Mommy Moments June 28, 2010

To keep the fine balance of sanity in our home, especially during these extremely long school holidays, we have something called “quiet time” which starts around 1pm when Wee One starts hitting his peak of  exhaustion after a full morning of running around trying to copy his older brother.  Eldest, sits quietly in his room ’reading’ a pile of his books and Wee One, after a bit of protesting, heads off to the land of nod.  I escape to my room and gleefully pick up my book, enjoying the few moments I have off duty as “Supermom”!

Yesterday, Eldest decided that instead of reading, art was the order of the afternoon. 

With my nose firmly in my book I heard a strange shuffling noise at my bedroom door and a little voice announcing I had ” Post!”.

Under my door, I found a folded piece of paper, decorated with butterfly on the front. 

“What a beautiful butterfly!” I exclaimed.  “Is this for me?”

“Open it up Mommy!  Open it up!” replied the little voice at the door.

Inside, in his best 6-year-old scrawl was ” I love U M m” and his name written below.

So we left out an all important “o” to complete my name but as it was his first  attempt at a card, not instigated by a teacher around Mothers Day, this was the best present I could have received!  It was one of those precious “Mommy Moments” where you feel like all the nose wiping, sandwich making, juice pouring and the many other duties one performs daily are all worth it!

I hugged him tightly, praised his socks off and placed the special card next to my bed on top of my book pile.

Today, I received an additional three cards and  I am running out of space!

Ayoba Deutschland! June 16, 2010

The day had finally arrived and we were on our way to watch Germany vs Australia in the first FIFA Soccer World Cup match, played here in Durban at the new Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Armed with our German flags, ear plugs, painted faces and my Eldest son sporting a striped mohawk of black, red and yellow, we headed out four hours before kick off.  The atmosphere was electric as we neared the stadium with both Australian, German and South African supporters walking around.  Some wearing official gear, some wearing next to nothing but body paint in their respective countries national colours and I think I saw nearly every type of wig, hat, cap and Makarapa hat (a hat fashioned from a hard hat that has been cut out into elaborate designs and colours, representative of the wearers team.), imaginable!

As night fell, we made our way towards  the stadium lights that glowed in the distance.  Vendors were selling flags, a lady walked about on stilts greeting everybody and people who had spotted a gap in the market were selling  a “Shushuzela”, (ear plugs to combat the dreaded Vuvuzela!). 

Walking up the stairs I caught my first glimpse of the pitch and the enormity of the stadium and couldn’t help but let out a whoop of joy!  It was beautiful as the white arch of the Moses Mabhida stadium crossed over against the dark sky.  Fans were singing and flags from all over parts of Germany and Australia were hung from the different levels. 

I may not be a soccer fanatic but I enjoy the game and watching the fans was entertaining!  A block of German spectators, a little way off from us, got the Mexican Wave started a few times, singing songs and doing “magic fingers” towards the goal.  It must worked, considering Germany won a 4 – 0 victory against Australia.

We were lucky to have only a few Vuvuzela enthusiasts around us and even they did not blow their horns the whole game. For the first few minutes of the game I thought I would not need the earplugs I had hastily purchased the day before, however the constant drone and not the volume of the Vuvuzela eventually had me digging around for them!  The noise became so irritating,  it was as if  I had a swarm of bees buzzing around in my head.  Hubby also pointed out that it was a shame that we were unable to hear the songs being sung by the German and Aussie  supporters around us.

After the final whistle blew and the stadium was vibrant with the colours of the German flag, we slowly made our way back home, falling into bed well after midnight!

Ayoba Deutschland!  Ayoba!

* Tonight I will be changing my colours to those of Bafana Bafana as they play their second match against Uruguay.

My FIFA World Cup Check List! June 11, 2010

This morning at 6am, I woke up to the distant blare of a Vuvuzela but instead of feeling annoyed, I woke up feeling excited!  It had finally arrived!  The first day of the FIFA Soccer World Cup which has managed to excite even those who are not avid football fans.

My husband’s family is German and so our family, although proudly South African, have placed our feet in both camps.  Today we will watch the opening ceremony and cheer Bafana Bafana but on Sunday we will head out to watch Germany play against Australia at the new Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban!

My FIFA World Cup list is as follows: -

German Supporters shirt – check

Face Paint – check

Flag – check

Learn the words to the German National Anthem – check

Ear Plugs for Vuvuzela onslaught - double-check!

Let the countdown begin!

Flagtastic! June 7, 2010

I only really cry if something moves me on a deep emotional level, emphasis on deep. So the odd movie or book can move me to tears, however this morning it was a flag.

My country has brought me to tears many times due to crime, corruption and the poverty that exists in our society, but this morning I was moved to tears by national pride.

We, South Africa, are about to kick off the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup and although we can boast new stadiums, it is the people of South Africa, that have moved me.

For the first time, in many years, South Africans are uniting with national pride. Yes, we are supporting Bafana Bafana – our national football team, but most of all I think South Africans are proud to be South Africans and want the world to know it.

Driving my children to school this morning nearly every second car and taxi had a South African flag on it and houses have South African flags tied to their fences.

This morning I felt my eyes well up with tears, because today I am proudly South African and can only wish that we, as a country, can continue with this unity from 2010 and beyond.