#Song4dWeekEND

Checklist:

• Sunscreen- ✓
• Bikini - ✓
• Sunglasses- ✓
• Clothes - ✓
• Ticket + Boarding Pass - ✓

......................................I'm off to Miami!!!!!! 

Chocolate Kisses

xxox...

Ordinary People with No Ordinary Love!

...With John Legend!

Hey!

Hope everyone's week has been fulfilling. Mine has, to say the least. I've been on a roll since I got about 4 hours of sleep on Monday night  and well...Yes, I'm tired but well.. it's what it is. 

Wednesday evening - Sade and John Legend performed and I got to go see them live. Went with Estee and I must say I enjoyed every bit of it. 

Estee & I

John Legend serenaded with his tunes and had me wanting a man that can play the piano and sing like him! ~ Best believe we'd be having a lot of babies! 

Back-up singers..

                        *look @ those shoes!!

Too cute!!

**** I tried to upload the video of him singing "Ordinary People"..(One of my FAVORITE songs) but for some reason I kept getting an error message. Guess I'll just keep it to myself then! Tsk Tsk! ****

After about 45 minutes, the main performer- Sade Adu - stepped on stage and man oh man she killed it!!! At 52, I must say she can still get it if she wants! 

Her voice is still as pure and soulful as ever! She had grown men getting all emotional and stuff in the crowd. It was definitely a sight to see..

                    

p.s Sorry you have to tilt your neck. 

After crooning hits from her new album "Soldier of Love", which by the way I think is quite awesome (as all her other albums)... she took us way back to "Is it a crime"--> "Love is stronger than pride"-->"by your side" & "No Ordinary love" ...and ended it with "Sweetest Taboo." I was just smiling from beginning to end ... Words fail me. 

Here are a few more pics:

Sing it!!

Dancing like the true African she is...

My fave picture!!

With the band

"AWESMAZING" (Awesome + Amazing for those who don't know) performance in my own opinion.  #thatisall

If you do get a chance to see her perform, please go! You won't regret it that I know for sure! (and of course if John Legend is performing too WHY NOT?!) 

It's Friday now--- 1.27am. Still have a paper to write. Smh!

Chocolate Kisses

xxox...

Daddy's Little Girl!

"Anyone can be a father but not every one can be a dad."

In his element...

I remember late 2007, I was fortunate enough to be in Nigeria to celebrate my parents 30th wedding anniversary. I came across a bookmark at Heathrow airport earlier that year that had the line quoted above on it and it definitely got me thinking. My relationship with my father has been what I'd like to call "special." Growing up, we never really connected- He was always traveling and well, I spent the most part of my life in boarding school, so there was never really any chance to bond. I remember being scared of him just because he had that military background. Every time I asked for something, he'd yell. Not because it was his intention, but that's just how he was. I think that "male ego" had a role to play as well. As you can imagine, I never really asked for stuff. I'd call my mom in London, while he's sitting right there beside me, and ask her to tell him to give me some money. Yeah! It was that deep. Things began to change as all of us grew older. I think it's one of those inevitable things that happen where we are faced with the reality that we're all we've got.
I spent about 3 months with my dad that same year, and I must say that was the longest we'd ever spent together since I was 5. It was good. We learned more about each other- he began to understand me as 'the only girl' and was curious about what my future plans were. We laughed more times than expected. It was the beginning of better things to come.
Late 2008, my brother passed away. My dad's shell cracked and he became someone I did not recognize for a while. It's amazing what death can do to someone. My dad changed, I changed... It was a period of evolution, as I'd like to call it. While he began to realize how much he did NOT know about my brother, I began to realize how much I did not know about him. My brother's death broke every one of us in the family. There are no words to describe the entire episode...I don't think there'll ever be perfect words. What I know is, it was also a period of rebirth. My dad began to take time to understand us, to listen, and to care. Mind you, that is not to say he never cared before. This ...This was just DIFFERENT!
The bottom line is I watched this man turn into a dad...a REAL dad. The amount of pride I have just because he is my father is insurmountable. The numerous ways in which he continues to make sacrifices for me leave me overwhelmed. It's not easy! Despite there being no guarantee of what the future holds, or him being able to provide for me, he still encourages me to dream... and DREAM BIG!

I wish there were more words to express how much I love this man.  

My #1 dad

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And to my brothers too... They played a role in raising me and moulding me into who I am today, especially knowing how to watch out for those NONSENSE men out there. Lol! For real though, I applaud them. 

My men!

