Birth Announcement

I’m very happy to announce the birth of a baby boy.  He hasn’t been named yet because he’s very young.  Born to my friend and next door neighbor, the baby is handsome and doing well.  He was born just after midnight and back home a few hours later. 

His mother, who’s in her 40’s and has 7 other children, is not only doing well, she was working at the family store the same morning she gave birth, when not proudly welcoming family and friends to see the new addition to the family.  She couldn’t stop beaming.   

The night before,  I asked how she was feeling as she cooked fried chicken over an open fire.  She said she felt well.  If I’d been up all night giving birth I’d be in bed, complaining about all the stuff that hurt. 

Samoan women are very strong.