One of the most shocking things about young Mary's past is that after her parents died, in order to eat, she had to work around the village-- her payment being scraps of food from her 'employers.'
When she moved in with us a few years back, she definitely had food issues. She'd sneak in the kitchen and take food and hide it in odd places.
Fortunately, time in a stable environment has healed that wound, and she no long hides food, but being a very fast grower as well as her past issue, she loves food and will eat it and still feel hungry no matter how large the portions. We allow the kids to take seconds and thirds, but Mary can eat like she might not have food tomorrow. So there are many times I have to restrict how many times she can take from the serving pots so that others can have some, too!
With that said, today was her 14th birthday. I wanted to give her no restrictions on food. I took her out to a place in town where we ordered, cabbage, kale, beans, rice, lentils, pico, chapati, ugali, grilled meat, boiled plantains, and there was so much food, I stopped early in the game.
Mary ate and ate and ate... and then for supper, we grilled ribs, had cabbage, kale, spanish rice, smokies, and even more food... until.... she threw up.
Birthday cake was still consumed by Mary afterwards, but I have to admit, she grimaced through it. <Giggle>
Still, I feel like today was a mission accomplished. My gift to Mary, apart from spending one on one time with her the entire day shopping at the used clothes venders on the streets, was to let her not have any limits in the food department. Let her be FREE.
She had a great time. And she has a tummy ache trophy to prove it. And I'm so happy we were able to give her FOOD.
Happy birthday to my sweet Mary.
*FYI, this was her second birthday party ever.
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