the globe rover

Denver, CO

I am devastated that two of the kiddos that I follow from the cancer community earned their wings this week.

Coleman Larson was five vibrant years old and fought an amazing battle against Medulloblastoma for the last two plus years. Coleman was an amazing and very wise little boy filled with the spirit of life and faith unknown to many adults. Although I never met him, I have learned numerous lessons from him and his family. I have laughed and cried through their journey since I’ve been following them for the last year. Coleman leaves behind an amazing family - a very wise and devoted mother, Peggy;  a very caring and dear father, Scott; and a loveable and dedicated twin brother, Caden. I am heartbroken with this loss and amazed and so very thankful at the impact this little five year old has had on me.

http://www.carepages.com/carepages/ColemanScott

Trooper Dante was a two-year old fighter that has been battling Neuroblastoma. He is an amazing little guy and has had the spirit and determination to keep fighting and making everyone around him smile. He is also leaving behind a brother, sister, and wonderful parents. And again, although I have never met Dante, his smile will be engraved in my memory forever.

http://www.carepages.com/carepages/TrooperDante

My desire to help fight Childhood Cancer only grows stronger. These kids shouldn’t have to fight. They deserve more… an opportunity to grow and learn and experience life. I have learned so much from these guys and their parents.

Please help… go to Cure Search or People Against Childhood Cancer (PAC2). These groups are doing a great job but more help is always needed (childhood cancer is still way underfunded).

If there is any silver lining, it is that both these little boys have an amazing group of angels waiting in heaven to take them under their wing and show them the ropes.

My heart and prayers are with Coleman and Dante’s families.

Red Feather Lakes, CO

This weekend led me on a journey with three friends to embark on meditation and learn the basics of a practice that I have been curious about for a while. My curiosity was peaked last year when I spent five weeks in Southeast Asia through learning about meditation retreats and seeing monks and monasteries around the countries (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia). Thus, when a couple of friends started talking about trying to find a retreat as they were interested in learning meditation as well, I was very anxious and excited.

Our search for retreats led us all around Colorado and through places that focus on Buddhism, Yoga, and pure meditation. Timing was perfect when I was reading my National Geographic Traveler magazine and came across an article about “Wellness Destinations” and one of the four that was highlighted was the Shambhala Mountain Center in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado. Their intro program to meditation is called “Shambhala Training Level I: The Art of Being Human” and was exactly what we were looking for.

Not knowing what to expect, we set out with a combination of excitement and apprehension as all four of us (Meg, Lysa, Kathleen and I) were new to meditation and had never gotten closer than yoga. Needless to say, the weekend was not at all what we expected but was filled with discovery, pain, enlightenment, and joy.

The discomfort comes from “sitting on the cushion” (a meditation cushion set on a thin mat on a floor) in a position/posture that is unusual for most Americans (cross-legged with a straight back) for hours at a time. We were a bit surprised at the level of discomfort at times but realized it was mostly because we are used to sitting in chairs and slouching quite often. But the discomfort is also a part of the path to discovery and part of the path of meditation (there are reasons behind the posture which I won’t go into here for sake of brevity).

The second challenging aspect was the actual meditation. If you have never tried to sit quiet and clear your mind of all thoughts - I recommend you attempt it. And my guess is that it will serve to be challenging. We were fortunate to get ample explanation about techniques and methods for this type of meditation but actually putting it into practice is difficult. And after spending 3 1/2 hours Saturday morning and 2 1/2 more on Saturday afternoon alternating between sitting meditation and walking meditation (in a small circle inside our room with a meditation position for the hands and a slight gaze downward), we were exhausted and challenged. And it seems that most of the class was on the same page. However, our Saturday evening talk after dinner provided insight into the purpose of challenging us to “stay with it” and practice the meditation. As with most things, meditation comes with practice.

