Thankful Post Resumed

So my regular readers know I started a ten things thankful series in 2008 then I stopped. Well Thankful Post is back. There is something about being thankful even in the midst of difficulties and challenges. I think it is an attitude thing that no matter what you are going through you still find something to be thankful about.

So one key change: It will not necessarily be ten things I am thankful about. It could be more, it could be less. Also instead of Tuesday, I'll do them on Thursdays.

Here goes!

I am thankful for a wonderful family- both nuclear and extended. You hear of so much drama in families but I am grateful that it is mostly love than drama in my families- both my side and Baale's side

My mum turned 60 last week. My siblings and I went home to celebrate with her. It was a big celebration and a glorious time.  Going home made me appreciate the love and care I could see in the family. All her close friends and family were around. She also launched her second book called "The Ultimate Desire". My mum is just an amazing woman, gentle yet strong, principled, loving, prayerful, calm in the midst of chaos, a mentor and an example of what a mother should be. I love my mummy and I am grateful for her life. May she live long to eat the rewards of her labor in Jesus name.

I am thankful for my marriage to Baale, I know sometimes I whine when things don't go "my way" but I am learning not to focus on the negative but thank God for the man he gave me and my marriage. The devil is attacking marriages all around and I keep telling myself if not for God that was on our side, where would we be? It is only God! I ask him to make me the best wife I can be to Baale and I am getting there because I know I am not there yet...

I am thankful for constant provision....hmmmm...God has been faithful....

I am thankful for God's care over Bionic (aka Princess). Even when I can't be there to watch over her, her angels are there 24/7. The nanny we got for her who had been with us for 2 months and who I trusted was catch by Baale smoking in the garden. To say I was shocked is an understatement. This incident happened just a day before we were travelling so we promptly asked her to leave. She was apologetic and I felt sorry to let her go but Bionic safety and care comes first. Smoking is not my issue but my child inhaling second hand smoke is a BIG issue. Coincidentally Chichi just opened shop as a childminder so Bionic as been under her care. Talk about perfect timing. God always works things out for our good.


Still speaking about Bionic, I bless God for her life. She is growing up to be very smart and healthy. In the car I have been playing Hillsong's Shout to the Lord. The past few days I notice when a particular song  plays Bionic sings along so I play it continually. I am not sure what about this song is special to Bionic but the lyrics comforts me  and reassures me God is always with me every step of the way and I should trust him. Here's the lyrics and you can listen to the song here (I can't find the exact one we play in the car, but this works!). I have also highlighted the part Bionic loves to sing:

My heart will trust in You.

I'll walk closer now on the higher way

Through the darkest night will you hold my hand

Jesus guide my way

O you mourn with me and you dance with me

For my heart of hearts is bound to you

Though I walk through valleys low

I'll fear no evil

By the waters still my soul,

My heart will trust in You

O You counsel me and You comfort me

When I cannot see,

You light my path

My heart will trust in you



So what are you thankful for?

My Blog is 6 Years Old today!!!!!

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So today 6 years ago I started blogging. It has been an amazing ride. I have grown as a person and as a blogger. I have met remarkable people. In my 6 years of blogging I would like to summarise my observations and experiences:

- Everyone has a story. Isn’t that amazing, every single person has a story to share.

- I choose whose story to follow. There are a million and 1 bloggers out there, everyone with their agenda on why they blog. I choose to follow bloggers that I think will edify me. I say no to junk.

- I choose to be a blessing rather than a whiner on my blog. When I started blogging I determined not to become one of those people who whine and rant on their blog (nothing wrong with that as I know some people use their blog as an outlet). I knew that wasn’t God’s purpose for my blog. I have slipped and probably ranted once or twice but I can gladly say that is in the past.

- In order to focus on God’s goodness in my life I joined the 10 things thankful series and I know I haven’t been faithful with the series but all that is going to change cuz the thankful series is coming back!!!! I won’t say I have had it all rosy because I haven’t but God has been my sustainer.

