GGG – Day 10 – Favorite Treasure

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“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
― Anonymous, Holy Bible: King James Version

Gratitude Gift Giving – Day 10 – What is your favorite treasure? What do you treasure?

First, let me say thank you for being here, following and reading along with me as we think about what we’re thankful for and why. Whether you’re thinking about what you’re thankful for or sharing your ideas here with me and/or with others, we’re changing the conversation. We are being the change we want to see in the world by talking about and thinking about all that is good in our lives. We have so much to be thankful for despite all the circumstances and events that might prove otherwise. Keep up the passion and sharing and thinking good thoughts. Because what we think, we become. Keep being great.

So today’s gift is to think about what you treasure. What are things that you look at or touch and feel that make you happy? And why does your treasure evoke positive feelings?

I have a treasure chest. It’s a real, treasure box that Jeff and I bought in Marin at an antique shop years ago before we had kids. I wanted a treasure box to store mementos from our lives as we started to build our family. I think it may have been an Indonesian wedding chest, that would have been used to store linens or treasures, but I haven’t really done any research on it and instead just use my imagination to make it what I want it to be.

I wanted a treasure chest to store little mementos and love notes from Jeff and the kids . My intention was to keep filling it with memories without looking back until some time in the future. I don’t think I’ve actually gone back and looked yet, although I know little hands have been found digging around in there as evidenced by what is stacked on top as I opened it to take a picture tonight. Someday I will enjoy going back in time and looking back and remembering the love we’ve shared and experienced together over the years. This is my treasure. My family and my treasure box that reminds me of all that is good.

27Oct2013

Peace

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Tonight I wish you peace, love, and fuzzy, cozy pajamas!! Don’t you wish you had some just like these?? It was very cold here today and I think winter is in the air. It’s been a long day of parenting, teaching and patience. I’m exhausted…just keeping it real. How was your weekend?

I hope you all have a good night and a wonderful new week. We’re excited for Halloween on Thursday and have lots to do to get ready!! xo

22Oct2013

Not Busy and the SLO Life

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I’m living the SLO Life… that’s my new motto… to slow down and not be so busy.

I used to live in SLO town – San Luis Obispo, California and it truly felt like that. There weren’t any drive through restaurants. They wanted people to not be in such a hurry. Stores closed early and it was a sleepy college town. On Thursdays, the downtown turned into a Farmers Market and the students and families and townspeople would gather and stroll and visit and socialize. It was so much fun. There was a sense of calm to the city that I love and miss.

But I’m bringing the feeling back to Sunnyvale. I’m living the SLO life and slowing down, if that’s even possible. I just don’t want to be busy just to be busy. I don’t want to be bored and I also don’t want to be running around from task to task, responsibility to responsibility, from practice to practice, from meeting to meeting. It’s kinda like the feeling you get with clutter, where you need to free some open space because every nook and cranny is stuffed… that’s how I feel with life. I need some more open minutes to breathe and rest and to have more meaningful time without the rush.

I’m still busy and don’t think I can ever sit really still, but I’m slowing down my way, by not trying to do 101 things at once. For example, today I went to yoga and then to the Asian market to gather special ingredients to cook some new Thai dishes that I’ve never made before. I wanted to learn something new and make Rad Na, a dish that my kids love. I wanted to spoil them and make a family meal.

This brings me joy. That was it. That was all I really had to do today. I cooked a couple new dishes and cleaned up all the mess. I had a list that had several other items on it, but nothing else was really a priority.

By having open space on my calendar and by being home, I had time to talk with my mom on the phone for an hour. I wasn’t busy. I could cook and wash dishes and chat. It was an unexpected gift.

This afternoon when I picked the kids up from school, the house was orderly and I had time to sit and listen about their day. I was able to help Charlie focus on his homework and sit next to him and read. When he was tired and feeling sick and not wanting to go to soccer practice, I let him be. And we sat longer on the couch and read and snuggled. Because he said I liked doing that. I wasn’t busy. I wasn’t rushed. I wasn’t pushing him. And the space created peace and rest.

Juliana and I had time to work together on a project because dinner was already prepared and no one else needed anything. I didn’t have to say no, I’m busy. I got to proactively say yes. I got to be present and helpful and had unexpected time shared with my daughter.

