A few months ago, I invited my friend to join me for a pottery class at a new local studio for her birthday present. We both love to try new things and were intrigued by the experience of using a potter’s wheel to create something out of clay. When we arrived at the class, the teacher gave us step-by-step instructions. We each sat down behind a [...] Keep Reading
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Fall has fallen! It’s time for Pumpkin Chili
Fall is my favorite season, but since we live in Central California it takes a while for Autumn to arrive. This week our temperatures dipped to the 80s and the evening temperatures were much cooler. I'm declaring it the official start of Fall. I love everything about Fall - the fiery-colored leaves lighting up the branches of the trees, the cooler [...] Keep Reading
Unexpected branches: An invitation into God’s family tree
My mama’s extended family usually meets every two or three years for a reunion in different cities where clusters of our cousins live. After four years of waiting because of the pandemic, this year we gathered in Detroit, Michigan where my mom was born. We weren’t sure how many would actually show up because of high travel costs, canceled flights, [...] Keep Reading
Our Top 10 AAPI Chapter Books
One of my favorite things to do with my own daughters, my nephews, and other little people in my life, is read aloud. As a children's book author and a mama, reading aloud is a special way to share a book with others. I have my own collection of picture books in my library, but in recent years, I've fallen in love with chapter books and middle [...] Keep Reading
On butterfly wings: No Shame in Going Gently
Last month I ran in a trail race called Shadow of the Giants near Yosemite National Park. Through the years, this race has become a favorite to run with my friends. The course winds through the Sierra National Forest. It's always a feast for the senses as we run alongside the giant sequoia trees with their enormous trunks pointing toward [...] Keep Reading
5 myths and 1 important truth about grief
After my husband’s death, I quickly discovered people had a lot to say about grief. As a young widow at age 37 and mother of three young girls, I was often surprised by the comments. Sometimes they would share their insights in hopes of offering comfort. Oftentimes these opinions were driven by myths about grief that get passed around, rather than [...] Keep Reading
