One Last Thing Before I Go

We're heading back to Indonesia!!! Leaving October 13 to arrive there the 15th.

"So quick? I'm just getting adjusted." (Though, they say it will be months and years to process and adjust... Comforting, I suppose.)

But this trip has been in the making. I've been talking with Angela about doing health ed. classes for over a year now. A return trip for me to lead a team in October has been an ongoing conversation for 7 months now. As usual, it's not what I necessarily pictured, and yet it is...

Super exciting! But I guess that seems to be most of life.

Some R & R

I know, you're thinking, "Why do you need R&R if you're only working 4 part time jobs, one full time job and start grad school part time?!"  What can I say, I love doing - everything.  So, I'm taking the opportunity to go up to my parents' summer lodge.  Awesome!

So, I'm already ready for some R&R before it all kicks into full gear.  

Thus, Big Bear here we come!  There's nothing like watching old black and white movies in the lodge or looking out to see the pine trees and smelling their refreshment.  It's about a 2-hour drive up the mountains, and we'll be breathing in thin air.  And it's just around the corner from the old campsite of annual summer camp.

Some time at the pool.  Some good ol' board games.  Maybe some time by the lake.  We'll be back in a week.

What Do You Do Next?

After an Olympian has gone through all the training, sat through all of the interviews and has finished competing, what happens next? Where do you go from there? You've broken records, you've proven you're the greatest in the world, you gave it everything you had.

And then?

Momentum... Using momentum not to simply coast forward. Which might be easy to do with all of the endorsement offers... But use that momentum to push you toward more.

So, more. While I'm here, we're fundraising for the next trips: supplies for art projects, for school, for First-Aid kits, helping families provide for their kids, providing health education classes for moms, training moms to sew, and, of course, flights and food.

Ahhh Feeling Beautiful

After 5 hours at the salon with fun friends, an hour in a white
stretch limo, 2 hours getting dolled up in our formal dresses, and 7
hours of a wedding ceremony & celebration - dancing included, this is
what I came home to... If only we could all understand the art of
hair styling, the art of make-up, the art of simply feeling beautiful
- even if it's all just on the surface. Fun times, fun times. It's
so great to have people to celebrate with!

Perseverance, Endurance, Determination

Some days are harder than others.

Recent Additions

- a part-time job to "pay the bills" (until this full time job can sustain itself...)
- wireless internet to the current house.
- personal boundaries for my own sanity/needs.
- October trip to return to Indonesia.
- home art gallery: the next attempt to communicate about my trip.

Tonight, Tammy didn't even say hi before she enthusiastically said, "Welcome back!" She sat on the stairwell with a friend and in quick passing, shot a smile and one of the worlds best acknowledgments my way. Absolutely refreshing! The thing is, I met Tammy literally a couple weeks before I left for Indonesia. We had a quick conversation, and she asked me to paint. With that opportunity, I painted a confusing piece. (I've since tried to paint over it. Still in progress.) But it stirred up within me something that needed to be brought out. So, I began to paint in Indonesia.

Amazingly enough, that brings me to the art gallery. A series of paintings created during my time in Indonesia. Private openings by appointment only. (I'm already a stationery snob. Now just add to that - art snob.)

Hear the stories, see the artwork. Never thought this would be such a big deal, but it feels good. Haven't finished a painting of my own in the last 6 months. But we've gotten kids to get their hands 'dirty' - that's what matters.

In Honor of Dad Jimbo

When I was away from home for college, my roommate, Tanya, took me home for Thanksgiving weekends. My away-from-home parents were Jan and Jim. They always welcomed me in, and I felt at home. My away-from-home Dad Jimbo passed away.

I haven't visited them in 5 years, but that doesn't mean that they've been forgotten, nor that I haven't wanted to visit.

Tracey came with me to visit once. She remembers. I'm glad that at least she met him.

I suppose this Thanksgiving will be in L.A.

Thanks for the laughs and love. You will be missed.

Dragonflies in the Grass

When I went "Up the River" back in the Spring, I sat on the floor, in the middle of the room and began to paint. Kids and moms would soon gather around to watch. Their inquisitive eyes made me smile. I began to draw lines and would soon begin to fill them in with a sequence of colors. I asked a few of the kids if they would like to help. Younger ones were eager to help me choose colors and sometimes even grab the brush. Older kids would usually decline, saying that they "couldn't". I would have them choose the next color. And, handing over a paintbrush, would give them only 2 rules. 1) They had to repeat the color at least 3 times and in various areas of the page. 2) The spaces in which they colored could not touch another space with the same color. (My secret is out. Now you can all become artistic geniuses!) No doubt, I would run out of paint brushes. A few kids would be working on the same color and I could soon step back from the entire piece. Whether artist or not, each person would have their own interpretation of what the drawing meant. Mine was usually "wrong," compared to everyone else's. But hey! I get to title them here. In the end, we have one piece which I will call, "Dragonfly in the Grass" and a second I am calling, "A Glimpse of Heaven." And in my mind, at least one is upside down in this picture. Here's how they (title and work) came about: "Dragonfly in the Grass" After an afternoon of oral surgeries, translating post-op care instructions, and painting a couple rounds of greeting cards with kids, we had a sunset break. Jim went with some of the guys to "shower" in the river, a.k.a. cannon balls. A few others went to freshen up with baby wipes and change in the back room. Where, it's really only blocked off by a loose curtain; and the only light is the tiny penlight you took with you to get back there in the first place... A few of us were sitting on the porch, laughing, relaxing and preparing for the night ahead. I decided to get up and mingle with the kids, if even just to watch them pass by on the main street, a.k.a. sidewalk. A few of the kids asked where I was going and I'm sure I didn't have much of a response. A small circle of us gathered and I asked them, of the small group, who was the funniest, who was the smartest, etc. Soon, the conversation wore down and they wanted to play games. Which abruptly ended when one of the boys went chasing after a dragonfly about the size of my hand! It whirled and twirled as if it was mad. It flew into the middle of tall jungle grass, but he caught it! And of course, scared/disgusted the girls away. All the while, it was absolutely hilarious to us! So, as you can see, there is a mad Dragonfly in the Grass! I'll write more about "A Glimpse of Heaven" later. My cold would like me to take an intermission.

Simple Comforts

So the night I left Malang, I found an envelope on my dining table.
It was a letter from Ibu T. with a picture of Lina. I reread and
translated most of it this afternoon.

I've been sick for a week, so I did all of this from my bed. I'm
reminded of Lina and how I miss having her peek in as I "work" from
the comforts of my room.

She's started Kindergarten at Kidsland last month! As of when I
left, she didn't have school shoes, nor a school bag. With now 3
kids in school, it's a financial crunch for the family. Both mom and
dad are working and they take any extra jobs we can offer. They're
super friendly, so that just makes it easier.

I miss their company. The last time I saw Lina, I left her with
paper and asked her to draw for me. Jennifer brought over a stack of
my stuff, including the picture Lina left. It's got to be weird back
at that house now. But maybe since Lina's at Kidsland, she'll have
more creative stimulation packed into her day! Good thing I know the
teachers and leadership there are amazing! Afterall, I helped train
them. ahaha