So clearly there were some discomforts and challenges through the weekend. But the best part was the enlightenment and discovery of a new path. Meditation provides many amazing things, the most important of which to me is presence. Through mindfulness, we are able to be present in whatever we are doing and still our thoughts to focus on where we are. This ability allows us to be gentle and fearless at the same time and through intelligence allows us to hear and see the world. One of the principles of Shambhala Training is that every person has basic goodness in us and it is only through our not being mindful of that and ignoring it that we find pain and suffering in our world. Meditation is a tool that allows us to find our basic goodness and return to living there. Thus, the practice of meditation allows us to be present and to hear and feel our world.

The weekend was filled with so many lessons that are so practical yet so challenging to practice in every day life. From learning to not judge others, to not reacting to other’s pain and anger, to learning how to listen to your own mind, to kindness, to openness, to listening and being present, and to basic goodness. We were fortunate to have both a great staff and great group in the class and only wish there would have been more time to get to know everyone.

As I have been learning lately through different tools, being present allows us to be more appreciative and feel the joy in our lives through everything that happens. This retreat was a great tool to help enforce the lesson of presence and is something that I hope to continue. As we discussed on the way home, it is much like eating healthy - it is something that isn’t always fun to do but the results and outcome are so worth the effort. Practicing meditation on a regular basis will be a challenge but it is something that I hope to add to my daily life in order to continue on this path of development and (hopefully) enlightenment.

I’ll finish with a great Zen quote that will serve as my reminder to focus on presence:

“Remain in the nowhere else. Be here.”

Brussels, Belgium

Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a traditional North American holiday to give thanks to God at the conclusion of the harvest season. (Wikipedia)

In honor of the special day, here are a few of the things I am thankful for:

• family (both immediate and extended)
• friends (both near and far)
• special people that have touched my life that are no longer on Earth
• kindness
• the power of faith
• learning
• the power of words (books and music)
• heroes (those people that make a positive difference in other people’s lives)
• love and connections

I arrived in Belgium Tuesday with no problems despite the French government strikes (including trains, buses, teachers, etc.). The last two days have been spent catching up with Chuck, Michael, David, and Greg and relaxing and preparing for our Thanksgiving meal.

Last night we drove to Ghent to meet a friend of a friend that I have met several times in London. Graeme is a friend and neighbor of Clive (past coworker and friend from the UK). Graeme is an opera singer and is rehearsing for a production in Antwerp and thus, suggested meeting in Ghent. The town is great — filled with character and streets lined with great shops and restaurants/cafes. We met at a little restaurant near the Opera house that had great ambiance and overlooked the river.

Our conversation was fun and energetic (as always with this crowd) and it was great to get to know Graeme a little better. I am amazed at his influence and experience in the Opera world and am fascinated to learn more as I ashamedly know very little about the Opera.

Today is our big day of preparing for the Thanksgiving meal. We were all cooking in the kitchen quite early today to ensure everything will be ready (save poor David who has been banned from the kitchen…). I am excited to eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal including a very large and labored over turkey that was obtained by a friend of Chuck’s. Cooking a traditional meal is a great way to bring togetherness and joy in honor of this special day.

To all my family and friends that are back in the States, I wish you all a wonderful and special day and am sending hugs and good blessings from afar!

Enencourt Leage, France

Today was a typical dark, cold, and grey day in France and despite that, it was a thoroughly enjoyable day. The Morels took me on another adventure to the beautiful town of Rouen, France. From Wikipedia:

Rouen (pronounced /ʀuɑ̃/ in French, sometimes also /ʀwɑ̃/) is the historical capital city of Normandy, in northwestern France on the River Seine, and currently the capital of the Haute-Normandie (Upper Normandy) région. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe, Rouen was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages. It was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman dynasties, which ruled both England and large parts of modern France from the 11th century to the 15th century. It was in Rouen where Joan of Arc was burnt in 1431. People from Rouen are called Rouennais.

The historic homes from the medieval times are gorgeous and make for a very majestic setting. The two cathedrals also add charm and history to the city as they stand tall above most buildings. Cathedral Notre-Dame is amazing and inspiring as you stand inside and look up at the creative columns built to hold the massive structure without adding too much weight. I stood there and thought of Ken Follett’s “Pillars of the Earth” thinking of the numbers of people that must have contributed to building this massive religious structure over many years.

