Low Talking

Today I am spending time thinking about how lucky I am. The itunes on the laptop are playing “Panini Pua Kea” by Cyril Pahinui, who I met in Maui. The living room is clean, the couch is cozy and it’s a nice 68 degrees. I am so blessed. It feels so good to take the time out from my busy life to feel the energy of being blessed.
I was sick last week. There were a few days when I couldn’t speak. Maybe I had laryngitis. I could only whisper. I couldn’t swallow. My thought hurt so badly. At first I thought I had an allergy. Then one night I couldn’t sleep. I drifted from dream to dream with the awareness that I was awake. The next day I told Mark I had a cold. I haven’t had a cold for ages.
I stayed in bed. I couldn’t talk, so I just tried to sleep. Not being able to talk was wonderful! Not having to say anything or feel like I needed to say anything was releasing. Morgan would come into the room right when I had fallen asleep. She wanted to tell me about my bracelets or some other important thing to a 4 year old. The good thing about not being able to talk, was whispering things meant I didn’t scream at her. I didn’t scream, “I am sick and trying to take a nap!” I am calling it “Low Talking”. Low Talking is being free. Though I was upset, taking the time to say everything softly gave me freedom to relax, and just be. I have to admit I am not always relaxed. I don’t like staying in bed. Taking the time to stay in bed, not thinking about what housework needed to be done was a good way to honor myself. To trust that Mark could take care of Morgan, maybe not the same way I would have but in his own way. This all worked for me. Mark even made and cleaned up a yummy dinner. Having been sick I feel blessed being healthy. I value the journey of sickness to health and the lessons I learned. As usual everything works out for the greatest good.

May 11, 2007

Making Up My Mind

Making up my mind. I guess making up my mind depends on how tired I am. It’s like this picture of Morgan deciding if she is going to go down the slide. What slides am I choosing to go down? The last 4 years of my life has been attending to Morgan’s life. I knew it was important to take care of myself first but now and then I was lost.
I would hear Spirit say, “All is well, all is well, all manner of things are well.” I realized it was a Mantra, or Chant. For me in choosing my activities they have to be ones that help me to relax. Deep breathing, bike riding or meditating are things that assist me in clearing my mind. I find Chanting or Mantras; using simple phrases that keep my heart and my mind attuned to speaking words of gratefulness help me to feel full. I have found a place in my life for “my time” as opposed to every one else’s time. Taking the time for me to replenish my well of energy. I use a Mantra. Sometimes I sing my Mantra. “All is well, all is well, all manner of things are well, all is well, all is well, and all manner of things are well.” Sometimes I chant it. I even change it around. I drive on the freeway turn off the music and repeat it. When I feel my body tightening up with thoughts of what to make for dinner or what to do next I think my Mantra. Chanting is my way of cleaning out my mental clutter. When I clear out my mental clutter I find it easier to make up my mind. It even helps me when trying to fall asleep. Bye, bye mental clutter.

April 13, 2007

Everything Worked Out.

While Mark was in Ireland, my sister and her son were here to visit. Carrie wanted to go into the city. I thought, “Lets take the ferry.” So we got up early and Carrie followed me to the ferry station. We were very excited. The ferry ride was actually pretty short. So we arrived at the port. Got off the boat and headed into the ferry terminal. The ferry terminal was so crowded. I began to feel worried. I thought, "What would happen if we got separated?" We hadn’t thought of a place to meet if we got separated. I like places that are not filled with hundreds of people. Places with 100 people are ok, but not small places filled with 1000 people. So we looked around. Carrie said, “Lets go to the place where the cable cars are. “ So we found the cable cars. It was Carrie’s suggestion to go the China Town. I thought, “Its Saturday, there will be a really, really, big crowd.”
I actually thought, "I don’t think I want to go." I never mentioned that to Carrie though. Anyway, we got on the cable car and were unable to sit next to each other. At the next stop the cable car started filling up. Then the next stop Carrie said, “Its time to get off.” Morgan and I stood up and moved to get off. A couple tried to get on the cable car as we were trying to get off. Carrie and Tyler were off and we were stuck. The cable car started to move away. It was bumpy and I grabbed Morgan and found a seat. As we drove up the hill I saw Carrie standing on the corner. Morgan began to cry. I felt like crying but didn’t. I did not know what to do. I kept asking myself, “What should I do?” I focused my attention on looking around for a place to get off the cable car. Morgan was still crying about losing Carrie and Tyler. Focus, focus, and focus I thought. Then I saw the Grace Cathedral. Mark, Morgan and I were at a concert there a few weeks ago. Years ago Grace Cathedral was the place that Mark and I went to walk the labyrinth when we were trying to get pregnant. I asked the cable driver to stop. Morgan and I got off and walked up the steps to the cathedral. Morgan remembered the church and we went inside. As usual for SF it was more than chilly. The church was nice and warm, with the sun shining thru the stained glass windows. It was beautiful. Morgan and I relaxed. Morgan took her shoes off and tried to walk around the labyrinth. It was adorable to watch. Sitting there I began to choose what I wanted. We could take a taxi back to the port and forget that bumpy cable car. I remembered there was a park across from the church. Morgan and I could walk over that way and she could play. I remembered that my cell phone was in my backpack. I started feeling grateful. I realized the strength of God as my power. We left the church and went to the park. Morgan saw a little girl her age and they were both wearing the same shoes. They were instant friends. I called Carrie. She and Tyler were having fun and would head back to the ferry at 7pm. Morgan played in the park. We hailed a taxi and got back to the port. We had burritos at the ferry terminal. We took the ferry home. Thought we never made plans with Carrie about where to go if we got separated everything worked out. That day I was thankful to be the witness of a miracle. The miracle of Joy that moved thru my body. Joy that replaced the fear of what to do next. I’m glad I didn’t worry about the “how” and trusted Spirit to take care of the how.

April 6, 2007

We are like magnets

Well today I am working on my blog because Mark who is in Ireland visiting his dad said to me, “I was on line and checked on your blog and I didn’t see a new one.”
Could that be because I am so busy taking care of Morgan while he is away?
Having Mark gone for 3 weeks is a stretch for me. In the 10 days Mark has been gone Morgan has been awake 2 times each night. Oh yeah there was one night she slept straight through till 6:30am. This is what I am observing.
Currently I am into Chinese astrology. I am a wood snake. Today’s forecast is “Foolish and un-knowledgeable people blame their circumstances when opposed.” Could opposed mean observing? Is Morgan not sleeping thru the night the circumstance I am being opposed to? Am I blaming my slightly bad attitude on this? Am I blaming Mark being gone on all of this? I am not so sure.
I do know that in the secret it says, “Whatever is going on in your mind is what you are attracting.” Winston Churchill said, “You create your own universe as you go along” so knowing that the universe will re-arrange itself accordingly I will stop feeling sorry for myself and choose to be a magnet for enjoyment.
Today is the first day of spring and this brings lots of wonderful things for me. Everything has been washed by the rain and looks awake, and I feel renewed. I can peel off the winter layers that have kept me warm and enjoy the feeling of spring. Mark joins us in 10 days and today 10 days doesn’t seem like a long time. It feels good to sit in the chair of gratitude and watch the colors of the earth come alive. Even now having thought I was finished writing I am remembering some good things about Mark being gone. I can turn the heat on to 68 in the house all day long, I can sleep on his side of the bed, I can watch the food network chanel all I want. Being a magnet for enjoyment sure is working quickly.


March 20, 2007

Please and Thank You is the Secret of the Nile

I am amazed I haven’t done my blog in just about one month. What could have been happening you ask? Life has been happening. Specifically, I took a part time job. What? Yes, I took a part time job.
A friend of mine told the owner of a place called The Lotus Center, “I know someone who would be great working here.” Since I have loved being a stay at home mom I really didn’t think about the job. Until someone said to me, "Maybe if you had a job you wouldn’t have as much time to worry about Morgan.” Instead of checking in with my heart I thought, “Yea maybe a job from 9am-1pm wouldn’t be so bad.” Morgan doesn’t get out of school till 3pm. That could probably work out. So I went to the Lotus Center and spoke with the Stephanie the owner. She hired me. After working a couple of days I noticed something. I hadn’t heard a please or any sort of positive recognition. An example would be…. “You are doing a good job” or “What a great job multi tasking.” Nothing. Not one word. I started thinking what kind of place is this? Yes, I love kudos and being admired but saying Please and Thank You is the Secret of the Nile as Morgan’s favorite cartoon The Backyardigans would say.
A place that never says “Your are doing a good job, thanks for the hard work.” Where was the Love at The Lotus Center?
I cannot work where there is no Love. So I told Stephanie this job is not for me. I guess the moral of this is, “Listen to your heart. Thoughts that bring about good feelings means you are on the right track. Thoughts that bring about bad feelings means you are not on the right track.” Yes, I quit my job and there is not one thing wrong with that. We all work with infinite power, and what I believe in is Love.

March 1, 2007

What is it with the super bowl?

What is it with the super bowl? Every radio station I listened to last week was, super bowl this and super bowl that. Even the super market commercials were super bowl this and super bowl that. I am so sick of the super bowl. I have started calling it the stupid bowl. The reason I love Mark so much is that he doesn’t watch football, baseball or golf. I really never thought of myself having to think that my “Hot piece of ass” would be gone on super bowl days. When Morgan was born it was a super bowl day. Mark stayed right next to me as I delivered Morgan. No talk about the super bowl. Nothing. Today Mark was nowhere to be found. At 5am he left the house to go geocache. Yes, it’s as lame as it sounds. Geocache. Geocache is hanging out with other men trying to find treasure. Ugh.
Morgan and I had a great day though. My sister and her son came over. The words, “Lets watch the super bowl” never came up. After my sister left Morgan and I played spa day. That’s when we get in the bath and relax. After getting out of the tub I brush her hair, cut her nails, and paint them. It was very relaxing. As Mark was gone all day today I am going to tell him I need my own spa day where I will be gone all day, while he hangs out with Morgan. Maybe I will go to the kind of spa where you sit naked in hot mud. I think that’s what you do. One of those things take the toxins out of you body. Have a nice long massage. Take a nap. Have a really yummy healthy vegetarian dinner. Look into my Chinese astrology. My spa day sounds great! Good for me to realize it’s my turn and I am proud of myself to recognize it.

February 4, 2007

New Cream Couch

Yes Morgan is going to be 4 next Friday and we bought a new cream couch. Am I insane? A cream microfibre couch and a 4 year old? A new living room table too?
Well once the new couch was delivered and we took the living room table out of the garage and set it all up it was obvious that the table didn’t look good with the new couch.
Why did we have the living room table in the garage? When Morgan was born we thought this table has 4 pointy corners and glass. Morgan could poke her eye out. I was in new parent thinking mode. Though Claire never poked her eye out on the table it just seemed like the correct thing to do. Getting back to the story.... with our old couch when Mark, Morgan, Claire and myself were sitting on it we were all a bit cozy. A little too cozy. Sort of cramped. You could lie down on the couch if no one else was there, or if Morgan was lying on top of your body. My sister had just bought a new couch and Mark’s cousin Jamie had just bought a new couch too. Mark and I laughed. A new couch with little kids! Crazy. Not us, no-way.
Well we happened to go to the Evolution store because they had a store closing sign up. I said to Mark, “Oh the Evolution store is closing this location and they have really nice stuff in there.” I was hoping we could get a new bookshelf. As I looked around for the bookshelves Mark sat on a couch. He was actually lying on a couch. I came back and said, “No book shelves that I like here.” Mark looked at me and said, “I think I love this couch.” I then sat there on the couch and we cozied up on the chaise. “Wow this is nice I said.” I looked to the other end of the couch and imagined 5 other adults sitting there. “Hi 5 other people I said.” Mark and I laughed. The sales person headed over and I said, “Do cats like to claw this type of material?” “Nope, Jim the sales person said.” Well that’s good news. I said to Mark, “Morgan could be shown that we don’t eat food on the couch” Mark answered, “Yes, we could teach Morgan not to eat on the couch. At your sisters house they don’t have anything to eat on the couch.” I thought about that. Yea, at Carrie’s house Morgan and her cousin Tyler sit on the tile and eat their food. Could this be possible? Well why not. Morgan is growing up to be a good listener. So after telling Morgan a new couch was coming and repeating, “No eating or jumping on the new couch” 15 times a day I felt good about the cream couch. Now that the couch is here does Morgan eat anything on the couch? No. Does Morgan jump on the new couch? Yes sometimes. Well sometimes I feel like jumping on the new couch. It looks like a lot of fun. I think that’s the great thing about being 4. Jumping on the bed, jumping on the couch, loving life. Well isn’t loving life the greatest thing? Yes it sure is. I love life. Maybe I should jump around and say, “I love life” Just not on the new cream couch.

January 19th 20007

11PM

Well its 11:05 PM and I can’t sleep. I hear Mark snoring and it is bugging. I am still a little sick and should try to go to sleep. Sleeping in the trailer isn’t the heaven one might think. Tonight it is the hell one might think it would be.
Well I did get to sleep and its Friday at 4:57. We went to the San Diego Zoo and saw the pandas. I am surprised they are really cute. Sitting out side and eating bamboo leaves they looked so sweet. I did take a picture of the pandas but I forgot the card reader to post the picture of the pandas, so no panda pictures on today’s blog. My sister and her 2 girls were there with us and it was an overall good time. I felt funny seeing the animals all caged up in the zoo.
We are at Campland on the Bay RV Park here in San Diego. We had the hot water in the Airstream fixed and we purchased a porta potty, so at 4AM I don’t have to go to the public restroom or use what I was calling the pee cup. There are heated pools here and the kids went swimming after the zoo. Morgan had her floaters on and was floating by the steps and was doing all right until she took them off. Then it was time to come back to the trailer, take her out of her wet swim suit, get her dressed, give her a warm sippy cup and put her in the electric blanket to take a nap. Mark is actually making dinner for us tonight. Claire requested mac and cheese and Mark and I are going to have Jaipur vegetables that you heat up in boiling water. It is time to stop writing and post this blog and eat some dinner.

Busy, Busy, Busy...

I do like to do this Blog every other Friday but wow have I been busy!!! I am starting to like winter here in Northern California. Yes its chilly, kind of rainey but it gets dark early and it feels nice to make a fire and just sit there. Yes just sit there with no TV on and maybe some holiday music playing.
Winter is actually a good time to rest. I think I needed some time to rest after this busy summer. My soul says rest, move slower. Actually it is all I have wanted to do, yet I feel guilty. I think I have lots of stuff to get done and I forget to renew, refresh and replenish.
This year I am not giving out wrapped presents. I am giving gift certificates. I am telling Morgan Santa brings unwrapped presents to our house. My friend Judy told me that her parents used to tell her that. It sounds great to me. Mark and I decided we would limit our gifts to each other to $100.00.
The above picture is of one of my favorite holiday lawn ornaments. Mark put the ornaments out this year and Morgan and I say good-bye to all of them as I drive her to Montessori in the morning. I remember buying the lawn ornaments in Orange County. It was at least 10 years ago. Although I had no idea who my future family would be, I was hoping who ever it was would love them too. Well Morgan does love them and I am not too sure about Mark. It was nice of him to put them up though. Well I do have a few minutes to sit and practice breathing. Breathing in and out saying “God is Peace and I am Peace”
December 5, 2006

