staggering generousity

back in march, i had the privilege of meeting with this year's leaders of the christchurch branches of Snowboarders For Christ and Christian Surfers. for those of you who don't know, i am part of an awesome family of skateboarders in christchurch - so the three of us have similar roles in the different boardsports communities in our city. we met over a casual cup of coffee and listened to each other's aspirations and goals for the year, as well as shared a bit of our background, and how we came to be a leader in our chosen community. Letitia and Michael are two very inspiring and enthusiastic people, the kind of people whose zest for life rubs off on you, and our conversations left me walking away from the cafe with an extra bit of spring in my step.
Michael, who had initiated the gathering, had a very specific purpose for our conversation - he was determined to find ways that we could work together and support each other in our work. After hearing about our skate family, Michael told me that he'd like to raise some money to build us a skate ramp of our own. i was very impressed by his eagerness to take on such a time-consuming and selfless task...but if i'm being truthful, part of me doubted that it would actually happen. okay, most of me doubted that it would happen. this had nothing at ALL to do with Michael, and everything to do with the fact that in the past, we have had a plethora of people admire and commend our contributions to the skate community, offering to help, but never following through. i thought Michael's offer was too good to be true, and put it to the back of my mind, leaving him to have to ask me over and over again for a written profile of our group that he could use in his fundraising efforts. i know, i know - at this point i should have believed that he meant what he said.

and yet, it was the surprise of a lifetime to hear a few weeks ago that Michael and his crew turned up to our youth centre on a monday afternoon and assembled a brand-spanking-new handmade skate ramp, now ours to keep. i was close to tears looking at the photos of a gift that i know will bring so much enjoyment to our family. i am so impressed by this young man who went out of his way to plan, raise money, and execute such an extravagant gift for us... and i am humbled that people are backing this family that i have poured so much of my own love and effort into for the past five and a half years. especially now that i am half a world away from our skate fam, i am honored to see that others are stepping up to contribute to making the world a better place for a group of raucous, ridiculous and utterly remarkable young skateboarders. 

it's all coming together...

just about ready to be enjoyed...

the first lines on a ramp that is sure to be much loved and very well-used.

thanks so much to Michael and the SFC family for loving on us in such an extravagant and tangible way! can't thank you enough :)

gratitude cafe: fathers day edition.

today i want to make a special edition of my weekly 'gratitude cafe' to celebrate father's day :) i love the photo of us above, it is one of the very few photos i have where dad is actually smiling for a camera! a rare sight indeed. this week especially, i am thankful for my dad. i have many fond memories with my dad:...
- he used to come in from the garden with his hands cupped together, only to open them to set free a little green frog that would set us off squealing - his uncontrollable 'dancing leg' - listening to records with the volume way up...american pie, the beatles, ccr...all sorts of good old music (perhaps that's where my love of old music comes from??) - planting things in the garden, and eating fresh peas from the pod - looking for saskatoon berries together -all the things he has fixed for me over the years - going to the art gallery together - going to see david gray at the folk fest - making (and eating!) g.g.'s baking powder biscuits - quoting monty python's quest for the holy grail - the list goes on....

Happy Father's Day, Daddio. I love you. 

other things i am thankful for this week:

- shopping with my sister, and oogling over designer shoes - my awesome brother in law making us breakfast this morning. he also makes an epic cup of coffee...it warmed my heart to be offered 3 different types of beans, two different brewing methods, and three different strengths to choose from...legendary - seeing a dear childhood friend, ryan - going dancing with my sister and brother in law on saturday night - getting to celebrate my rad uncle keith's 60th birthday, and seeing extended family that i haven't seen since i don't even know when - a beautiful rainbow while driving through the countryside - 

so full of gratitude tonight... what are YOU thankful for??

gratitude cafe

this week i am thankful for....

- finding a recipe for 'cake batter' flavoured truffles...yum! - my first paid DJ gig...so much fun! - a mega-delicious mocha -  dinner out with mom, dad & my sister - going to the symphony on friday night, such a treat! - busting out my brand new kitchenaid mixer, which has been in storage for NINE years! a bakers dream. - getting a letter from my cousin, who is living in Japan - carrot cake cheesecake. yes. indeed. - finishing dickens' great expectations, such a delightful read...he inspires me to be a better writer! - 

other things i am thankful for this week:
- discovering the girl who ate everything blog, where i got the recipes for the cake batter truffles and the carrot cheesecake (both pictured above, and both totally de-lish) - finally having some decent conversations with kids at the skatepark i work at - hanging with my sister - pop music. nuff said. -

also, this week someone made an unbelievably generous gift to our skate family in christchurch, which i am deeply grateful for. i will fill you in on that later in the week :)

what are YOU thankful for?

welcome home.

