Just Trying to Live with Love and Light

Nana, all love and light, is a good place to start when you need inspiration.

And I do.  I'm all for protests; it's part of our democracy.  In addition to that, though, how can I make my life meaningful and also make the world a better place for other people?  I don't know, but I'm trying.

Happy kids with a safe environment. How fortunate we are to be able to provide an environment where they can flourish.

Late night ballet, teacher and student.

I like to appreciate and give thanks for beauty.

The arts.  Big deal in our family.  Freestone on the way to ballet, marking his schedule for Sleeping Beauty rehearsals.

Yogo Togo always brings a smile.

I love this organization, Days for Girls.  We were able to donate 4 man-hours (woman-hours?) to this project, sponsored by the rotary club.  They were so well organized, we just had to show up at Davis High and start working.  I wish there were a humanitarian project every single Saturday, that we could pitch in with.

Here's someone who gives back to the community.  Jennie is working for the Utah Parent Center and she's a force to be reckoned with.  I spent all my money at the bake sale she organized in conjunction with a dance performance with special needs kids.  The whole thing was inspiring, and I wish I could have stayed longer, but we had our annual CNY party, another way to make life more meaningful. We've known our Chinese Playgroup friends for over a decade now, and it's pretty neat to keep our connection alive.

Araceli brought her friends.

There was a magician, and there's Melanie Scarlett, the woman who started the playgroup.

The Checketts hosted this year.  Thanks, Liese, Scott and Meigan!

Some of the kids.  We didn't take pictures soon enough before people started leaving.

Again with the arts?  Yes!  Freestone had an audition for a summer intensive.  Now he's dreaming of Manhattan in July, but it's all contingent upon getting in and then getting a scholarship, so...

My little Eliza brought her ukulele to pay for our ballet class.  She is so sweet and talented.  We first met her mom when she was waiting for Eliza.  She traveled to China around the same time we did.  We love them.

One of the best ways to make the world a better place is by influencing children.  I'm always aware of the larger goal of providing a loving environment for my preschoolers, regardless of whether they are into the craft or acting like a kitty on the floor.  They are so sweet. They're not mine, but in a sense, they are. Just like the refugee children I taught last year at Sunnyvale.  If they are God's then they are mine.