Lucky in Love and Lucky in Life

We had a great weekend full of family fun which is kinda typical in our household so what's so news worthy to be writing it on the blog?

I met GREG MORTENSEN!

He is the author I mentioned in a previous post holding audience in Vancouver to which I was unable to attend due to a sold out situation. Saturday Ricardo called me to inform me Mr. Mortensen would be signing his books at Kids Books just down the street from our house. So I eagerly waited until the designated time and husband, baby and book in hand swooped open the door to the store only to see the biggest line up of my life. Hmmmm at least it was the evening and Reid was asleep in his car seat, hopefully he'd stay that way. We waited an hour and a half, it was 9:30pm and little man in the carseat was begining to fuss a bit. Then this young beautiful woman comes by and asks about our baby and says "Greg would want you to come up to the front right away so you can get this little guy home to bed." Ricardo and I look at each other uncomfortably. It's this well known feeling I get in my stomach, impossible to describe, I don't like cutting in line. Eventually she talks us into it and we shuffle up to the front of the line looking very sheepishly at the rest of the waiting fans. But now we're tongue tied. We shake hands but barely get two audible words out..."Reid"...."3 months"..."He likes your book."

Mr Mortensen signs our son's book, "Reid you inspire us with your joy." I love it! It's so true. Then he asked our names and signs a copy of his new book for Ricardo and I. This may be a bit of book Karma as we had given away our copy of Three Cups of Tea, but now have a signed copy of Stones into Schools to devour.

So my geeky need to have sign treasures of literature has now been bestowed upon my son. Maybe one day he'll thank me, but I'm not holding my breath.

Life lessons learned: don't give up hope and when you get your chance grab it!

My house

I am a mother. I have been a mother for almost three months now. It has changed my life, as countless people told me it would, but in a way I understand well. Right now I am watching my son stretch in his sleep he is lying on the floor Diesel, my dog, is lying next to him and I am wondering what will happen next? Will he wake up, cry for a feeding or just relax back into his easy slumber? This is the change I understand, the unknown, the responding, another person's behavior impacting the direction of the day. I am a flexible person, adaptable, I like constant change, but I also like the comforts of stability.

He's woken now a wriggling machine.

Inspiration

I've been very excited to know Greg Mortenson author of Three Cups of Tea is coming to Vancouver for a public speaking engagement open to the public. Very, very excited; practically told everyone and anyone who would listen. I read his book on a recent road trip from Canada to Chile with my husband and after I read it I forced my husband to read it and eventually I handed it off to a guy who owned a little surf camp in Nicaragua. I hoped it would inspire him to give back in a meaningful way to the community in which his Canadian born butt was taking advantage of. Not just superficially but really find a connection to his new fellow villagers.

To my utter delight this winter 2 months after my first child was born and right before Christmas I was browsing the book shelves of our local kids book store and found Three Cups of Tea had been adapted to a children's book as well called Listen to the Wind. How could I resist, so off to the cashier I bolted blissfully thinking about the first time I would read it to my son. He would be educated and read to just like the children of Korphe are now educated and can read. In my blissed out state I was standing in front of the cashier waiting to carry my precious package home when I looked up to see a gigantic photo of a man. He looked familiar but I couldn't remember where so I continued to chat to the clerk and pull out my change. Suddenly the connection sparked in my brain. The gigantic photo on the back wall was the same photo on the back cover of the book. Greg Mortenson was coming to MY town.....I could meet this Nobel Peace Prize nominee.....I could ask him to sign my son's book.....wow!

January 15th, 2010 Greg Mortenson will be holding 3 public speaking engagements in Vancouver and I will be attending none. SOLD OUT!!!! SOLD OUT!!!! SOLD OUT!!!!

But check out these links and let Mr Mortenson inspire and awe you:

www.ikat.org 
www.threecupsoftea.com
www.penniesforpeace.org 
 www.stonesintoschools.com

Looking out into the grey

I need color in my world. Colorful characters, food, drink, clothing, etc. It seems to me my mood is directly related to how colorful my day is and today is a bit of a grey day outside so I put on a bright green top and a pair of blue jeans and instantly the world is just a bit brighter. I reflected on this a bit and thought about the black suit world of politics. Do politicians need more color in their lives? I think so, but then again if the Prime Minister showed up in a purple suit to Parliment we'd all think he was a bit wacky. I mean Don Cherry really is a bit wacky and check out his suits. Maybe just a happy balance like a black suit with a sky blue tie or something.