Rouen is also well-known for the clock tower, Gros-Horloge or Great Clock, which sits in the center of town and provided time indicators for the local townspeople during the middle centuries (imagine going from not ever knowing the exact time save for the sun and then suddenly hearing the great chime of the clock strike every hour). The Great Clock is beautiful and sits in the middle of one of the most popular streets in Rouen.

Beyond being the capital of Normandy, Rouen is also the location where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. The tower, which was the scene of her trial, still stands today. As well, there is a church dedicated to her that was built in the middle of a great plaza. The building is interesting to say the least and is quite distracting from the beauty of the city centre.

For lunch we ate at a typical French restaurant, Brasserie Les Maraichers, in the city centre. The appearance and greeting led us to believe that it would be a great meal but we were all a bit disappointed. The wine we started with, the newly released Beaujolais Nouveau, was very light and refreshing. We all had the “menu” (meal which you pick a starter, main, and dessert) and I started with “shellfish in garlic sauce” which tuned out to be mussels, followed by squid bolognese which was wide egg noodles with chopped squid (a unique combination) for my main. The Morels thought their meals were decent at best and would not recommend the restaurant (we did keep reminding ourselves that the bread was very good which is a sign of a good restaurant typically, and the food was hot which was looking on the bright side of things). Dessert was the best course — I had raspberry and apple crumble with caramel ice cream. And thankfully, I was able to pace myself and not overeat at every course. The waiter did ask us how everyone’s meal was and Gudrun, being the honest person she is, told him the truth that it was very touristy (implying it was only okay and overpriced for the meal). Needless to say, he was not happy with us after that.

The trip to Rouen was wonderful and as always, the Froggies showed me another very special French town in the countryside. And they spoiled me again with a very different dinner of boiled potatoes and Mont d’Or cheese. It was lovely but I am going to have to leave France so I can start to reduce my eating again before I blow up and roll away!

Ciao for now…

Paris, France

My visit to London was incredibly short and somewhat dampened with not feeling great. But despite that, it was great to be back in the city and visit with friends.

First, a big thank you to the Magluilo’s for being such great hosts. I had a great time with Noelle and Mike over the weekend and enjoyed having such good friends to visit with. Noelle spoiled me and set quite a stellar precedence for future hosts to live up to (including breakfast in bed when I wasn’t feeling well…what a treat!).

The London visit on this go round included:

• ice skating at the Natural History Museum (picture small ice rink with way too many people on it including an 80s flashback skater with blue leather coat, cut off jean shorts including rips under butt checks, and bleach blond fluffy hair…”like, totally tubular”)
• dinner at Maroush, a Lebanese restaurant
• calling my doctor due to having some problems and being told by the on-call doctor to go to the emergency room (I am thankful that I didn’t follow those directions given that I’m in a foreign country and am feeling better now)
• strolling around Notting Hill and High Street Kensington to run a few errands including getting some of my very beloved Muji pens and some special product for Chuck to take to Brussels (what is it with these high maintenance boys ; )
• meeting Clive, Jo, Val, and Graeme for a drink at The International before Graeme’s performance in Carmen (very impressive to know opera stars!)
• meeting Dan, Jules, Candice, Emma and Jo (all people that I’ve met overseas in the last year that are all now living in London) for drinks at The International and then Spanish dinner at La Tasca
• venturing to the new Eurostar location at St. Pancras for my trip through the chunnel to Paris

The visit to London was great as expected albeit way too short. I wish I would have had more time to visit with more people and spend time at my favorite locations. But it was a great visit and I’m glad I got to see those that I did!

The journey to Paris this morning on Eurostar was uneventful as usual and provided a very welcomed nap. My French Mama, Gudrun, was kind enough to pick me up at Paris Nord station given that the trains are not working from the strike.

We drove from the city to Enencourt Leage and stopped at the club to see Michel (my French Papa) before heading to the house. I love their country house and always welcome a visit to my room there. Still not feeling well, I decided to take a nap and had a great 1 ½ hour nap in the cozy guest room with windows looking at the beautiful surroundings next to the river.

Our evening was spent catching up and enjoying a lovely meal. As always, it is great to see the Morels and I am very happy to reconnect again with my French family!