- I am no longer hung up on comments. It really used to get to me that I would write a post I consider excellent and only 1 or two people comment.. grrhh.. But now it doesn’t bother me as such anymore. From my stats I know people read my blog, so whether they comment or not isn’t the point. As long as they are blessed , #thatisall

- I have become more aware of things around me now... I see something random and it inspires the next blog post

- My writing has improved and this was what gave me the confidence to launch Super Working Mum. This time next year Super Working Mum will be mega in Jesus name.

- I have seen bloggers come and go but I intend to keep blogging until God says otherwise

About from the people I mentioned in my blogger inspiration series, I am indeed blessed and privileged to have met so many amazing people on blogville. If I continue the series I would not stop so this is also special shout out to the following people (some ex bloggers) for making my blogging experience awesome

ilola, Lady Guide, Standtall, dollchic, downtheaisle, favoured girl, afronuts, Myne Whitman, Tyger, Writefreak, olufunke, Madame sting, Hazel, jaycee, jhamzyn, oluwakemi, dosh, Nefertiti, Sugarking, CaramelID, shubbydoo, 1 + the one, Natural Nigerian, rethots, bacuggi, solomondyelle, issueetal, uzezi, okeoghene, rethots, Tonilicious, sugarspring, 'Lara, sugarcoated,

Please if I didn’t mention your name it is not because you are not important, it just skipped my mind. I will keep adding names as I remember.

I love you all. Thanks for being part of my blogger journey.

Ok I’mma cry now.

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[Blogger Inspiration]- Rita, Gbemisoke and Chichi

Rita… This amazing woman has blessed my life through her blog posts. Like Geebee, she shares about her life on blogsville which I find very very courageous. I think she left an encouraging comment on my blog once and as usual I checked out her posts. I noticed we shared similar views on a lot of things especially relationship wise. We became Facebook friends and email friends at some point. I met her once when I went to Naija in 2010. She was really reserved yet nice and pleasant. I am quite the opposite (restless soul!) and I must say reserved people unnerve me cuz you can’t tell what is going through their mind. However with Rita I didn’t feel awkward around her, we got along well. We don’t talk as much but I am glad to say I know Rita.

Gbemisoke, now when it comes to personalities this is one madam that I flow with easily. She is so funny and down to earth. Funny enough I knew her on twitter rather than through her blog. One time she said she was coming to the UK for vacation and I DM-ed her to find out where she will be staying. Lo and behold she was going to be near where I lived. We arranged to meet and despite a busy schedule I made sure I went to see her. I wanted to meet the jovial Gbemisoke and she did not disappoint! We flowed like bread and butter (lol)….I met Alexis as well. Such a cutie. Gbemisoke tells you as it is. We have skyped a few times and it was always filled with laughter. 

This madam has also abandoned her blog, though I think she is trying to dust off the cobwebs from her blog. You can catch her on twitter as that’s where she is these days conveying words of wisdom.

 

I met Chichi randomly but I think it was meant to be. I used to visit her blog sporadically and enjoyed reading about her relationship and her wedding planning. I am not sure I ever left a comment, I was a silent reader basically. I did follow her on twitter though. I noticed she was very pretty in the pictures she put on her blog. One time I went to the local church in my area as I couldn’t go to my church. I stood up to join praise and worship. Next thing I hear this beautiful melodious voice from someone standing behind me…I was so tempted to look back to see who was singing so stunningly. I succumbed and used style to look back and I saw her. Now I am very good with faces, and I knew I had seen that face somewhere but couldn’t place it…Her voice haunted me (in a good way) and then it hit me…this is chichi the blogger from "From Now till I do!" I was like wow OMG, I have just met a blogger and she doesn't even know it yet. I didn’t know if to walk up to introduce myself or what. I didn’t have the nerve as I didn’t think she knew me or my blog anyways and didn't want to start long stories...so I went home. Later that day I asked her on twitter if she attended xxx church and she said yes and how did I know. Hehe. I told her I saw her and that’s how we became friends.

Chichi has a gentle spirit and is as beautiful in person as she is in her pictures. She has been an inspiration to me and is a big fan of Super Working Mum :). She seems pretty organised to me from reading her blog posts. I can proudly call this lady my friend. I hope she feels the same way too.