I chose to skip my meeting tonight because there were too many conflicts. It was hard to say no and to cancel, but it was what was best for my family tonight. And because there was no conflict, we all got to sit down to a candle lit dinner and enjoy hearing about Juliana’s trip, Christian’s cross country meet, and Charlie’s math songs. Tonight there was time to focus on the important things in life. We did it. We created it and made it our own. Living the SLO life… today until tomorrow?!?

Namaste.

14Sep2013

Wedding on a Golf Course

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California is such a big place. Yesterday we were celebrating a wedding on the beach in Santa Cruz and today we drove 3 hours to Auburn, to celebrate another family union on a beautiful golf course under a huge, old, oak tree.

I loved seeing more of my cousins and my aunts tonight and being a witness to love. I am a big sap and love wedding vows and all they stand for. I love that family and friends came together to be part of something wonderful.

The wedding ceremony was one of the shortest I’ve heard in a long time. Short but sweet.

We went inside the reception hall and had drinks and fruit while we waited for the wedding party to take pictures. The DJ announced the wedding party as they came in the hall and everyone cheered for them. Then a dinner buffet was served and table by table was excused to go through the dinner line to fill their plates with BBQ chicken, beef, corn on the cobb, pasta, Caesar salad and rolls.

Toasts were shared by the wedding party, honoring their relationships with the bride and groom. Next came the first dance and honorary dances with loved ones that made me cry.

In between we snuck away to take pictures in the photo booth.

Feels like we just did this!! Oh yeah, we did! But fun, nevertheless.

Cake was served and more dancing fun happened. And then it was time for hugs and goodbyes and dreams of getting together again sooner than later.

Another full day is done. I’d say it was a good one!

Namaste.

13Sep2013

Wedding on the Beach

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We celebrated a family wedding tonight on the beach in Santa Cruz. It was really nice to see some of my aunts and uncles and cousins, as well as my parents. Plus, I had the added bonus of a date night. Tonight was one of those perks of repatriation and being back home again. I don’t have to miss out on family events and that feels really good.

I liked hearing the wedding vows and watching two people in love. I liked hearing the waves crash on the beach and hearing the seagulls and sea lions roaring.

Dancing with my family was a highlight of the evening. I also especially loved the photo booth and being silly. Those things just make me laugh and I kept finding different people to take pictures with me.

Congratulations to Denice and Jeff!

Life is beautiful.

10Sep2013

Families Living Together

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My parents have been staying with us for 11 days and will be with us for another week. They live 6 hours away from us, and so having them with us for an extended period of time is a gift, and a dance. I call it a dance, because we are learning how to all fit into place and to take care of each other and ourselves while we spend this extended quality time together, while not stepping on each others’ toes.

My mama is so helpful and wants to take care of us. She helps me clean my house, cooks dinner, makes coffee for us to share in the middle of the day, volunteers with me at school, loves on my kids and keeps me company. She also keeps the laundry flowing and put away, and I’m sure I’m forgetting 103 other things. Oh and did I mention she helped me unpack and sort and organize our 73 boxes from Holland?

My pops finds house projects to do to help us out and to keep busy. Our screen door that kept falling off the tracks now glides so easily thanks to some candle wax and a clean track. The sliding door is now easy to slide open too. The workbench has been cleared off and all tool related stuff has been organized too. Today my dad built me a paddle board cart so I can easily carry my board from my car to the water without having to carry them over my shoulder.

He helps my kids with their math homework and is teaching them discipline, helping to raise them to be responsible and intelligent. It takes a village. He also walks Charlie to school and has dropped off and picked up the other two too. He also helps with the dishes after dinner, and washed my dirty car. Tomorrow he is going to take Charlie to his soccer practice and the kids out to dinner, while my mom and I go to a meeting. How lucky am I?

I am thankful they are here and that they are able to share their love and gifts with us. It makes me aware how important family is and how so many of us, especially as Expats or living in Silicon Valley, are not living closely to our extended family. We miss out on this family connection and village support that helps us to raise our kids and share our lives and learn and grow together. I don’t think there is a real substitute for this, especially when your family is functional. I am going to miss them when they leave. But for now I’m going to sit and enjoy them a little longer.

Hugs and thanks mom and dad, for sharing your lives, time and love with us!

16Jul2013

Best Part of Being an Expat

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Some people have asked me what the best part of living overseas was. There are several experiences we enjoyed. We traveled to new and exotic places. We learned a new language. We immersed ourselves in Dutch culture. We made wonderful new friends and embraced daily life together.

I think that was the best part for me… just sharing time together as a family. We have always been quite involved in each others’ lives. But being in a new country had us depending on one another more than usual. Everything was new and we were sharing these new experiences together.