London, England

The sights and sounds of London Heathrow Airport are all too familiar and brought back floods of memories. Including standing in line for about an hour to get through customs. But that’s just what happens in London.

Whenever I return now to London, I am at first hit with an abundant sense of the differences. But then quickly those turn to memories of how things are done here. From getting pounds out of the ATM immediately at the airport, to buying a one day pass for the Tube (seeing that I forgot my Oyster pass which is a rechargeable pass), to figuring out my route on the Tube and then having service “interrupted” due to signal familiars. Life is much faster paced in London than in most places in the States. And yet, it is a welcomed change from the ordinary.

It’s great already to see familiar faces as I’m staying with friends from Denver that have been in London for five years (Noelle and Mike). Walking to their house through their village after my Tube journey reminds me of how great life is without a car. And little touches like the “Hello!” magazine in my room remind me of the quirks of the English lifestyle (they do love their celebrities). I’m happy to be back and looking forward to my visit.

And a note to my seat mate on the flight from Chicago to London: there is not that much room in economy and please try and be respectful of personal space for all your future seat mates. Your elbow and arm in my side all night long was not pleasant. Nor was your breath or your snoring. And one last thing, I didn’t enjoy your constant stares at what I was doing and directly at me throughout the seven hour journey. Perhaps you can be a little more subtle in the future. But I hope you enjoy your visit in London.

We are off to go ice skating and then out for Lebanese food. I do love the enourmous amount of great activities in London as well as the cultural diversity.

Happy Friday to everyone back in the States and around the world!

Chicago, IL

Sitting in the airport waiting for my flight to London and passing time catching up on shows I’ve missed over the last couple of weeks. It’s been a crazy 24 hours getting home from GA and ready to go overseas. But I’m excited to hit the air and travel back to Europe. This trip includes visits with friends in London, Paris, and then Brussels for Thanksgiving. More updates on my travels shortly…

Denver, CO

On Thursday night my next door neighbors from my childhood had to make one of the toughest decisions — to allow their beloved Hub to die peacefully without having to endure further trauma to his physical body. It is a choice that we all hope we never have to make. But the courage they showed is admirable and especially knowing that their husband, father, and grandfather is now resting peacefully.

It saddens me to know Hub isn’t with us anymore. And although I live across the country, our families are still living in the same neighborhood where we grew up and I’ve always felt their family was a part of my life (through schooling, marriages, births, etc.). The Evens five kids are all grown up and the family has grown and multiplied. Hub and Jan are great parents and grandparents and have always been happy go lucky. My heart breaks for Jan (or as we called her growing up “Aunt Bee”) as her partner won’t be with her to fulfill their retirement plans. But thankfully, she has a lot of kids that love her dearly and will make sure she still has meaning in her life.

Life and death are such contemplative thoughts. The one thing that is for sure is that we all have an end to our Earthly life. Thank goodness for the special people that enter our lives and have some type of influence on us. Hub is one of those special people and he’ll be missed sorely.

“Love is stronger than death even though it can’t stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can’t separate people from love. It can’t take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.”

–Anonymous

Baton Rouge, LA

This past weekend I traveled with some friends to Baton Rouge, LA to attend the Auburn vs. LSU football game. We were hoping for a great football game and not only did we get that, but we also got a weekend of great fun.

First things first… LSU fans know how to throw a good party (including plenty of food and plenty of drink). They do it like champs. I’ve been to many schools for tailgating but I think that LSU takes the cake. It is a non-stop party even when the game starts at 8 p.m. at night (think many hours before and many hours after). And our favorite LSU fan, Nan, was kind enough to invite us to some quintessential LSU tailgates.

But let me back up. We started the weekend on Friday with drinks at an outdoor bar high above the ground overlooking the Mississippi River (including a beautiful sunset). That followed with an amazing Italian dinner downtown with all kinds of cajun/creole influenced Italian dishes. And the final phase of the night was Baton Rouge nightlife (Jubans and Happy Note) complete with purple drinks for one (Lou), high school reunions for one (Nan), swerving walks home for one (Jim), sidewalk faceplants for one (yours truly), and laughter at the rest for one (Ellen). It was good fun and good laughs. We spent parts of the evening with Nan’s family who were all gracious hosts and kind enough to indulge our fun.

