Is Hong Kong Near Sweden?

On March 25, 2009, we received a summons to gather at Carrie Ann and Todd's home at 7:30 p.m. for the beginning of a new chapter in our family's adventures. My parents had finally received their mission call!

It was a truly magical moment! Mo and Papa, Grandma and Grandpa Green, Chip and ML's family, Carrie and Todd, and my little brood all gathered together around that large white envelope sitting on the ottoman and tried to imagine where this next chapter would take my sweet parents. We quickly had the Giles family on Skype and Emily, Abby and Spencer all on various cell phones sitting next to the "envelope". My whole family was gathered. All of us were present. Even though I couldn't see all the faces of these people I love and adore above anything on this planet, I can't tell you how strong their presence was felt.

The first order of business was to have everyone write down their mission call predictions. (We were secretly testing the mind reading powers and ability to predict the future talents of all family members. When all was said and done, Sho and Jacob are the real talent in this family. They both nailed it! ) Even Sarah held up a poster with their family's predictions...although James won in my book. He guessed Lebanon.

Finally the moment arrived. And I'll let you see for yourself how it all unfolded. (I taped these 2 segments with my digital camera and our headphones are broken so I don't even know if this will work. I'm not the family member with the tech savvy know-how!)

A strange hush fell over the room when they read the words "Hong Kong, China". We are deeply entrenched in our past experiences in Sweden. Consciously admitted or not, I think many of us thought they were headed back to the homeland. So truly it took some of us a moment to figure out if there was a "Hong Kong" in Sweden?!

My parents are so excited...and so prepared. There is an enormous legacy of missionary service that runs in the veins of the people around me. I have felt that legacy connect us from generation to generation as I read the accounts of my ancestors and watch the events unfold in my current family. My parents would have gone anywhere and done absolutely anything. They live and breathe the words to the hymn "I will go where you want me to go dear Lord". I have watched them serve in every calling in the church from mission president to seminary teacher to stake president, bishop, primary, young women's, washing dishes at the temple, etc. with equal zeal, enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity to serve the Lord. And so begins a new chapter in their lives and consequently, in my life. I have a feeling that China is about to take a very central place in our lives. I have a feeling that there are lives about to be changed because Paul and Bonnie Oscarson are headed for China. I know already that my life is changing because of what I am witnessing and feeling in watching them prepare and accept this new call. It is with joy and gratitude and a deep testimony rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ that I rejoice in the call to serve that my parents have received. I will miss them...I will cry sometimes because they will be far away...but I will be forever grateful for the ways they are touching and blessing the lives of my family...especially my children.

If I knew how to speak even one word in Chinese, I would insert it right here.

Let the adventure begin!!!

Good, Hearty Laugh

A friend sent me this link and I was doubled over laughing. I think a tear even escaped my eye. Ah, that felt good. I need a good, hearty laugh to get this day going.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxtgLzi-aK0&eurl=http://blogs.denverpost.com/celebritybull/2009/03/10/octomom-birthing-video/&feature=player_embedded

Humble

I can't even really be humble. My ultra-talented brother Spencer and his ultra-talented wife, Sho, are starting to expand their photography business and you MUST go check it out. They are amazing and most of the pictures hanging in our home have been done by them. While they currently live in Washington, D.C., they occasionally come out to Utah. I love their photography because it captures the essence of their subjects...the pictures above are my favorite because I truly see the personality and spirit of each of my children in those pictures.

I'm not even trying to be humble. Just so proud of them.

http://www.oscarsonphotography.com/

Pura Vida: The Finale

I mean really...it just goes on and on. But we are going to call this the "finale" in hopes that it will help me move on with my life and quit dwelling on paradise.

Tuesday morning we slept...until we felt like getting up. That doesn't happen much in my world these days. We wandered up to the patio where we enjoyed another delicious breakfast from the farm and then sat on our front porch and waited for the volcano to show itself. Catching a glimpse of the "cone" is a rare and wonderful thing. We were determined to see it before we left. And it teased us to utter distraction...the clouds would start to move, they would part, we would be poised with the camera and camcorder...and then nothing. We just couldn't move on with our lives. We were so determined.

Chris waiting and waiting and waiting for that volcano to show itself.

Me waiting for the volcano while lounging on the front porch devouring an entire delicious book. Is this the appropriate time to bear testimony of the amazing Jessica Day George? She is a phenomenal author and I can't get enough of her.

The closest we got to seeing the entire volcano.

This volcano was SUCH a tease!

