On what a parent looks like:
"You know how the tightrope guy at the circus wants everyone to believe his act is an art, but deep down you can see he's really just hoping he makes it all the way across?"
-- My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
In spite of the emotional avalanche that was reading this book the first time around, I'm now re-reading it in the hopes of avoiding looking stupid at my new bookclub this week. I'm also studying for a Spanish quiz, trying once and for all to get my house organised and unpacked, reading over one hundred pages of art history essays on the culture of exhibiting and making appropriate discussion notes (which have to be submitted weekly thankyouverymuch), organising an oral presentation on Emily Carr at the Vancouver Art Gallery (or should I do something less entrenched in Canadiana... hmmm... perhaps I should spend another two hours online researching blockbuster exhibitions), going to the gym five days a week (and baby yoga and stroller fitness and Starfish lessons), doing never ending amounts of dishes and laundry and seriously considering moping my floor. Oh, and I'm also taking care of six month old on my own. The last few weeks it has also become a serious goal to get at least four hours of sleep a night. Here's hoping.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Art Prodigy (Blow Your House In)
If you're a regular here you might remember this. Well, Gaia and I spent this morning at the MacKenzie Art Gallery and as always she came home with a lot to say. Perhaps I need not state the obvious but come on, clearly she's an artistic genius. Foisting my dreams on my child - who me?
G – Mama, I wanted to talk to you about the exhibition we saw today if I may.
Me – Of course. Did you enjoy it?
G – Well, it was nice to go to the gallery, as always. I do so enjoy contemporary art. But I’m left troubled by some of the issues being addressed by Vernon Ah Kee.
Me – Was it the faces? They are a little scary.
G – Don’t patronise me. While the faces were a little disturbing I wouldn’t demean them by referring to them as “scary”. Please. I thought they were a very appropriate and moving depiction of the artist’s view of how others see the aboriginal community. The hollow, black eyes and mouth offering a clear vision of a silenced, disrespected people. I found them moving.
Me – Oh.
G – I also enjoyed the exhibition title and how it suggests a re-examination of the story of the Three Little Pigs from the perspective of the wolf. I’d never thought about how we only hear one side of the story and how Ah Kee encourages us to consider different perspectives such as the pigs as colonisers taking the land from the wolf and the acceptance of a villainous characterisation and the validity within that construct.
Me – How do you know the story of the Three Little Pigs? I don’t remember reading it to you.
G – You know I do read when you’re not around. Seriously mother, can you focus? As I was saying, I just think his point of view, as an Australian aboriginal has so much resonance here in Saskatchewan with our own aboriginal community being as large as it is. He really spoke to some universal issues. The work has brought up a number of troubling issues in my mind, ones that I think are important to bring to the forefront. My hope is that exhibitions like this one might get people talking about their own biases so they can eventually be deconstructed.
Me – Wow. That’s a great point. You know, I thought it was really interesting, at the artist talk on Friday as Ah Kee was explaining his point-of-view, how he noted perhaps the wolf was trying to warn the pigs about a meteorological phenomenon (the wind that eventually “blew their house in”) or perhaps it was all just a misunderstanding because the wolf and pigs spoke a different language or came from different cultures.
G – Yes, well I would comment on that but you chose to attend the event on Friday on your own. Ahem.
Me – Gaia-bear we talked about this, it was an evening event and you know you get cranky if you’re not in bed by 8:00pm.
G – Whatever you say.
Me – Can we move on?
G – I suppose. Beyond the content I also found the presentation of his work quite striking – the row of faces and the large, bold words on the walls. In fact, the text reminded me of the work of Jenny Holtzer, who I know you enjoy, and the use of simple but evocative text to convey a message.
Me – Yes, I had made that connection as well.
G – Oh? You didn’t say. That’s convenient. Anyway. I also thought the large portrait of his grandfather was beautiful. It’s my understanding the artist does a number of these of his family members and that they have some correlation to the black and white archival photos of the Australian aboriginal community. I think it’s moving to take something used to classify or rationalise a people and transform it into a media that offers some dignity and respect.
Me – Speaking of portraits, did you enjoy the student exhibition we went through? You know, that’s the project I was working on last year while you were still in my belly.
G – I know, I remember.
Me – Oh do you...