So after a long night of Louisiana style fun, Saturday was filled with college football (after a slow start to the day). This was my first visit to Death Valley and it did impress. We tailgated for hours before the game, toured around, and then enjoyed a great match throughout the entire game. And all of that in the midst of tens of thousands of LSU fans who were all more than welcoming and fun spirited to those of us Auburn supporters (although I did get tired of the repeated question about why we have multiple mascots — and just for clarification for anyone reading — Auburn has one mascot, the Tigers and a battle cry, War Eagle). Seriously, it was a great place to be and despite our very close loss in the last second, it was a really fun game.

That left only some more eating and enjoying to do on Sunday including a walk around one of the lakes and brunch at a different and amazing Italian restaurant. Picture traditional Italian brunch specialties with a cajun/creole slant. Let’s just say, they know how to eat in Louisiana.

It was a really fun weekend spent with good friends - cheers to Ellen, Jim, Lou, Nan, and the Thompsons. And remember,

“better to be safe than sober” –Lou

Go (geaux) Tigers!

Keystone, CO

Another weekend in the beautiful mountains of Colorado spent enjoying wine and good company!

This past weekend I ventured to Keystone with some friends to enjoy the soon to be fall mountain air and beautiful sunshine along with some wine and jazz. The Keystone Wine, Jazz, and Art Festival was great - well laid out and plenty of labels to try. We enjoyed some great wines on Saturday and continued the fun into the evening.

We ended up going to a bbq of some old friends I used to work with at Qwest (great to see them after years and they have adorable kids). We had fun playing and hanging out mountain style. Then it was back into the village for a late night of fun.

More festival fun on Sunday enjoying additional wines and hanging out with some of the distributors (aka “staff”). It was all good fun and only too bad that we had to head back Sunday afternoon for Monday work.

These fests in the mountains are keeping me busy! [PS…the gun show was in town]

Denver, CO

Upon returning to Denver I was quickly reunited with two of my good friends that I used to work with at CTIX (Lynette and Kevin). It was a great night and reminded me of the good times I had in Denver as well as the good times to come. Lynette just sent these pictures and they made me smile so I thought I’d share :).

Here’s to good friends and good times!

Denver, CO

I was touched this week by a news story I read on CNN about a would have been 19 year old boy that touched the lives of people around the world through his courageous fight with cancer. The news is filled with tragic stories around the globe but this one stuck out and touched me.

Miles was diagnosed in June 2005 with rhabdomyosarcoma (a rare pediatric muscle cancer that affects 350 children a year). Since that day, Miles began a fight against the cancer and a fight to share with honesty and courage the story he was living. My admiration goes to both he and his family as they share their fight, hopes, dreams, tears, and emotions with the world through Mile’s blog on CarePages (you have to register and then go to “LevinStory”). Miles maintained the blog throughout his fight and his Mom and family are now continuing to post to continue his legacy.

Miles passed into the unknown world beyond Earth on Sunday after one of the most honest and courageous fights that I have witnessed. Death is never easy but for an 18 year old to face it head on and share it with the world is an amazing thing. His mother had an incredibly special and unique bond with him and shared that Miles was a unique person with an amazing gift. And he truly was. Life is full of death and yet here was a young person fighting to live every moment, breathe every breath, and share with the world what it was like. He lived his moto to the last moment:

“Keep Fighting. Stop Struggling.”

Through a simple blog, Miles touched the world. He had kindness and fought to focus on the here and now and the blessings of life rather than all the things he won’t ever be able to do. As his peers prepared to leave for college and begin a new chapter in their lives, Miles prepared to go to the unknown and end his days on Earth. But he did it with beauty and blessing. And he has touched me and many others around the world. He praised his family (including his mother, father, sister/best friend, and his girlfriend) and they are amazing for sharing their son and brother with the world and continuing the legacy of Miles Levin. Their pain is incomprehensible and that which too many people in the world are faced with. But they are using that pain to help.

