Letters For Lucas

Wonders, Mishaps, Blunders and Joy.. commentary on my life as a mom in the form of letters to my son

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La Dolce Vita

Posted on November 25, 2009 Written by Tonya

I love Europe. The thing I enjoy most about being in Europe, aside from the fact that almost everyone you encounter is stunning (especially in Italy…more on that in a moment), the history is rich and the wine is delicious, is the slower pace of life. You can park yourself at a sidewalk cafe and literally watch the world go by for hours on end and be in the company of locals doing the exact same thing. Without a doubt, Europeans place a lot more value on their leisure time than Americans and I have got to tell you, it is so refreshing and more importantly, relaxing to be a part of this lifestyle for a few days.

Appearances matter in Italy. The Italians live by the code bella figura and it is more than just dressing well. It extends to the aura a person projects too. La bella figura represents the Italian concept that you must always look and act your best in every situation. It translates roughly to “beautiful image” and is a central part of Italian culture.

Regardless of their socioeconomic status, Italians are well-dressed and artfully groomed people, and they also seem to naturally move, stand, and sit in a manner that makes them look their best. A task not easily accomplished by this clumsy, you (us) with compliments and even holding you. In fact, our waiter last night showed you off to other diners. It would seem that you have already tapped into your bella figura and are making new friends left and right.

For all of the wonderful things that Italy is, I am so surprised at how touristy and comercialized it has become. I vaguely remember being here with my parents back in 1983, when my father had to see everything Michelangelo; his birth place, homes, schools, tomb and the famous statues he created alike and with that trip, Florence became one of my dad’s favorite cities in the world. I think he’d be quite disappointed in today’s Florence. The simple charm that once made this city unique has been replaced by graffiti and high-end retail stores. I am hoping during our last days we can find some of that charm by taking a day trip out of the city to visit Pisa and Lucca.

The best is yet to be.

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Filed Under: travel

Arrivederci

Posted on November 20, 2009 Written by Tonya

We may be glutton for punishment, but we are taking you to Europe for Thanksgiving. This time tomorrow we will be in Florence, Italy, where we will be spending the week and I am so excited for your first trip across the Atlantic.

You have already been on five airplanes visiting your grandparents in the Bay Area and while we are talking about a flight 12 times the length and inevitable jet lag, you have been an excellent traveler so far. For this trip, we have reserved the bulk head seats giving us a little extra room and a hanging bassinet, so my fingers and toes are crossed that you will sleep most of the way.

Although you will never remember this trip, we will take lots of photos and tell you all about it as soon as you are old enough and maybe even bring you back someday!

While we are away, I am going to try to blog as often as I can, but this week is about being on vacation with my family. I wish all of my blog readers a very happy, safe Thanksgiving and a fun and family-filled long weekend. Ciao!

The best is yet to be.

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Filed Under: milestones, travel

Grandparents

Posted on November 10, 2009 Written by Tonya

My mother, your grandmother would have been 60 years young today. I’m sorry she didn’t live long enough to meet you. She would have been head over heels for you and an amazing grandmother. I find comfort in knowing that she and my dad are watching over us from wherever their spirits may be acting as our guardian angels. Every time I look at you, I see them and I hope you are are able to feel their spirit too. Rest In Peace, Mommy.

This week, we are in the Bay Area visiting your daddy’s parents and they give you enough love for four grandparents and then some! They are wonderful to you and you have definitely added an extra twinkle in their eyes. With that in mind, here are some quotes about the beauty, love and importance of grandparents:

“Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting.” – Author Unknown

“What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies.” – Rudolph Giuliani

“There’s no place like home except Grandma’s.” – Author Unknown

“Grandchildren don’t stay young forever, which is good because Pop-pops have only so many horsey rides in them.” – Gene Perret

“Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete.” – Marcy DeMaree

“Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation.” – Lois Wyse

“It is as grandmothers that our mothers come into the fullness of their grace.” – Christopher Morley

“Sometimes our grandmas and grandpas are like grand-angels.” – Lexie Saige

“To become a grandparent is to enjoy one of the few pleasures in life for which the consequences have already been paid.” – Robert Braul

“If becoming a grandmother was only a matter of choice, I should advise every one of you straight away to become one. There is no fun for old people like it!” – Hannah Whithall Smith