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving went well for us this year. We had Claire and this makes Mark happy. At the dinner table Claire was the first to say, “Everyone say one thing you are grateful for.” I was pleasantly surprised because that’s what I was going to say. This year was the first time in 20 years that I did not have to work the day after Thanksgiving. What a relief. People ask me “What are you going to do when you go back to work?” I just say, “I don’t know.” What I really want to say is “I’m never going back to work.” Actually I am sure my heart and Soul will let me know what to do when I feel like doing something.
Anyway I was even thinking of setting up the Christmas tree this afternoon. After a busy day with the cousins I think we will do it tomorrow.
What am I grateful for this thanksgiving? Today the sun was out and the skies were filled with beautiful clouds. I mailed out our Christmas cards. There were lots of hugs and kisses. I am grateful for this year’s challenges and opportunities. I love the giving I have done and I am proud enough to remember to for-give myself.
The Soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals. (Kahlil Gibran) I think that’s what I am most grateful for this year. The times I feel my soul unfolding.
Oh there is one more thing. I lost all the pictures of my mom’s memorial. They were in my laptop. I cried about it, talked about it, felt sorry for myself. I checked into recovering them. My friend Rachel found this guy Aaron who had a recovery program. Out of thousands of jpegs they found the one of my mom’s urn. I am grateful to my mom’s Spirit for helping them find it. It is amazing how great the Universe works.
Friday November 24th

Malibu Beach RV Park

I am sitting here in Malibu at the Malibu Beach RV Park. I love being back in Southern California. It is warm, sunny and Mark is playing with Morgan and Claire as I do this blog. Now that’s what I call relaxing. Sitting in the shade drinking a spicy hot V8 juice and typing this WI-FI. Today’s line up for the Airstream group is the Getty Museum here in Malibu. I have been to the museum before and I remember it being nice. I hope the girls will like it.
In the bathroom this morning I was washing my face. The morning scrub I use you have to use it for 2 minutes. I was walking around. Just noticing stuff. I saw a wad of money on the floor. At first I thought maybe I should leave it there. Then I thought, “Don’t leave a gift from God on the floor.” Love yourself enough to treat yourself. I picked it up and counted the 7 dollars. Why was I still feeling guilty? Why do I cut myself short? Why do I have a hard time accepting Gods gifts? Why do I put everyone else first? Well not today. I will remember to take care of who is number one. Me. I will remember when Mom is happy everyone is happy. I will live in gratitude and enjoy being in Malibu. This is a place I loved in my childhood. Marvin Hamlisch had a home here on the beach. I used to come here with his nephew, David and just hang out. One of the first places I drove to once I got was my license was here. I loved driving along looking at the people on the beach. I think I will go down to the beach with Mark and the kids and build some sand castles. Sand castles are good for the soul.
November 10th

Pumpkin Patch

Yes today Morgan’s class went to the pumpkin patch. I drove Morgan and one of her classmates Richard. It was cute to see all the kids there. I loved the hayride. I didn’t really love the hay as I was kinda allergic to it but otherwise it was a sweet adventure. I don’t remember ever going to the pumpkin patch when I was little. I don’t think in Beverly Hills there was a pumpkin patch close by. Halloween wasn’t really a big holiday for our family. I can’t even remember wearing a costume as a child. I’m sure it was the kind my Mom bought at Thrifty.
Of course I bought Morgan the costume she wanted in the Lands End catalogue. Yes it is a princess costume. Morgan wants Mark to dress up as the king. Interesting. I don’t think its gonna happen but it would be sort of cute.
I am sick. Last week Mark went to Santa Barbara to spend the weekend with his daughter Claire. When he goes away for the weekend it’s just Morgan and I. I sleep less and worry more about nothing. So I am sick. Doing my blog when I’m sick is also sort of draining my energy. Actually sitting here and thinking about it I am tired. I think I need to go to blow my nose for the millionth time today and so to sleep.

Composting

Yes that is a picture of our new composter. Actually it is the ComposTumbler. The best thing about the composter is that all the vegetable waste you produce in your kitchen can be thrown into the composter. Not only kitchen waste but also eggshells, tea bags, wood ash (from your fireplace) and farm manure. Farm manure you ask? Well there is a place down the street that houses horses for the Mill Valley tenants. They put the manure in a bucket and you can go there and scoop some out, for free.
I was feeling wasteful when I would dump all of the peels of cut apples, or the pear peels or the banana skins into the trash. Now I just walk into the back yard and put it into the composter. Very cool. I am not so sure about the horse poop but since Mark does that I just need to know that the poop is bringing nitrogen to the party. My parting party gift is earthy yummy soil so that my next garden will grow great tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce, and basil. Just writing this I want a salad. You could even save your hair from the salon and put it in the composter for it to break down as nitrogen too. I don’t think I ever would do that but I could. It feels great saving the landfill from un-necessary trash.