I have to say the best part of living in the Netherlands was the quality family time we had. I don’t quite know how to describe it, but it was different than the family time we shared at home. There were less distractions. We did a lot as a family unit, and most nights we shared a prayer, conversation and a family dinner. This was priceless to me and something that was more difficult to share back in the States with longer commute times, more hectic sports schedules, harder homework, and more volunteer commitments. Seeing my kids together now back home, I can feel and see the bond between them that we created overseas. I hope it lasts!

Can’t wait for Jeff to get home and join us. The movers came last week and the house cleaner is finishing up tomorrow. A few more steps before he journeys back to us and life can resume as “normal”, whatever that may be as a family.

Saying goodbye to the Aunties and cousins, Hartley style!

Playing in the pool together, not wanting to go home… I love it!!

Life is good! Live it up.

15Jul2013

Traditions of Goodbye

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My parents left today. We have a tradition of running down the street and following the car, as they drive away. We stop at the corner and yell, “Thank God!!” It’s an expression of relief, like they’re finally leaving, as well as a thanks for the visit and have a safe journey until we meet again. It’s also a way to not cry as we say goodbye, by making a joke of it. It’s kinda silly, but we all love it and do it every time.

Goodbye, Mama and Pops!

Running with the bulls

Thank God!!!

Thank you for being here to welcome us home Mama and Pops and for spoiling us. I’m so glad you were here and we’ll miss you!! Safe travels. xo

13Jul2013

Being Loved

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Being loved is the best feeling. Period. There is nothing better. Nothing.

This post is a bit personal, but aren’t most? We’re still resettling and it’s the honeymoon stage, and I’m loving all the attention being showered on my family. Thank you for all your shared calls, emails, texts and love and visits.

My parents drove up to my house to prepare for our arrival this week, as I’ve already mentioned. Seeing my kids love on them and tell them how much they’ve missed them and love them, is so nice to see and hear. The love dance is swirling through my house in little moments and details and it fills my soul. For example, I loved just watching Charlie work with my dad on fix-it projects around the house.

My friend Julie had coffee and snacks waiting for us this morning at her house. The kids played while the women chatted and sat and enjoyed her beautifully remodeled house and sunshine out on her patio. I’ve missed days like today and am so happy to be back and in her kitchen again…the best part of the home!

Tracy came by with her kids on bikes and asked if Charlie wanted to go to her house and play. Of course, he gladly went off and had a great time with his friends, riding his bike with them. Thank you, Tracy!

Julie and her kids stopped by with my favorite artichoke dip and stayed to chat for awhile before we headed to the pool.

Our swim club has a Friday night potluck BBQ that we all enjoyed with April and her family. I learned to play Bocce ball with the little ones and made some new friends while playing. Mom and dad joined us too, and it was great to sit outside and NOT have to cook or clean!!

Marilynne stopped by and dropped off a dinner for us. She’s been making a new Japanese curry and told me about it and I had mentioned I wanted to try it sometime. There she was with a delivery on my porch! Thank you ML! You spoiled us and it was quite delicious!

And the best part of my day was when my sisters and nieces arrived from Thousand Oaks. They drove 6 hours to come and see us and met us at the swim club. We went out to the parking lot to greet them and couldn’t stop hugging! It’s been almost a year, you know! Way too long for me! I’m thankful they drove the distance to be with us.

Reunited and it feels so good!

I am loved and I am thankful! Love y’all!

30Jun2013

Day 340: Family + Sun + BBQ = Life is Good

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The sun was shining and it was so gorgeous out today in London. Nate and Becky have this fabulous roof deck and we sat outside nearly all day and soaked it all in. Her family came to join us and we all enjoyed being together.

Becky is an amazing hostess and planned and organised a wonderful BBQ for us. I loved watching Juliana work with her auntie, cutting fruit to make a fruit salad and slicing the bread and making a tomato and basil salad. Seeing them work together made me aware how grown up my little girl is becoming, and watching them bond together reminded me of the importance of family and how much I miss them.

There was so much food and everyone was so content just being outside, that it was a double BBQ kinda day. Jeff and Nate grilled twice and we never wanted to go in. We celebrated CJs birthday and Ant and Emma’s anniversary and Nate and Becky’s new place. Some people went for a walk around the marina and others went to the local pubs for a few pints, and Charlie fought his fever again all day. All in all it was a wonderful day of togetherness. I am thankful.