Ghana on Vashon

The heat around here is getting us acclimated to Ghana! About 100 degrees today on the island. We lost power for over 2 hours....all things we'll have to get used to.

And, Ghana is a very communal place - people help each other out. Today, I experienced that on Vashon as well. I spent much of the day with amazing friends helping me get mobilized. When Colleen & Sue showed up this morning to help me pack, I was a deer in the headlights, standing in my kitchen with not a clue as to where to start. Within a couple of hours, they had stuff packed up and separated out between "give" and "storage". Then, Carol & Jeff came by and got the beds taken apart and more stuff done. More friends are coming later in the week, wrapped up by my brother & sister-in-law coming to do the final move-out on the 9th. And, none of this would have been possible without my mom doing the 3 rounds of slowly cleaning out the kids' rooms over the past couple of months & Anna coming over to organize the office & pretty much just get stuff in some sort of logical order.

It feels strange and freeing to be scaling down so much. After all I've been through in the past few years, I realize very few "things" matter. I'm healthy, the kids are healthy and we seem to always end up having everything we need (even when I have no idea how it will manifest!) and are surrounded by lots of love. I feel like this adventure isn't just mine, but everyone that's been such a part of our lives. Thank you & I love you all!!!

Ashes, Adenoids and Airplanes

I haven't really blogged much. In the past 6 weeks, in this order: my dad died (on Sophie's 10th birthday), I headed off to Ghana and Uganda for a "getting ready to move" mission, we had my Dad's memorial, Sophie had her tonsils & adenoids removed and now, finally, I'm thinking perhaps I'll be able to focus on getting packed up.

I am trying to enjoy the moments - smelling the sea air, the extreme low tides only summer brings, hanging out in bed on a Sunday morning (right now!) with 2 blond cuties (my kids) and seeing everyone I love. But, I have to admit, panic sets in at least once a day when it seems that every little task ends up having 8 more steps than I had anticipated (canceling utilities, Ghanaian visa application, international driver's license, paying bills, registering the kids for school in Ghana, finding a home for the cats, plotting out the move logistics, filling out insurance forms). Well you get the idea. It daunting. Such an amazing lesson in taking things one moment at a time and trusting everything will get done. Oh, and it's also a good lesson in the thing I'm worst at - asking for help!!!!!!

Swirling details and.........feeling what is right now

Life has become a swirl of details.....me getting used to working for someone else (!) and understand the structure and culture of the organization, not to mention my job. Ghanaian visas, passport photos, immunizations, house search, school research - putting closure on one life and starting up a new one.

As I was enjoying walking all over the beautiful little town of Vashon today, getting photos, FedExing my visa application, etc., etc. I realized that I felt so comfortable, so in my skin. Everywhere I turned, a ray of sunshine - whether chatting with the woman at the bank, getting milk & salad from Karen, Glen on his bike or a hug from a good friend at Thriftway, this place is home. And, leaving it is hard - no matter what I'm moving towards. It struck me that I can either swirl through the next couple of months focusing on the excitement, details and goodbyes without really FEELING the profound change that's occurring for all of us. Or, I can stop, breathe, get grounded and feel. The beauty of an island spring and summer is bittersweet. The more wonderful it feels, the more I realize what an amazing life we're leaving - even if temporarily. I have so much grief about leaving the relationships, routines, love and deep, deep support we all have here. No matter what, this time and place will never be again. For that, I am sad. For that, I realize all the more reason to open and fully BE in every moment.......so, if I hug you deeper, declare how much I love you more loudly or just seem to be dancing more boldly to the music at the farmer's market - just know, it is because I am so grateful for right NOW. XXOO.

We're moving to Ghana....seriously

Yes, it's true. The G's are off an yet another adventure. I took an amazing job with the Grameen Foundation - things moved rather quickly. Cedric agreed to pack up his life and come along, so the kids could have this amazing experience AND be with both of their parents. No, we're not getting back together, just working through our own "stuff" so we can effectively co-parent these 2 amazing little monkeys and give them an experience we both had always hoped they'd have.

We're in the whirlwind of wrapping up life on our beloved little island, looking towards starting a 2-year stint in the unknown of Accra, Ghana and trying to enjoy the summer on Vashon. We're leaving for Ghana sometime around Aug. 15th. I'm heading down mid-June to check out offices, meet local work partners, find a house & choose a school for the kids.

That's about all I can get out of my tired brain right now....more later. Thanks for coming on this adventure with us!