TravelStream™ news feed for member wakingdream on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/wakingdream en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:50:27 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1256671866/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1256671866/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1256671866/tpod.html Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:50:27 -0400 The Interim. And life goes on......

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Time. It's always something that completely eludes me. There are so many things -SO many things- I want to do but I just can't make the time....? Don't have the time to make? Can you really "make" time anyway? That kinda makes me laugh. If I could "make" time, I'd be doin' it left, right and center! Oh, maybe I could "find" the time. Please, anyone who has found time, please, please let me know the geographical coordinates! I could <i>really use some. I promise I will repay you <i>somehow. For those of you who are still reading this blog, and there seems to be alot of you, for some strange reason :) - I have been trying to "find" or "make" time to add the tidbits of daily life in here to catch up, even if just for myself. It helps to just purge some stuff out of yer head, doesn't it? It seems to somehow make more sense when it's all written down on paper, or a web page, or wherever. It's almost like you can actually organize your thoughts, but in the end, it doesn't work out so perfectly as that. But, it helps.So, let's see. Right now the wall infront of me is shaking and vibrating as my man puts the finishing touches on his masterpiece wrap-around porch. Like you see on all those beautiful southern plantations,although not so grand as those! It offers a brilliant spot to do just about anything. Relax with a book, entertain friends, people-watch. Too bad winter is around the corner! Might be sittin' out there with a heated blanket just for some fresh air and a step outdoors on those really, really cold days. So that's all cool. Been having some memorable porch parties, that's for sure.Ten is more amazing each and every day. He calls me "Mum" now. Not Mummy, or Momma, just "Mum" and I love it. He says it in every possible tone and range that he can. Mum? Mum! Muuuuuum! And sometimes ever so quietly, as he's falling asleep, Mum. Could write pages upon pages upon pages about him here is not the place. Will have to put some photos up anyway, so you can all appreciate the amazing boy I have in my life each and every day. I am so lucky. If my life would end tomorrow, I feel I have lived a thousand of them and I wouldn't want for anything more. Then again, there's still so much to do and see that it would be a real shame to not get around to it all. Whatever it might be.Been into the city alot more visiting friends and family. Riverdale Farm right in Toronto was a highlight. A slice of simplicity smack dab in the middle of chaos. Gotta love it. Immediately, the neighborhood is popping out all these cool individuals I had no idea even lived here. Just goes to show that your own backyard can be very intriguing indeed! Meeting new people for me sort of bridges the gap of not traveling right now. Actually, it does a very decent job of curtailing the pining need to go. And as always, that need never rests. I just hold it tight until I can unleash it again soon.Back to work part-time, freelancing part-time so it all equals out and I get alot of Tenny Time in so that makes me happy. Generally, I am happy. I am tired, yet restless, and always have that urge inside to do something spontaneous and "crazy" (in a good way, not in a coo-coo bananas way!) Slowly, as Ten gains independence, so do I. Little by little, we all grow, one step at a time. And for some, that is much more literal than for others.Love &amp; Hugs to those of you I know and those of you I don't know too. I know you're reading. The numbers show it. The "stats" if you will. Please feel free to comment or get in touch. For new friends, like old ones, are like gold.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1236692160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1236692160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1236692160/tpod.html Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:04:07 -0400 The Interim. And life goes on......