G – Of course. It really was amazing though, to see two years of work from students up there in the gallery. I’m so looking forward to meeting the artists at the opening this weekend.
Me – Yeah. Me too.
Vernon Ah Kee: Blow Your House In is on at the MacKenzie Art Gallery until January 3, 2010. The exhibition is a culmination of the work he did as a artist-in-residence with the gallery this summer.
Looking In, Looking Out: Qui suis-je maintenant? is on until Februrary 28, 2010. It’s an exhibition of work by students who took part in an incredible bridging project which aimed to bring youth from different 'cultures' within Saskatchewan (specifically École Monseigneur de Laval, Sacred Heart Community School, Scott Collegiate, Michael A. Riffel High School and Chief Kahkewistahaw Community School) together to explore their identity and the identity of others through engagement with the variety of work displayed at the gallery from 2007 to 2009. Students got the opportunity to tour the exhibitions and respond to them with the help of a number of talented artists. Their finished work ranges from three dimensional plaster masks to Warhol-esque portraiture to video screen tests to beadwork and more. They also had the opportunity interact with each other, facing preconceived notions of their differences and breaking them down as they recognised all the ways in which they could relate. I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of this amazing adventure while working at the gallery last year and am so looking forward to celebrating in the achievements of these students at the opening on Sunday, September 20th (1:00pm-4:00pm). If you’re in town I highly recommend you join us. It’s truly a unique and inspiring exhibition.
G – Mama, I wanted to talk to you about the exhibition we saw today if I may.
Me – Of course. Did you enjoy it?
G – Well, it was nice to go to the gallery, as always. I do so enjoy contemporary art. But I’m left troubled by some of the issues being addressed by Vernon Ah Kee.
Me – Was it the faces? They are a little scary.
G – Don’t patronise me. While the faces were a little disturbing I wouldn’t demean them by referring to them as “scary”. Please. I thought they were a very appropriate and moving depiction of the artist’s view of how others see the aboriginal community. The hollow, black eyes and mouth offering a clear vision of a silenced, disrespected people. I found them moving.
Me – Oh.
G – I also enjoyed the exhibition title and how it suggests a re-examination of the story of the Three Little Pigs from the perspective of the wolf. I’d never thought about how we only hear one side of the story and how Ah Kee encourages us to consider different perspectives such as the pigs as colonisers taking the land from the wolf and the acceptance of a villainous characterisation and the validity within that construct.
Me – How do you know the story of the Three Little Pigs? I don’t remember reading it to you.
G – You know I do read when you’re not around. Seriously mother, can you focus? As I was saying, I just think his point of view, as an Australian aboriginal has so much resonance here in Saskatchewan with our own aboriginal community being as large as it is. He really spoke to some universal issues. The work has brought up a number of troubling issues in my mind, ones that I think are important to bring to the forefront. My hope is that exhibitions like this one might get people talking about their own biases so they can eventually be deconstructed.
Me – Wow. That’s a great point. You know, I thought it was really interesting, at the artist talk on Friday as Ah Kee was explaining his point-of-view, how he noted perhaps the wolf was trying to warn the pigs about a meteorological phenomenon (the wind that eventually “blew their house in”) or perhaps it was all just a misunderstanding because the wolf and pigs spoke a different language or came from different cultures.
G – Yes, well I would comment on that but you chose to attend the event on Friday on your own. Ahem.
Me – Gaia-bear we talked about this, it was an evening event and you know you get cranky if you’re not in bed by 8:00pm.
G – Whatever you say.
Me – Can we move on?
G – I suppose. Beyond the content I also found the presentation of his work quite striking – the row of faces and the large, bold words on the walls. In fact, the text reminded me of the work of Jenny Holtzer, who I know you enjoy, and the use of simple but evocative text to convey a message.
Me – Yes, I had made that connection as well.
G – Oh? You didn’t say. That’s convenient. Anyway. I also thought the large portrait of his grandfather was beautiful. It’s my understanding the artist does a number of these of his family members and that they have some correlation to the black and white archival photos of the Australian aboriginal community. I think it’s moving to take something used to classify or rationalise a people and transform it into a media that offers some dignity and respect.
Me – Speaking of portraits, did you enjoy the student exhibition we went through? You know, that’s the project I was working on last year while you were still in my belly.