Aloha Spirit

The above picture is of Morgan and Mauve at the Maui Ocean Center.

Wow I can’t believe we have been back a whole week from Maui and I am just getting around to doing my blog. Maui was really a great experience. Everyone is telling me I look so rested, 5 years younger, and relaxed. I do feel that way too.
Everyone in America should have a month’s vacation. My biggest daily decision was to have meat or fish for dinner and what restaurant should we go to.
I am still feeling the aloha spirit, though I was slightly worried about Morgan’s first day of school but I think that’s a mom thing. After thinking hard about my life I would say raising a happy, healthy child is my goal at the moment. We all loved the Maui Ocean Center. Morgan especially. Though seeing the halibut swimming around I felt funny about eating it. I like it a lot better than salmon. Maybe it’s a bottom dweller thing. Actually I didn’t know they were so flat. You see posters of bears catching salmon. I have never seen a poster of an animal catching a halibut. Well I guess other fish catch halibut but I don’t think I have seen a picture of it. Hum. Its now 6:30 on Friday and I want to get this posted. Blessings to everyone.

Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar

Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar

The above picture is Cyril Pahinui, a famous slack key guitarist, my friend Rachel and of course myself! We went to the concert series here in Maui. It was held at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua.
Slack key guitar is the greatest thing! The music or mele was fantastic. Cyril and the musical host, George Kahamoku Jr. were inviting and I learned more about Hawaiian slack key guitar than I have ever known. Actually I didn't know too much about slack key guitar. Rachel treated me to this event. As I type this blog I am listening to the 2006 grammy award winning, Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar album on my laptop. This mele is so relaxing. Yesterday Mark purchased a new mini ukulele. Inspiried by the slack key mele. Driving back to the condo Morgan fell asleeep in the car listening to it. It is a great feeling to have our family inspired by hawai'i mele. I am grateful to Spirit for all the musical variety in different cultures. This mele rocks!

No Drama in Maui

When you confront your emotional response to drama and the purpose it serves in your life, you can reject it. Each time you consciously choose not to take part in dramatic situations or associate with dramatic people, you create space in your inner being that is filled with a calm and tranquil stillness and becomes an asset in your quest to lead a more centered life. “Daily OM”

Maui for me is a no drama zone. Ok, when I found out that Mark accidentally erased all my photos out of my laptop I did chose to be a Drama Queen. I even went to the whaler mall and bought the Maui Jim sunglasses I wanted. After that, I choose to not take part in my dramatic situation and step out into a place where my inner being was calm. Feeling much better I headed back to our condo. When I saw Mark and Morgan driving into the garage, I felt like the universe brought us together at a time when I was calm and ready to start loving. I was mighty happy that I had taken the time to watch where my inner being was and to change it. I am also grateful for the Aloha feeling here in Maui. It made easy to start fresh with a smile on my face. Upon seeing Mark and Morgan they gave me a gift certificate and were carrying smiles of love on their faces. All is well in Maui.

September 8th 2006

Sand Storm

Right now I am sitting in the living room. The ocean looks beautiful and the palm trees are gracefully blowing in the wind. As the palm trees blow in the wind I am reminded of the trip to Napali Beach last week. A lovely place. Mark, Morgan and I got out of the car, took all our stuff down to the beach; climbed down to the sand and realized we were getting pelted by sand. The earth was stinging us. Mark set up our cabana and it blew away. Mark set up the cabana again and Morgan played in the new and improved sand filled cabana. Mark and I went down to the ocean; it was soothing to be away from the sand storm. We were the only people on the beach. After a few minutes a family arrived. They set up their towels, etc. Five minutes later they packed up and were gone. I looked at Mark and we both said, “We’re through.” I love the beach, but it was really getting un-comfortable. Morgan never complained though. I guess with the cabana over her and being in the sand hole she wasn’t really being pelted. As the earth wasn’t being our healer right then I think our best choice was to exit. Change roles. Become the chef and go back to the condo and make lunch.

