MEETING THE PARENTS: PART ONE

Seriously y’all When did I grow so up??!!! I’m not supposed to be anywhere near TWENTY FIVE!! I’m supposed to be the naive eighteen year old who just joined campus :( The 20 year old being crowned on university runways :(

What is this called? Early Life Crisis?

DK and I went to see the premier of LUCY last week and Morgan Freeman kept saying that the only thing that’s constant in life is TIME. Well, clearly he didn’t mean it so literally after all.

As I was straightening my hair getting ready for church last Sunday, I faced one of my greatest fears. A strand. A grey strand. On my head. My poor little ‘young’ head (please panic with me) because how disrespectful can they get? I firmly pressed it between my thumb and index finger, pulled it out and threw it out though the window. To definitely warn the rest of them.

No, scientifically speaking, is that even acceptable? Do twenty something year olds grow WHITE HAIR or is this a cruel reminder that I was a school going child when my mother was my age?

And Yes! (One of my friends starts his announcements with this inappropriate conjunction, so I’ll find out how it feels to be him in this post)

So And Yes! In the spirit of growing old, (breathers out audibly) I did something last weekend that I consider the most mature activity of my whole life.

I INTRODUCED DK’s PARENTS TO MY PARENTS.

Oh yes I did!!! Our fathers firmly shook hands, our mothers hugged, DK and I uhhm…proudly stared :)

And Yes! as traditions would have it, DK’s parents performed in accordance with our Meru customs and norms that constitute a customary marriage process.

They brought the first element that ties both families together, locally known as Gitundu which declares the intention to marry by the boy’s family.

In our tradition, this is symbolized by a bouquet of Khat, commonly referred to as Miraa and customarily, this is the legendary 'going on one knee' proposal. If I say yes, I’m then expected to pull out a stick from the bunch as confirmation that indeed I’ve agreed to DK’s request for a hand in marriage.

That rested, the older community elders called Njuri Ncheke held a separate meeting and this is where I was valued. My life's worth was calculated in livestock; cows and goats. lol well technically but this is the dowry.

It is a vital element of marriage among many African cultures and is paid before a church wedding is held.

As the dowry negotiations were ongoing, mum’s lady friends were dancing while my friends were all over the compound doing photo shoots which at the time looked fun but going through the pictures now, I have no idea what my mother in law thinks of my friends, "tell me your friends and I'll tell you who you are" not withstanding.

This is the best I could get for individual portraits:

Anne:

Jeydee:

Eve:

 Risper:

Rita:

Maqenna:

 Judy:

Rita's adorable upcoming photographer son, Ryan:

Who is at the age where it's no longer acceptable for his mother to be kissing him on the lips in front of girls:

But we had an amazing time, our parents gave touching speeches about us and I am forever grateful.

To my family for all their love, support and guidance throughout my life and for welcoming DK and his family into ours with open arms.