G – I know, I remember.
Me – Oh do you...
G – Of course. It really was amazing though, to see two years of work from students up there in the gallery. I’m so looking forward to meeting the artists at the opening this weekend.
Me – Yeah. Me too.
Vernon Ah Kee: Blow Your House In is on at the MacKenzie Art Gallery until January 3, 2010. The exhibition is a culmination of the work he did as a artist-in-residence with the gallery this summer.
Looking In, Looking Out: Qui suis-je maintenant? is on until Februrary 28, 2010. It’s an exhibition of work by students who took part in an incredible bridging project which aimed to bring youth from different 'cultures' within Saskatchewan (specifically École Monseigneur de Laval, Sacred Heart Community School, Scott Collegiate, Michael A. Riffel High School and Chief Kahkewistahaw Community School) together to explore their identity and the identity of others through engagement with the variety of work displayed at the gallery from 2007 to 2009. Students got the opportunity to tour the exhibitions and respond to them with the help of a number of talented artists. Their finished work ranges from three dimensional plaster masks to Warhol-esque portraiture to video screen tests to beadwork and more. They also had the opportunity interact with each other, facing preconceived notions of their differences and breaking them down as they recognised all the ways in which they could relate. I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of this amazing adventure while working at the gallery last year and am so looking forward to celebrating in the achievements of these students at the opening on Sunday, September 20th (1:00pm-4:00pm). If you’re in town I highly recommend you join us. It’s truly a unique and inspiring exhibition.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Decir Adios
Tonight I had fully intended to finish an epic post about just what G and I had been up to for the month of August when posting was nearly non-existent. Yup. That was the plan. Except I've just arrived home from a particularly confusing Spanish class and I'm currently in engendered-language-conjugation hell and suddenly I feel like what I actually need to do is sit in front of my already well-worn copy of ¡Hola, amigos! and hundreds of flashcards until I can miraculously speak enough Spanish to a) quell my increasing level of panic and b) pass a quiz on Thursday. And before you say it, I'm well aware that we're in week TWO of THIRTEENEFFINGWEEKS of classes and inevitably it's only going to get harder from here but if I feel obliged to mention that should you bring this up I might (read: will) respond with a swift kick to your manjunk/ladybits.
In liu of my epic post please enjoy this:
"Y la verdad es que me siento solo pues nunca te podre olvidar/Y la verdad es que me siento libre aunque las noches sean de soledad/Y la verdad es que te llevo adentro pues ocupaste tu lugar/Y por tu bien espero que no vuelvas pues la vas a pasar muy mal."
-- Decir Adios by Amen (from Lima, Perú)*
I had wanted to include this song in my favourites from my Sad Bastard playlist but I couldn't find it online (turns out I had the title wrong in my iTunes which clearly only adds to my level of I'LLNEVERLEARNSPANISH panic). It was one of the first Spanish songs Jose ever played for me and it remains the saddest. I don't think I'll ever forget what it felt like to listen to his voice translate the lyrics for me as the song played on a loop in the background and I sat on the edge of his bed staring at him, smelling him, melting into a virtual puddle of semi-pathetic-woman-obsessed-with-Latin-man goo. Did I mention things we're a little rocky in the beginning. Um... yeah. Enjoy.
* The title, in English, is Saying Goodbye and the lyrics (translated roughly by me with the jist of the meaning given more weight then a word-for-word translation) are "And the truth is I never feel alone because I can't forget you/And the truth is that I feel free but the nights are lonely/And the truth is I carry you inside but someone will take your place/And I hope that it is not you because you are bad for me."
In liu of my epic post please enjoy this:
"Y la verdad es que me siento solo pues nunca te podre olvidar/Y la verdad es que me siento libre aunque las noches sean de soledad/Y la verdad es que te llevo adentro pues ocupaste tu lugar/Y por tu bien espero que no vuelvas pues la vas a pasar muy mal."
