The River

The River by Jessica Faulkner Chase, July 2014

Creeping in steadily, I shiver as the cool water chills my skin.

The shiver slowly becomes a comforted rush of Mother Nature's soothing touch. Plunging deep in the abyss I am renewed, refreshed - baptized for a new day, for a new moment of peace. 

Lying back with my legs and arms outstretched, my hair flows through the current, my cheeks feel the cool river water rushing against them. 

I stare at the blue sky with giant cumulonimbus clouds bordering the horizon. 

The trees sway, the birds chirp, the cotton flies through the air, and my heart is content. 

In this moment I feel full of life and gratitude for all this universe has to offer. Let go of the struggle against the current. The river will take you through the serene abundance of life if you surrender. Abundance surrounds me. 

The Raw Truth About Equal Rights

All my life I've studied about all types of fear and segregation. Whether it's the the Holocaust or The Civil Rights Movement or Women's Rights...we've all been told not to speak of these things on our blogs or we won't get hired for jobs, or won't be accepted by our families/religions. There are a lot of fear-based suggestions of why we should not express our true thoughts and opinions. God forbid anyone stand up for what's right - right? Can you imagine if there weren't people that stood up for what is right in our history? We would live in a scary, scary world. Would our world and the people in it even exist?

Fact is, I am not black, or gay - but I am a woman, so I have felt some segregation and intolerance in my life. In the grand scheme of things, however, I haven't been discriminated against nearly as much as many people in this world are, and I am grateful for that.  All labels aside, I am human. And as a human, I have a duty to stand up for other humans regardless of age, rage, gender, religion, sexual orientation etc.  I don't know a lot of things for sure, but I do know that making other humans feel less than equal is WRONG at a fundamental level.

I recently had the opportunity to walk for an organization called The Trevor Project at the local Gay Pride Parade. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning young people ages 13-24.

Did you know that suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24? Did you know that LGB youth are 4 times more likely, and questioning youth are 3 times more likely, to attempt suicide as their straight peers? Did you know that LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection?

How is this happening? Why are we allowing this to happen to our fellow humans?

I thought about this today because I watched a movie called "The Normal Heart" about the 1980s timeframe when American's in New York were trying to identify the cause of the aids virus. It is a heart-wrenching story about a gay community that is dying off in New York. They created an activist group that keeps encouraging the government to find an answer on what the virus is and help with treatment. The amount of time and effort it took these people to get any bit of reaction from the government is baffling to me. There were roomers that the government created the virus to "kill off gay people" and the government wasn't denying it. Sound like the Holocaust at all to you? Granted, that was a rumor, but who knows what really happened. It was such a sad time, and it makes me happy for how much progress has been made since then.

We still have a long way to go so SPEAK UP and STAND UP for the underdog. That's the only way we are going to make progress as humans.

If you are a believer in equal rights, this movie is a must see. Here are just a few reviews about the play that won Tony Award and the movie from Wikipedia - "In the New York Daily News, Liz Smith said, 'An astounding drama . . . a damning indictment of a nation in the middle of an epidemic with its head in the sand. It will make your hair stand on end even as the tears spurt from your eyes.' Rex Reed stated, 'No one who cares about the future of the human race can afford to miss The Normal Heart,' while director Harold Prince commented, 'I haven't been this involved – upset – in too damn long. Kramer honors us with this stormy, articulate theatrical work.'"

Also, some great quotes from the movie, "Weakness scares the shit out of me. My father was weak and I'm afraid I'll be like him. His life didn't stand for anything and then it was over. So I fight constantly. And if I can do it, I can't understand why everyone else can't do it too." - Ned Weeks, Gay Activist

"I scare the shit out of people. The holy terror in a wheel chair. Learn how to use it, you don't need everybody's love and approval." -Dr. Emma Brookner, a physician and survivor of polio who helped with the virus research with little to no government funding.

And a quote, that, of course, I love -
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." -The Declaration of Independence

Peace and love,

Jess*

2-Year-Old SJ

SJ is 2-years-old and he loves singing the ABC's and can count to 15 or so. He loves telling knock-knock jokes and loves his grandparents very much. He likes playing with cars and ninja turtles and loves Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Elmo, Yo Gabba Gabba. He also loves singing along to those shows. We regularly catch SJ walking around the house singing "Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the Pooh..." to himself in his cute little singing voice. 

