Mrs.O's writing room.

Well not exactly, but don't they look YUMMMY? I was so excited when I pulled these out of the oven. I was so proud of myself – I baked bread! Some of you chefs are thinking "duh!!" But I've got reason to celebrate; a) the buns taste delicious b) the kitchen is not exactly my preffered place of choice c) and most importantly, baking buns used to be a family tradition. Mum baked bread when I was a kid. We never spent money on bread because there was always home baked bread. The whiff of yeast and flour would fill the house and when the buns were ready mmm mmm! they smelled super delicious. She would glaze them over with some blue band to make them shine and voila!! (big sigh) Special memories! On this day 12/27/11, I was able to relive those memories - over 15 years later (that was the last time I baked bread). You rock mum!! Thank you for teaching me and giving me the book of recipes. It’s old and falling apart but it works wonders still. Ha...

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:5 – 6 The Message puts it this way: - Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. God continues to brim our cup over. On our journey so far, He has made the paths straight and our feet have fallen in good places.

My second stint behind the wheel in this wonderful country had me helplessly lost on the highway, in a stalled car(out of gas/fuel), facing 40 degree temperatures, with a phone out of battery charge at 3:00 am in the morning. I prayed desperately. I sat there bewildered with God as my only hope but even He seemed to have forsaken me (or so I thought). A few cars whizzed past with such energy and speed, I could feel the car shake.

Today I will zoom in on what’s been cooking in my neck of the woods. God has been good! But then again, what’s new with that? – It’s His nature. It’s just over 3 months since we relocated to the US and look what He has done.

I'm uncertain of how to say it so I have put it all here and for once I give you a job - sort it out, I hope you walk away with something to muse on. Dad told us during one of those famous family meetings that marriage was an incredibly difficult institution. He said it with a pained look that I will always remember, as though he was spitting nails. I freaked out! There was something about his facial expression that made those words ring. Something about the way he said it made me think there were events in marriage he couldn’t sufficiently dilute into words for us. Oh! But I was just a little girl, my mind couldn’t wrap around extremely intense matters. I thought, “If you and mom handled it this well, then what’s to fear?” When the day rolled around, I vowed to respect my husband; To honor and love him through sickness, holocaust, hurricane and what not. I was going to face the world with my bestest friend. There was one slight problem though, I didn’t fully gras...

She’s a DELIGHT - my Amani! In all of 16 months on this planet, she’s garnered more nick names than I have had my entire life; Ama, Baby girl, Bubbles, Juju (say it fast, as if you are stammering to say juice). “Juju” rules courtesy of big brother Mich. He tells us it means cute in her language. She communicates with sentences too complex for me to decipher but her brother assures us that he knows her codes, so I worry not.

  This box rules my life. I’m hooked, it’s hooked; on my belt, attached to my head, in my hand, my pocket, my bag - We are one! I hate sleep! I get insomniac anxiety - the unbearable separation for hours. I keep it under my pillow, next to my bed. I reach for it before I say “good morning!” and after I say “good night!”

Once upon a time, when my mind brimmed over with naivety, I assumed marriage was an institution for old folk. Time inched forward (like it always does) and brides and grooms adopted faces of people I knew. They were not contemporaries per se but people I related with. Suddenly I felt the urge to walk … away; I preferred them at a calculated distance. They complicated life. We were cautioned to steer clear of married men, innocent friendships were suspect. Wives huffed and puffed when younger girls engaged in conversations with their husbands, cordial relations ended on that note. It was a zone to tread carefully, if at all.

  You look into the mirror and notice the receding line, oh my gooness! Maybe the action starts in the middle, like a smooth iceberg slowly emerging from the water – your hair is thinning, now what?

We resigned our jobs in Kampala to come to America. For a couple with 2 children, it sounds coo coo! Especially considering the sick economy. But alas this is our story. Well, the economy is still under the weather with bouts of wellness in a few places. How is that for a walk of faith?

It’s Halloween torment in the Ongwen household. I’m having sleepless nights with Mich literally pestering me for a Halloween costume. I wish he would forget about it but no,there are calls from eve ry corner – the stores are filled with Halloween costumes, it's all over school, TV doesn’t spare us either, the neighborhood is covered in cobwebs, spiders,

It’s been 2 months living in the US. Right now the leaves are beautiful shades of red, orange, green, golden brown, and yellow. Fall is gorgeous!Watching the leaves sway to the ground reminds me of my childhood days when the wind blew the leaves off the trees, they would sprinkle down and  I would run out and try to catch them, it was so much fun.

