Eight Year Anniversary

That's right, today is the 8 year anniversary of the fatal car accident me and my family were in on Easter Sunday (8 years ago). I usually don't make an announcement of this anniversary, but rather I privately celebrate it, between me and God. But this year I think I'd like to publicly acknowledge it, as a way of celebrating Easter with everyone. I am so thankful God preserved my life. Every time God blesses me or takes me on an adventure, I remember that Easter Sunday 8 years ago and praise Him for keeping me alive for such a time as this. Indeed He preserved my life for...

1. My wonderful hubby Michael
2. My loving family and friends
3. Writing and publishing a book
4. Teaching thousands of children
5. Trekking off on exciting adventures

Happy Easter everyone! Praise Him for life!

Grrr....

There are just some days that I wake up and am not in the mood to talk all day to people. This poses a problem since my job is, quite frankly in its most basic form, talking to people all day! And not just conversing, but explaining, answering, and managaing. It seems almost unreasonable to expect someone to be in the mood to talk and be with people 180 days our of the year. But that's the job of a teacher. I have to say that I wake up in these moods only once in a great while--on the whole I don't mind it. But I can always tell when I'm ready for vacation because the thought of teaching all day make my groan out loud.

Spring break must be near...

3...2...1

Exactly 2 weeks from today I will be on a plane bound for London, the largest city in Europe, and the record-holder of other intereting facts I can't quite recall right now! I'm almost too excited to even plan for this trip....almost...

1. I love packing and can't wait to start the process!

2. The list-making will begin momentarily (look for several categorized lists on the Shaw's frige soon

3. Itinerary is set, budget is balanced

4. Gotta dig out the passports

5. Need to watch some London-inspried movies: Finding Neverland, Pride & Prejudice, Notting Hill, beginning of the Harry Potters, old Sherlock Holmes--I just finished Miss Potter

A Moment in Fauf's World

Here's a little update on what's happening in Fauf's world:

Promoting her book in the Santa Maria Sun (Pick up a copy this week)



Planning for London, buying extra long socks and warm shirts



Scheduling a massage for all this tension



Hating this windy March weather

My Trip Down the Rabbit Hole

My excitement is mounting about seeing Alice in Wonderland this weekend. Whatever your opinion of it (I admit, it looks bizarre, but then all Tim Burton movies are and we eventually love them once we get over the visual shock of them)--anyways, whatever your opinion, I am a fan for the simple reason that I have always been a huge Alice in Wonderland fan. I just thought I should go on record with this montage before the movie makes it a trendy thing to love Alice, or a favorite thing to hate...

My first trip down the rabbit hole was when I was about 5 years old and I watched the Disney animation movie at my grandma Mimi's house--just one of many lovely childhood memories.


Next I revisited Wonderland and also stepped through the Looking Glass for the first time when Mimi gave me my first and most beloved copy of the book



My other grandma Nana contributed to my adventures in Wonderland when I used to sit on her lap and she would tell me alternative stories about Alice losing her ball at the beach, and following it down the rabbit hole. There the White Rabbit would grant her a wish for doing something kind for her father, one for her mother, and one for her little sister.


My favorite ride for the longest time was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland at Disneyland.

The Countdown Begins...

...Today is March 1, which means I have exactly one month until we leave for London! We have not been allowed to plan our iternary before today (we have the airfare and hotel booked). We made ourselves wait until we were a month away to plan all the things we'll do, just so we don't get too obsessed too early with the trip. But now that it's March 1, let the planning begin! We've got a rough list of must-do's, but are open to suggestions...

Must-Do #1: Visit Baker Street and tour the Holmes museum, tour the neighborhood and Regent's Park for notes on my sequel, etc.

Must-Do #2: Tour Buckingham Palace and say "hi" to the Queen (God save the Queen--or at least, give her a break!)

Must-Do #3: Visit the British Library where they have original copies and sketches from Lewis Carrol on Alice in Wonderland, Jane Austin's writing desk, the Magna Carta, to name a few relics

Must-Do #4: Visit the British Museum, which is not only free, but has a collection of some of the world's most famous and precious artifacts like the Rosetta Stone Tablet and sometimes King Tut (when he's not busy traveling the world)

Must-Do #5: Enjoy afternoon tea in a real English tea house, complete with crumpets, Devonshire cream, and Earl Gray (did I get that right, Rosie-Mum?)

I'm quite giddy just thinking about London. And of course I can't wait to enjoy the ever-present ambiance fueled by red double-decker buses, foggy days, and the reminder that great stories are saturated in the great city (Sherlock Holmes, Peter Pan, Shakespeare...)