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

I have never sunken into misery. Not that I've never been miserable but I have never succumbed to being enveloped by it. Even though I've certainly had my share of ups and downs, I have always managed to look on the bright side of things. I think you'll always fair much better with a good, consistent sense of humour in life than not much of one. You have to learn to laugh at the ridiculousness that life can be sometimes. It's kind of like the old adage; when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.I've recently become more aware of the ugliness that is around. Of people with NO sense of the funnier side of life and people who are just plain miserable. I was starting thinking about it, and even though I am usually more aware then some other people out there ( like those ignorant b*stards, you know who you are) I am not always on the ball. I strive to be aware as much as possible. Not just walk around in my own world. I know there are people out there who have had it hard, I know this. I am a very sensitive person. But hey, I'm really not even talking about those people, I'm talking average everyday people who just couldn't give a shit about anyone but themselves<i> first.You see them every single day.&nbsp;So, in the car the other day, I'm pulling out of a parking lot onto the street. I'm behind another car who has pulled out so he is blocking the sidewalk. There is a little old lady standing on one side of the car she was cut off by, waiting to cross over to continue walking. Now, the car ahead of me saw her yet chose to pull out in an effort to get out first and get to where he was going because <i>obviously he is<i> way more important than anyone else in the world. That kind of thing drives me CRAZY. So I pull up and stop before the sidewalk, smile and wave the lady through. She then smiles back and gives me a friendly wave like, thanks a lot. I'm not trying to say I'm a saint here because I'm not, but would it really kill people to be considerate???? You see this kind of thing everyday. Me first, me first! Society is breeding these "me first" types all over the place. They are multiplying like highly contagious diseased bacteria. I hate to sound crass, and I am definitely not hateful, but I am <i>most definitely disappointed with what's not going on and has been going on for a long, long time. I could go on and on about 'what's become with the world?" but let's simplify it to "what's become with people?????" You know how people say "ohhh, kids these days!" well, WTF? They are learning inconsiderate behavior from someone aren't they?? I'm not saying it's from, or only from their parents, but holy crap, since when is it hard to be a good person? (this is seeming kind of familiar so forgive me if I've ranted about this before)I'm ranting yeah, and I tend to do that when I'm writing because I'm just releasing. I don't put much thought into it, I just write. It pains me to think my kid is going to grow up in this kind of world and yes, I can be the best parent I can be but influences do not come <i>only from parents. In fact, more influence is upon your kid from the outside world then from you by a certain age. And that is certainly before that <i>most influential age. Sigh. I digress. Sort of.So, if you're at the grocery store and someone in line is taking forever, just take it easy. think about something nice and relax. Wait your turn. If you're on the road and the person in front of you is driving, like 10, just relax because it is probably someone who is old and they really should be driving slow! Don't forget, as a society, it is our responsibility to take care of the elderly and watch out for them, even if they are not <i>our grandparents! Trust me, they watched out for us when we were kids. People, we just need to calm the hell down and stop being in such a hurry all the time because before we know it, we'll be rushing to our graves and we won't even know it! Geez, you don't want to be rushing somewhere, all perpplexed and in a freaking hurry and then kick it all of a sudden. You'll be going down without smellling the roses, and that my friends, is <i>no way to go.And now, something to make you smile.....my little Scottish man! Check out his hat, it's the cutest.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1236393180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1236393180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1236393180/tpod.html Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:17:00 -0500 The Interim. And life goes on......