Ladies, it has been a great pleasure knowing you. You make blogging worthwhile.

[Blogger Inspiration]- Simeone Omobaba and Geebee

I can’t remember the first time I met simeon omobaba on blogsville, it was probably through commenting and checking out his blog. I knew lots of female bloggers but very few male bloggers so it was refreshing to read the perspective of a male blogger especially one who loved God. Simeon’s posts were very thought provoking and wise. I think he has stopped blogging. He is more on twitter these days.


We used to chat online once in a while but in 2011, we finally met in person. He seemed reserved and quiet yet witty and jovial, pretends like he can’t speak Yoruba (RME) lol. He has since visited my home when writefreak came to the UK and met Princess aka Bionic and Baale.

Simeon is an amazing guy, that I see going places. He is also such a healthy eater, I even tried to follow him to start eating brown bread and rice but um that didn’t quite work out. I have since returned to white bread and rice. Sorry dude!

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Geebee! Where do I start? I knew Geebee first when he started his chronicles series and his story captivated me. I found it amazing that a young man of 22 (at that time) had already seen life in different dimensions and was willing to share about it. That thoroughly impressed me. I quickly became an avid follower and fan. Before I knew it I became his blog aunty (can’t even remember how that happened). Then he will take forever to update the story after leaving us hanging and then he disappeared off blogsville for a LONG time and I wondered what happened to him. Thank God he is back.


We have spoken on the phone a few times and he has the same jovial, playful tone he portrays on his blog.

Geebee is someone who has experienced his fair share of life but has not let that put him down. He strikes me as someone who wants to learn and who wants to be a better person, man, husband and father. He is an entrepreneur who enjoys taking risks. He has challenged me in different ways.

One of these days I will get to meet my blogsville aburo in flesh and blood by God's grace. :)


I am grateful and privileged to have met these two remarkable young men.

[Blogger Inspiration]- Nolimit

This is the second part of my Blogger Inspiration series. You can check part 1 here

It’s a very funny story how Nolimit and I met in real life which I think she mentioned once on her blog but i can't find the story. So, I knew her first as a commenter on my blog and I used to visit her blog as well. You know nothing special at that time. One time, in 2008, I blogged about my driving experience and passing my test here.  Nolimit commented and asked what driving school I used and costs etc. I emailed her with the details and we chatted a bit. I think at some point I asked for her real name but she said she couldn’t tell me cuz she was anonymous (right!). So I left it at that and didn’t push it. Till “God caught her”! lol

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One day around last quarter of 2008, she buzzed me on yahoo messenger (we were already chat buddies at this point) and asked me if Baale was my husband and I asked how she knew… she started screaming and feeling like a detective. Apparently my post on my belated honeymoon triggered her investigation. Baale had posted a similar picture I put on my blog on Facebook and madam detective noticed the similarity. Note, I still didn’t know her real name at this point. Anyway I also did some detective work and found out she and Baale went to Uni together! I got her FULL name from Baale and asked her- is your name not so so so…there goes your anonymity. I am sure she wanted to faint at this point. It was hilarious I tell you.

Fast forward to 2009 we still hadn’t met but we were still friends on yahoo messenger. I was pregnant and towards the end of my first trimester. I wasn’t eating well due to morning sickness. Nolimit and I were chatting as usual and she mistakenly mentioned to me (or did she blog about it, I can’t remember) that she had a pestle and mortal from Nigeria which she used in pounding yam. She proudly said she didn’t make poundo yam but had to pound it and even said she was going to be pounding some yam soon. Guess what pregnant Aloted did, I invited myself to her house! Told her you can’t deny a pregnant woman proper pounded yam o. Somehow we arranged a visit and I cajoled Baale to take me to her house. For those of you that know London well, I was living in West London and she in North London. That distance is far but we went, lol, I wonder what was going through Nolimit’s head, she probably thought I was insane. We got there past 8 at night and it was as if Nolimit and I had known each other for ages even though that was the first time we were actually meeting. There was no awkward moment. Long story short I ate pounded yam with efo riro in Nolimit’s house and it was t’oh quality!