Lei Yixin is responsible for this incredible work of art. It's located in the vista between the Lincoln Memorial and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. I was elated to visit the site a day after President Obama dedicated it.

Her body is consumed with the details of creating a human being. As we celebrate her, we make careless statements without full awareness of their impact. “ You have put on weight! ” She knows and is probably not feeling too thrilled about it. A compliment on how good she looks is welcome but only if you mean it, otherwise just smile and wave. “ You are still pregnant?! ” If she wasn’t it would be obvious. She is exhausted, 9 months is a long time you know?! She can’t do much about it and she doesn’t need the added pressure, so be gracious and encourage her along. “ Are you sure you are not having twins? ” Simply because she has a specially extended tummy doesn’t mean there are several babies in there, babies sit differently in utero but if indeed she was having twins, whatabout?? “ You look like you are about to pop! ” You can’t get more unkind. She might be a close friend who lets your jokes fly over but let’s not push it. Don’t touch her tummy without permission. Pregnant ...

At 7, boys are curious, discovering the world and the creatures around them. Mich wants a pet, a creature he can own and look after, it's in his dreams and prayers, Santa Claus is going to have pressure. Some of the book titles he’s borrowed from the school library include;- “Guinea Pigs”, “Training older dogs”, “Brave Dogs, Gentle Dogs” … I don't know how to handle this. His Dad is not a "pet fan", I am, but it depends on what kind of pet. It's not particularly comfortable having frogs and grasshoppers stare at us through plastic bottles placed on the dinning table and I have politely asked Mich to keep them somewhere else. This time I was handed a book on pet rats. Here are a few excerpts from the book; Choosing the right rat ; These creatures come in more than 20 color variations; black, white, brown, grey, caramel … A healthy rat doesn’t sneeze, wheeze or have diarrhea. Okay! Making a rat habitat; An aquarium works b...

Last weekend I attended an amazing event organized by the Library of Congress - The National Book Festival. I was thrilled to be there on two accounts; I love reading and an amazing woman/writer/author/poet/Pulitzer prize winner was going to be there – Tony Morrison. I wanted to listen to her and later have her autograph a copy of her book for me. The Metro (DC train) is incredibly jammed over the weekends, the connotation of being packed like sardines was quite appropriate. I imagined everyone was heading to the book festival and in fact many were, but many were also visiting museums and historical sites. DC has many attractions and being the Nation’s capital, it seems to draw the world. I dashed towards the National mall only to find the crowds were already comfortable – as though they had spent the night or something. I was only 5 minutes late for Tony’s talk but her tent was over flowing. I stood at the back; tip toed and cringed my neck to see the lady. She looked just like I t...

The alarm screeched at 5:30am. I scrambled out of bed and dragged myself to the bathroom. I had to be dressed and ready by 6:30am to catch a ride with Patricia to Washington DC. I was going to meet an old friend. Our appointment was scheduled for 11:00 am but such is the price for a free ride. Since she was running late, Patricia dropped me at the Metro train station and to prove self-sufficient, I said “sure no problem, I’ll find my way from here”. I stepped out of the car and immediately wondered who I was trying to impress, I didn’t recall how the system worked. I adorned the “I know what I’m about” look and walked into the station. The signs got me onto the right footing, when it came to the details, masses of people were walking in every conceivable direction; I couldn’t guess who to follow, so I asked. The lady at inquiries told me to walk to the end of the corridor and turn left. It was 8:30am, my stomach was beginning to tell stories. In an open area, people were making cu...

3 years ago God gave me a song, but not the stage to sing it on. It said “You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains” - I was slipping further into the valley. It said “You raise me up to walk on stormy seas” - I was drowning. It said “You raise me up to more than I can be” that’s when I asked, “But God, what do you mean?” Silence! I figured I had misheard Him. I tucked the song away but each time I heard it play, it drew me to a familiar place. He was God anyway and I had no business creating a stage or selling tickets for my show. Has God given you specifics but the details of your life are easily comparable to catching a cloud or sand sifting through your grip? Well that’s not new, been there. I have learned that our God is too big to fathom, His ways are way, way, up there and you and me are down below. He knows the end from the beginning and everything in between. Keep walking, keep praying, keep trusting and you will be amazed at what God is doing. May be not now, act...

