The Best Daddy in the World

(the pictures are a little fuzzy in this post, one of the settings on my camera changed and I didn't realize it until it was too late.....I need to play with my camera more.)

As far as Daddys go - Mary has a really, really good one. I have a good one too, so I should know. Brian works so hard, so I wanted to do something special and unexpected for Father's Day.

Brian has wanted a ukulele for sometime. When we were on our honeymoon, he kept looking at them in all the stores. A few months ago, my brother-in-law got one. I told Brian and I saw his expression sink...he wanted one too. Brian's birthday is next month, so I dropped some hints that he would get a big gift then - but I decided he needed it earlier. I found a pretty, concert-size, curly koa ukulele online - I couldn't wait!

But I can't just give a gift - we had to do something special. So after the boat ride at my parents Mary gave him a card and this is what it said

Happy Father's Day #2

And here is what you get to do

A hunt for a gift, so keep steady

But first we have to get you ready

Go to the room where you and mommy snooze

When sleeping under Marmee and Grampy's roof



(His Favorite Hawaiian Shirt in the bedroom upstairs)

The shirt that you wore the night before

You and mommy created wedding lore

Now put it on and look spiffy

We'll get to the rest in a jiffy

Go to the room that once was mommy's

And now I sleep in my pajammy's

(Kukui necklace in my old room)

Kukui nuts are only meant for

A special occasion that's not a bore

Don these pretty nuts with a kiss

For the rest of the clues you don't want to miss

Go down, down to the place where Marmee stores

More wine, beer and crackers galores

(His palm hat in the basement)

A palm hat! A palm hat! Now do not hate

Put it on your head, you look great

Now your look is coming together

Like a Hawaiian bird of a feather

Find yourself in the room for cooking meals

And look in the box made of stainless steel



(His cocktail in the 'fridge)

Ahhhh! A rum and Coke

I feel I have your attention and now you awoke

But, as good as this is, it's not the end

Your journey has one more stop to tend

Out, out to the vehicle made of wood

Oh! I can't wait! This is getting good



(THE Surprise out in the garage by the Woody)

Surprise! Surprise! It's your very own Uke

No, seriously, it's real - this is no fluke

Now learn, learn to play so sweet

And we will dance and keep the beat

Step, step and hula hands

Love, your 'ohana - Your biggest fans

Love, Mary and Mommy



The Wee Small Hours of the Morning...

There are a lot of cool things about being a grown up. Things like, if you want to eat ice cream for breakfast, you can. But then there are aspects in my grown-up life that others may not experience...I'm a worrier.

To me, the dumbest thing can seem monumental and it usually occurs about 3am. I lie awake and just think about whatever it is. Then I argue with myself that there is NOTHING I can do about it now at 2-3-4am, so, Please, just go to sleep. Sleep usually comes about 4:30 or 5am and then my alarm goes off at 6.

I remember the week before our wedding lying in bed worrying about how my bouquet was going to get from the club (where they were being delivered) to the hotel (where we were getting ready and having pictures taken)...I know, dumb.

Since Mary came to our family, since we moved, the 3am worris have been a little bigger issues. I want to provide for my family, I want mary to have everything, i want my home to be maintained and cared for. I realize there are much bigger problems in other families. I know we are lucky to have our health and a roof over our heads, however leaky. Still, many times, I get up and sit in my quiet, dark living room and say a little prayer.

And last week it happen (so I have been praying even more thanks this week) - I got a new job. An opportunity that fits my experience, my skills, and compensates me enough so Brian can stay home with Mary. I truly feel like I worked so hard for so long and I am finally getting what I deserve - Yay me :). it will still be tight around our little house, coupons will aways be clipped - but we won't have to dip into savings to live.

Last night the only thing that woke me up was a girl walking by my house at 11:30pm complaining about her boyfriend. The next time I woke up was 5am.

So are the worries over? Never, it's just the way I'm wired. Next week, it may be something else keeping me up, but for now, i want to celebrate a fantastic opportunity. I'm so excited and proud of myself. I can do hard things.

And now the work begins :)

My Crew

This was my crew in 2007 at the Santa Barbara State Championship Sprint Races.

That's me in seat 2. Nadean in 1, Sheryl in 3, Mary Claire in 4, Lyz in 5 and Alex in 6 - I remember this race like it was yesterday. We were in the B-Finals (vs. the A-Finals where all the fastest crews were), but we were in the top of the B-Finals. We got Second Place by a nose - It was the first award I won in this sport. This was also the day that Brian bought me a necklace and hid it in my back pack for me to find while he was out racing - I still wear this necklace almost daily - in fact, I have it on as I type this. I went on to win other medals and just plain have fantastic races with most of these women.

There is something about being in a canoe, it's a meditation. Add to that the competition and the way it draws 6 people in one boat even closer.

I stopped paddling in 2009 when I was planning my wedding, but I was still close to the padding community. In 2010, I was pregnant. In 2011, I had Mary and we were moving...It's been 3 years since I have been in a canoe and I really miss it somedays.

Brian is paddling with a new crew in Chicago and it sounds like a fantastic group. He came back from one of the first meetings to say "There are women that want to go out and they need a steersperson...." Oh really...and I just happen to know how to steer. Tempting.

But...no....this is my crew today.

Mary is Seat 1 leading the pace. Brian and I take turns steering in seat 6. Together we keep on track. To me, there is no canoe that is worth the hours it would take me away from Mary. The exhiliaration of a race day is no comparison to the daily excitement seeing the development of this little girl.

I will come back to it someday. But not now.