literally shop till they drop. So, Friday is only black for the police because they have to deal the large crowds of traffic moving in and out of shopping malls and department stores.
Even though the events surrounding Thanksgiving are commercialized and the reason for the season is lost in the feasting, it is good to have an attitude of gratitude.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Nov 25, 2010
Please, not tonight
When I go to bed at night
I cannot sleep
There are words hanging over my head
Words, phrases, statements, topics, themes;
Cluttering, whizzing, hooting,making lots of noise
I cannot sleep
It’s 2am, my family needs to sleep and so do I
Words, please come back to me in the morning
When I’m fresh and ready to waltz
When I can give you my undivided attention
Don’t hide from the rising Sun
Stay a while so we can truly dance
But please, not tonight
I cannot sleep
There are words hanging over my head
Words, phrases, statements, topics, themes;
Cluttering, whizzing, hooting,making lots of noise
I cannot sleep
It’s 2am, my family needs to sleep and so do I
Words, please come back to me in the morning
When I’m fresh and ready to waltz
When I can give you my undivided attention
Don’t hide from the rising Sun
Stay a while so we can truly dance
But please, not tonight
Nov 22, 2010
My miracle
It's been a long journey up till this point and a longer one yet a head.
Some of you may have heard about my little miracles Nziiza and Kwizera God decided they would be safer in heaven so He took them back.
But on July 22, 2010 at 11:05 am, He gave Sam and I another miracle to keep for a little while.
I take this moment and many others to thank God for being real good to me. He has answered countless prayers and seen me through some dark dark valleys.
I look at this miracle and my heart dances wildly.
Like Mary said in Luke 1:46 -
"My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name".
My boys came too soon, at 24 and 20 weeks respectively. I was later diagnosed with a weak cervix. When they got heavy, my cervix would just give way and there was no way to save them. To get the full story look out for the November edition of African Woman under Real Life Stories.
End of kalango.
Anyway, I went to hospital thinking I was carrying a boy because some eager radiologist let her mouth run without request. Sam and I were not keen on the sex, we were thankful already, a healthy baby was all we wanted.
When the baby was handed to me, I was freakin' electrified.
"What?! it's a girl? It's a girl!" "Oh my goodness, it's a girl!"
The doctors had a good laugh.
I mean, who does that these days? Who goes into the labor ward not knowing what to expect? (I know, it's either one or the other -thank God) but I was supposed to have checked and double checked.
"Oh the joy that continues to flood my soul.
Something happened and now I know, He touched me and made me whole"
Amani Keeza Ongwen is now 4 months old. She is a strong and beautiful girl - just like her name suggests.
Her favorite person in the whole world is her big brother Mich. Nobody makes her light up and kick like she has a bee in her bonnet - the sound of his high pitched voice and his perky personality set her on fire.
Her favorite cartoon characters are Elmo (Sesame street) and Bob the Tomato (Vegetales), these two make her smile, but not as much as Mich does.
She loves stories with lots of pictures - big colorful pictures.
So, what are you asking the Lord for? Is it taking long? Is the pain more than you can bare and the yearning unfathomable?
Don't despare, God will meet you. Make sure not to leave the place of appointment (prayer closet) and don't forget to say thank you - remember the story of the ten lepers.
Some of you may have heard about my little miracles Nziiza and Kwizera God decided they would be safer in heaven so He took them back.
But on July 22, 2010 at 11:05 am, He gave Sam and I another miracle to keep for a little while.
I take this moment and many others to thank God for being real good to me. He has answered countless prayers and seen me through some dark dark valleys.
I look at this miracle and my heart dances wildly.
Like Mary said in Luke 1:46 -
"My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name".
My boys came too soon, at 24 and 20 weeks respectively. I was later diagnosed with a weak cervix. When they got heavy, my cervix would just give way and there was no way to save them. To get the full story look out for the November edition of African Woman under Real Life Stories.
End of kalango.
Anyway, I went to hospital thinking I was carrying a boy because some eager radiologist let her mouth run without request. Sam and I were not keen on the sex, we were thankful already, a healthy baby was all we wanted.
When the baby was handed to me, I was freakin' electrified.
"What?! it's a girl? It's a girl!" "Oh my goodness, it's a girl!"
The doctors had a good laugh.
I mean, who does that these days? Who goes into the labor ward not knowing what to expect? (I know, it's either one or the other -thank God) but I was supposed to have checked and double checked.
"Oh the joy that continues to flood my soul.
Something happened and now I know, He touched me and made me whole"
Amani Keeza Ongwen is now 4 months old. She is a strong and beautiful girl - just like her name suggests.
Her favorite person in the whole world is her big brother Mich. Nobody makes her light up and kick like she has a bee in her bonnet - the sound of his high pitched voice and his perky personality set her on fire.
Her favorite cartoon characters are Elmo (Sesame street) and Bob the Tomato (Vegetales), these two make her smile, but not as much as Mich does.
She loves stories with lots of pictures - big colorful pictures.
So, what are you asking the Lord for? Is it taking long? Is the pain more than you can bare and the yearning unfathomable?
Don't despare, God will meet you. Make sure not to leave the place of appointment (prayer closet) and don't forget to say thank you - remember the story of the ten lepers.
Nov 8, 2010
It hurts.
Have you ever made a decision that you nearly regret?
At first it seems the obvious thing to do but things go wrong and regret sets in. Why is it simply done by others and when my turn rolls around I face obstacles?
I know it’s not nuclear physics, it's life, but right now, it hurts.
I had Amani’s ears pierced on Saturday. I was told this was the perfect age, she would heal a lot quicker - I thought yeah! This is the thing to do.
I gained the courage to pierce mine at about 22 years of age and I didn't wish I had done it sooner but I thought she would thank me for this.
Took her to the salon and within a few short minutes we were done. Only problem was the guy who did the job didn’t mark the spot so the ear holes were not anyway near identical. One was much further up than the other.
Now, I stand at cross roads;
Should I let it pass? - this would be her special mark. She would be different:-)(I’m not sure I would be in her good books though).
Should I go back immediately and have her pricked again?
Should I allow time for this one to heal then do it again?
My insides are boiling. Why should my little girl suffer because some guy did a crappy job? But again, I exposed her, so he is not entirely to blame.
At first it seems the obvious thing to do but things go wrong and regret sets in. Why is it simply done by others and when my turn rolls around I face obstacles?
I know it’s not nuclear physics, it's life, but right now, it hurts.
I had Amani’s ears pierced on Saturday. I was told this was the perfect age, she would heal a lot quicker - I thought yeah! This is the thing to do.
I gained the courage to pierce mine at about 22 years of age and I didn't wish I had done it sooner but I thought she would thank me for this.
Took her to the salon and within a few short minutes we were done. Only problem was the guy who did the job didn’t mark the spot so the ear holes were not anyway near identical. One was much further up than the other.
Now, I stand at cross roads;
Should I let it pass? - this would be her special mark. She would be different:-)(I’m not sure I would be in her good books though).
Should I go back immediately and have her pricked again?
Should I allow time for this one to heal then do it again?
My insides are boiling. Why should my little girl suffer because some guy did a crappy job? But again, I exposed her, so he is not entirely to blame.
Nov 1, 2010
Trouble in the hood
Sam and I were enjoying a lazy Saturday afternoon; Sam was working on the computer and I was keeping Amani entertained when Mich walked in sparkle eyed. He seemed to have a brilliant idea. He said “I’m going on an adventure!”
“Nice Mich, and where are you going?”
“I’m going to the market”
He sat down and drew a map.
Sam and I were half attentive - Mich is always talking about things that he makes up in his head.
He went to his room and came back with a rack sack.
“Mummy what do you pack when you’re going on a long journey?”
“It depends on where you are going and for how long” I replied
“Not very long, just for one day”, he said
Sam and I run through a list – a rope, a torch, an umbrella, snacks…
“And where would you be going?”
“Out of the gate”
Sam said, “Uh, I don’t think that would be a good idea”
He went on working at the computer and I playing with Amani.
After about 45 minutes, I noticed the house was awfully quiet. I walked out to see what Mich was up to and noticed the gate was open. Since Stella was outside, I asked her if she had seen him, she thought he was in the house.
PANIC!!!
Then I prayed intensely.
I walked out the gate and there was no sign of him. What were the clues? Market, long journey, adventure. Since we have a market at either end of our road, Sam searched at one end and Stella at the other.
She found him on his way back, talking happily about what he saw.
That gave me the fright of my life, especially with all the kidnappings going on.
Now that we have a slight idea what kind of 6 year old we are dealing with, Sam and I need to listen more attentively, take clues and act on them immediately.
Meanwhile Amani made 3 months a week ago; she is eating and sleeping well. She wears clothes for a 6 to 9 month old. Weighs a good 7.2 kilograms and her smiles are for world; they literally make her father melt like an ice cream in the Dallas summer heat.
She has been drool central. Yesterday I was about to feed her when she gave me a knock out smile, the sun shone on her gums and they sparkled, well at least I thought they did. She seemed a little unsettled when my sister asked if she was teething. I brushed it off – “No, she is only 3 months old”. But then I flashed back to what I thought were sparkling gums in the sun and quickly checked again. There, on her lower gums where two white teeth, shyly peeping out of her gums. Yup! She is teething alright; I hope she doesn’t get any ideas of using me as … I won’t even go there.
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