Ladies Day Out

July 21

Eden did not sleep well last night.  I have noticed her crying in her sleep a fair amount here sad I don't know if it's just restlessness or the Malarone she is on for malaria prevention.  It's been know to produce nightmares.  As a result of her largely sleepless night, she came to my bed at around three and we stayed in bed till after eight. Then Kirsten, a dear friend and comrade, came and collected us for a morning of shopping.  We stopped by an incredible bakery that hires local unemployed youth and boasts the most carefully crafted pastries and breads.  It's also so one of the few places where you can get coffee to go.  When Eden saw the huge displays of sweets, she exclaimed 'mommy, that!' 
Armed with pastries and coffee, we headed out to a women's co-op called Umutima, which means heart. The clothes, all for children, are designed by a French lady and made by Rwandan women in vibrant East African fabrics.  We had a fantastic time trying clothes on Eden.  She tried on a dress that one of the women present had made and she looked on with pride.  Eden wanted to look in the mirror in her new dresses and she kept turning around and looking at the back of herself in the mirror.  Do I really do that so much that she mimics it?  Note to self. 

After 'investing' in Eden's wardrobe (both present and future) we headed to a Senegalese shop to pick up a few more crafts.  We finished off our day together with lunch at the Rwandan version of Chipotle, called Meze Fresh.  The food was fresh and delicious and Kirsten and I enjoyed the time to catch up. She is an incredible woman, dedicated and hard working and full of joy and life. It was my privilege to develop a friendship with her when I lived here and it was pure joy spending the morning together. Eden really loved her and her husband Oscar and it made my heart happy to see that she has such good taste in people. 

After Kirsten dropped us off, Eden napped while I did the very most mzunguist thing possible; lay in the sunshine. My mother in law thought I was crazy but all that equatorial sunshine and this pale skin were jet begging for some time together. I obliged. When the girls got home it was all giggles and play and Eden was covered in dirt.  Two other nieces, Darlene and Aroma, also came for the evening. Savoring the last few nights together with this crew.

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