We reluctantly checked out of our love cottage and started the drive back to Liberia. I chose to drive the entire way back to avoid the car sickness and it was a peaceful, beautiful drive back. We only got lost once...saw a little bit of the local countryside. By the time we got back to the car rental place, I realized I had burned the living daylights out of my left arm. That was the arm hanging casually out the window, in the sun, the entire drive back. I looked like a very strange Dr. Seuss character with my fleshy right arm and bright lobster red left arm. Charming!

We hitched a ride to the airport where we were supposed to meet up with the group from Chris' work that were flying in. When we got there, it was pretty deserted. So much for the shuttle. We instantly became a hunk of living, walking, breathing, fare-paying meat for all the taxi drivers sitting around. I think a couple of them salivated. Finally one approached us and Chris asked how much it would be to drive us to the resort. He said $45.00. Chris said it was too expensive. At that point I had to let out a small chuckle because really, we had no other options. But the desperate taxi driver looked a little disgusted and finally said he would do it for $40.00. Chris accepted and we began the long, windy, confusing drive to our resort.

Thus begins the next chapter in our little vacation...the part that we didn't pay for but did our best to take absolute advantage of. You have to understand...we are fairly simple people with very limited means. We are budget travelers. We have never even been on a cruise. So imagine these 2 vacation red-necks showing up at the gated, all-inclusive, 4-star resort. I've NEVER felt so frumpy in my Old Navy jean skirt and orange T-shirt. But is was beautiful! There was the "main" building that sat on top of the hill and had a grand sweeping staircase that led down to the pool area. It had open verandas with couches and chairs for lounging, a disco, a bar, and 3 fabulous restaurants (the Italian, the Oriental, and the buffet). They checked us in, gave us the magic wristbands that gave us everything for FREE, and drove us to our fabulous room.

Our bed with the fluffy white bathrobes and "pool" towels. Every day our bed was made in a different arrangement.

Our front porch. I like a country dedicated to front porch lounging and living.

The view from our front porch. A little sidewalk and a drop off to the ocean.

The view from the main building down the winding staircase to the pool.

My hunk of burning love walking up the stairs toward the "veranda" in the main building.

Down by the pool was my favorite restaurant called "The Grill". Every morning you headed up to the main building for a delicious buffet breakfast...I loved all the fresh squeezed juices with the bottles of vodka and rum tucked behind them. For lunch we usually ate at The Grill where the homemade tostito chips and guacamole flowed abundantly and for dinner you could chose the Italian, oriental, buffet or grill. All you can eat...and drink...and all you did was flash the magic wristband. It is what I imagine "good" people heaven to be.

All over the place were the bars where you could saunter on up and order yourself a drink. Of course, every time we ordered ourselves a fruity little drink "without alcohol" we got ourselves a big reaction...until we'd been there a few days. Then we'd order a drink and they'd say, "Let me guess...no alcohol!" They were catching on to this group of Mormons pretty quickly. I spent my time sipping virgin pina coladas, strawberry margaritas, and smoothies anywhere I could...at every meal and snack, beach side, poolside...I didn't find one single place on that whole resort that wasn't slightly improved by a fruity drink with a little paper umbrella.

Don't we look cute with fruity drinks?

Our amazing 4 star resort!

Lounging on the veranda!

Loving resort living!

Light breakfast anyone? Scrambled eggs, french toast, juice, water, bacon, some pastries...just the usual fare. The sad part was leaving that hefty meal and putting on a swim suit.

Chris pulled out these fabulous sun glasses for the trip. He looked like Paunch from Chips. Total 70's fantasy come true!

We spent our days eating, reading, eating, lounging, eating, alternating between beach and pool, eating, hanging out, and having a grand ole' time.

On Thursday, Chris' company paid for the entire group to go river rafting. We took a chartered bus with a fabulous tour guide to the Tenario river. We rode the bus as far as we could and then switched to a truck with benches in an open back to ride the bumpy, dusty roads the remainder of the way in. We hiked the final way down a path to the the place on the river where we set in. We received our directions, got ourselves organized, and hopped in a raft with a guide. It was one of my favorite activities! We took some gentle and not so gentle rapids, saw toucans, bats, and monkeys, and finished the whole rafting trip off with a drop down a 12-foot waterfall. The water was blue and beautiful, the scenery was breathtaking, and the exotic wildlife unbelievable. When we reached the end, we headed back on shore for tropical fruit and juice...then back on the bumpy, dusty truck and across the scary, dilapidated bridge. It was a fantastic day and amazing adventure. We ate lunch at a great restaurant built on the edge of the river that served amazing local cuisine. I loved every minute!

