Retreats and more ....

Is it spring yet?

Well I think it is FINALLY... for a minute there i thought Spring was never going to come around  and that will mean i don't get an excuse to go shopping...haha

So everynow and then i get a chance to witness Gods love and miracles. On Friday March 14th -Sunday March 16th It was something more than a miracle. 

If you dont already know I am part of a Prayer group and womens ministry called

 /children of destiny/ and we pray, fellowship, encourage, empower and support one another. So our founder Sandra Kemayou (who happens to be my brothers wife ) decided to follow Gods instructions and put together a women's only retreat. I came in the retreat thinking i was helping put the retreat together not knowing that my God was setting me up for something not everybody gets a chance to witness in their lifetime.

We get there on Friday with a pre planned program and sooooooo many details. But off course we realized early enough that we will have to let God run the program as the retreat was his idea in the first place. Needless to say 26 women in one house with not so many rooms, 3 bathrooms, i main kitchen and a lot of other odds that will usually be an issue any other time. (Don't get me wrong this was a very beautiful house, but 26 women who don't really know each other is one huge group in one space.) Gods love is real because we had an  awesome time in Gods presence. Not a single glitch.

Lives were changed in this SPACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was nothing short of a miracle, I left that house with 25 new sisters, not a single disagreement, not a single issue, not a single headache, sooooo much love, so many hugs, tons and tons of laughter and tears. It was the first time i had seen women in the same space for the same purpose. I am so happy that Sandra who is now addressed as ( Pastor Sandra) listened to Gods word. As a mamipikin it was tough to leave my kids and husband for 2-3 days straight and as you can imagine all the preparations that i had to do prior to leaving. 

This retreat changed my life, i went there broken and came back whole. If your purpose is not clear, take a break go somewhere with little or no distractions and listen to God.

 I wouldn't  be real if i dont tell the truth about how much shopping i did prior to the retreat, thinking it was going to be a mini vacation Guess what, we were so laid back i forgot about one of my suitcases that never left the car, God wanted us to come as we are. 

~Sundays Brunch ~

I overheard my 7 year old telling the neighbors " my mom totally works out, she goes to zumba and stuff, i think thats pretty cool because she likes wearing lots of small dresses" 

Somebody help me.. are my dresses small?

NOMAMIPIKINLEFTBEHIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KISSES....

" The eyebrow struggle "

     So i am no make up artist but i have had the " eyebrow struggle " and i thought i will share some tips i gathered on the internet. As a mamipikin the number one rule is not to be left behind, perfectly drawn eyebrows are apparently in..hahahaha who knew.

    So i will start the series with a couple of my own pictures. I could gather MUA pictures with professionally  drawn brows but i want us to start with everyday mamipikins like my self. 

So i have been practicing and I must say i think i am getting a little better as i watch tutorials on you tube, follow 100 or more make up artists on IG, and ask as many questions as possible when i set foot in the Mac store!

So i  got a basic tutorial from hellogiggles.com .

 I will like a professional MUA to provide us with a couple of Makeover write ups so we can stay ontop of our GAME. Any mamipikin who is an expert or  a MUA please send us a write up. We dont want to be out of touch or Left behind.

As per this eyebrow issue - No mami pikin will be left behind

Kisses.

Say cheers on this Snow day. 

Staying Grateful

  I have truly missed you all, If we get another snow day i will not respect it. I will dress my kids up and still drop them off at school, this is toooooo much, can i get an AMEN? my MOPS program ( mothers of preschoolers) has been cancelled twice in a row how do they expect me to get my bi-weekly dose of adult time? Ok now that i have that out of the way we can move to todays talk. 

The struggle to perfect my eyebrows is REAL .. ( next blog ) 

    Hmmm I was sitting back last night as i watched Lupita Nyong'o Yessssssssss ( you did not think i was going to keep Lupits out of this today did you? not after her big win Yesterday? Oh no hun!) and it all hit me that i needed to encourage my mamipikins to stay grateful for what we do have. We are taking things for granted and asking for more. This woman went down her list and appreciated the people who got her to that point in her life. She thanked them and made sure they knew that they were a part of her big win. 

" Thank you to the Academy for this incredible recognition. It doesn’t escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else’s. And so I want to salute the spirit of Patsy for her guidance. And for Solomon, thank you for telling her story, and your own. Steve McQueen, you charge everything you fashion with the breath of your own spirit. Thank you so much for putting me in this position. It has been the joy of my life. I’m certain that the dead are standing about you and watching and they’re grateful and so am I. Chiwetel, thank you for your fearlessness, and for how deeply you went into telling Solomon’s story. Michael Fassbender, thank you so much, you were my rock, Alfre and Sarah, it was a thrill to work with you, Joe Walker, the invisible performer in the editing room, thank you … I want to thank my family for your training, and the Yale school of Drama as well for your training. My brother Junior sitting by my side, thank you so much, you are my best friend, and Ben, my other best friend, my chosen family. When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that, no matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid. " 

Lupita Nyong'o 

Now my mamipikins, 

Have you thanked your nanny today?

Have you thanked your mother for dedicating all her time raising you and now your children?

Have you looked at your children and thanked God that they came home healthy and safe?

Have you thanked that aunt who is ready to pick your kids up at a phone call?

Have you thanked the people in your support system lately?

Go back and show appreciation to those people who your support system. 

Tell them how they mean to you, People who support you don't owe you anything, they do it out of love and you should be able to return the favor by appreciating them in any way you can. 

Who is a part of your big win?

Have you thanked them?

Please dont laugh. (I see you laughing already ) 

I wont say cheese by Anari Ndumu 

The struggle to take a single picture is real. Please pay your photographers, their job is no joke. 

Let NO MAMIPIKIN BE LEFT BEHIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kisses

As you can see I am still praying for that dream car.

:)