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Sometimes we need to think of life with such immediacy. Other times it's better to be able to grasp the big picture. Sometimes I find that difficult. I am learning more and more about myself each and every day. No day is stagnant. I have become so removed from who I used to be, not fundamentally so, but as each day passes I realize I am farther and farther away from the younger version of myself and am, slowly and comfortably, morphing into an a new interpretation of the old me. These days I am trying to embrace a solitariness I have never felt before. You know, sometimes when you go through major changes in life, you can feel very removed from the rest of the world. I know I've felt like that before. But these days I feel that there really isn't anyone that I know that truly can understand how changes are affecting me. Partially because I don't yet understand either. The loneliness though, is not a negative thing. The times past when I have felt alone have seen me through some of my best and brightest growth spurts in my life. I am kind of liking the not knowing what each day will bring. What new perspective I will acquire, what new goals I will set to strive for, what unseasoned realizations I will come to. predictability is out the window. Now I see things in a novel way, not only as a mother but also as a restatement of my old self. This new translation is different in that many of the things that once mattered to me no longer matter at all. I have developed a kind of selflessness that precedes me. I have learned to love another person so wholeheartedly that sometimes that love is achingly enormous, taking over everything until I no longer see, only feel. One that has humbled me even more so than I have ever been humbled. It's bigger than life. I have seen, with my own eyes, myself in another person, which has has given me an incredible sense of awe. These days it is truly one day at a time. Life has been broken down to its finest simplicity which is a fascinating way to experience being. I can faithfully absorb each and every moment, and I feel an unequivocally deep happiness that has made me realize why people have families. There is something to knowing you will live on in someone else and through someone else. Perhaps for one generation, perhaps for many. With children, you can leave your legacy behind. Maybe a hundred years down the road a small child will ask <i>"why did Great Grandma travel to ____? What kinds of thing are out there in the world to see.?" I think if I end up, after all this life, being an interesting enough person that my great grandkids will be inspired to experience the world, or at least some of it, I will have indeed led a good and blessed life. Today I acknowledge a kind of duplicity about me. I am the same woman who bought a plane ticket more than a decade ago and took off, eyes and heart wide open, to leave behind worries and uncertainty. Running away from myself, who, eventually caught up anyway! Today, I still feel worries and uncertainty but in a much different and less alarming way. Each day I strive to understand and appreciate the new me better, to embrace the uncertainty and know that as the moments pass those uncertainties turn into invaluable segments of knowledge that help me stay on my path, wherever it may lead.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1233195420/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1233195420/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1233195420/tpod.html Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:19:29 -0500 The Interim. And life goes on......

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Well. Whoa. You know when there's just so much going on in your life that there are just not enough words to even<i> begin to explain it all? That's me at the moment. Big time. Although, funnily enough, I still feel extremely happy and at ease. It seems as though there are so many happenings (exciting, stressful, fulfilling, emotional and beyond comprehension even) that my head is spinning, yet at ease? is that even possible? Somehow it is. is that called denial? Add some massive sleep deprivation to that and you've got one messed up individual! Not necessarily in a bad way, just in a somewhat confusing, and tired, way. And to top it all off, it kills me that I'm the kind of person that always needs to keep busy with Something. Something always needs doing and, for the most part, I'm always up to the challenge.The other day my mom, whom I love dearly but take with a grain of salt (most times) when it comes to advice about my life, told me I was stressed out. I kind of laughed, inside my head ofcourse. Me? Stressed out? No way. I'm a totally chilled out kind of individual. I don't let much get to me. I take things in stride. I'm <i>always up for a challenge. Then I started thinking, um, okay, maybe there's something to this stress thing. Waaaaaait a second, there really is. Hold on! I'm a big, fat, honkin' stress case! Oh my god! Haha. That realization was quite hard to let in, let alone accept.I hate to think that I let things get to me. I really contemplated why I am so stressed out and how my mother, of all people, noticed! It's kind of a passive sort of stress. Then I started looking at it like this; what have I done for me lately?" and right there, I hit the nail on the head. Perhaps my new status as Baby Mamma has something to do with it. Maybe my need to always be the one helping and not the one helped is a factor. Is there something to this <i>thing people have told me? That at some point you have to let it all go and accept that you need help? And I don't mean in a therapy kind of way, just, you know, plain old getting a hand once in awhile.As I look to the future, which I try not to do too often (but then I went and had a kid and that sure did change) I see a vibrant, happy, soulful, thoughtful, fun, loving, thrill-seeking person who wants many things out of life. Right now I guess I'm stationary, physically anyway, and that seems to be a small part of the enjoyable yet somewhat restricting chain I feel around my neck right at the moment. Not that I don't love being a mum. I love it. To