As I look out my window, I see a big, bright yellow butterfly fluttering around. Of course I do! Mom’s on my mind today. Of course, she’s on my mind every day but we are in the midst of the “it’s been one year since” riptide. One year since she went into the hospital, one … More In My Heart and All Around — Every Day
Published in the June 2015 Issue of Bakersfield Life Magazine As seniors across Kern County walk across the stage to collect their high school diplomas, parents are preparing emotionally for what will likely be a huge step in their own lives. In just a couple months, many graduates will move away to begin their college … More Not Easy Saying Goodbye
Published in the May 2015 edition of Bakersfield Life Magazine. They call me the dot connector in my office. I enjoy connecting the who, why, how and the with whom of today and yesterday. In my business (economic development), that can come in pretty handy. The best part for me, personally, is the vibrant tapestry … More It’s All About Friends and Family…That’s Why I Call This Place Home
I thought it would be Mother’s Day. That’s the day I thought I’d miss her the most, the day I’d be mostly acutely aware of the void, the gaping hole, in my world. Eight months after saying goodbye, I am feeling stronger in general. But I brace myself when I see one of “those days” … More A Motherly Kind of Love
My past few years have been full of beautiful times and blessings…and also the hardest challenges I’ve ever faced. During that time I’ve learned something quite interesting: I now believe trials and disappointment just might be the fastest (albeit bumpiest) path to clarifying what matters most to me. Hard times have proven to be the … More Disappointment Has Revealed the True Desires of My Heart
I have spent the past week hauling freshly-drawn milk in buckets hanging from a belt around my waist. I’ve been picking poke salad and gathering pecans. I’ve been walking to school, barefoot, bruising my feet and losing toenails along the way. And in the past seven days, I spent nine days in the back of … More Little House on the Prairie Had Nothin’ on These Kids
My initial goal was one each week. One post every week on my shiny, new blog. When Jake and I set it up on November 6, nearly three months ago, I wasn’t sure I could maintain that schedule, but at that time I wasn’t too worried about it. After all, this was really all about … More 30 Blog Posts to the Center of My Soul
Leaning back in the uncomfortable arm chair, I was mesmerized by the magnolia’s silhouette in the silvery, pre-dawn moonlight. A lovely distraction on the other side of the window, breaking up what had been a long, hard night that would most certainly segue into a long, hard day. She had been there for the better … More Magnolia in the Moonlight
If your day ever needs a re-set, or if you just need to take a break and lose yourself for a while, grab a friend and head to the corner antique shop on your lunch break! My dad and I took a step back in time yesterday with a quick lunch at the Woolworth Diner, … More Taking a Trip Back in Time Can Help Turn Today Around
Jake and I went for a run in an unfamiliar place today. The San Diego morning greeted us with warm, bright, happy sunshine. Always, when we’re on vacation, we plan morning runs; sometimes we actually make those runs happen! Today we didn’t have a solid route, just a general direction: turn left here, then right … More When Your Compass Needs Adjusting, Just Run!