On Friday, Chris and I took off in the morning for a little adventure of our own. Our resort and the beach were located in a little bay and we wanted to walk around the "corner" of the bay and see beach on the open ocean. So with low tide, we set out. We hiked over amazing volcanic rock and explored the beautiful tide pools. We saw caves and crashing waves and lots of wildlife...my favorite were the pelicans. It was always breathtaking to watch these animals in their "natural" habitat! We discovered a white sand, deserted beach that we quickly claimed for ourselves and spent a glorious morning playing in the water and laying on the sand. We were doing some fabulous body surfing in the waves until a dead fish almost hit me in the face and I quickly abandoned the water for safe, dry, non-death infested land. There wasn't another person in sight and we loved exploring the beach. After our little rendezvous, we headed back to the resort for a day lounging on the beach, reading books and occasionally wandering up to the Grill for chips and guacamole or a fruity drink.

Our own private beach.

Hiking around the bay.

We had to travel across a couple of ravines...quite an adventure in a dress with flip-flops.

This was my favorite bed making day. We came in and discovered she had pulled the top blanket into a funky little design and topped it off with a fresh, tropical flower. I definitely don't see that kind of service at home!

On our last night there, we had dinner at the Italian restaurant with Noah and Kristy Eyre. We ate pasta, had fruity drinks, great conversation, and tried not to think about the fact that paradise was quickly coming to an end!

How we spent the entire last day of vacation. I stood up long enough to take the picture. I knew vacation was ending when I finished my book on the beach. I had a fruity drink to celebrate uninterrupted reading in a lounge chair on the beach.

All the glorious wildlife in Costa Rica!

Loved finding evidence of "visitors".

I don't think I mentioned the howler monkeys that lived in the trees outside our room or the little gecko lizards that danced on the ceilings around the lights at night or the snakes that I dutifully did my best to avoid. There were so many wonderful things to see and hear and enjoy.

But all good things have to come to end. On Saturday morning we left and started the long journey back to Utah. It was so good to arrive and see our kids. I did miss them. They would have loved Costa Rica.

And there you have it. The deed is done. We have traveled, documented, savored, and relived all the glorious moments! I feel so grateful for the absolute gift this trip was to me. It was a country I don't think I ever would have traveled to and now I am plotting and schemeing to figure out how to get back.

Pura Vida!

A Star is Born

I was asked to give a short presentation today in Ogden at the annual UELMA conference for librarians. As a member of CLAU (The Children's Literature Association of Utah...go check us out at www.clau.org), I had the opportunity to present the 10 new nominees in the picture book category for 2010. One of the books on the list is our beloved "I Am Invited to A Party" by Mo Willems. If you have never read this book, I must insist you go buy it. Don't go borrow it from the library because there will be tears and tantrums and gnashing of teeth when you try to return it. Plus there is a good chance it will be carried around in a small child's armpits for a few days. Anyway, HB and I drove up to SLC last night in a snowstorm to spend the night at Mo and Papa's house and after a smashing breakfast complete with berries, several types of cereals, and fresh squeezed orange, we drove up to Ogden. I took my sweet 4-year old daughter to help liven up my presentation. And she not only livened up the presentation, she brought the house down.

My daughter stood on a chair at a podium in front of a HUGE conference room FILLED with people and read the book with me. She was Gerald the Elephant and I was Piggy...the pink pig. She read the book with all her voices and expressions and shook her hips on the "Party! Party! Party!" pages. She even said her "Very fancy" line with her english accent and deep, gravelly voice. It was hilarious and darling and ever so endearing (but you know I'm just an objective 3rd party...).

When we were done, she hopped off her chair and went back to her seat to finish her Fancy Nancy sticker book. After it was all said and done, one of my friends asked, "HB, weren't you nervous?"

"Nope," HB answered.

"Not even a little frightened," my friend replied.

"Well, maybe just a little tiny bit."

And there you have it. A star was born. She stole the show...and as we wandered out of the conference room and out to where books were being sold, we saw several women scooping up their own copies of the book. One of them turned around when she saw HB and said, "Look! I'm buying your book. You sold me!" and another turned around waving her book and said, "Me too!" So dang...where was my discount?

I love my kids. They are full of surprises and charm and personality that oozes from their pores. I'm constantly amazed by what they do and the talents that come exploding from their bodies. I'm so grateful to be their mom. I'm just happy they let me tag along for the ride!!


P.S. Here are the 10 books that made the 2010 picture book nominee list:

1) Louder, Lili! (by Gennifer Choldenko)
2) The Chicken of the Family (by Mary Amato)
3) The End (David LaRochelle)
4) I Am Invited To A Party (by Mo Willems)
5) The Black Book of Color (by Menena Cottin)
6) When Dinosaurs Came With Everything (by Elise Broach)
7) My Travelin' Eye (by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw)
8) South (by Patrick McDonnell)
9) Mary Had a Little Lamp (by Jack Lechner)
10) The Cow That Laid An Egg (by Andy Cutbill)