In the last interview with Miles, his Mom asked him what he wanted to be remembered for:

“Someone who maintained their light through their darkest journey.”

That he did in so many ways. And as he even said to his Dad, “mission accomplished.” He also valued kindness as the quality most important in humans. Kindness is what Miles exemplified every day and in every breath. There’s a lot to be learned from this man with wisdom beyond his short lived years.

Sometimes people and stories strike you in life. This one has struck me. I am touched. And I hope I can live my life with more kindness in honor of the legacy of Miles Levin and all other children who have fought the devastating fight of pediatric cancer.

Steamboat Springs, CO

I spent another fantastic weekend in the Colorado mountains at the ‘boat! And along with the fun came some firsts:

1. Playing Risk (fun game of global domination and strategy)
2. Steamboat Wine Fest (okay, so not the first time for drinking wine, but the first time at the Wine Fest which was great fun)
3. Frisbee Golf (great course up on the mountain played on a beautiful sunny day - couldn’t have been better)

Another fantastic weekend playing in the mountains!

Navajo State Park, CO

I have never been to the Southwest part of Colorado so I was excited to join the Andersons for an extended family camping and boating trip in Navajo State Park for a long weekend. And after starting work again, I was definitely excited to take a few days away.

En route to Navajo, we stopped in Monte Vista to spend the night with Darian’s Mom and meet up with the rest of the Andersons that were joining the trip. It’s always fun to stop in small towns off the beaten path and meet new people. So after a quick night, we were all packed up and back on the road to the park.

We arrived to the open area camp ground set right on the lake (two-thirds of Navajo Lake sits in New Mexico) and all went to work setting up our campground. Everything was laid out perfectly with spots for tents and campfires. Bathrooms with quarter operated showers sat a few hundred yards away. Although it was great to be camping right next to the water, I wasn’t a fan of the open, very “set” sites with no trees and neighbors right on top of you (think of that white trash family with hip-hop and country blaring from their radio as they had no idea what they were doing with a fire).

The weekend was great and mostly spent boating (and after years and years attempting to ski again) and hanging out at the campfire making traditional camping food. Jen prepared a perfect camping menu which included hobos (meat, potatoes, and veggies), s’mores (mmmmm), marinated chicken and fried potatoes, apples cooked with brown sugar and raisins, and plenty of other lunch and breakfast goodies. Most excellent job of preparation!

It was great to have all the kids around and extended Anderson family! We had a great time and it was wonderful to be on the water again and out in the outdoors!

Waterton Canyon, CO

The Stumpy fat tires are back on the trails! After a couple of years hiatus from real mountain biking, my Stumpy, a couple of buddies, and I hit the trails in the beautiful foothills of Colorado.

We rode Waterton Canyon which is an easy ride (a gradual six mile incline) but great training terrain set in the foothills of South Denver. The ride is a dirt road for the first six miles and then turns into the Colorado trail which is a single track full of climbs and switchbacks. Although a gradual incline, it’s a nice workout with beautiful surroundings and runs along a great river fed by the Strontia Springs dam. Along our route we even saw some mountain goat jump into the trail en route to the river.

I made it about halfway up the Colorado Trail Loop before turning around and cruising down (not bad for a first return to the trails and not quite-adjusted altitude lungs). We all hooked back up and rode the trail back to the trailhead. It was a beautiful hot day full of sunshine and people outside enjoying the great outdoors.

It was a great way to get in some exercise and catch up with friends in Denver (thanks Josh and Doug). This is truly one of the things that makes quality of life so great in Colorado! Happy to be back and on the trails again…

Parker, CO

I got invited to watch the last game of the season of the Hawks Orange little league baseball game today. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a little league game but I have to say that I couldn’t stop smiling the entire game.

The games are shorter and last an hour and a half at most (which is quite a long time for six year olds to keep focused). But for that hour and a half I watched the cutest little boys play their hearts out. They were impressive and really knew what they were doing out there. Unfortunately, “my” team didn’t win the game but won in every sense of team sports and having a great time. They played really well but happened to be outplayed for the day. Needless to say, it was fun to watch all the parents and siblings get into the action and cheer on both teams.