the very core. I love it through and through and I won't go on about it because not that many people, mums excluded, will truly understand anyway. Yet, I still feel a great need to fulfill many dreams that I didn't leave behind, but put on hold. And I don't want to be, nor do I think I ever will be, one of those people who wakes up one day and realizes life slipped by while I was busy barbequing with the neighbors. Nuh-uh. That will <i>not be me. Simply because I am much too passionate to let my passions slip through my fingers like that.I realized it has been a long time since I've written anything in this Half-assed? Half fast? travelogue of mine even though I've done some heavy duty traveling, just not the kind most of this site's members are doing. Not right now anyway but that's not too far off in the distance. I'm sort of disappointed that, since I've swapped the gag-me-with-a-spoon-and-hang-me-out-to-dry office job for a travel writing gig, which I adore, I have become that person that doesn't enjoy doing what I love to do because I do it so much. Sometimes it seems more like a chore. Does that even make sense? Well, for now I live vicariously through certain people, another thing I never thought I would be doing but then, things change. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Actually, it's a good thing because if I didn't do it, then maybe that would mean I completely gave up on some things. Which I do not do. I do not give up. I never, ever give up. It's the worst thing for you. Seriously. Even if you keep trying and keep failing and keep trying and keep failing at something, each time, you get that much better at it and you have to believe that one day you'll reach your goal. And you will. It's just that simple. It's so incredibly cliche to write this but it is so true. Life is what you make it. If you decide certain things are just too hard, then you're not really giving it your all. And if you're not really giving it your all, then what's the point anyway? There is no point. So, what lessons have we learned today? Never give up. Get plenty of sleep. Keep your passions in view at all times. Accept help when you need it even if you think you can do without. Realize that at some points in life, the road may not lead to exactly where it is you think you're going but it's<i> your map that will help you find the detour back to the road that <i>will take you to where you want to go. If you let it. If you have the patience to let things be as they are. Oh. And the things you find and experience along the road you thought was the wrong one but really turned out to be the right one are the things you never expected to experience but it's those things that eventually lead you to the right place. Your place. Right now I am laughing my ass off. The end.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1222991700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1222991700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1222991700/tpod.html Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:55:53 -0400 The Interim. And life goes on......

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Since I've practically been topless for the last two months feeding Little Pants to his heart's content, I kind of figured we should head somewhere with an abundance of topless beaches on our next holiday! Actually, by the time next winter comes along he'll be a year and a half-ish and I sort of draw the line at nursing a child who can talk to me. Know what I mean? Just imagine the child demanding you whip your boobs out whenever he or she felt like it? I shudder at the thought!As always my mind has been spinning on where to take the boy on our next trip. I'm thinking we'll take him border hopping sometime next year when all this house renovation action is (finally) done and we can ease back into a somewhat similar existence as before. Some say having children completely changes your life, and, I suppose in some ways this is true, but I also think that you need to train your kids to adapt to your lifestyle too. Many people look at me with complete skepticism when I say we want to travel with the kid, and I ain't talkin' DisneyLand here, but I think it's totally reasonable. Sure there will be plenty of challenges but for me, that's part of the beauty of traveling in itself, the challenges and overcoming them.So I started thinking where Little Pants might want to go. Though we'd love to get back to SEA and do some long-awaited visiting with friends, methinks air rates are just too damn expensive. Mind you, I haven't looked at air rates in awhile, I've been too busy whipping my boobs out every hour and trying to mind myself by not walking, mindlessly, outdoors with my boobs hanging out like it's totally normal. Although this is totally normal at our house right now......&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;So, I was thinking Central or South America. I got inspired by a writing assignment. Maybe Paraguay, Uruguay, perhaps Guatemala, maybe Nicaragua or Honduras. That's about as narrowed down as it gets right now! I was thinking this b/c it would seem appropriate that our first trip with Tenzin would be to Spanish-speaking country, just like Jer and my first trip together as a couple. I really loved Peru. I loved learning some conversational Spanish, I loved the food, I loved the surroundings and most of all I loved the people. I can just picture him now, crouching near the ground, playing some totally archaic yet fun game with some Spanish kids, learning a bit of a new language, having a ball.Well, being a new mom sure is inspiring. I think the first year must be the best but everyone says each new stage is their favorite. He's such a happy and bright little boy. Sometimes he even wakes up and busts into a little baby laughter and some cute, cute cooing. How could I not share this little boy with the world? That seems selfish to me :)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1218593580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1218593580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1218593580/tpod.html Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:14:13 -0400 The Interim. And life goes on......