So, I have been under, trying to get my bearings. I figure if I don’t come up now, I will be out longer than I would like. We got here in one piece and I can confidently say Amani is my daughter - a chip off the old block. 5 years ago I hopped on a 17 hour plane ride with my 2 year old son who literally run riot. I was this close to disowning the toddler. I kept asking myself, “who is this kid?, where did he come from?” - he couldn’t sit still and he yelled his lungs out, I reached my wits end and in the same breath concluded those were not my genes. For this plane ride I was bracing myself, keeping my fingers crossed and stuff. Amani sung, clapped her hands and promptly fell asleep. There were a few moments of discomfort but on the whole she was great! In my haste to make it to the airport and all the other issues that were crowding my mind, I forgot to pack her milk and snacks. Which mother does such crazy things? I’m guilty. But you know, she made it through on the funny meals on...

There will always be prettier girls, with firmer abs, whiter teeth, longer hair, bigger busts and perfect body shapes. There will always be more intelligent human beings with out- of- this -world ideas. They will sing better, be more confident, be “the best friend” and do “the job” with excellence and that’s just fine. But, NO ONE can be me better than me. As I hug the shore of 35 I reflect on who I’ve become. I look into the mirror and I see a woman, a grown woman, a wife, a mother, a mentor, a friend. I look again and the tell tale signs are everywhere - I have been around for some time. According to research everything goes downhill from here on; cells don’t replace as fast and I’m sorta slowing down. Can I deal with that and accept it gracefully? A part of me goes into panic mode, alarms bells set off in my head, question marks circling my mind like eager children singing “a ring a ring of roses” . What have I done with my life? I look through lenses of this world, thi...

Time flies when you’re having fun! 1997-1999. 2 awesome years of waiting on the mail man, secretly praying that when I checked the mail book at the KPC reception I would see my name or that the Maria would say “Hi Mary, you’ve got mail”. 1999-2000. A brilliant mind invented Internet and my troubles matured to Eudora, inventing a yahoo email address and typing a message finger by slow finger like I was bursting bubbles with each key; Finding an internet café or tracking down Koma at the MUK computer lab and then queuing for the one PC that everyone wanted to use. Oh! How my heart would sink when I saw “No unread messages”. So the virtual relationship lasted 3 years. In the 4th year we wed. I said my vows eagerly – I was marrying my best friend. We enjoyed 2 years of blissful companion ship before Mich showed up, then life changed. There was a lot more on my plate – a baby who depended on me, a husband who felt threatened by this little bundle of “selfishness”; church ministry too...

This night I can barely sleep, got heavy thoughts weighing on my mind. I lost a friend, a brother. Even though I seldom saw him, his demise leaves me wrecked. Your ways are not our ways; your thoughts are not our thoughts. You know the end from the beginning and nothing takes you by surprise. You watched it unfold, every second, every minute, every … Tick-Tock! So what can I say? What can I do? But offer this heart oh God completely to you. I bow in humble reverence, prostrate in awe, and thank you for the life Paul Kim lived and the fresh budding life you replace his with in little Kisha. You are an amazing God completely; I know you are watching over Olivia. Thanks for the reminder that my life is not my own. Love you Jesus Teary eyed and fearfully yours, Mary

Til on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live There in the ground His body lay Light of the world by darkness slain Then bursting forth in glorious Day Up from the grave He rose again Easter is my favorite Christian festival. It is the reason I live today. Christ’s mind boggling love and obedience to His father brings me to my knees in awe and adoration. The cross is explosive, it’s potent, it’s life changing. The blood that Jesus shed changed the course of history and changes our lives to date. It hasn’t caked, it hasn’t ebbed, it is fresh, warm and throbbing with love. When I think about the cross and its power, my insides tremble and I cry in reverence, not so much because Jesus felt pain but because of what His death means; The power of life that emerged from His death, The Life that we live because He died. In Christ alone my hope is found He is my light, my strength, my song This Cor...

I just figured out how people get caught by fashion police. I can’t vouch for every single one because some people just have bad fashion sense, they can’t help it. But some others, some others get caught on the wrong footing and others like me have just lost their oomph. I have overly rubbed marriage and babies in the dirt but please allow me to do it one more time. I see red flags going off. No! Am not bad mouthing marriage, it’s the awesomesstest institution ever but then I’m not writing to convince you either way. I’m just saying that things change, you’ve got to put in an extra effort to keep yourself priority otherwise things slip away, slip down, slip around – the works. Ask Paul. In 1 Corinthians 7: 28 he says “All I am saying is that when you marry, you take on additional stress in an already stressful time, and I want to spare you if possible”. In verse 32 he says "I want you to live as free of complications as possible. When you're unmarried, you're free to c...