 SJ is in pre-school two days a week and no longer uses a bottle. He has a big boy bed, but he doesn't sleep in it very well. We are working on that. He knows his colors and his animals well. He loves farms and singing and talking about animals. He loves singing "Old McDonald Had a Farm" and loves jumping on the trampoline. He also loves putting coins in his piggy bank. His favorite book right now is "Brown Bear, Brown Bear - What Do You See?" and he has already been to Disneyland TWICE!! 

We love him so much and he is the greatest joy in our lives. Thank you universe!

Marketplace 3.0

Marketplace 3.0: Rewriting the Rules of Borderless Business by Hiroshi Mikitani
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Favorite quotes:
"Global business is not just a way to make money; it is a way to remake the interaction between companies and marketplaces."
"Myself of today will triumph over myself of yesterday."
"No matter what you do, if you do it well and with passion, you will achieve success and happiness."
"The only way workers will fully pursue experiments is if they feel assured that they will not be punished for an unsuccessful outcome."
"The key is not to take a defensive stance and build a wall around your business, but to reach out and make positive connections that create a better experience for all involved."
"Vendors on the more rigid platform conform to the template. This is efficient, to be sure. It saves money and time. But is it fun? Is it entertaining? Does it inspire the customer to spend time browsing? Not really."
"A great goal can generate unprecedented speed."
"Action is what speeds improvement."
"Take the intuition you have and investigate it in terms of hard numbers. How many people pass by your bus stop? What are the sales of nearby stores? How many people visit bookstores at the next bus stop? What are their profits? What are the rents in your neighborhood? What are the bookstore personnel costs like? Gather all this and other figures and begin to calculate the profits your bookstore might generate."
"Intuition is a great asset to business. But it comes to its highest purpose only when coupled with metrics. Measurement takes dreams and moves them toward reality."
"We need to realize that even when we leave our office, our roles as leaders remain intact."

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There's beauty in the breakdown.

Sometimes you have to break down to find peace. 

Wake up!

The days I wake up lazy and unmotivated yet push myself to wake up, get energized and experience life end up being the most rewarding days. 

Abstention

Abstention 

By: Jessica Chase

The tension pushes, pulls, tugs in my core.

Breathe, meditate, calm this tension with anxiety, with love.

What lessons is the universe trying to teach me?

Testing my sense of self.

Testing my loyalty to light.

Words fly from every direction like an intersection.

Green light - positive thoughts, words of encouragement.

Red light - gossip, betrayal.

Stop. Listen. Learn.

Refrain from participation or contribution to the negativity.

Who am I?

Who do I want to be?

Breathe in, breathe out. 

Growth, forgiveness, healing.

An endless cycle of a soul seeking enlightenment. 

Actions speak louder than words. 

Some stuff I believe :)

1. I'd rather wear flowers in my hair than diamonds around my neck. 

2. I like the smell of the earth, the touch of the waves, the taste of berries, the sight of trees, the sound of laughter, and the feeling of being alive. 

3. I believe that there is no greater good in all the world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation. 

4. I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends [and family] I want to see. 

5. I believe in "The Secret" and have given the book to many people. "All that we are is a result of what we have thought." - Buddha

6. I am passionate about helping people feel loved, find their passion, be happy. I genuinely want good things for people and am not fake. 

7. I believe that *love* and gratitude are always the answer(s).

8. I think it's important to set long / short term goals and be on a constant path to improve ourselves because if we don't try to improve ourselves ( all of us ) how can we evolve and make this a better place?

Kudos to Pinterest and the Pinners for helping me compile these thoughts. 

Vulnerability, Daring Greatly

I've been watching a lot of Super Soul Sunday lately on the OWN network. For those that know me - you know I'm a big fan Oprah. It's been nice to have such a great show to watch on Sunday's... It's thought provoking, spiritual, uplifting, etc. I highly recommend you all check it out. You can watch the show on Oprah.com too of you don't have cable or satellite. She had an author on her show today called Brene Brown who wrote the book "Daring Greatly" and she has received over 8 million view on TED with her lecture about vulnerability.