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Well, we had him!! We had him we had him we had him!! He is<i> incredible!! SO beautiful and tiny and, I could go on and on.... I can't stop looking at him. No.<i> Staring at him. The way he smells, the way he sleeps, his little, involuntary smiles, his breath, his tiny hands and feet. His wrinkles. His eyes. Ohhhh, his eyes. There is something <i>truly beautiful there. he is a sweet, sweet soul.Being <i>unpregnant feels great! After a week and half I fit back into my old pants! I was worreid I would feel too unlike my old self and I needed something to bring me back quickly so I could concentrate on being with Tenzin. Fitting into old clothes isn't about size really, but about knowing you're still the same person, and healthy :) Thank goodness because the constantly morphing wardrobe was starting to drive me freaking bonkers! One day this fits, a week later, forgettaboutit! Ok, so DETAILS!!!!Name;Tenzin Gray Stauffer. Named after the very beautiful soul, the Dalai Lama.A person we both deeply admire. Born:July 23, 2008 at 9:03am.Weight;6 pounds 13 ounces. Yay! I went to the doctors office, no, I waddled to the doctors office for what I hoped was my last appointment on July 21st .I <i>knew something was happening. Besides the fact that I felt as if I were carrying a watermelon between my legs, I just felt different than I had the entire time leading up. She examined me and was all ; Oh yeah, I'd say you'll be going into labour in the next 48 hours. It was weird because I always thought I wouldn't want any warning, but I was pretty relieved to have gotten it!Well, that was wuite the news to absorb, but not really a huge surprise, but still. You kow when you wait for soemthing for SO long and then it finally happens.... I had planned to run some errands while I was out so I carried on with them. I felt okay. I mean, the baby was so low it was much more difficult to walk but hey, I was having a baby, not a heart attack. I'm not too over the top. I hadn't really slowed right down by that point anyway. I mean, I was being cautious ofcourse, but so many people think pregnant women are SO fragile and really, they're not!After the errands I had to head home to wrap up&nbsp; a writing assignment I had started earlier in the week. I felt....well, a little bit nervous. My <i>entire family was away on holidays. I'm talking everyone!&nbsp; I called Jer at work and said that if he could book off early that would be cool. By that time I had already called him and told him of the impending action. It was hard to believe that after all these months, something was finally going to give! The baby bomb was about to drop!I had contractions all day and all night. All the next day too. Nothing serious, and nothing too incredibly painful either and pretty far apart. On Tuesday night after midnight, so Wednesday, the real labour began. The contractions started at 1am and we were signed into the hospital by 2:30am. I was well on the way, very dilated and ready for action. The contractions were heavier but I was breathing <i>really well, really deeply and managing the pain on my own. Into the room and hooked up to the machines. Both baby and I were looked after well. Long story short, things got a little stalled, even though I had come in so far along, and my doctor came in and broke my water. At this point I had had no drugs, no<i> nothing and my doctor encouraged me along, knowing that I wanted a natural birth but was apprehensive for obvious reasons!After doc broke my water things happened. Fast and Furious!!! Oh man, the pain got ALOT worse and I<i> still had no idea what I was in for!!!! She broke my water at 7:30 am, <i>major contractions until 8:30am and then I started pushing. Holy cow!!! I was groaning and grunting for sure, but nothing like the ladies I heard later on that day screaming bloody murder. Literally! And that hospital is 90% epidural too, so they were likely all on drugs! Whoa. You can't push if you're screaming. You're just losing all your energy. OUr beautiful baby boy was born 33 minutes later. I saw him when he came out and ,well, indescribable! Oh, and he has the nicest shaped head!!&nbsp; Jer, the nurse and doctor were the most amazing team I could have hoped for. Afterward, I felt like a million dollars. All in all I didn't sleep for three days! Hormones people! And natural adrenalin. It's incredible!We've been parents now for almost three weeks. It has been the happiest three so far for us! The love that emanates from this house <i>must pulse through this neighborhood because there is so much of it sometimes I think I might explode! Tenzin is the sweetest boy and Jeremy is a natural born father. Truly a gem. He's amazing really. My life right now is a whirlwind of feeding and comforting and burping and soothing and sleeping once in awhile, and it's the most natural thing I have ever done in my life. I never imagined we could love this much. It feels so good. We're finally all together just like we were meant to be all along.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1216136580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1216136580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1216136580/tpod.html Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:54:20 -0400 The Interim. And life goes on......