Changing roles in life is sometimes easy and other times not so easy. I feel comfortable with my roles right now.
Right now, we have some friends visiting us in Maui. Katie a friend of 30 years; her husband Mike and their 3 kids. Maeve, Kevin and Mary Kate.
Last night Mark and Mike went out to a few of the bars. As they left the condo the rest of us went to bed. I awoke at 1 AM in the morning and looked to see if Mark was in the bed. Not seeing him I went into the living room. Mark was asleep on the couch. I said, “Time to get up and get in bed.” I suppose this role is, Loving Wife Role. The one who wants to see their beloved warm and cozy in the bed. Not cold on the couch. Of course, each day is filled with different roles. Caregiver, educator, housekeeper, philosopher. The list goes on. Is it that I am getting comfy as I am growing into being 40ish? Whatever it is I am happy being me, in the place I find the universe delivering me to.

September 3rd, 2006

Macadamia nuts

The flight to Maui went great. Morgan was super! When we woke her up at 5AM she was excited to be sitting in the limo and at the airport she wheeled her Tinkerbelle suitcase and walked beside Mark and I. Being 6AM the lines at the baggage check in and the security check in were short. No headache for me was a first. The first flight from SFO to LA Morgan was awake and had a great time. When we got to LA our flight for Maui left at 10AM. Morgan got on the plane and was asleep by 10:15AM and she slept 3 hours. The really exciting part was the, Half Way to Hawaii contest that was held on the flight. Since Morgan was asleep Mark and I had time do the contest. With Morgan sitting between us we worked on it separately. I saw Mark pulling out his palm phone and using the calculator. I sat quietly and thought, “The answer to all things is within me.” I did some very simple math in my head and told Mark to write down the ½ way time to Hawaii would be at 9:48 and 5 seconds. He said, "Your 8 minutes off from what I figured out." We passed the forms in. As the flight was getting ready to land the stewardess came to our seat and said to Mark you won! Mark said, "Which seat was it?" the stewardess said G. Cooper! The prize was Mauna Loa macadamia nuts and it wasn’t the nuts I was excited about. Here I was, all worried about the flight, the luggage, how long the lap top battery would last in the lap top, the worry list went on. I was so proud. I listened to my intuition and just wrote what I heard in my head. Thank you Spirit! Mark kept asking me. “How did you figure it out?” I kept saying, “Spirit did it through me.”

August 24, 2006

I am so lucky

As I sat down on my new “Balanceball” chair, which is a small bounce ball seated in a plastic chair. I had to look up life with gaelen to check on last week’s entry date. Weird. Anyway the balanceball chair helps relieve stress on the spine. Basically you sit upright with your spine straight. No slouching allowed. Of course Morgan hopped on it and wanted to play with it when we got it set up in the office. Luckily I have a big green bounce ball from when I was pregnant with Morgan. So although it is a little too big for Morgan, she set it up at her little desk in the office. She can’t get herself up on the top of it but it seems to make her happy to have a chair like mom. Earlier today Morgan came with me to CompUSA and she brought a small toy with her. As we left CompUSA both of us had forgotten about her pink hippo. An hour later I remembered about the hippo and decided not to say anything about it. I thought it was my fault it was gone because I didn’t remember to ask Morgan about pink hippo when we were leaving the store. As the Universe works the minute I thought about pink hippo, Morgan remembered that we left it at the store. So as we drove back to the store for pink hippo I began to sweat. I was repeating in my mind “pink hippo be there”… “pink hippo be there” and pink hippo was there. So I told Morgan how lucky we were that pink hippo was still there. As we drove away I started thinking about war in the Middle East. How I would feel if something that was dear to me was gone. I continue to pray, “Create a world of radiant life, overflowing abundance, and lasting peace.” and remember all things are possible. I am so lucky. Thank you God.

August 16, 2006