-- Decir Adios by Amen (from Lima, Perú)*
I had wanted to include this song in my favourites from my Sad Bastard playlist but I couldn't find it online (turns out I had the title wrong in my iTunes which clearly only adds to my level of I'LLNEVERLEARNSPANISH panic). It was one of the first Spanish songs Jose ever played for me and it remains the saddest. I don't think I'll ever forget what it felt like to listen to his voice translate the lyrics for me as the song played on a loop in the background and I sat on the edge of his bed staring at him, smelling him, melting into a virtual puddle of semi-pathetic-woman-obsessed-with-Latin-man goo. Did I mention things we're a little rocky in the beginning. Um... yeah. Enjoy.
* The title, in English, is Saying Goodbye and the lyrics (translated roughly by me with the jist of the meaning given more weight then a word-for-word translation) are "And the truth is I never feel alone because I can't forget you/And the truth is that I feel free but the nights are lonely/And the truth is I carry you inside but someone will take your place/And I hope that it is not you because you are bad for me."
Monday, September 14, 2009
Easily Irritated?
Note to Readers: This post contains the word vagina and a brief nod to the fact I might have had sex once before and plan to do so again in the future. If this seems like it might be verging on TMI then please avert your eyes. Dad, I'm looking at you here.
In addition to sorting out my iPod I thought I should also give birth control some consideration now that I'll be in the same country as my husband. Not that we don't love Gaia but somehow I don't think the "what are the chances?" form of contraception is gonna cut it anymore. I know, I know, you'd think I was sixteen*. Anyway. Apparently birth control is a hot topic at the moment because not only did I read a topical post from my favourite Mommy-blogger this morning but I also had a chat about NuvaRing with a friend the other day. The fact that her doctor suggested it knowing she, like me, hates the pill was enough to warrant giving it a little of my google time before seeing my own doctor this Wednesday. As far as I can tell it seems pretty similar to the pill except you don't have to remember to actually take a pill every day (which was never my issue). Then I stumbled upon something I've never seen before, among the list of conditions that might make NuvaRing a not so great option was a warning for women who suffered from "any condition that makes the vagina get irritated easily." Hmmm.
Well I'll tell you, its not real happy with Immigration Canada either. I guess NuvaRing's not for us.
* Seriously. I'm obsessed with MTV's 'Sixteen and Pregnant' and every single girl is like "well, we used protection about half the time but he didn't really like it and then we just thought it wouldn't happen to us" and I simultaneously judge them while attempting to feel superior because COME ON, the doctor told me I probably wouldn't get pregnant without fertility therapy. I say attempting because by the end of the episode I'm always hit with the realisation that the only thing that separates me and these girls is the fact that I'm twenty-seven and they're still in highschool.
In addition to sorting out my iPod I thought I should also give birth control some consideration now that I'll be in the same country as my husband. Not that we don't love Gaia but somehow I don't think the "what are the chances?" form of contraception is gonna cut it anymore. I know, I know, you'd think I was sixteen*. Anyway. Apparently birth control is a hot topic at the moment because not only did I read a topical post from my favourite Mommy-blogger this morning but I also had a chat about NuvaRing with a friend the other day. The fact that her doctor suggested it knowing she, like me, hates the pill was enough to warrant giving it a little of my google time before seeing my own doctor this Wednesday. As far as I can tell it seems pretty similar to the pill except you don't have to remember to actually take a pill every day (which was never my issue). Then I stumbled upon something I've never seen before, among the list of conditions that might make NuvaRing a not so great option was a warning for women who suffered from "any condition that makes the vagina get irritated easily." Hmmm.
Well I'll tell you, its not real happy with Immigration Canada either. I guess NuvaRing's not for us.