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Well, well, well!So<i> THIS is what is feels like to carry around a freeloader! Literally! I've hit 39 weeks. A human gestation period is 40 weeks, or 10 months. He's getting a free ride now!I'm feeling really good. Things are happening, albeit a little slowly for my taste :) He's "coming". He's dropped and there are other indications that it's not long now.&nbsp; Like, you know, hitting the <i>ten month mark!!! I've just finished work but am still working. Sounds weird, I know. The job I took in order to qualify for maternity benefits is pretty much officially over, with just a few loose ends to tie up. I've been writing since I started more than a year ago and am still writing updates and addendum's to guides until, well, I<i> can't write because I have babe constantly in my arms or on my boob :)I'm "officially" due next Friday. Though everyone keeps commenting on how small I am (apparently I look about 6 or 7 months pregnant) I feel pretty huge. Oh, and I "don't look pregnant from behind". Haha. That's a pretty common one too! I think I do now since I've started waddling a little bit! Sitting is uncomfortable, moving is slightly painful sometimes and sleeping, well, it's getting close to impossible! Jer said he thought the sleepless nights come <i>after the baby arrives, but he's realized that they come when <i>I get too uncomfortable and toss and turn all night :)Still swimming and working out a bit which is helping to keep me feeling good. I think slowing down at this point will just make things harder anyway, so I'm trying to keep active, but I am getting a little longer of a lie in in the morning. Kinda feel like I deserve it :) Soon, I will be someone's Mom. Exciting!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1213382160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1213382160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1213382160/tpod.html Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:04:32 -0400 The Interim. And life goes on......

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

There are many things that a traveler knows for certain yet it's the unknown that is the most appealing, thrilling, inspiring and exciting. The unknown puts you to the test, makes you think, challenges you and forces you to make choices and decisions, often at a moment's notice. Though life is a journey in itself and we're always traveling somehow, somewhere, it's the raw appeal of being on the road that makes a traveler a traveler, in the true sense anyway. Travel forces you to look deep inside yourself and acknowledge the good with the bad and hopefully empowers you to be the best person you know how to be. Yet, there are definitely situations and life experiences that might mimic the experiences on the road, making us rise to certain challenges that we welcome, sometimes with trepidation or apprehension and other times with pure joy and happiness. Either way, I've found the outcomes equally fulfilling and inspirational.It's been some time since I've written anything and, in truth, it's because I am on a journey so personal I would rather really feel it and absorb it than write about it and analyze it.&nbsp; I'm closing in on the end of the road here, in a certain way, even though it's still just the very beginning of my new journey. Becoming a parent is such a new thing to me and even though I've still got the babe in the womb for another 4-6 weeks, I've already become a parent. I've had to love and nurture the baby through my own actions and in taking care of me, I've been taking care of the babe since the very beginning. It's been surprisingly easy-and I don't think I've ever been healthier in my life! Though, I have to admit, now more than ever, in the onset of the heat of the summer, I am looking forward to a few very frosty, cold beers sometime later this year! So, on goes the journey and the wondering how I will ever have the space inside me to accommodate this (still) growing baby who is as tenacious and fiery as ever, letting me know, without any doubt, when he's uncomfortable, or when it's too loud for him, or when he wants me to move around b/c sitting is just not comforting to a little one! It's pretty amazing, the messages he's been able to send me! And still, he's getting more and more persistent to the point where I have to wonder if he's starting to knock on the door! He's unyielding and steadfast, flexible yet decreasingly so because he is running out of room! He pushes up with his feet, deep into my ribs, his little head down, just waiting for the opportune moment in which he will, no doubt aggressively and wholeheartedly, bust his way out into this beautiful world. ( I'm hoping for a nice, fliud