Saturday, April 13, 2013

Happy Birthday Happiness



This is Gilbert.  He just came to In Step on Wednesday (the 10th). 

This morning, he came to me with big tears in his eyes and said in Swahili, “Mama Mary, I want to go home.” 

I knelt down and gave him a big hug and told him to just wait some time and that for now, In Step could be his home.

Today was Happy Birthday Day at In Step.  It is always loads of fun for the kids. Cake. Ice cream. Juice. Bubbles.

Philip, one of our other boys and Gilbert’s classmate, was with us when I was hugging Gilbert. I asked Philip to explain to Gilbert what happens on Happy Birthday Day.  Philip was so happy to fill Gilbert in; his face was animated, his arms flailing, his eyes wide with excitement.  The more excited Philip got, the more excited Gilbert got.

All the kids gathered in the veranda. I called all the April birthday kids up to the front.  We sang Happy Birthday and then we handed out the cake and ice cream.  I caught a glimpse of Gilbert at the table and he had the biggest smile on his face. Cake and ice cream.  I think today was his first time ever having ice cream. I could see as he took a bite/slurp of the ice cream, his face scrunch up from the cold of it.

After cake and ice cream and the juice, we went outside for bubbles. Baba Sean, Mama Carla, Madam 
Beth Ann and I went out and blew bubbles as the kids chased them around to pop. 

Gilbert was having a hay-day. He had the biggest smile on his face as he chased around with the other kids, trying to be the first to pop a bubble.  After bubbles were done, some of his classmates were showing me their somersaults, cartwheels and jumps. I would clap and cheer and say, “Good job so-and-so.”

Gilbert shouted in Swahili, “Mama Mary; look at me!”  So I looked and he did a cartwheel. I cheered and clapped for him.  Again, “Mama Mary, look at me!” More cheering and clapping.

I asked him, “Gilbert, are you happy now?” 

His answer, “Yes, Mama Mary; I am VERY happy.”

And off he ran to play. 

Nothing a little cake, ice cream and bubbles can’t help. 

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Followers

Kenya's Time

Nairobi

 

Copyright © 2008 Designed by SimplyWP | Made free by Scrapbooking Software | Bloggerized by Ipiet Notez | Blog Templates created by Web Hosting Men