* Seriously. I'm obsessed with MTV's 'Sixteen and Pregnant' and every single girl is like "well, we used protection about half the time but he didn't really like it and then we just thought it wouldn't happen to us" and I simultaneously judge them while attempting to feel superior because COME ON, the doctor told me I probably wouldn't get pregnant without fertility therapy. I say attempting because by the end of the episode I'm always hit with the realisation that the only thing that separates me and these girls is the fact that I'm twenty-seven and they're still in highschool.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Sad Bastard
In the quest to get my life organised before I head off to Peru for a length of time yet to be determined I’ve set to the task of cleaning out my iPod. Unfortunately there are far too many annoying one hit wonders from my club days and an alarming amount of weird yogic chats which I can only imagine must have been snuck on there when I dated an organic masseuse/art auctioneer for a few weeks during my first contract on cruise ships. Anyway, the point is, putting my iPod on shuffle is risky to say the least. And it’s not just crappy songs I’m getting rid of, the overhaul also includes a revamp of my playlists, deleting such gems as ‘Music to Distract You from That Creepy Guy on the Skytrain’ and ‘Pretending to Study’ (both actual playlists on my iPod, thankyouthankyou) and replacing them with things like ‘Tunes for my Baby Rockstar’ and ‘Spanglish – Songs Jose Will Listen To’. As you might have gleaned, I’m a big fan of playlists and had well over fifty of them at one point. Anyway, today I stumbled upon a playlist called ‘Sad Bastard’ that I’m pretty sure came to being circa mid 2007 when Jose and I were just starting what would become the year long on and off again soap opera known as our early dating life. Clearly I was full of pain and angst and if I remember correctly the playlist was on a constant loop in my cabin for a solid three months before my roommate gave me a particularly harsh ultimatum as I lay on the floor and wept. That being said, it’s full of beautiful, haunting songs and while it was created in the spirit of relationship drama I listened to it today and it fits my mood of rage over the whole “absence makes the heart grow fonder” fodder perfectly. Plus there are a few small rays of hope that snuck into the playlist proving that somewhere deep down I knew it work out all along. Just in case you’re in the mood for a good wallow I highly suggest these depressing little nuggets...
And yes... I'm aware this post smacks of highschool angst but it's good to languish in your own self pity now and then. Try it. You'll like it.
"You are a china shop and I am a bull/You are really good food and I am full/I guess everything is timing/I guess everything's been said/So I am coming home with an empty head."
--You Had Time by Ani Difranco
"If I was my heart I'd rather be restless/The second I stop the sleep catches up and I'm breathless/This ache in my chest as my day is done now/The dark covers me and I cannot run now."
-- Wake Up Alone by Amy Winehouse
"Haven't laughed this hard in a long time/I better stop now before I start crying/Go off to sleep in the sunshine/I don't want to see the day when it's dying."
-- Twilight by Elliot Smith
"You are my sweetest downfall/I loved you first, I loved you first."
-- Samson by Regina Spektor
"You don't have to lie about where you've been/We both know you've been schemin'/So why don't you give your little voice a rest/Climb on up inside my bed and just pretend you need me?"
-- Stay by Coal
"And I'd be inclined to be yours for the taking and part of this terrible mess that you're making/But me, I'm the catalyst."
-- Catalyst by Anna Nalick
"I drink good coffee every morning/Comes from a place that's far away/And when I'm done I feel like talking/Without you here there is less to say."
-- I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You by Colin Hey
"I want to be a good woman/And I want, for you to be a good man/This is why I will be leaving/And this is why, I can’t see you no more."
-- Good Woman by Cat Power
"Don't know why I'm still afraid/If you weren't real I would make you up now."
-- Honey and the Moon by Joseph Arthur
"Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth/Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs/Speak no feeling no I don't believe you/You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit."
-- Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap
"And I don't wanna hear you tell yourself/That these feelings are in the past/No it doesn't mean they're off the shelf/Because pain's built to last/Everybody sails alone."
-- Heal Over by KT Tunstall
"I am stil dreaming of you face/Hungry and hollow for all the things you took away/I don't want to be your good time/I don't want to be your fall-back crutch anymore."
-- Santa Monica by Everclear
"Mess up my bed with me/Kick off the covers I'm waiting/Every word you say I think I should write down/Don't want to forget come daylight."
-- Paperweight by Joshua Radin (with Schuyler Fisk)
"Leave me out with the waste this is not what I'd do/It's the wrong kind of place to be thinking of you/It's the wrong time for somebody new/It's a small crime and I've got no excuse."
-- 9 Crimes by Damien Rice (ft. Lisa Hannigan)
And yes... I'm aware this post smacks of highschool angst but it's good to languish in your own self pity now and then. Try it. You'll like it.
"You are a china shop and I am a bull/You are really good food and I am full/I guess everything is timing/I guess everything's been said/So I am coming home with an empty head."
--You Had Time by Ani Difranco
"If I was my heart I'd rather be restless/The second I stop the sleep catches up and I'm breathless/This ache in my chest as my day is done now/The dark covers me and I cannot run now."