swan dive here!) And during this time I talk to him, rub his little back through my belly, tell him stories and confess to him how much I already love him. As I await the moment of truth with great anticipation, the thoughts going through my head have been never-ending. Not worry nor fear nor uncertainty, but wonder and amazement and happiness. I can hardly wait to start teaching my son about the world and the beauty in it. I can hardly wait to tell him that the best parts of life come from focusing on the positive things, by accepting the things we can't change and by looking, with new eyes, every day, at the unfolding world in front us. I'll teach him to be the best him he can be. That no matter what, he is going to make a whole hell of a lot of mistakes, but that's what will shape him into the wonderful person I know he will be. And with those mistakes, as long as he isn't hurting anyone else, will come the best lessons he'll ever get and learn from.I hope he inherets the wanderlust we have and yearns to travel and explore the world, just like both his mom so fiercely does. I hope he is born with an innate curiosity of what's<i> really out there, and the determination and intense curiosity to find out himself. I hope he is instinctively caring and kind and compassionate and honest. I also hope he has a great sense of humour and also dignity, and, especially strength in the face of adversity. I believe that travel is the best teacher, yet balance is important too. Balance is the key to the world, to life itself, and if he manages to be even somewhat balanced, I'll be one proud Momma. PS, I promise a photo soon even though I'm pretty massive! :)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1201309200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1201309200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1201309200/tpod.html Fri, 25 Jan 2008 20:59:50 -0500 The Interim. And life goes on......

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball. Sometimes it's fast and easy to catch and other times it's way too fast and you end up tripping over your feet trying to land it. The point is, as long as you land it, even if you trip and have to pick yourself up, you still caught it and that's all that counts.So far there's been a lot of curve balls in my life. It's the unexpected, which we can never see coming. That's why it's called the 'unexpected'. The unexpected things can be the biggest tests of all. One day back in November, closer to the end, I had a thought, a feeling. I had no idea it would ever be a life changing thing. In some ways the thought scared me. So much so, I began to feel uneasy about it, which is rare for me. I passed it off. Brushed it off my conscience, where it was weighing a little too heavily, and I didn't think about it for a little while.A little way down the road this thought pulled at a small corner in my mind. And again, it made me feel unsure if it would be for me. For us. Right now anyway. We've had so much going on that in some ways I feel like sometimes life is passing by a little too quickly, yet wonderfully at the same time. There are so many positive things happening that I'm just soaking it all in and enjoying all we're fortunate to have and experience together.The way I am is like this; you've got to try as much out in your life as you can. You've got to make the absolute most of it because it's really not a very long life we're given in the whole scope of things. Really, what's 90 years when there's so much to do and see in the world? It would take me multiple life times just to do and see half of what I hope for. This thought, this possibility piqued my inner senses. A new trip. One I've wanted to go on for a long time but have put off for the 'right' time.Jer and I talked about it. We played with every option, tweaking our plans. This is a trip we've both wanted to take for a long time now. We just couldn't decide on the right time. It is monumental, paramount even for some people. It will likely...no, without a doubt, be the most difficult journey we've ever set off on. It is one that can take in a number of different ways and I want it to be just right. I want to have the absolute fullest, most amazing journey we can possibly have.There will be lots of doubt. On this journey there is nothing we will pack that will prepare us for what we will experience. The journey will be long. A very long one. There will inevitably be many bumps and severe turns in the road. There will certainly be times where we'll wonder if we went a little too far, maybe just a touch. Situations we won't know how to deal with. Many of them. Unbelievable amounts of trial and error. I think anyone who's ever traveled this road before could not give us enough