Pardon me if I'm family indulgent in this week's posts. The last few days have been incredible and I want to share them. I picked up my daughter at LAX last friday. What a rush to see her smiling face after ten months apart. We then had dinner with her brother and his girlfriend at Elya's most beloved …
Time Machine
I wish I had a time machine that could transport my precious children through time. When I miss the little boy who once skipped stones across the lake, I could send for his return.     The longing to see the impish little girl who pulled her pony tails would instantly bring her back.        We …
Book Review: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
I devoured Donald Miller's book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, while driving to Laughlin, Nevada this past Thursday. Barbie (my best friend) gave me several of his books as a birthday present and inspiration for us to continue our life stories. I kind of feel like my husband's travel goal for this summer …
Continue reading "Book Review: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller"
Weekend Excursion
This past weekend's excursion to Napa Valley, San Francisco, and Carmel far surpassed my expectations. My husband, Justin, and I set out to make the most of a long weekend and packed two days full of fun. The first stop was Vallejo, California for the Pirate's Festival.     Camera's slung around our necks, we delighted in capturing unique people and images.      Next, we …
49 Perspective
Perspective is a heaven-sent gift for those of us muddling through life trying to find meaning. Moreover, discovering perspective often requires leaving the familiar and venturing out into the unknown.      One desire I had for my children was that they would experience international travel. Leaving one's country helps to clarify values and pursuits.           We see our lives from a …
That was then…this is now!
I haven't had time to post lately. Working life has been all-consuming. Going back into the classroom after two weeks of spring break was intense. All IÂ want to do in the evenings is sort, scan, edit, and savor photos of my children growing up. When the house rests quiet, years flood back to heart and …
Day 30 “I Feel Pink!”
I feel pink today!          As I rifled through South American travel photos for yesterday's post, the "pinkness" really struck me.          Argentina and Uruguay love colorful buildings, and you see pink everywhere.           Pink reminds me of feminine solidarity (sorry guys). Throw in a little purple and self-confidence soars. Below is my daughter, Elya, in …
Day 27 “Right Turns”
Have you ever had a sharp "right turn" redirect your destiny? What you anticipated happening abruptly dead ends and the only path left seems disappointing?  If I had a nickel for every time this happened to me, I could buy a motor scooter and drive through the streets of Uruguay (oh wait, my children …
Day 22 “Time for Exploration!”
Today was surreal. Many unexpected occurences happened so quickly that I could not filter them all while in the midst of work. Students brought me poems they wrote; quite profound for middle schoolers. A colleague informed me of an opportunity knowing my passion for developing technology trainings. My editor left a cheery message with an encouraging complement, possible completion date, and suggested title …
JoDee Luna Art 