-- Wake Up Alone by Amy Winehouse
"Haven't laughed this hard in a long time/I better stop now before I start crying/Go off to sleep in the sunshine/I don't want to see the day when it's dying."
-- Twilight by Elliot Smith
"You are my sweetest downfall/I loved you first, I loved you first."
-- Samson by Regina Spektor
"You don't have to lie about where you've been/We both know you've been schemin'/So why don't you give your little voice a rest/Climb on up inside my bed and just pretend you need me?"
-- Stay by Coal
"And I'd be inclined to be yours for the taking and part of this terrible mess that you're making/But me, I'm the catalyst."
-- Catalyst by Anna Nalick
"I drink good coffee every morning/Comes from a place that's far away/And when I'm done I feel like talking/Without you here there is less to say."
-- I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You by Colin Hey
"I want to be a good woman/And I want, for you to be a good man/This is why I will be leaving/And this is why, I can’t see you no more."
-- Good Woman by Cat Power
"Don't know why I'm still afraid/If you weren't real I would make you up now."
-- Honey and the Moon by Joseph Arthur
"Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth/Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs/Speak no feeling no I don't believe you/You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit."
-- Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap
"And I don't wanna hear you tell yourself/That these feelings are in the past/No it doesn't mean they're off the shelf/Because pain's built to last/Everybody sails alone."
-- Heal Over by KT Tunstall
"I am stil dreaming of you face/Hungry and hollow for all the things you took away/I don't want to be your good time/I don't want to be your fall-back crutch anymore."
-- Santa Monica by Everclear
"Mess up my bed with me/Kick off the covers I'm waiting/Every word you say I think I should write down/Don't want to forget come daylight."
-- Paperweight by Joshua Radin (with Schuyler Fisk)
"Leave me out with the waste this is not what I'd do/It's the wrong kind of place to be thinking of you/It's the wrong time for somebody new/It's a small crime and I've got no excuse."
-- 9 Crimes by Damien Rice (ft. Lisa Hannigan)
PS. I’m also keeping ‘Shake That Ass’ which is probably the best workout mix ever made. Bar none.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The Half Birthday of (Big) Baby G
Gaia is six months old today. Well, as my mother pointed out, technically she's six months old today at 9:30pm. Still. I made her this video (and yes it's for her... I have dreams of her watching it when she's away at university while she weeps over how much she misses me). Six months may seem like nothing to you but wow... it's been a lifetime... Gaia's lifetime. The video is as long as a primetime sitcom with commercials and it's my first ever attempt so there's one point near the end when the music just stops for about fifteen seconds. Sorry. I don't expect too many people to watch but that's okay. I didn't make it for you anyway. I guess what I'm trying to say is this...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY G!
Music Credits: Lullabye by The Dixie Chicks/Hold You In My Arms by Ray LaMontagne/Upside Down by Jack Johnson/My Girl by The Temptations/Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison/Better Together by Jack Johnson/(Big Girl) You Are Beautiful by Mika
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Carefree Wanderings
Speaking of Jaydeen...Do you remember how excited I was when she and her man started a joint blog? Then you can imagine my excitement now that she’s started a blog of her own. It too is chock full of photos, this time from her extensive travels. As if the photos weren’t reason enough to check it out she pairs them with travel tips and memories that will have even the least adventurous homebody itching to get out an explore the world. Enjoy.
PS. I especially love the details she's captured and puts up in the top right corner of the blog... "bubbles" from Greece... an "abstract rainbow" from Vancouver. Genius.
It Takes a Village
Yesterday afternoon I got a package. A gigantic, excessively weighty cardboard book filled with books. Thirty-one individually wrapped Spanish children’s books to be exact. That’s a little over two new books per week until Gaia and I temporarily relocate to Perú in December.* The name in the return address? Friend extraordinaire and G’s Fairy Godmother Jaydeen. Of course.