The book starts out with this quote that I love:
“It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; Who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
President Theodore Roosevelt
Speech at the Sorbonne
April 23, 1910

I think vulnerability is a very interesting topic. As Brown says, most people are raised that vulnerability is a weakness, but it's so important to ask for what you need and have those hard conversations. Take the risk of being vulnerable and being yourself. You are beautiful! Show the world your beauty. Let people in. "You can't get to courage without walking through vulnerability. It [vulnerability] is the key to having meaningful relationships and intimacy," said Brown.

Brown also talked about how our culture lives in fear more than ever, and because of this - we are all less vulnerable and don't enjoy "joy" as much as we should. "The number one casualty of a scarcity culture is vulnerability. Get rid of fear. Be open [and vulnerable] enough to take the risk to fail. Let go of what people think."

By doing this and practicing gratitude she said we will all experience joy more deeply. "Don't forebode joy. Push harder into those moments of joy. Be vulnerable enough to enjoy joy. Practice gratitude." She said we cannot experience joy without gratitude and that a way to battle fear is by practicing gratitude. For example, if you are scared your plane will crash, just start being grateful about the fact that you have enough money to be in that plane and going where you are going in the first place.

I really enjoyed the discussion and can't wait to read "Daring Greatly"!

My love affair with art.

I've always been really interested in art since I was a child. It may be that my mother was an artist, or that she encouraged me to participate in imaginative and artsy projects on a frequent basis growing up. I decided to take an art history class in high school because I wanted to learn more about art and because I wanted to get some college credit. It just so happened that one of my best friends ended up in the same class with me.

Mid way through the year our teacher announced that we were taking a trip to San Francisco as a class. I was so excited because I had heard that San Francisco was a really fun place and I think I had even been there once before as a child. I was also excited because we were going to a place that exuded art from every crevice. My friend Kristen and I decided to room together and had a blast goofing off, dancing, and tumbling around the hotel room. We were two 17 year old girls on one of our first trips away from home.

Our first day in San Francisco, I will never forget, we saw the exact replica of the gold Ghiberti doors with 3-D carved biblical scenes across them. I vowed to myself that I would see the original Ghiberti doors in my lifetime. We walked through the doors into a cathedral with beautiful stained glass and analyzed the Byzantine style art.

Later that day after getting hot clam chowder at Fisherman's Warf and "people watching" we went to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). I will never forget the moment I saw my friend Kristin balling in front of the Rothko #14 Blue & Red piece called "1960" because it moved her so much or the feeling I felt when I saw Frida Kahlo's Self Portraits.

That trip made me solidify a life long love of art and sure enough, in 2011 my husband and I saw the original Ghiberti doors in Florence, Italy. I am also going to be a bridesmaid in Kristin's wedding in May of 2013.

Here is what the Rothko #14 looks like:

Pearl of China Book Review

Pearl of China by Anchee Min

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It is rare that any of us find a friendship at a young age that lasts a lifetime let alone finding a friend at any age and having that friendship last a lifetime. The friendship that Pearl and Willow shared hit me deep in my core and I am so happy that I got to experience their stories by reading this book. Whether it was love for China, love for each other or love for their faith... This book showed what true love is all about - the characters truly "had known the fullness of love, which was absolute in height and depth." Many of the characters, even though they experienced much hardship, really did feel love on a different level then most people feel. It goes to show - you don't have to be rich or from some elite demographic to experience life's true beauty. In fact, if any of the characters in the book were rich a a young age, you wonder if they would have had such an amazing story to tell.

Isn't it also so true that we learn something new from each person we meet each day? I loved what Willow said about Hsu Chih-mo after he passed, "The most important lesson he taught me was that there was no one singular perspective on things or emotions in the universe-no one way of comprehending the truth." I thought this was such an important quote in this book because there were so many people who were so stuck in believing in their own individual truths at times, but when they truly evolved was when they embraced others truths and let go of their own to learn and become things they never thought possible. For example - if Willow's papa had never joined Absalom in helping with his church and becoming a Christian/Buddhist he would have continued to live a peasant lifestyle and wouldn't have fulfilled his true destiny. I think it is so important to be open to life and things its trying to teach us on a daily basis. How can one learn when being rigid in ones thoughts and beliefs?

