On Dating...

This morning, my students were sharing their plans for this upcoming weekend. One of my boys expressed excitedly, "Today, my parents are going to celebrate their anniversary!"

"Oh...very nice! Are they planning to go out tonight?"

"Well, they mentioned they were planning to go somewhere with a lot of cheese...so I'm imagining they serve wine and stuff there also..." he responded, "but maybe, they're going out for cheeseburgers because I could definitely eat that with chocolates too."

Funny kid...speaking of the occasion, Greg and I began going "steady" on this date five years ago.

Happy 'Dating' Anniversary Greg!



This photo was taken in Maui as we arrived to celebrate the Malonzo wedding. Just wanted to include something tropical on this rainy day :).

The -ay Family

As we were going through morning business, my students were giving words in the -ay family. One by one, they responded with words such as, "day, stay, ray, bay and Wednesday." Once I helped them spell 'Wednesday' on the whiteboard, I shared with them a story from my elementary years.

"K-1, did you guys know when I was in Level 3, I participated in a spelling bee and I lost because I could not spell 'Wednesday' correctly?" I asked.

"What happened, Mrs. Lontok?" they questioned.

"Well, it was me against another boy in the class...we were the last ones left and instead of spelling it W-E-D-N-E-S-D-A-Y...I spelled it W-E-N-D-E-S-D-A-Y because I heard 'Wendsday.' From them on, every time I had to spell the word, I pronounced it in my head as 'Wed-Nes-Day.'

"Oh, I could see how you did that...okay, 'wed-nes-day,'" said one of my boys in the class.

Don't you love how they try to empathize with me...haha...I love K-1 :)

For our Valentine Bulletin Project this month, we created bluebirds out of hearts as shown below:



On the board, the title will be: K-1 says, "Loving you is such a Tweet!"

Before dismissal, one of the girls posted her creation on the board:



Have a great WED-NES-DAY!! :)

Wedding: Claire and Peter

Her eyes beamed with adoration as she speaks of her son and daughter-in-law, "Growing up, Peter has always been charming, intelligent and absolutely adorable...I cannot be happier for the both of them because Claire is just as charming, intelligent and adorable. Welcome to our family, Claire..."

My heart smiled hearing the joy in her voice.

This past weekend, Greg and I celebrated Claire's and Peter's union in the charming city of Santa Barbara. Thank you for sharing your special day with us. May you always walk forward in one direction together...wishing you moments of peace this lifetime...







It was definitely nice running into Father Daniel again, who also celebrated Marc's & Marilyn's Wedding...


Officially, Mr. & Mrs. Fedewa!


Santa Barbara Mission


During the break in between the ceremony and reception, we decided to go wine tasting :)






Reception at the Santa Barbara Rockwood Women's Club
















They had such cute cake toppers that resembled them!


















Greg and Amy have known each other from Montessori ever since the 1st grade...






Congrats Claire and Peter!


To see the rest of the pics, please check out the slideshow:

Wedding: Claire and Peter

By: Dr. Wayne Dyer

As you look back on your life, know that you've failed at nothing - all you've done is produce certain results. You can view it all as what you needed to experience in order to get to a higher place.

Keeping life simple means having faith that your spiritual connection flourishes in a life dedicated to joy, love and peace. If your daily activities are so overwhelming that you don't make these things your priority, you're disregarding the value of living a simple life.

Vision

This morning, my father-in-law sent out an email with a video attached, discussing ideas of visions and goals. The more we access our core individuality and listen to what it says through us, we will be able to have clear vision of what we are all about.

If you could have anything you ever wanted or your dream life, what would it be?

The message reaffirms us to silence our thoughts and ask ourselves:

What do I want?
How do I feel ?
Where do I want to go?



Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

T-shirt

Walking into math class, I noticed one of my student's shirt and thought it yelped for a compliment due to its color and incorporation of the four elements of earth, fire, air and water.

"Hey (Boy's Name), I like your shirt...who got it for you?" I asked.

"Thanks! My mom got it for me. Apparently, my mom is really good at shopping."

Funny kids, always entertaining on the gloomiest of days.

Minh...