advice to get us through. What we will learn is going to be incredible. Every ability will be tried, tested. Perseverance. Patience. Love. Understanding. Loyalty. Humor. Humility. Ambivalence. You name it. The route isn't the path less traveled but it can be easily customized, making each journey different than another. So much so that every traveler that takes this avenue of quandary has a completely unique experience. You wouldn't think there are many journey's like this left but this one is a classic. This journey will teach us of the true beauty of life. It will afford us each a new understanding of each other and a new perspective never seen before. It will change the entire meaning of everything and provide one of the most amazing possibilities for growth ever given to a person. It will give us the opportunity to look deep within ourselves and find answers to questions we never thought we'd ask ourselves. In July of this year our baby will be born and our lives will change forever. We will journey with this child and show him the beauty of the world and it's people. He will forever know the true and resounding love his parents have for this planet. For connecting with others that seem so different but are really one and the same as us. He will know different countries and fascinating souls but most of all, he will learn that it truly is love that makes the world go 'round. That he should seek what is outside of his own comfortable haven to really experience life as it was meant to be.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1196781600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1196781600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wakingdream/interim-2007/1196781600/tpod.html Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:18:18 -0500 The Interim. And life goes on......

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada

&nbsp;The cold has come raging in at mock speeds, creating ice-laden grounds and a crispy chill in the air. My initial wimpiness toward winter is now gone. It's over. As a true Canuck I have overcome my coldness and accepted that the next four to five months will be <i>cold. Quite honestly, this happens ever year. I wimp out and then buck up. Every year there's some new, or old, weather system with some dramatic name and each year it makes me laugh a bit. Today it's the <i>Hudson's Vortex that's to blame for all the crazy storms we've been getting lately. The prediction is that this year will be the coldest winter, all across Canada, in 15 years. Better a <i>real winter then one of those muddy, greeny-white ones. We're blessed by the cold (though that's quite hard to accept!)as every year it kills off all the terrible nasties that turn into diseases that live in hot climates and kill people on a regular basis. So, essentially, cold is good!Life has been pretty nuts. Fast-paced changes are making my head spin a little bit. My philosophy is, you gotta<i> roll with it. Denying change is like denying life b/c life <i>is all about change, isn't it? Change has been all around, in all facets and though it can make things confusing, I like it. It spices up the ordinary and clears the way for extraordinary things. I suppose in some ways I've always been a dreamer yet at the same time, you<i> must believe dreams do come true, because they do. So, dream big and you never know what'll happen. Sounds corny, but it's so true.Change reminds me of traveling. I know, traveling<i> is change in one of its greatest forms, but any type of change has at least one of the same affects as travel does. When things change, you gain a new outlook, you see things in a different way then&nbsp; normally do. Sure, I suppose that's not rocket science at all, but it's the truth. The simple truth and it's the simple truths that most people find the hardest to acknowledge. It's a break away from the mundane and tired, and in my mind, any break away from the ordinary is a step forward to a little bit of a newer you. A slightly different version of you. We're always growing and bettering our old versions.Here I am babbling, but that's what I do best, often thinking and writing at the same time instead of thinking of what I might write about and then write about it. That's just me. As I gear up for winter I sink into a very contemplative state and take up those indoor activities that really make me think. Reading, writing, films, backgammon, long talks by the fireplace (if only I had one!) holidays that brings families closer. Maybe it sounds cheesy, but in the winter, as many things die off, I find my spirit renewed and alive with a new kind of energy. A <i>different kind of energy than any other time of year.
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