Several years ago, I used to edit a Rastafari newsletter entitled SistrenItes! and she was among my biggest supporters. She'd always offer to help and I was, unfortunately, a one woman does it all, kind of person.
When my youngest was born she crocheted and sent a beautiful gift.
Then, the following year in 2008 she started a blog originalwombman and I was floored. I couldn't believe she bared inner parts of her life in an open forum. I received email notifications of each entry and I admired her brutal self-examination in such a public manner. She's the first blog I ever subscribed to and the only one I read for two years. I was awed by her talents and skills - she is the quintessentially rare, happy black homemaker. I always envied her ability to stay home and make the most of it in such a spectacular way. Let me just give you a tiny tour of this wonderful woman's world:
As I mentioned before, she crochets:
She cooks:
She bakes (gorgeous stuff, the kind of stuff that only your grandmother could pull off):
She's creative:
(stuff like making homemade tofu)
She reminds us to keep emergency prepping and maintaining one's pantry:
She is so versatile and intellectually expansive that she teaches me stuff like freecycling, re-purposing, re-using, she knows every damn thing there is to know about natural baby gear such as cotton diapers/inserts, she can research the best of anything and explain it to you as smooth as butter, she homeschools - she's got a Master's Degree and has taught in public schools, she stays involved in her locale, she sets up playdates, she visits the library frequently, she reads and reviews the best books - ever- and she even challenged herself to get fit, yes that's right, in the midst of all this she works out! She's taken us through the trials, errors and successes of P90 (I think I have the name right) Tae Bo, Yoga - you name it, Chi Chi's been there and CONQUERED and is now rocking a completely fit physique.
And if all this weren't enough, she remains the most down-to-earth, upbeat positive sister.
After everything I just mentioned, what is it I love most about Sis Chi Chi? The chime in her voice when she greets you on the phone, there is laughter, appreciation for thinking of her, child-like unabashed, happiness in her voice that she's not afraid to reveal. Indeed the world is her oyster and she gets out there and shucks herself some pearls, no matter the weather.
Her husband and two adorable sons are blessed in this world and the next!
She's one of my Sheros!
Here's to you Sis Chi Chi, Cheers!!!!!!!
Sis. Leah! :) I have no words . . . this is the most beautiful thing I have ever read about myself. Ever. Thank you so much! I can't express how much I needed to hear these words at this point. Being a stay-at-home mom . . .sometimes I just wonder who I'm kidding and why I'm wasting my time and why I don't just get a "real" job. I really . . . I'm amazed at how the universe made it so that I would read this *today* even though I'm subscribed to your blog.
ReplyDeleteI just give such thanks for you sis. You inspire me at every, every turn. Every point I am in my life, there you are with something profound for me, something I need. Sis., you are such a positive force . . . I am so proud of all the you do and have done from Sistren Ites to Imega Books to this blog! You are so necessary . . . please keep doing what you are doing and I will always be here to support. Thank you again sis! :)