Hawaiian "igvencher"

The sun was high in the sky today and there were hardly any clouds. The ocean waters were lit up all the way to the ocean floor. It felt like I was floating on top of a giant fish tank. The warmest, biggest, most exciting fish tank of all time!

Here's a confession: I have never flown over an ocean or to a place I didn't know all by myself before. I feel brave and flexible and maybe just a little bit wild. Of course I really am all of those things, igvenchering is what parenting you has been all about. So igvenchering, I am - and it is every bit as amazing as I wanted it to be.

I swam with turtles today(!), joined schools of fish, and followed two puffer fish across the reef. I didn't have the heart to scare them enough to make them pop up but I was hoping something else would. Nothing did. Now, I think that's good. Everything was peaceful. Even the sea snake didn't scare me today. Probably because it was a much more reasonable size and the arm-thick one I saw yesterday.

As I write this, and as you read this, those very animals are still out there. Living an ocean, three time zones, a climate, and ecosystem away from home. How amazing that I got to be with them today!

Thank you for supporting my trip. For being good helpers. For all that you do to make our family happy and my life wonderful and rich. I plan to spend years returning the favor, including bringing you here because you have to see this!

But the beauty of this place is much more than I bargained for. It is wonderous, breath-taking, and soul-filling. The smell in the wind, the sound of the birds, the feel of the sand and the water, the amazing views – my senses are on overload trying to take it all in. I feel unbelievably rich and so happy to be in this world, living this life that I lucked into.

Our spinning planet might look small in our giant universe. But it is filled with so many beautiful things to see, trips to take, oceans to cross, animals to meet, and places to experience. I hope I will raise you to be brave and flexible and maybe just a little bit wild – so someday, you will be ready to igvencher on your own too.

Xoxo,

Mama

Today's script for The FiveCrows Show

SEASON 7, EPISODE 252 

(the one with the mouse)

OPENING CREDITS
Series of clips. Family in various cheesy situations and funny moments. Theme song and credits accompany.

FADE IN

1. BASEMENT PLAYROOM - DAY
Mom is mumbling to herself, struggling to put together a car track without instructions. Henry is several feet away, playing with toys. Mom looks exhausted.

Henry: "Hey mom, I think I just heard a mouse!"
Mom with a look of pure horror: "Really, where? What?"
Henry: "Well...or it could have been a toy."
Mom: "Do you really think it was a mouse?"
Henry: "I dunno. Maybe."
Mom: "Yikes!"

Camera zoom, fade transition to show Mom's brain is imagining a scary mouse.

Accompanying sound bite: classic screams from Psycho

{LAUGHTER}

2. KITCHEN - DAY
Mom and Blanca tidying kitchen, conversing in English/Spanish.

Blanca: "I'm sorry but I could not take care of the mouse."
Mom looking alarmed: "What? Where?"
Blanca: "You didn't see it? It is in Henry's room."
Mom with look of pure horror: "Dead?"
Blanca: "Yes."

Camera zooms, fade transition to show Mom's brain is imagining a mice infestation.

Accompanying sound byte: the Jaws theme song

{LAUGHTER}

3. BACKDOOR ENTRANCE - DAY
Kids and parents coming in the door after a long day. Parents look exhausted.

Mom: "I think we had better nip this in the but ASAP. I say traps, poison, and anything else they got."
Jeremy: "OK. I'll walk down with Harry and get some supplies."
Lucy: "But mom. I don't want to kill mice!"

Camera follows Jeremy and Henry down the block, emotional conversation between mom and Lucy fading into the background.

CLIP TO: Dad and Henry walking home, carrying huge bags of supplies.

Accompanying sound bite: primary song/dirge, "Pioneer children sang as they walked"

{LAUGHTER}

4. INT. DINING ROOM - DAY
Camera tight on the family going through table of mice extermination info and products. Lucy is clearly upset about killing mice. Henry is clearly excited about setting traps. Parents look exhausted.

Jeremy: "OK. I put them in the attic, crawl space and all over the house."
Henry: "Dad, let's do some more." Lucy: "I'm going to my room!"
Mom: "OK. Just be careful on your way there."

Zoom out to show that the table is surrounded by a giant game of house trap.

Accompanying sound bite: Mouse Trap™ jingle, circa 1985

{LAUGHTER}

5. INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Mom is cutting vegetables and doing other food preparation. Dad enters room to find her. Parents look exhausted.

Jeremy: "Did you look at the dead mouse in Henry's room?"
Mom: "It's behind his bed. I peeked in there and then ran away."

PREGNANT PAUSE

Mom: "Why? What is it?"
Jeremy: "The 'mouse' is just a wad of hair and lint."

Mom looks sheepish. Dad looks even more exhausted than before (is that possible?).

{LAUGHTER}

6. PARTY IN CLOUD HEAVEN - DAY
Greek gods are looking down at the FiveCrows family, laughing, and lounging with a glass of wine.

Hera: "That was classic!!!"
Hermes: "Who knew I could cause so much trouble with lint.
Athena: "Humans are crazy."
Hades: "Well you know...cerberus sheds. A LOT."
All: celebratory toasts and laughing maniacally

{LAUGHTER}

Camera zooms out.

FADE OUT - ROLL CREDITS

Accompanying sound bite: Mouse Trap™ jingle, circa 1985