“It’s such a grand thing to be a mother of a mother – that’s why the world calls her grandmother.” – Author Unknown

“A mother becomes a true grandmother the day she stops noticing the terrible things her children do because she is so enchanted with the wonderful things her grandchildren do.” – Lois Wyse
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“Grandparents are there to help the child get into mischief they haven’t thought of yet.” – Gene Perret

“If your baby is “beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time,” you’re the grandma.” – Teresa Bloomingdale

“Grandparents are similar to a piece of string – handy to have around and easily wrapped around the fingers of their grandchildren.” – Author Unknown

“What is it about grandparents that is so lovely? I’d like to say that grandparents are God’s gifts to children. And if they can but see, hear and feel what these people have to give, they can mature at a fast rate.” – Bill Cosby

“You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.” – Irish Saying

“A grandmother is a mother who has a second chance.” – Author Unknown

“No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet.” – Author Unknown

My personal favorite:

“Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.” – Alex Haley

The best is yet to be.

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Filed Under: grandparents, quotes, travel, warm fuzzy

Have Passport, Will Travel

Posted on August 29, 2009 Written by Tonya

One of the most interesting things about me is that from ages 7-17, I lived overseas. No, I’m not a military brat, just a brat. 🙂 Actually, my parents worked in American international schools for 28 years. For 10 of those years, I lived with them in Karachi, Pakistan, Banjul, The Gambia, in West Africa and Maracaibo, Venezuela. After I returned to Arizona for my senior year of high school, followed by college, my parents and sister went on to live in Somalia, Mozambique, Myanmar and Tunisia. Needless to say, I have five passports and they are all full of stamps, visas and wonderful, rich memories.

My parents weren’t adventure seekers by any means, they just loved to travel, experience new cultures and didn’t mind “hardship” posts in third world countries, plus they made a much better living working as educators overseas than they would have in the United States.

People always want to know which place I enjoyed living in the most and honestly I enjoyed them all equally. Each place was located near the water, which I loved and because I was at such different stages of my adolescence when we would move, it didn’t occur to me that I should have been upset about it. Don’t get me wrong, it was always hard to pick up, say goodbye to friends and move on to the next location, but I knew I would make new friends and therefore welcomed the change. I also learned at an early age the importance of correspondence and how keeping in touch with people would make them feel closer even when they weren’t and to this day, many of the friends I have, I do because of it.

Our summers were spent in Arizona, (yes, one of the hottest places on earth in June and July, but my parents loved the weather and knew that someday they’d want to retire there, so Arizona it was) where we would rent an apartment and “play house” as my mom would say and did our best to help the U.S. economy by stocking up on all of our favorite stateside treats and taking in as much western culture as possible. We would spend hours in front of the TV, listening to the radio, in cool movie theaters, at the mall and eating junk food. Living where we did, we didn’t have access to the “creature comforts of home” as we called them; things like the brand of deodorant, hair products or face cream we liked to use, current magazines, or the latest style of clothing.

Not only did we live in exotic places, we also travelled to exotic places every chance we had. Some of the highlights include: Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Italy, Egypt, and Madagascar. My very favorite excursion was during Christmas, 1990 to Kenya. We went on safari at the Masai Mara National Reserve. Always an animal lover, it was beyond thrilling to come within just mere feet of elephants, giraffes, lions and zebras. This is the trip your dad and I talk about taking you on just as soon as you are old enough.

With much gratitude to my parents, over the years I have seen so many wonderful things around the globe: the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt, the breathtaking Taj Mahal in Agra, golden pagodas in Bangkok, happy wild sunflowers growing along the countryside in the Loire Valley in France, the turquoise blue waters of Morrocoy, Venezuela, and the Garden Route in South Africa. I know how lucky I am to be an American, but I appreciate being exposed to so many different sides of the world and I love knowing that there are still many customs, colors, cultures and cuisines yet for me to discover.

The travel bug has definitely been embedded in me and luckily your dad has it too, and together we have also taken some great trips. Your first passport just arrived and we are taking you to Italy in November! You are now free to roam about the world, little boy…just take me with you!

The best is yet to be.

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Filed Under: KRA, MSA, TDA bio, travel

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