There were so many things that happened in this book that made me believe that almost anyone can overcome any obstacle - whether through hard work or through spiritual means. And honestly, it did give me a renewed belief in my faith. I loved the part in the book where the "dead" trees that had been used to build the new church blossomed inside the church - "the green miracle" ha! "With the breeze from the window, the leaves swayed like dancers' sleeves across the room."

I loved so much about this book that it's hard to summarize my thoughts without writing a novel myself. I really enjoyed the poetry that was added within the pages as well - this was my favorite poem from the book-

I lived by the Yangtze River near it's source,
While you reside farther down its course.
You and I drink water from the same stream,
I haven't seen you though daily of you I dream.

When will this river water cease to run?
When shall I not love you, the way I do?
I only wish our two hearts would beat as one,
And you wouldn't disappoint me in my love for you.




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Tradition

One of my favorite family traditions started when I was about 14-years old. My mother was always very diligent about making sure that my siblings and I were respectful of other religions and diversity. Although we were predominantly LDS growing up, she thought that it was important for us to respect others no matter what their religion was. She made it clear that it was important to have spirituality in our lives, but that that didn't necessarily have to fit a mold. As part of this teaching, she would take us to all different kinds of churches every couple of months or so.

One year, on New Years Eve she took us to the Unitarian church for a ceremony. We had been to the Unitarian church before for Sunday service and I enjoyed the band on stage and the congregation holding hands and singing together. On this night, there wasn't a traditional church ceremony going on - this was a special ceremony that only happened on New Year's Eve. Even though I was a teenager I was excited to be experiencing something new and fun with my family.

The people running the ceremony passed out four items: a tissue paper, a pen, a paper and an envelope. They then asked everyone to write down the things they wanted to get rid if from the previous year - what were the things burdening you, bringing you down, preventing you from moving in a forward progression in your life?We all proceeded to write things in the 3x4 inch piece of paper. I wrote things like - "sadness," "negativity," "fear," etc. They then asked us asked us to walk to the front of the room and burn the piece of paper in a large bowl called "The Burning Bowl."

When I walked up to the font of the room there was a large bowl with fire inside of it. I dropped by piece of paper, watched it disintegrate. I suddenly felt a burden release from my shoulders. All of the things I wanted to get rid of from the past year were now in the past. I could let go of them and move on to more positive things. As we walked back to our seats we listened to what was next in the agenda for the ceremony. We were asked to write a letter to God outlining what we wanted to happen for ourselves and those close to us in the coming year on the sheet of paper they gave us. It was basically an opportunity for us to sit back and really focus on what goals we'd like to set for ourselves in the next year. I wrote and wrote and wrote until type page was full on the front and back side.

They then asked us to seal the envelope and give it to them so they cloud pray on it for the next year. At the end of each year, they mail you back the letter so that you caned it on New Year's Eve and see what you have accomplished that year. It's amazing to see what can be accomplished if you just put it out there in the universe. I didn't do the ceremony the next year, or even the year after but a couple years ago I decided to put together a "Burning Bowl" ceremony at my house for my friends and family. It's not as formal or official, but it still helps us release our burdens from the year before and set new goals for the year ahead. It's become a pretty important and meaningful tradition for me and I am grateful to my mother for introducing such a positive experience my life.

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays! We are so blessed to have welcomed our new little boy S.J. (Scott August Chase) into the world this year. He has brought so much joy and love into our lives. We hope you all experience that same feeling of joy and love this holiday season and all year long.

Love,

The Chase Family

The Art of Racing in the Rain Book Review

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book was good for so many reasons. I am a dog lover, so it was great hearing a story from the perspective of a dog. When you think about it, dogs do seem more enlightened then most humans anyway (probably because they can't talk and they have to listen so much) - so it makes sense to right a book from their perspective.