So here's wishing a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the REAL men out there who continue to make sacrifices and fulfill their roles as fathers, brothers, uncles...etc. And to the mothers who played that "father" role to their children. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!! You are indeed appreciated.

Have a GREAT week!!

Chocolate Kisses

xxox...

Doctor Who?

Yes Yes Y'all!
As I type this, 3 wonderful people have been added to the "league of extraordinary doctors" on planet earth! Yup! Medical degrees in hand from the University of Debrecen Medical & Health Science Center in Hungary. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I started off in Med School but dropped out... these ladies came a year after I'd started - in 2004- and after all the 'TDB' and frustration that came along with studying in a foreign country as such, they're done! CONFIRMED!!
Feels like it was only yesterday we were throwing house parties at my apartment... asking questions like 'How do you say "how much" in Hungarian?" ...... "You guys who is going to Budapest next weekend? I want KFC."..... "Have you finished studying minimals?"...etc.
These are a few pics of us from back then...i.e. between 2004-2006/7:

Sigh! I'm grateful to God for these wonderful people and the memories we were able to share.

Here they are today:

Dr. Hyelhirra Adamu

Dr. Nana Umar-Sadiq

Dr. Salamatu Yisa-Doko

Beautiful Beautiful Beautiful!!!!!!

(Wish I could be there to celebrate with you all)

I'm so proud of you guys and I know that wherever you go henceforth- you will shine! The world isn't ready for you yet....

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!

Chocolate Kisses

xxox...

#Song4dWeekEND

As a PROUD African...Nigerian to be specific, I haven't really shown much love to our industry when it comes to our music. That's not to say I do not appreciate--- FAR from that! Having said that, I have two songs from people who are making our music scene light up at the moment. The first one's by Darey Art Alade. His genre of music has been conflicted upon mainly because he doesn't go with the regular "du du ke du ke" beat! lol! Sorry there is no other way to explain it. He is an R 'n B artist  who isn't afraid of experimenting.
Anyway, this song is titled: The Way You Are

 You are beautiful THE WAY YOU ARE!! Embrace it. Don't worry I am taking notes too because I have a lot of work to do in that department. Tsk Tsk!

Second one's from WIZKID!! I just love this dude! He recently released his album, titled "Superstar" and I personally believe he has carved out his own forte on the Nigerian music scene! According to someone on twitter, "Usher is to Justin Beiber as Banky W is to Wizkid!" That statement had me rolling!! It's actually kinda true though. Big ups to Mr. Wellington!
The track is titled: 'Pakurumo'...It just gets me excited!

Pakuromo by ScorpioSpeaks

As y'all can see I'm slowly perfecting how to upload music here! Woohoo!!
Any plans for the weekend? Whatever you do, HAVE FUN & STAY SAFE!!

Chocolate Kisses

xxox...

It's a celebration.. EVERYTIME we link up!

Hello everyone!
It's funny how every time I'm at work or in class, I feel like blogging and just spitting out all that's on my mind, but once I'm back in front of the screen, my brain freezes! Kinda pathetic I'd say!
How was every one's week? I don't know where weeks are flying to but all I know it that I am moving closer and closer to my goals! I got confirmed for an international public health program--- got bittersweet feelings about it since I'm still waiting to hear from 2 major organizations I applied to. My program requires I put in 120hrs of "practicum" work which is like an internship and trust me when I say I have been applying for the longest and to places all over. Well... doors are slowly opening. Every thing's so last minute with me- I don't claim it for myself. It's just how God and I relate.. and I'm at peace with it because I know that whatever happens at the end is for my own good. Seriously, what good does worrying do? NOTHING!
 Anyway. I will keep you guys posted on where I decide to invest my time during the month of August!

Sooo.. last weekend was a Philly state of mind. Yup!I did say I would make a trip there at some point and I DID IT!! Hit the road with Blessing to go and celebrate with the homegirl- Abi! All done with her Masters! Can't help but be proud!!

Off we go!!

Breezing through Delaware...

Something that was be a 2.5 hr trip turned to a 5 hour trip. Totally forgot it was Friday and there'd be traffic...

Finally!

Got in at 5.45pm and the grad was at 6.30. Talk about rushing rushing rushing!

Anyway, we made it just in time to see her walking across the stage!

Kinda blurry I know!

With the fam!

Ladies!!

Celebrated with her till late- everyone toasting to the graduate and wishing her well!

