There's No Place Like Home

I turned 27 on Saturday.
In effort to celebrate with everyone, we stretched the party to three days.
Friday night was the kick-off...Girls House and Boys House 3. {22 of us in total.}

We were asked to arrive early {around 4} to help finish rolling chapati so dinner could be ready to eat at 6 and everyone could be on the way home by 8...

When we got there, there were a few small visitors: Jennifer, Lucy {and Celinah: not pictured}.

I raced {and won} in a chapati-rolling competition against Janet. Did I mention I won?
I went outside to join the photo shoot already in session

Isaya will do just about anything to get a laugh...including carrying Bre's cameras case all night and "answering it" to talk to Obama.

I love Lucy's face in this picture

Framing of photos is not easily learned...
John and Kamau

Isaya dancing while chanting "Obama"

Self-portrait by John

Alice...I love the tiny bits of her personality that she is letting loose

Amlango and Alice

Hellen's in-motion shots

Kamau was so sick. I brought him inside and had him sit on my lap while I rocked a little bit...he fell asleep almost instantly. I love giving those small moments of childhood to those that might not have it otherwise.

Bre, in her brilliance, brought a few bottles of nail polish. Not only were the girls {and boys} excited to paint their nails, but they were also excited to document the occasion.

After a HUGE and delicious dinner, which was definitely ready on-time, we had a dance party. The boys played the drums on the table with spoons and fists, and the girls sang songs...and we danced. The kids laughed at the way Bre and I danced...Bre likes to say, "Wow! I'm so white!"

Ajix and I ate our dinner up on the top bunk of her bed in the living room...

Nancy jumped up there to hang out during the dance party

I cut the big tray of brownies we had made {from a box mix I bought in town}. Each kid got one big square and said at least twice {each}, "Oh! This is so good!" And Rebecca, the house mom, asked where she could learn to make it. Well done, Duncan Hines.

At the end of the night, I stood outside, under a super starry sky and thought to myself:

"There is nowhere else I would rather be for my birthday"