Cousin Joshua playing fishing game
Cousin Evan playing fishing game
Makeba after going through the splash park, so cold!
Althea spent most of the time in the water
The sisters playing so nicely together with Makeba's new toy!
birthday card with big #5
birthday outfit I made
birthday dress from Auntie Indira, playing "fishing game" at the park.
cupcakes Auntie Indira made to share with friends at the park
one of two new bathing suits from Nana
Makeba woke up in the morning, and instead of her usual method of getting us up, you know, the "drive the parents crazy until it's impossible to sleep anymore" method, she gently walked into our room, cuddled up and waited patiently. She quietly chatted with Althea while Annand and I tried to muster up the energy to get the day started. We went downstairs all together and Makeba found a card with a big number 5 on it sitting on the printer, exactly as requested. She opened her gifts from us, including the birthday outfit I'd promised to make for her. We had a lovely morning after which we met up with some friends in our community playground. We brought cupcakes to share and the old classic "fishing" game in which kids cast their line, a string attached to a stick and a clothespin, into a hole and when they "reel" it in, there is a toy or candy on the end of it. It was a hit!
We stayed at the park for four hours! Makeba was so happy to spend time with her friends outside. We arrived home just in time to receive a phone call from Baba and Dido who were on the road in Nova Scotia on holiday. Then soon after, the family came over for supper and birthday cake. The cake was lovingly made by Nana, it was a giant cupcake. She received many lovely gifts that just showed her how much she is loved by so many!
The energy of the day was so breezy and calm, like the wind that blew the clouds and mosquitoes away at the park! I feel like each family member comes to an event like a supper in honour of someone's birthday from their own, individual space and we meet each other wherever we are. When we come together, the complexity of how we love one another is just so beautiful in the conglomeration of people we call family. Each person does what he or she can, in his or her own unique way to show their love. For some people there is so much else keeping space in their heads, that it is really difficult to do anything, but they do what they can. For others, it is easier to go all out and it all becomes balanced. We live and we move forward alongside time in our own complicated ways as a group of people who weave in and out of each other's lives. Sometimes we have moments of awareness of how much we are loved and blessed. These moments are the silent motivation that keep us coming together. We don't know why we feel a pull to be together especially when relations are strained, but we all feel it. Somewhere inside we know and we trust that these people love us and we are accepted as we are, always.
Much gratitude to the family and friends who were with us on Makeba's special day both in body and in spirit.
It was a very simple and pleasant day. Makeba was most pleased!