people make interesting assumptions about my latest tattoo.  without asking me about its meaning, most people have taken the liberty to conclude that it is simply a tribute to christchurch, affirming the garden city as my home. a few others have guessed that the phrase referred to my return to Canada this year. i generally let people think what they like - regardless of what it means to me (or anyone else),  it's a piece of art that i am very proud to wear, commissioned by one of  my favourite christchurch friends, and I couldn't be happier with the finished product. for me, it is rich with meaning, and I love it so much.

the focal element of the design is the cup of tea, which is reminiscent of a good ol' kiwi 'cuppa,' which one is unfailingly offered upon arrival at someone's home. the 'cuppa' liturgy is close to my heart, an act of hospitality that I plan to keep with me wherever I roam. the particular design of the teacup - red roses, reminiscent of royal albert's 'old country roses' - is an homage to my great grandmother, who remains an inspiration to me, and who was quick to offer a cup of tea to whoever crossed her threshold. I remember her asking me how I take my tea when I was about 10 yrs old, and yet to procure a preference for milk and sugar. the cup of tea is symbolic of both falling in love with a new tradition, and discovering my whakapapa ('where i came from', in short) while in new zealand.


the postcard in the bottom half of the piece depicts the port hills, one of my favorite things about otautahi, and a place I have often found peace and a renewed perspective. i love the little touch of the love heart on the envelope... 

one of nz's most loved musicians, Dave Dobbyn, has a song that is quite close to my heart, and it depicts the character of nz so beautifully; this refrain, which refers to a maori elder, singing the native 'welcome' to guests, has never fails to bring a tear to my eye:

'there's a woman with trembling hands, Haere Mai, 

and she sings with a mountain's memory, Haere Mai...'

a week after the earthquakes in christchurch, Dave Dobbyn performed during the city-wide memorial service. i managed to hold it together for the whole service, but after it finished, Dobbyn sang this song, Welcome Home, and it was then that the tears began to fall... 

the words in the piece are both a nod to that classic kiwiana ballad, and to a song with the same name by ska band,The OC Supertones. the lyrics of the supertones song became particularly poignant in the months following the earthquake: 

well it's times like these and days like this

that remind me i'm living the wilderness

and you don't know when trouble's gonna come your way

or when God's gonna give or take it away

this life, this life is fleeting

everything, everything's dying

but one day

i'll awake

all my problems and my sin

they won't matter to me then:

'son, welcome home.'

the day doesn't guarantee to come again

and life only promises that it will end

and we all gotta stand before the Lord one day

and i don't wanna die, but i don't wanna stay

down here

i feel like a stranger 

i know i don't belong here

i wanna run and i'll fall

down at Jesus' feet and lay

i can't wait to hear him say, 

'son, welcome home.'

but i'm still here

and i'm tired

tired of sin and struggling

tired of almost everything

and sometimes, small and clear

i could swear that i could hear

angel voices in my ear, singing,

'welcome home.'

as you can see, this tattoo means a lot to me. it was the icing on the cake of an epic trip to melbourne. if you are ever in melbourne, or even australia, and keen for a beautiful, custom tattoo in a traditional style, go see Antony!! he works at green lotus tattoo, and the whole crew there were a blast to hang out with for a couple days. to check out more of antony's work, click here, or to visit the green lotus website, click here. 

- antony and i - 

home.

too often, i put off writing because i don't know if i'll be able to find the words and phrases able to fish the thoughts and ideas out of the meandering waters in my brain and onto a page, ready to show others. today, i came across this thought catalog piece by emil caillaux, who did a better job than i could ever wish to, articulating exactly what i am going through at the moment... stranded with one foot in either home. who needs to stress over piecing the right words together when someone else already has? phew. read emil's article here. and know that it's exactly what i wanted to say.

gratitude cafe

this week i am thankful for:

- tasty treats on a hot afternoon at work - seeing wild rabbits all over edmonton...as many as six sightings in one day! - poutine! a total canadianism,  for those who don't know - hanging with two of my favourite people, alex and nathan, and laughing hard (as i always do with them) - beginning and really enjoying great expectations - church potluck goodies on a sunday afternoon - seeing pretty things around town - watching a horse show with family - seeing my rad cousin win fourth place in one of her first shows...go kirsten!! - 

- finding another go-to video for laughs on a bad day - music from the fifties - getting a raise, simply because of a pay grid adjustment, when i've only worked ten shifts - discovering that charles dickens had a sense of humor. pardon my literary ignorance, but i had no idea! - getting offered a weekly gig dj-ing - having such a blast helping dj a wedding - opportunities to be patient. - having a car to drive over the weekend - faceTime-ing my dear friend rachel...ahh how good is it to talk to one of my best girlfriends, especially when i can see their face! cheers technology :) -

thats me. now what are YOU thankful for???


p.s. be sure to follow my blog if you like my 'gratitude cafe' posts, i post one every week :)