I have been in the house too long. This parenting/marriage thing has left me socially kwashiorkored. Seriously! So, the other day I had a date with a girlfriend at Javas - Nakumatt. I planned to spend at least an hour with her before heading home. I got there early so we could maximize the moments. I walked into the coffee shop and all eyes turned to look at me. I swear it was not in my head, it happened for real. “Mommy!” I nearly bit my fingers. I quickly found an empty table and sat down to save my legs from giving way. Eish!! After catching my breath I scanned the room, my friend was not there yet but wow! There were loads of pretty ladies, dressed in every manner of fashion - as though they were all there to make a statement. There was a sense of pride in the air, don’t ask me how I perceived it. With their eyes and gestures they asked, “And who might you be?” No, I’m not paranoid. I struggled to make an order because the Customer relations lady or whatever sp...

My dear blog, I miss you so. . . Do you miss me too? Because you see, I miss you Life’s been crazy lately -  juggling 6 balls is not a joke. Please don’t frown, don’t misunderstand me It doesn’t mean I like you any less, it’s just that right now, well right now, I have a lot on my plate. Whhooooo! I blow the dust off and it runs right back to me Falling on my face as if to blame me for the mess Aa aa chooooo! Excuse me! I've got a lot to say and you do too I hope Let’s make a date Just you and me We'll shut the world outside Shhh!

Dear blog/diary My parenting woes continue. My little hero just don’t like school . He loves to play, watch cartoons and scare his little sister but the will to write (put pencil to paper to make legible symbols) is like “bad” blood given to an anaemic patient. What happened to my truthful little pumpkin? Lies fill his mouth like a hungry man attacking his first meal in days. The bible teachings seem to have flown out the window together with all the nice toys - now broken that were bought over the holiday season. His cutting remarks slice me right down my middle like the sword that led King Caesar into eternal sleep. His disobedience is so out right almost engraved (I shudder), like a rock. But I must chip at it, one little piece by one little piece. It’s frustrating. How do parents love a child into obedience without considering lunatic asylum? I’m speechless, I need the Holy Spirits intervention to articulate these matters before father God, Romans 8: 26 ...

Last Friday, Brent and Diane, Mich, Sam and I took a trip to Lancaster county to visit with the Amish . I find their lifestyle quite fascinating, so when Diane brought up the idea I was more than thrilled to check them out. The Amish are a religious sect originating from the Mennonites, who arose directly out of the reformation struggles of the sixteenth century. The first thing that I saw that set them apart is their transport -  the buggy. Its a horse drawn carriage. They don't use cars. "Englisher", "Yankee" or "High People" are the names given by the Amish for anyone who is not Amish. They are known as the plain people because they wear plain colored clothing, they live in scattered farmland locations across America. They live within highly personalized relationships, avoiding more than casual contact with strangers who might attempt to educate them to the ways of the outside world. While the Amish avoid most of the conveniences of the 21st C...

Last night the moon peeped through my open window His smile lit my room His rays sat gently on my naked frame Last night the wind waltzed through my open window Her breeze sent shivers down my back bone Little goose bumps flowered this ebony skin Last night I saw a fairy Pretty beyond my simple words to describe She sparkled from top to tiny toe She a little bigger than my tiny finger She skittered onto my shoulder and showered me in pixie dust Mmm the aroma simple words do not articulate Petals of lavender, peach, lilies, cherry pie, honeysuckle I was young again Fresh again New again Again Last night Candles Butterflies ...

I love the sound of horses trotting over paved streets. I find the firm muscles in their hind legs very captivating, a connotation of strength and power. Just! Yesterday I was listening to I choose by India Arie off her album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship. Something in there kept me bobbing my head; it was more than just the beat, I was feeling the lyrics. (And I choose) to be the best that I can be. (I choose) to be courageous in everything I do. My past don't dictate who I am. I choose. (And I choose) to be the best that I can be. (I choose) to be authentic in everything I do. My past don't dictate who I am. I choose. Because you never know where life is gonna take you and you can't change where you've been. But today, I have the opportunity to choose. I used to have guilt about why things happen the way they did cuz life is gone do what it do And every day, I have the opportunity to choose. Sam, Mich and I are loving our little bundle of...