wishing you a happy memorial day!

crazy but i honestly can't remember ever attending a memorial day service in my life. parades...maybe. neighborhood cookouts...yes! my grandfather was a veteran and time time in the u.s. army greatly impacted the rest of his life (and ultimately my own). now after 26 years i can proudly say that i have attended my first service. it won't be my last.

seeing over 200 americans & new zealanders come together at the auckland war memorial museum during such a powerful commemoration was incredible. the u.s. vice consul read excerpts of letters to home from veterans through time. families placed flowers for their loved ones long time lost. consulate general randy berry read the very speech that president obama will be delivering tomorrow at arlington cemetery.

makes me think why i had to leave my country before it occurred to me to attend a memorial day service...

but then again, how many of my friends & relatives back home have ever stopped to remember our past, what we've lost...what we've gained? what does patriotism even mean?

ironically i've met some of the most "patriotic" americans outside of the usa. these are people who have the desire to take in the rest of the world while sharing their u.s. backgrounds. it's gutsy. it's hard. people back home think you're turning your back on your country. quite the contrary. they extend olive branches every day.

today i shared my first memorial day with some of these people. i think my grandfather would have been proud.

triple rainbow

what does it mean???

crazy weather events all around the world this week, and here in auckland it's warm for winter but we've had HEAPS of rain. the monsoon decided to break on thursday just as everyone was leaving work and lucky me, i saw a triple rainbow from the office!

{actually it was more like double rainbow with a third strangely close, but hey...}

but again, what does it mean?

i suppose that with all of the recent changes in my life i've been searching for signs to point me in the next direction moving forward. i.e. is it fate that i developed a cold when i was supposed to have my immigration medical? is it a sign that i'm STILL waiting for my birth certificate to come through?

the reality is that there's not many events in life that supremely alter your course. in fact, some of us may never experience such serendipity.

we just need to create our own opportunities and enjoy the magic along the way.

so for me {for now}, that means i bite bullet and turn in my application for residency. maybe this little rainbow had more of an effect on me than i realized....

mid-week fun

who says wednesdays are boring? attended a reception for the nz chapter of amcham (american chamber of commerce). i love events like this -- good to be reminded of the big picture. makes me wonder what more we can achieve if we work together....

also FINALLY got to see jessica perform in the foreign monologues... so proud of her! what a champion first performance for my lovely writer/artist friend. i'm lucky to be surrounded by such talented people! :)

hello world

feeling re-focused and re-inspired to share my little bit of awesomeness through this little blog. welcome to my world. :)

but how could you not feel inspired when you live in a city like this...

and have views from your front yard like this...

and crazy friends to meet you for coffee...

{life is beautiful}