About the Author

Leta Hamilton was born in Kansas City, KS in 1972. Her father at the time was studying to become a pastor in the United Church of Christ. After leading a UCC church in Kansas City, he joined the Navy as a Chaplain.

Leta Hamilton spent the years between 3 and graduating from high school following her father from duty station to duty station. While growing up in a military family allowed her to see and experience many parts of not only this country, but the world, Leta lacked a sense of roots. When people ask her, "Where are you from?" she doesn't really know how to answer that.

After graduating from Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, VA, she started college at Elon College (now University) in Elon, North Carolina. This was a UCC affiliated school and so she was able to attend at a reduced price through her father's ordination in the church. It turned out to be a difficult environment in which to fit. Perhaps it was her exposure to so many places and cultures growing up in the military, but she could never feel at home there. People referred to her as "granola" (meaning hippy) and she was the only person in her dorm not to join a sorority. Furthermore, Leta was intent on pursuing degrees in Italian and International Studies, neither of which were offered at the time at Elon College.

Her parents were both from Oregon and her father had graduated from the University of Oregon. Through her father's permanent residency in Oregon, Leta also qualified for in state tuition at the University of Oregon. They also offered degrees in Italian and International Studies. Therefore, for her sophomore year, she transferred out to the west coast.

She finished out her college years at the University of Oregon, spending her junior year abroad between Italy and Scotland. After graduating she returned to Italy for one more year of study before returning to Eugene, Oregon. At the prompting of a friend (and not quite ready to either enter the "real world" or take on the burden of more student debt by attending grad school), she decided to apply to a teaching position in Japan. And, wouldn't you know, she got the job!

It was in Japan that she met her future husband. They shared (and still do!) the same last name, which was an easy segue into conversation. He was (and still is!) British and so returned to the UK after his teaching contract ended. Leta followed him there upon completion of her contract and the rest, as they say, is history.

Using her excellent communication skills, she began a career as the Executive Assistant of the CEO of a London-based private equity firm. By all outside appearances, it was a great job, but inwardly Leta longed to somehow be of greater service. And, of course, having children changed everything. It no longer became reconcilable to work that particular job and also meet the needs of her baby. It was with trepidation, she made the life-altering decision to "downsize" her life and find a part time job that suited her family's needs better.

A decision of this nature has all sorts of ramifications - and not just financial. Fortunately, Leta and her husband were in a stable enough financial position to afford the drastic drop in household income. Often the very core of one's self-esteem is tied to the job they do and, by extension, the salary they make. Leta had to overcome the temptation to feel that she had given up more than she had gained by quitting her "career" job and replacing it with a part time "work to live" job.

Her second pregnancy brought about the opportunity to finally make the move from the UK to the US that she and her husband had been talking about for years. Going on maternity leave for baby number two was the window in which to bite the bullet and actually GO! After 9 years in the UK, it was hello Seatte. This was a decision that neither one of them has ever regretted for even a minute. They both love the Northwest and cannot think of a better place to raise their 3 children.

It was while living in their apartment, trying to figure out where to live permanently in Seattle and waiting for their London house sale to go through, that Leta felt compelled to sit down and write The Way of the Toddler. Most of it was either written with baby on boob or in Starbuck's while her husband babysat.  She is grateful for the journey from there to here and for the spiritual lessons her children continue to show her every day, simply by their "Being."