Nolimit and I have remained very good friends. She is so REAL which I think is one of her best qualities. She is a child of God, jovial, confident, funny, friendly, a good dancer, not shy at all at all and very down to earth. There are no airs about her and she tells you as it is. She is also an entrepreneur…a quality I greatly admire.

Blogsville, thanks for bringing Nolimit into my life.

[Blogger Inspiration]- Good Naija Girl

From my recollection, the first time I knew about Good Naija Girl was when she contested in bloggers idols I think in 2008. I was rooting for her and the person who eventually won Abbie. During and after the contest I checked out GNG’s blog and I was hooked. Her slogan caught my eye- "Murdering the Yourba language since 1979. That totally cracked me up. I was curious to know more about this oyinbo girl in a Nigerian body and how she was adjusting to both cultures.

I left a few comments on her blog here and there and then one time she emailed me. I replied and it was as if we had known each other for ages! We found out we had a bit in common, blogging, reading, borrowing books from the library, living in cluttered space, joking a lot and chatting. It wasn’t long before we added each other on gtalk and we have been friends ever since. We have also spoken on the phone. She has such a cute and lovely voice.

If you ask me one blogger I would love to meet in person, GNG will be right on the top of the list. Even though we have never met in person, she has been a great inspiration to my life. GNG is such a sweet, funny, cheeky person and I love her spirit. One other thing we have in common is that we are both entrepreneurs and we share our fears of leaving the corporate world and doing our own thing. We also encourage each other knowing one day we will finally leave!

I call her my blogger consultant…she is so passionate about blogging and anytime I have a blog type question GNG is the lady to ask. She is ever so willing to help.  Very soon I fear she will start charging me sef. lol

Anytime we catch up online, we are busy sharing & strategizing business ideas or brainstorming. We also share blogville gossip sometimes cough cough. I always leave energised after I have had a chat with GNG. I feel like ya lets go do this! I hope you feel the same way girl.

This is one blogger I am thankful to know and who has impacted my life positively. I look forward to meeting her in person someday. I have been begging her to come to the UK but she is playing hard so a'mma just pack my bags and head to Canada.

GNG, thank you for being you and for inspiring me. You rock, totally!

6th Year Blog Anniversary (to come) and Project 2 update

Happy new month every one! I see this as another opportunity to be a better person, a better wife and a better mum so help me God.

On May 26th 2006 I started blogging! I have been blogging for 6 years, isn’t that amazing?? During that time my blog has evolved. I even took a long break after Princess was born but I am still here by God's grace

• I achieved a milestone I never dreamt I could.
• I learnt not to take things personal
• I got married
• I joined the Thankful Ten things Tuesday initiative
• I was nominated for inspirational blog award twice!
• I passed my driving test
• My dad was shot by armed robbers! 
• I had a baby

Etc…

Apart from the above, I am grateful for the amazing friendships I have made on this platform and in the month of May, I will be sharing a few of these blogsville friends with you and the impact they have made on my life.

Now I mentioned 2 projects I was working on here and I am excited to tell you about project 2. Drum roll!  I present to you my new baby called Super Working Mum. Ok about half of you are already going- “Ohhh No! Mummy stuff”…and the other half is like “Yay! Mummy stuff.” LOL. Whichever half you belong to, please I need your support.  You may not be a mummy but I know you know mums out there, or you may soon be a mum, or you are a new mum or a veteran mum. Everyone male or female your support is welcome.

So please check out the website. All the juicy info of the inspiration behind this initiative can be found there. Even a picture of myself and Princess! It is still fairly new and needs a design overhaul which I shall get to soon. I am focusing on the content for now. For mums and mums to be who may work in an office or are self-employed or are housewives there is something in store for you. I have so much to share, I am so excited!

We all know every mum is a working mum no matter what you do. Please send me your thoughts and comments here (or simply leave your comments in the comment section below) on topics you would like to see, if I don’t already have it on my list, I’ll consider adding it in.

Super Working Mum is also on facebook and twitter as well so please take just 1 minute of your time to follow and like us. Our daddies and brothers as well please feel free to follow us. Also please tell your friends and family about SWM.

God bless!