"Learn to listen! I beg of you. Pretend you are a dog like me and listen to other people rather than steal their stories."

This book definitely made me look at my own dog differently. Dogs are a lot smarter than we think they are and we can learn a lot from them. Along with the listening thing, they are extremely loyal  and they live in the moment (which I know I could learn a thing or two about).

"People are always worried about what's happening next. They often find it difficult to stand still, to occupy the now without worrying about the future. People are not generally satisfied with what they have; they are very concerned with what they are going to have."

Some of the people in my book club refused to read the book because they heard it was sad. The book was sad, but life can be sad... and there were so many great moments in the book that weren't sad. In fact, I think one of the points of this book was to help people understand that life can be sad and death is a part of life - so why not embrace it? If you believe in reincarnation like Enzo did - Death seems less scary.

"To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. To feel the joy of life. To separate oneself form the burden, the angst, the anguish that we all encounter every day. To say that I am alive, I am wonderful, I am, I am. That is something to aspire to."

I really loved the relationship between Enzo and his owner - how they helped each other escape fear. I loved all of the things they taught each other. It made me realize that it's so important to be open to learning things about yourself from places you don't expect - whether it's your dog, a friend, a family member, a co-worker, myself, etc. Learning's come from all directions at all times - you just have to learn to listen to find and learn from them.

"Such a simple concept, yet so true: that which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our success and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves."

The parallels between racing and life were very interesting as well. I never realized that racing was such a mental game. I've had a lot of friends give up in life and some that have actually ended their lives because they felt that they couldn't go on, but I think it's so important to remember that we are here on this earth for a reason - to grown and learn and defeat trials. It's not always easy, but it's so important to continue fighting through this life so that we can find our true purpose as Denny did.

"There is no dishonor in losing the race. There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose."

"A winner, a champion, will accept his fate. He will continue with his wheels in the dirt. He will do his best to maintain his line and gradually get himself back on the track when it is safe to do so. Yes, he loses a few places in the race. Yes, he is at a disadvantage. But he is still racing. He is still alive."

So many great quotes in "The Art of Racing in the Rain". Such a great book!



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Ryan Darton, "I Am A Moth."

I’ve been lucky to have many friends in my life who have become amazing musicians. Some of them have become famous, some of them play live shows at local bars/venues and some of them just continue to make music because that’s what makes them happy (regardless of if they’ve become famous or not). I’ve always enjoyed watching them grow and change.

I’ve been watching my friend Ryan Darton grow and change for over 10 years… I remember the good ol’ days when I used to watch his band Underlie play in high school. All of our friends wore our “Underlie” T-shirts with pride. Ryan has definitely grown a lot since then. His voice and music has matured so much throughout the years and it’s such a good feeling to watch friends grow, change and excel throughout life. I highly recommend you check out his new album – “I Am A Moth.”

If you are like me you are always chasing the sound of the Garden State soundtrack in one way or another.  “I Am A Moth” definitely has a Garden State feel to it. It’s got a great mix of rock and acoustic guitar and you can tell that Ryan has been influenced by many great bands such as Jimmy Eat World, Pinback, Jason Mraz, Daphne Loves Derby, Panic at the Disco, etc.

The album is mellow, romantic, thoughtful, poetic, upbeat and has great lyrics. Each song is so eclectic and the vibe changes from one song to the next so it keeps you on your toes.

The beginning of the album starts out with poetic lyrics and melodies with the song “Summer and Snow” and then moves into a Panic at the Disco like song with a great harmony called “Sing To Me Baby” that makes you want to tap your toes and get up and dance.  

“Uptight” is my favorite song on the album. It has great lyrics, great drums and a great melody - “I’m gonna fix this hole and make it new… I’m gonna catch this bird and make him sing and only sing for me.”

Another song with great, romantic lyrics is “You are Mine” - “Hold me close until we turn to wine. Let our lips touch til’ their like the sun. Fate has brought us here and I’ve never been so in love…It’s your touch that keeps my fears away…”

Overall, the album is an extremely thoughtful compilation of poetry, romance and great music. I highly recommend you check it out.

