A traditional sleep over

This Friday my friend Queen Lizzy (That's her real name. She shares a birthday with Queen Elizabeth) spent the night. She works at our school with the loving pre-k's and so after school she came up to my classroom and after I quickly tided up we walked home. We spent a good couple of hours sharing photos with each other. She had gone to London this summer to visit some friends. With each photo and video I joined her in her fun at the wax museum or Ripley's Believe it or Not! With each memory she shared an entertaining story.

We enjoyed a dinner of fried rice and fresh tofu spring rolls. It tasted even better since we didn't have to make it but our steward worked hard, filling and rolling each one in the rice paper wrappers I brought over from the States. And earlier this year Mary Ann found a place that sells tofu! Now, I just have to get that marinade recipe out of Katy! Then I'll be a happy camper.

After dinner we made oatmeal cookies and Queen Lizzy told us she had won a stirring contest once. She cracked us up as she whipped and beat that batter into submission. Our oatmeal cookies were vegan as Mary Ann knows a secret for egg substitute. It's commonly used in our recipes. The cookies turned out crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside and they were my first successful attempt at cookies in Nigeria. Usually if you recall they turn into Dali cookies, flat and melted.

We brought some cookies upstairs to the McBride's where we watched Footloose. Three of us had never seen it before so it was a significant event. At 10:00 the Friday fizzle hit and we all went to bed exhausted. I literally feel asleep in a couple of minutes. I always think Fridays are the best days for cuddling under blankets and zoning out to the drama of someone else's life. Nothing like escaping.

Queen Lizzy's visit was like a drink of water after a long desert hike. I found my heart sighing with relief as we connect easily and are open about our struggles yet optimistic about our futures. What a beautiful balance and it did me good to have some meaningful conversation. Also, she is so thankful for any gesture of friendship no matter how small. On Thursday when we went to see her in her classroom you would have thought we brought along a gift of 10,000 dollars. She kept on saying "Oh, thanks so much for coming to see me! I wish I had something to give you." Her upbeat, positive perspective is part of what makes her so unique and a rare beauty.