Theres twelve more days until Big Son goes away to university. This makes me sad. Because I will miss him desperately of course, but also because then I will be stuck with all these other children – as my very bestest babysitter in the universe runs away to a life of independence and freedom from childcare servitude. I frequently wail, “Son please dont leave me with these demons!”
And he shrugs and says, “Theyre your kids, not mine. I cant stay here forever.” Such a sad truth.
So in the meantime I resolved to spend lots of time with Big Son doing a variety of fabulous activities. Whether he wants to or not. So that he will be convinced of his mother’s fun awesomeness and WANT to come home soon to babysit four demon siblings. All the other children are in school for most of the day so its perfect timing.
I took us to a wonderful place called TOUCH OF SAMOA for one hour long foot massage treatments. (I highly recommend it. Immaculate, beautiful, peaceful and very reasonably priced. ) Big Son whined and whinged the whole way there. Because he’s never had a massage treatment before and he was convinced he would loathe it.
But it was heavenly and he stopped complaining. Ha.
Then we went to lunch for his favorite. Sashimi.
And because its not enough to just have fish for an appetizer…then he had grilled fish as well.
(I impress myself with all the healthy eating choices Im making since I got here. If Im not transfigured into a lean mean healthy machine very soon then theres something wrong…)
The good stuff didnt stop there. We got starfruit vineka from the market (because the cheery persuasive sales girl said, “Suamalie! Very sweet. Very good.”)
Only they were the sourest vineka Ive ever had the misfortune to taste. So much for ‘very suamalie!’ Thankfully we also got pineapple.
Which WAS very suamalie. Especially delicious with LiHing powder from Hawaii (thank you Janice!)
After all that, Big Son went to the gym and I went to work where Im starting to like the novel Im working on. The story is taking shape, the words are flowing and the characters are coming alive. Here I am – hard at work… (with not a lamington or donut in sight…) If all goes well with this book it will be released in April.
Today was a good day. A day where i was grateful to be a mother. Thankful to be living in Samoa. Blessed to be doing work that I enjoy.
How was YOUR day? What are you grateful for?
Lani Wendt Young 
I’m happy to have my health and the opportunity to do what Iove – making mosaics, while I continue to watch my son grow and transition from boy to man. Grateful I have a job and a home with heat (snowstorm now in northeast, USA), and hope for a brighter tomorrow!
Sounds very blessed indeed. And as i contemplate the sweat on my keyboard here in the Samoan heat – i even like the sound of a snowstorm *sigh*!
I just wanna move to Samoa every time i see your blog posts. 🙂 Huge fan from Pago. 🙂
But American Samoa is beautiful! And so much good food… Id love to visit there again soon.