Bio: Vicky

About Vicky:

Most important thing to me: That’s easy – my family – one loving husband, Per still hugely attractive after all these years (26 years to be exact, he points out that if he had killed someone he could have been out by now!) Two beautiful daughters, Arcadia and Arianna, five wonderful sons, Nikita, Keanu, Finian, Etienne and Artem, one son in law Grant and a Grandson Elian. Collectively they are my rock, they keep me grounded and allow me to fly and I love them with all my heart.

I was born in England and lived there until August 2010. Things I love and miss about England:

• My English friends
• The history
• The culture
• The bacon
• The tea
• Marks and Spencer’s underwear
• The walking (not the “we are planning a hike walking” but the “walking to the shops, bank, dentist, school” walking)

I trained to be a teacher and then a midwife and then moved half way across the world because it seemed like a good idea at the time!

Things I love about America:

• My American friends
• Book club
• The space
• Super friendly shop assistants
• Ghirardelli raspberry chocolate
• A really good burger
• Snow tubing

Things I love – my family, my friends, my profession, chocolate, tea, wine, Champaigne, people who say YES even when it’s not easy, positivity, kind hearts.

Things I dislike – negativity, closed minds, Wonder bread, the expression ‘fanny pack’ (that is something very different in England) birds on the trampoline, being let down.

Favorite quote – “Be the change you want to see” - Gandhi. I try hard to apply it to my life.

Happiest moments – the birth of my children, my wedding day, laughing with friends, helping women achieve the birth experience they want.

Saddest moment – watching my mother die of cancer.

About my mum:

Cherry Ann Carter was my mother. I am not going to tell her life story but just share some of the things that were very special about her.

She loved to read, particularly Agatha Christie and PD James and Ruth Rendell. I think she would have made a good detective she had an eye for detail and a good sense of people, she was not easily fooled.

My mum had sensible arms. Her sleeves were always rolled up and she was always doing something, nursing her patients, holding a child, gardening, cooking.

She had a beautiful voice and would fill the house every Sunday morning while she did her chores, with the hymns on the radio which she sang along to.

My mum often said “Words are cheap.” She felt that one should show love through actions, that anyone can say I love you, but to show those feelings by doing something meant more. I remember during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia occurred and the news was filled with stories of mothers carrying babies and toddlers for miles trying to escape she would say – "that’s love."

My mum was 59 when she lost her 18 month battle with cancer and I miss her every single day. She was the person I turned to because she was my mum and I knew that she would always be on my side and now she is no longer there and it breaks my heart

My mum made a difference in 59 years to many people and that is why

My mum’s life > cancer