Because sometimes songs can say it better…

This is my rewritten version of Phil Vassar’s song, “Just another day in Paradise.”

Lucia’s screaming, my ears ringing
Benny’s laughing at the Sibussa cleaning
his rice mess – on the floor
Who’s that? Someone’s at the door.

Got a half hour, forget my shower
Take some cereal but the soy milk’s sour
Shashie’s giggle makes me laugh
Welile asks, “Can I have that?”
There goes the laundry in the rain
Sebe, don’t run away
Ayanda, don’t hide the pain
You’ll find hope in greater things

Well, it’s ok. Beans and rice.
It’s just another day in paradise
This is where I’m meant to be
Well, it’s God’s heart
And my dream
I wouldn’t trade it for anything
So I ask the Lord every night
To see this life as paradise

Sindi, you’re late
Nomvula’s pouting at the gate

At dinner time, I nearly cry
It’s intestines, please improvise
Well, plan B looks like
KFC in the late night
Then we’ll watch a movie on the laptop
Angel’s snoring has to stop
But now it’s time for all to go to sleep
“Mama Katie,
Please don’t make me”
So we turn it to a dancing scene

Well, it’s ok. Beans and rice.
It’s just another day in paradise
This is where I’m meant to be
Well, it’s God’s heart
And my dream
I wouldn’t trade it for anything
So I ask the Lord every night
To see this life as paradise


This is my rewritten version of Lonestar’s “Front Porch Looking In”

The only ground I ever owned is the red dirt on my shoes
Now I look at my front porch of this house in white and blue
I could sit and sweat from head to toe from this Swazi oven-sun
or watch the moon be our spotlight of a late night KFC run
the mountains dance in front of me, my heart skips for Swaziland
I’ll never beat the view
from my front porch lookin’ in
[chorus]

There’s a chocolate drop who can already talk with a sippy cup from Mrs. Hill
a little brown-eyed cutie who shakes her booty cuz she thinks she’s one of the girls
and the most beautiful moments holding both of them
oh the view I love the most, is my front porch looking in.

I moved here from Midwest air
I gave up my job
but I’ve been blessed with a graceful mess
held in the hands of God
The mountains and the rocky times make joy hard to see
but I can’t wait to get back home to the children He gave to me
cuz anytime I’m not fine, someone makes me laugh again
nothin’ takes my breath away like my front porch lookin’ in

[chorus]