Millions of peaches.

Made fresh home-made, sugar-free peach cinnamon jam tonight. #yum #fallcooking #canning #jam #peaches #millionsofpeaches #cooking #homemade #sugarfreecooking #photooftheday

Here's the recipe I used:
Sugar-Free Jam with Stevia

1 3/4 ounce packet no-sugar-needed pectin
3/4 -1 cup cold water
2 1/2-3 cups of prepared fruit - fresh or frozen (raspberries, strawberries,
blueberries, apples/applesauce, bananas, peaches, pears, etc.)
1/2 Tbsp. Steviva stevia (if you use a different brand, you'll have to use
more because it will be cut with maltodextrin)
Spices according to taste: Cinammon, Ground Cloves, Ground Ginger, Nutmeg,
Cardamom, Vanilla Extract (in banana jam) or Almond Extract (great in peach
jam)

1. Peel, chop or mash fruit according to desired consistency (preferably
with a food processor, or by hand).

2. In small saucepan, combine pectin and water. Over medium heat, bring to
a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add to mashed fruit and
stir for 1 minute. Add Stevia and spices and stir for 2 more minutes.

3. Fill jars to 1/2 inch from the top. Seal and let stand until they reach
room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled, or place jam in freezer. Or can.

Source: http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vegetarian-forum/1289628-sugar-free-jam-stevia.html

Baby Shower Home-Made Card & Baby Shower Game

My sister Emily and I have been making home-made cards for years. It's one of our favorite hobbies and it's great for sister time. 


I made these baby shower invitations for my friend Kierra's baby shower. I love how the butterflies are 3-D. You can get the butterfly punch stamp and supplies from Stampin' Up.

We also played this game - it was really fun! 


Use this list of candy bars that pertain to pregnancy. Bring out the candy bars on a platter and have everyone guess which words pertain to the candy bar names. The person with the most words that pertain correctly to the candy bars wins a prize. 

2-Month’s Old, My Sweet SJ

I know I am a month late since SJ is almost 3 months old, but I wrote this about a month ago for him. 


2-Month’s Old

Little toes…
Stretching,
Kicking,
Growing…
Craving mama’s warmth.
Daddy’s exact replica.

Wiggly hands…
Learning,
Touching,
Squirming,
Searching curiously.
Smothered by mama’s kisses.

Sweet face…
Watching,
Understanding,
Cooing,
Beautiful blue eyes.
Can’t wait to see that dimple grin.

What a blessing to have a two month old
Cuddling,
  Laughing,
        Growing,
                baby boy.

The Book Thief - Book Review

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The final line by the narrator of The Book Thief definitely sums it up - "I am haunted by humans." This book is a good reminder that, as humans, we all definitely have flaws in our judgement and in the time this book was written about - the human race was definitely going through a challenging time and having flawed judgement. It reminds us that we must not judge each other so harshly... that we must love each other for our differences... that we must not follow others without educating ourselves... that we must stand up for what's right... that we must remember that diversity is okay - we all don't have to be carbon copies of each other. Remember - that's what Hitler wanted!

This is not like most books about the Holocaust... it's from the perspective of a little girl who's considered a German, but whose mother is a communist (who were also segregated against in Germany at the time), whose foster father is a "jew lover" and who's best friend is a jew hiding in her foster parents basement. The narrator is "death" and describes how horrifying that time in our history was for the people living in Germany and the surrounding areas. I liked how it described the fact that the jews weren't the only people starving, struggling and being killed during that time. The German people also suffered quite a bit.

Great characters, great writing... a little long for my taste, but worth it.

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March 29, 2012 - The Birth Of Our Sweet Angel

On March 29, 2012 our little angel, SJ, was born. He is such a blessing!







Ever since SJ was born, there have been two robins trying to get into our house. They bang into our backyard door all day long and stare at us. According to this website http://​www.whats-your-sign.com/​animal-symbolism-robin.html, Robins represent new beginnings, clarity, great wisdom, etc. Very interesting!

SJ has a little indian blood in him (Shoshone Bannock tribe), so maybe the Robin's are welcoming a new member of the tribe to this world.