No matter what life throws me and how down I get I can always count on one thing. I have amazing friends. Like we-should-be-on-Oprah-sobbing-about-their-greatness-while-a-video-montage-of-our-friendship-plays-in-the-background kind of amazing friends. The thing about the books isn’t just the generous gift (although I do love presents). Jaydeen took the time to find thirty-one Spanish children’s books. She showed support in our quest to raise Gaia in a bilingual home. Then she took the time to wrap each book individually and leave instructions to open them slowly over the course of four months. It’s a gift that keeps giving not just to Gaia but to me as I wake up each morning painfully aware of how far away December is (97 days, 20 hours, 9 minutes and 44 seconds until we board the plane in Regina). It’s also a show of support for my own Spanish education which began formally last night.**
* Oh did I mention we’re moving to Perú? More on that later.
No matter what life throws me and how down I get I can always count on one thing. I have amazing friends. Like we-should-be-on-Oprah-sobbing-about-their-greatness-while-a-video-montage-of-our-friendship-plays-in-the-background kind of amazing friends. The thing about the books isn’t just the generous gift (although I do love presents). Jaydeen took the time to find thirty-one Spanish children’s books. She showed support in our quest to raise Gaia in a bilingual home. Then she took the time to wrap each book individually and leave instructions to open them slowly over the course of four months. It’s a gift that keeps giving not just to Gaia but to me as I wake up each morning painfully aware of how far away December is (97 days, 20 hours, 9 minutes and 44 seconds until we board the plane in Regina). It’s also a show of support for my own Spanish education which began formally last night.**
And it’s not just Jaydeen who deserves the friend of the year award. There’s Katy who ordered a gigantic package of mindless entertainment to be shipped to me in my first barfy, unemployed months of pregnancy. Katy who took almost a month off work to cook for me and clean my house and hold a newborn G at 4:00am so I could get some sleep. There’s Robin who drops everything when G and I are in Vancouver to make sure we have what we need – his house, his car, his time, you name it. There’s Rachel’s who had an extensive baby starter kit filled with enough clothing to outfit G well into toddlerhood and all of her favourite books delivered to my house while I was in Perú for Christmas. Rachel who calls me weekly and listens to me gush about G. Who gets up at 3:00am to produce a morning radio show and still spent her afternoons with us in Vancouver, playing on the swings and drinking coffee and gossiping about nothing important at all. There’s King who visited me when I was pregnant and made me start preparing and looked at the stroller and car seat combo in Babies-R-Us and said “let me, let us, we can afford it”. There’s Oz who pores over Gaia’s photos and comments and makes us feel like the most special pair in the entire world. Then there’s their parents, a never-ending network of pseudo grandparents who send gifts and give advice and cuddle G while they tell me stories of their children that make me see the world a little differently. The fact that one day I will have an adult child seems so surreal but they remind me, without saying it, that Gaia will grow and eventually, hopefully, I’ll sit on the floor with my grandchildren (related and otherwise) and ahhh... the circle of life. Right.
If you think I couldn’t possibly be luckier, just wait! I haven’t even mentioned the new friends I’ve made in Regina and the old friends I’ve re-connected with. People who make sure (consciously I suspect) that I don’t go too crazy alone in the house with G all day. Who call with invites for walks and play-dates and barbeques and dinners and gallery openings and coffee. A mommy-friend who accepts my phone calls and councils me on solid foods and toxic toys and sleep (or lack thereof). A childhood friend-of-the-family (more like a sister really) who reminds me not to lose myself in the task of being a wife and raising a child. They are my new community and I’m in awe of how they’re building themselves up around me, helping to hold me up.
I’ve always believed that friends are like the family you choose for yourself. The people you surround yourself with to fill the voids of care and support that might need filling. That’s not to say my family isn’t wonderful, but it takes a village to raise a child and Gaia is lucky to have such an extensive network of “aunts” and “uncles” who love us, not because they have to, but because they choose too. And, not to be too self-congratulatory, but I have to believe it wasn’t just luck that brought all this amazingness into our life. Gaia is also very privileged to have a mama with such impeccable taste in people.
So thank you. Thankyouthankyouthankyou. Big love to you all.
And back to the exciting package that got me all appreciative in the first place. This morning we opened our first two books, one fittingly titled Very First Words in Spanish (Mis Primeras Palabras en Español) and another called Cinco Pequñas Mariquitas which I translated (on my own thankyouverymuch) to Five Little Ladybugs. Clearly Gaia loves them.
* Oh did I mention we’re moving to Perú? More on that later.
** I didn't mention I’m going back to school? No? Sorry. I’m a horrible blogger.
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