I got my swim trunks, and my flippy floppies

I'm flippin' burgers, you at kinkos 

straight flippin' copies

Well, I am assuming that at some point while in Hawaii we will partake in some motor boa... err boat riding and burger flipping, if you will. To celebrate, well, many occasions, we're flying the coop just in time for some much needed vitamin D before the real chill of Fall (which segueing into Winter a bit too rapidly) arrives! 


Accompanying Chris, Lily and myself on this highly anticipated trip will be my amazing mother playing nanny of course. As well as my grandparents! My grandfather (the history fanatic) will play tour guide to Chris and me at the site of the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. My grandpa has a tendency towards lengthy tangents so the tour may occupy half of our ten day vacation but I suppose this may be considered a champagne problem as ten days anywhere with sun and endless sand beaches is win win.


One day in particular that I am looking forward to is our scheduled photo shoot with a great photographer we found online! Lily has proven herself a pretty photogenic girl. I feel like all children are, really. They're so innocent and pure and free of agenda.  They are unadulterated, running, jumping and wriggling balls of joy. I am excited to have someone with a talented and creative eye (and very nice camera) to capture the scenes that I am sure will play out on the beach (i.e Lily fighting us to run into the water, a la Ruthie Moore)! 

Here she is on a previous boat trip, attempting to free herself from Chris and swim. We're in trouble.

Also, if we can muster up the courage then we may find ourselves face to face with a shark! Chris and I have always joked about taking a shark cage tour but up until this point, it's been in jest. However, this trip offers us the chance to actually do it! I don't know, does pee attract sharks? More on that later.

Umm, sharks are able to leap out of water, yes?

This doesn't appear to be covered. Yikes. 

Maybe not so much. Lily needs her parents.

Anyhow, when we return sun-kissed and buzzing, don't be jealous because we'll be plummeting into a deep depression having to return from our days spent frolicking  on beaches and playing with dolphins. I kid, I kid. But in all seriousness, this is our honeymoon, one year anniversary and annual family trip we're finally taking! Hurray! The time will fly by much too quickly as it always does that's why we will be savoring every moment of it and counting our blessings. We will miss you all but will return hopefully, with one last bit of sun for this Fall!


Xoxo


P.S. We are flying with a toddler so think good thoughts and send them our way. I hope the flight attendants are of the patient, child friendly variety. 

Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!

Alright, maybe less of the exotic and more of the domesticated variety of beasts, but still, animals galore were seen at the Evergreen State Fair on Labor Day. The Olsen's took a little field trip (compliments of the other and better half of the Olver's, THANK YOU!) and explored America's finest; nausea inducing rides, 4-H and all the grease your body can cannot handle. And since Chris gets nauseous, I was cool and rode a few rides by myself-until a 12 year old kid took pity on me and sat by me. You cannot attend the fair and NOT partake in at least one ride!

We had so much fun enjoying one of the last nice weekends of the Summer and Lil' was a good sport, albeit a confused one,  watching me wave from the tops of rides.

Here's a list of friends that Lily made at the fair:

"Why won't they come see me, I thought they liked the sound of children banging on the fence?"

This guy. 

And this dude. Very cute.

There is no education like adversity

As I sit here, safe in my living room, blogging from the comfort of my couch, the realization that this is paradise, sinks in even further as I listen on KUOW 94.9 to an interview with a mother, Leah Chishugi. Her heart wrenching tale of survival and strength is inspiring. 


She lead a peaceful and privileged life until the fateful day when after the Rwandan president was assassinated, the Hutus mercilessly began slaughtering the Tutsis (Leah's ethnic group). She fled to Zaire with her 6 month old infant son. She was caught at different points and  beaten, tortured and left for dead. At one point, her son's infant cries for his mother brought her back to consciousness. She survived and finally made it to the safety of Zaire with her son but their experience has dramatically changed them into people who view the world differently.


This story and the many others similar to it, make me want to fall on my knees and thank God for the blessings he has given us. That I am able to live each day without fearing for my child's safety or my own is really a blessing because there are so many people in the world who do not share this luxury. It is painful to understand that in life people are dealt such radically different hands. Some are so lopsided and unfair. Caste systems. Genocide. Racism. Poverty. No one should be unloved, left uncared for and fearful of what others might do to him.


When I walk into Lily's beautiful nursery and look at all she has;  her closet full of clothes, shelves full of books and all the animals that join her in her soft and comforting crib, I send a prayer up to God   thanking him for providing us with these small things that make life more comfortable, but most importantly for keeping us safe, sound and healthy. I cannot imagine having to flee from Washington or the United States in order to stay alive. This is most likely a pain and suffering we will never endure. 


I feel frustrated by what I think that I'm unable to do in regards to the injustice around the world. But I also believe that one way to eliminate ignorance and cruelty is to tell each other our stories. Stories of love, hope and survival. This blog sounds a bit cheesy and preachy and that is not my intention. I heard another mother's story and it inspired me to pass it on. Each mother has challenges and great stories from the battlefield, literally and figuratively. I saw some inspiring words to keep in mind on those days that prove more trying than others: