It's About Time

Coming up for air.
I know.
It's been a very long time since I last updated my blog...and Ezra's blog too. All I can say is that I guess I just needed to breathe. and keep getting up everyday. and figuring stuff out.
I can't say I've got it all figured out yet. I sure don't. But I felt the urge to write today. and post some pictures. So I figured I would get right on that-- since I have ignored it so many times over the last 7 months.

So lately I have really been missing my grandpa.

Everytime I hear a little airplane flying overhead I think of him. I think he is flying by saying hi. saying "hang in there kiddo." I don't care if that is true or not...I just choose to believe it. and it makes me feel good. and if he were alive i know he would be saying hang in there kiddo. i know that because he said it to me many times.

The picture below is of me and ez number 2. I am wearing one of the few things I inherited from my grandpa after he died. The hat says "Lopez-- The friendly Isle." This hat is so cool for several reasons.
#1--It's a goofy hat. my grandpa wore goofy hats. he never curved the bill so they were always straight and square across the top, and not fitted to his head so he looked funny in them. They always said random stuff on them too from all the places he had been, or had like handprints on them because they were gifts from one of his grandkids, or came from some store he bought some item at like a boat store or something. The same was true about his t-shirts.
He should really have had a matching shirt and hat combination that said "I heart Costco" on it because he loved Costco. Seriously, I think he loved Costco more than life itself.
So anyway the brim on my hat is still square and it's made out of green courdoury. And it says LOPEZ on it. Which is my favorite place in the whole world-- and it really is friendly there-- everybody waves, even when they are driving. If you don't wave you are obviously not a local and I love thinking of my grandpa driving around on the island in his little honda brushing his teeth and doing the slight raise of the hand over the steering wheel as we passed another driver to acknowledge them...honoring the tradition on the friendly isle.
And the other cool thing #3-- is that the word LOPEZ ends in EZ. which is what I call my son. and the short version of my grandpa's name.
I heart my green hat.
It doesn't fit in in my bedroom at all. but it's hanging on my bedpost at all times unless I am really missing him... and then i put it on my own head for awhile.
Ezra turned one. And he tried to share his cupcake with me. Sweet kid.

We have been trying to get out in the great outdoors as much as possible this summer.
My mom took us to the lavendar festival this summer. It was fabulous.Ezra has become quite proficient with his feet. he uses them like hands a lot. And he is obsessed with cell phones ( I won't spell it out but there is some huge irony to that...)

And I liked this picture of me. I actually felt pretty for a few minutes. It's been a long time since I felt pretty. (Thanks MerriLyn and Victoria).

Ok then. I came up for some air. i took a swig. i may be going back down under for awhile-- I may be back up soon. I can't promise anything becasue I really don't know. I'm going through a huge personal revolution right now.

so watch out.

p.s. if this post seems crazy to you and you don't get it-- I apologize-- but really, it's a sign of good growth for me.

Peaceful Warrior

Christmas this year--came in several doses and it happened early.

In September my mom took us to Seattle and Lopez Island, most definitely one of my favorite places to visit in the whole world.

Then, in mid December I got to go to Phoenix with Susan and Crit and the munchkins. It was superb! Hanging out with the BFF, eating midnight pizza, skirts and sandals, fireworks, skinny dipping in Lake Saguaro in December? Yep that's right-- it's true. I still haven't given it up. I dare say I never will. I'll be skinny dipping when I'm 80 years old!

On the way home from Arizona I was a bit sad... and that's when Christmas really happened this year. My dad was there waiting for me and Ezra when we got off the plane. We collected our bag and as we were heading out of the airport my dad pointed out three travellers sitting by the payphone with all their bags. My dad said offhandedly "I think they might be stranded" and without hesitating I walked over to them (mind you Ezra is in the backpack so I'm figuring they will feel less intimidated by a braided hair chick with a kid on her back) and asked them if they needed help. It turned out they had each come from different parts of Central and South America and were on their way to Sun Valley to work at the resorts for the winter, but their shuttle had never come for them so they were stuck in Boise in the terribly stormy weather at 10:00 at night. And the Boise airport is not exactly hoppin at 10 at night so there was no food or anything. Anyway they were waiting for a call to see if the lodge might send someone for them (three hours away). I told them if they needed a place to stay they could come to our place. They said they had to wait 20 or 30 minutes for their call to see what would happen. I gave them my number to call if they ended up stuck and we left. I told my dad I wanted to get them some food and bring it back to them so we went and got them a pizza. When we got back to give it to them they were so shocked. They were like "Why are you helping us?"

Well...why? How many times have I been stuck, stranded, or in need of a miracle? I can't number them. But I can say I totally KNEW the look I saw in their eyes. I knew how they felt. And I wanted to help, for all the times somebody has helped me.

So... they got a tour of the exciting farmland between Boise and Nampa on VERY snowy streets, and they got some dinner. They got warm beds and showers, they got a local bacon, eggs, and fried potatoes breakfast, a lunch bag to go, and a ride back to the airport the next day. Thanks to my dad for going along with how I wanted to help. :) He is such a good sport.

It was the boost I needed to get me back into being home. And now we have three new friends. :)

That's Christmas. If you ask me. And I don't mind that it came a little early this year.

Leandro (from Argentina), Manuela (from Brazil) and Luis (from Peru)Making Breakfast for the crew-- (and yes that is spit up on my arm, its part of my wardrobe now).

So now go watch the movie called Peaceful Warrior. It's a bit odd, BUT here's the point I got from it, which has been stewing in me this last year: In everything you do whether it be pumping gas, making a bed or a lunch, or competing in the Olympics...do it with your heart. Do the little things that no one else may ever see or know about with as much attention and care as you would do the things that seem grand and "important" and noticeable-- and do them all with love.

That is what this world needs.