I wish I was anonymous!!
I really do. There's so much going on in my life right now that I would love to blog about and being anonymous would make me feel a lot "safer".
This blog is really about my journey to becoming a "World Class Couturier" and not all the stuff that goes on in my mind, but even though I've been really busy making clothes for my new clients, I haven't had the desire to put up pictures of stuff I've made or blog about the ups and downs of starting from scratch and all that. It all just doesn't seem as important to me as it normally would...
Hubby being away in Naija, making me sole caregiver for the munchkins while dealing with my internal conflicts and trying to meet the demands of my growing client base has been a HUGE learning experience.
Back home, I was always surrounded by people and always had someone to delegate tasks to. I was able to get a whole lot done without getting exhausted. My mother taught me that the secret of the Proverbs 31 woman was that she knew how to delegate and I must have become so used to living like that, doing everything myself is taking some getting used to, which, until I can afford to pay for help is the reality of my life.
I haven't even gotten round to ordering business cards yet and I've been so busy, I had to turn down two people this week. I wish I didn't have to, but there's only so much I can do by myself and I refuse to make promises I cannot keep. I cannot complain though, because I have enjoyed abundant grace. I find that scripture "He gives power to the faint and to them that have no might, He increases strength" to be my testimony.
Hubby came back last week *BBM dancing smiley*
I would've told you all I've been up to if I was anonymous, but I'll keep stuff PG and just say that life's good and I've got my groove back ;o)
I've been in "enjoyment mode"... lounging and enjoying cos he doesn't want me to stress myself. Perhaps, a simple blood test when I was "blue" would have revealed I had low Oxytocin levels and a dose of "D" would've sorted me out... hahaha
Seriously though, I am convinced that God designed life to be enjoyed. While He doesn't promise us that there would be no challenges, His plan is for us not to walk alone. I am grateful for the privilege to walk this journey with D and I do not take it for granted. Perhaps this is because I know that having it so good is not because I'm smarter or sharper than the next person. It's just God's grace
More important than this amazing relationship D and I share is this walk with God which I find to be beyond what my mind can comprehend. What if I didn't know Him?
Well, lets just say I'm glad I do and would love for you to come to know Him too (if you do not already)
He's made my life beautiful. He can do even more for you.
Thanks for coming by again and again
May your dreams come true
xoxo
PS
Thank you NaijaMum in London. God bless you.
Signed, Your self imposed sister ;o)
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
My life as Remi's daughter
I got my first ever mother's day card this year :o)
It had me thinking about my mom and how much I miss her.
I find it remarkable that I have so many memories of her... She passed when I was 20 and I didn't like her very much in my teens, so I didn't listen to her much. Not having to deal with her "DRAMA" was one of the reasons I loved boarding school. She was ALWAYS up in my business!! She once called a guy I had just broken up with to tell him not to take me seriously as I "didn't know what I was doing". aaaarrrgh!! Who does that?! She said he was "husband material" I was 17.....
Remi was a force of nature!! Everybody knew her everywhere we went. She considered it her life's mission to stand up for folks who couldn't stand up for themselves. Case in point:
Many many years ago...I don't know exactly, lets just say '97 or 98 when fuel scarcity had become the norm in Nigeria. She was at a filling station when a random guy was accosted by some mobile policemen as he was leaving with his jerry can of fuel. They attempted to impound his "treasure"(which he had queued for hours for) on the grounds that it was illegal to carry fuel around in a jerry can. Classic case of "chancing"(like seniors in secondary school used to do to juniors). Of course my mom couldn't stand by and watch. She marched straight to the policemen and told them off for taking advantage of the guy, reminding them that because of their uniforms, they could easily have jumped the queue and gone straight to the pump. She made them return his jerry can of fuel and then gave one of them her keys, pointed out her car and had him drive it all the way to the front and fill her tank. She must've been feeling like VOLTRON.. Defender of the universe.
Now that I have children of my own, I realize what HUGE sacrifices she must have made, raising all five of us. Me especially, cos I was a VERY troublesome energetic child. She showed us tough love!! and is alive in my heart, almost 12 years later just like my dear friend reminded me when she replied my tweet earlier today.
I really wish you were around to see us and our children. You'ld prolly laugh @ me when I complain about Nathan being so boisterous :oP
Reminded me of a facebook note I wrote 2years ago on the anniversary of her passing...
My life as Remi's daughter part 1
by Gbemi Adekoya on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 12:15pm
“GBEMI!” Her voice rang out. “Are you sleeping? That seems to be all you do these days”
“This woman has come again oh!” I thought silently to myself. “I’m on holiday, am I not allowed to sleep anymore? I’m here now, why did u call me?” I asked her, giving her ‘the look’.
I want you to fix this weave for me. I don’t feel like going to the salon, she said.
“FIX WEAVE?? Me I don’t know how to fix it oh! You better just go the salon jeje”, I exclaimed, thinking “does this woman know what she’s saying”.
“Come and fix it jare! The thing is easy to fix. I watched the stylist closely the last time I was at the salon and I’m sure you can do it. Just weave the hair and sew the weave on. Don’t worry I’ll show you.”
“Hmm, if I spoil it, don’t shout oh!” I warned her.
“You won’t spoil it. I’ll guide you through the process.” She seemed confident, so we started.
Fast forward a few hours later and several warnings from her “if you prick me with that needle one more time, you’ll be in trouble” and my “sorry now, I didn’t do it on purpose”, we were done and then, she attempted to pay me.
“What’s that?” I asked her, really surprised. “Why would I take money from you for making your hair?”
“Bring your right hand here!” she commanded, putting N250 in it. She held on to my hand and said to me:
“I am paying the same amount I paid the stylist a few weeks ago to teach you a lesson. This is so important; you must pass it on to your children. YOU CAN MAKE MONEY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE IF YOU LEARN HOW TO DO THINGS WITH YOUR HANDS. School is important, but you must acquire skills. Learn all you can, because LEARNING IS A TREASURE TO TAKE WITH YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO. If you get robbed or ever lose everything, you can start afresh if you know how to do something. More importantly, you would never have to be at the mercy of anyone, because you can generate your own resources.”
This happened many years ago. I must have been 15 or 16. I don’t know the exact date, nor did I pay much attention to her words then, but they have gone on to shape my life and inform my career choices.
I have not only made a living from turning the gift God gave me into a skill, I have given the 7(and counting) people on my team the opportunity to earn a living and I have also made many women happy.
It’s exactly 10 years since you’ve been gone and I’ve been so busy following your advice, I only just found time to write this tribute now. You packed into 44 years what many cannot attempt in 100. I am privileged to have been born by you.
SHALOM OLUREMI OLUSOLA SODUNKE (22-10-1955 to 16-9-1999) RIP
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Oluwaseyi Oguntubo, Seyi Soremekun Adegbesan, Adedayo Odunfa-Badipeand 10 others like this.
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