P.S This was the track of the weekend!:: 

Saturday was a stretched day-- everyone was tired. Spent the most part of the day saying goodbye to everyone who came through..
Decided to go out and "catch groove" and I must say it was a CRAZY night! When people say you gotta make the most of whatever/wherever you find yourself... BELIEVE THAT!!
Went to a spot called "Club Sikira".. yes yes African club- seeing as that was the only thing that was "happening" in Philly that night. Didn't get there till about 1.30am. Drinks rolled out immediately and the graduate caught her dancing fever and it spread to all of us in seconds! I can't even put most of the pics up here because... hmmmm... my bride price will reduce INSTANTLY! Lol!

Here's a hint:

hmmm i don't need to explain!

Don't ask what we were doing??!!

End of the night!

I don't want threats from anywhere so I have to keep the "madness" at a minimum!

All in all it was fun.

OMG Of course I can't forget the "Side Entertainment"....

Slippers???

hmmph!

E kuse auntie!

I'd been talking about wanting to go downtown and see some of the major sights but nobody took me seriously. lol. Anyway, the main site I wanted to go to was 'Love Park"... As I've mentioned, I love everything about love and I think it's such a beautiful concept. (Okay I'm getting cheesy)... Besides, Philadelphia's known as the city of "Brotherly love" so it only makes sense that they have a park called love park with an attractive monument!

That's how 5 ladies went to Love Park to take pictures at 4am.... 

We love you dear!

Got on the road back to DC a lil' after 9am !

Well worth the trip!
Congratulations Abi!!!! The world ain't ready for you yet mami!!


See you soon!!

Chocolate Kisses

xxox...

Encouragement for the Heart

Got this random message in my inbox and well seeing as it's the beginning of a new week I figured I'd share it here.

I believe...

I believe today will be a good day because God made it.
{Psalm 118:24}
I believe I have all I need to accomplish His purpose in my life.
{2 Peter 1:3}
I believe nothing is too difficult for me because nothing is impossible for the God who lives in me.
{Philippians 4:13}
I believe even the biggest challenges in my life can be redeemed for my good and His glory.
{Romans 8:28}
I believe I am loved just as I am and called to become even more like Jesus every day.
{Hebrews 10:14}
I believe that He isn't finished with me yet and is able to complete the good work begun in me.
{Philippians 1:6}
I believe I am an overcomer, more than a conqueror, and nothing will keep God from carrying out His plans!
{Romans 8:32-39}
Can I get an "amen" or a "yoo-hoo"?
--Holley Gerth

I do not know what everyone or anyone is going through right now, but I think this is something to keep in mind:

For such a time as this...

You're here, now, in this moment, and it will never come again.
For such a time as this…
You're changing diapers, tying the shoelaces of the future, growing the seeds of strong faith.
For such a time as this…
You're working in that office, speaking up in that meeting, doing what you do with excellence.
For such a time as this…
You're reaching out a helping hand, taking time to listen, brightening someone's day.
For such a time as this…
You are wherever you are, doing whatever you do, and it matters more than you know.
So keep it up, friend.
You really are making a difference.
--Holley Gerth

Chocolate kisses

xxox...

Taste of Africa!

Tuesday afternoon and i'm trying to get myself to fall asleep but my system's just not having it. In all honesty, I HATE my MONDAYS! By the time I got home yesterday my body was so numb I couldn't even think of eating. Still feeling the repercussions. #DeathtoMondays!
Had an interview this morning for some global health program stint. Feeling kinda bittersweet about it but what I've learned is " If God has destined for something to be yours, NOBODY or NOTHING can take it away."

So, what's Taste of Africa got to do with all this? Well I got back from church on Sunday and heard about some mini fest where there'd be food, fashion, dance, art...etc! Yours truly stays wearing Africa on her sleeves so she def hopped up and went.
I must say it was FAR from what I expected and I do not mean that in a good way. First of all, if it's as major as it's said to be, can someone explain why there was NO banner, poster....something at least that advertised what it was about?? The food.... oh the food... let's just say I did not open my mouth. The fashion show, on the other hand, was pretty entertaining. The way people mess with fake eyelashes nowadays baffles me. Why bother if your eyelids can't even hold 'em up? I will leave that topic for another day.
Enjoy the pics!

C'est moi!

Attendees!

Negotiating... lol

 

fur?? It's summer for heaven's sake! 

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the joys of being a kid!!

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 Fashion from Ivory Coast>>>

    

   

 Also got some videos too but could only upload one. (The second one was taking forever)

And you know I had to capture the side entertainment!::

Someone forgot to finish sewing them tracks in...

Ugg boots in the summer??!

Ashy much?? 

And that wraps up my experience of 'Taste of Africa'... 

Hope everyone's week is going well?

Chocolate kisses

xxox...