Glad to see that little league sports are alive and well in Colorado and bringing smiles to many faces!

Parker, CO

There’s a new puppy around town bringing daily smiles to my life. The Anderson’s new dog, Sally, is adorable and brings fits of giggles to all. She joined her big brother Buddy who is a very well behaved lab.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love dogs and these two black labs are adorable. I’m so glad I have some dog company in the house (especially after getting used to having two dogs around and spending six weeks with my parents dogs)!

Lilburn, GA

I have had so much fun over the last few weeks catching up with friends and family in Atlanta. It has been amazing to see everyone and great to see all the changes (new spouses, new babies, new houses, new jobs, etc.). Here are some of the pictures I got (wish I would have had my camera with everyone…).

I also forget how great the Southern hospitality and charm is in Georgia (and around the Southeast). I have loved waving to people, talking to neighbors, and even having trucks stop to ask if everything is okay as I pull over to fill up my car with oil (thanks to my leaky oil problem)… I am thankful for my Southern heritage!

It is not often in life that we get to stop and just catch up. It is definitely a highlight of being back in the US. I’m glad that I made the time to stop in Georgia for a while in order to have time to catch up with more than just a few people.

To everyone I’ve seen - it’s been great to see you and catch up in person. And to everyone I haven’t seen, hopefully we can catch up next time. I look forward to hearing about the continuing evolution of everyone’s lives and thanks for keeping up with mine!

Lilburn, GA

The Reese kids (my niece and nephew) came to spend some time at “Grandma’s House” when I first got home to Georgia. The first day, we pulled out the baby pool that the dogs use during the summer and let the kids go at it (and dogs too). Jenna and Tristen had such a blast running through the yard and water sans clothing. They are adorable and entertained Dad and I as we took photos. It was a perfect spring day and these pictures still make me smile.

Orlando, Florida USA

I had the fortune of spending a few days with some family and friends including my niece (Jenna, 3) and nephew (Tristen, 4) in Disney World this past week. It was such good fun to see their excitement and recognition of all the different characters around the Disney parks. And their excitement was contagious as I think all the adults got into the fun as well.

I had recently been to Disney in January of this year for the marathon (quite an experience given my lack of any training but a great experience nonetheless) and thus, had recently seen the parks. However, the only park that I visited more than running through was the Animal Kingdom, which was good fun although a short visit.

This time we visited Disney, MGM, and EPCOT and they did not disappoint. However, the experience as an adult is so different than as a child. Some of the rides are the same but the entire ambiance and feel have evolved quite a bit. The thrill for me though was watching the kids and their excitement at the different things in the park. And not only did we have the pleasure of watching Jenna and Tristen, but we also got to enjoy the parks with their age twins (friends of the Bancroft’s from Miami) Matthew and Jason. The four of those kids stole my heart and brought a smile to my face at each new turn in the parks. Believe it or not, the adults each got driven by one of the kids on the Race Track at Disney…good thing they aren’t on the roads yet!

We also had such good fun watching the kids enjoy the pool at the house we stayed at that had an enclosed pool. Amazing to see three and four year olds learn new tricks in the water and feel more and more comfortable. My nephew is truly a water shark - he was diving in the deep end and swimming across the water. Not bad for a four year old! The kids continued their water fun at night in the big jacuzzi tub…bubbles and splashes for all!

From an adult perspective, there are some great rides at the parks…the Test Track at EPCOT is such good fun. For those who haven’t ridden it, it’s a test drive of cars through all conditions including a race track reaching great speeds. It’s a thrill. And for the first time in my life, I almost got motion sick during Mission Space, which is a simulation of an astronaut into space. Wow! Not fun to feel like that (and our poor friend John didn’t fare so well after either). Thankfully, the feeling passed after a couple hours and I am now so compassionate for those who suffer from motion sickness on a regular basis. But I don’t think that one little hiccup will slow down my love for coasters and other thrills.

Great times were had by all and I’m thankful I got to be a part of the week. I’m looking forward to another “adult” visit to Disney that will hopefully include some more little people!!