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I’m unabashedly a daddy’s girl. However, this in no way diminishes my relationship with my mother. My mother and I are extremely close. I will take my mother anywhere (and I have). She chaperoned the prom and project graduation, went on college visits, we have traveled to Mexico, Hawaii and the Dominican Republic. She’s been my plus one for more than a few weddings, she’s kicked it with me in Vegas and we’ve chilled in beach towns like Tybee, SC. Most of my friends feel like she’s part of the crew and have grown to not only expect her but to ask for her if I show up sin mami. Even with our unquestionable friendship, she reminds me quickly and often, She’s still the Mama!
That being said, It would only make sense, that since my dad dropped me off in Kenya, naturally, my mother would come and pick me up. She was a little nervous about the long flight. She doesn’t move as quickly as she used to after her knee replacement a few years ago. And we all know TSA can be quite intimidating for the occasional airport traveler. (If she could have gone to Kenya on a train, I think she would have). To allay some of her anxiety, I coordinated her travel with some other friends who were coming to Kenya to visit me before I left. She didn’t have to brave the distance alone.
Due to the length of their trip, I wasn’t able to introduce them to Mutomo, but I tried to capture the essence of what I’d grown to love about Kenya in 8 short days. We visited the Giraffe Center and the Nairobi National Museum. We ate at Carnivore, a restaurant known for showcasing a variety of meat and game and boasting the best Dawa in the country. We had an unforgettable bottomless Prosecco brunch at Sankara, one of the five-star hotels in Nairobi. The trip ended on the coast. Two days of fun in the sun spent in Diani and a day of culture, learning the history of the port city of Mombasa.
I should tell you my mother has never met a stranger. She has an infectious spirit, a big smile and an even bigger laugh. She made fast friends on the plane and several more during the week. She has a heart of gold, going out of her way to do for others, because that’s just the right thing to do. She has been my constant supporter, reminding me to stay focused during those trying days of college and medical school. She let me nap in her bed, no questioned asked, when I needed a little break from residency. She has encouraged me to be me, unconventional, nontraditional, nomadic me, even though she worries 🙂
For that and all the other wonderful, thoughtful and sometimes unacknowledged things that you do… Thank you Mommie. I love you.