Events resulting from the Vietnam war led my parents, brother and cousin to become refugees in 1980. They left Vietnam to Thailand in hope of a new future in America. On their journey, they experienced a heavy current with thunderstorms hovering their rickety craft. Not too far away from land, the parents decided to have their children on a separate boat and have them arrive on shore first. After loading each child on board, all the parents held on to hope...several waves passed through and the children were sailing along in the midst of the rain and dark evening sky. In one blink, a violent surf passed through and the boat was nowhere to be seen. In quiet tears and embrace, my parents witnessed the lost of their first born son and nephew.

My brother, Minh - Age 3



Upon waking up this morning, my heart wrenched as I read the headlines of the 5.9 aftershocks in Haiti and later on the day, receiving a text from a friend displaying:

Do you or anyone you know have access to higher ups at Red Cross? 43 babies at the orphanage in Mountains of Port-Au-Prince Haiti. 27 confirmed dead. Need doctors ASAP, our relief group can't hang...

Images of people suffering, dying, losing their family played in my mind throughout the entire day....

If you would like to assist in any way, please help donate to our friend's relief mission as funds are used immediately for aid:

Haiti Relief Mission

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. ~Winston Churchill

Daily Practice

Within the last 20 minutes of descending into Los Angeles last night, Greg turned over to me and whispered,"Let's discuss our goals for this year."

Exchanges took place in discussing our goals for our career, relationships, community, health, mind and spirituality. As of the past week, Greg and I began practicing the Ignatian Examen every evening before going to bed and our goal is to incorporate this practice for the rest of our lives. In this Examen, it allows us to be more mindful of our actions and thoughts and help us experience God and shape our own experiences. It is also a way for Greg and I to open our lines of communication and take it to a deeper level and understanding, enabling us to be "present" and of support to one another.

In the Examen, Greg and I share the following:

- Where has God been present in this day?
- When did I fail?
- Where do I need to be attentive and responsive tomorrow?
- What am I thankful for?

Coming home from Vancouver completed one week of our Ignatian Examen...Greg's dad always mentioned it takes 21 days to establish a habit...we're hoping to be mindful of it the following weeks...

Here are some pictures from our Vancouver trip:



















To see more pics, please check out the slideshow:

Vancouver, BC Slideshow

Haiti

Ever-watching Father:
we pray for the suffering whom we do not see.

We know that your eyes see their tears,
that your heart knows their sorrow,
that your hands can reach them now.

We remember that Jesus was once a child,
that poverty stole his bread,
that tyrants sought his life,
that his mother tasted tears.

We ask you to send friends for the lonely,
food for the hungry,
medicine for the sick,
saviors for the enslaved,
rescue for the perishing.

Give us the wisdom to do our part,
share our possessions,
leave our comforts,
lend them our voice,
send them our food,
love them with more than prayers.

Amen.

Please visit the following two sites to extend a helping hand...

Jesuit Refugee Service

Haiti Earthquake Relief Mission

It...

Before dismissal, I asked one of my students to pick up a folder at the front of the office and upon coming back, his face was long as he slightly tossed the folder on the table. Immediately, I approached him to make sure he was okay. Tears fell down and he belted the words, "I'm not okay...I've been having bad days lately."

"Is this something at home?" I asked.

He responded, "Yes, but no one can help me and not even my mom."

My hand touched his shoulder and I said, "Let's go outside and talk about this...."

Facing each other as we were sitting on the ground, I asked, "K, it's only us...if you are able to tell me what's bothering you...maybe I can find a way to help you even if I can't do it myself....why have your days been bad lately?"

"It started a few days ago, (Girl's Name) started to tell me ghost stories and ever since then, I've been losing sleep at night...I can't sleep because I am so scared..."

Right when he told me his story, I was able to recollect on my own experiences and shared, "Well (Name), if it makes you feel any better. I'm a lot older than you and still get scared of ghost stories. Did you know when I was 7 years old, I was not supposed to see a scary Rated R movie about a clown and I did? I was so scared that I could not even sleep and the next day when I went to school, the teacher took us to the restroom for break and I began crying. My teacher asked me what was wrong and all I could say was that I was terrified because a clown might pop out. But eventually, I got used to the idea by sleeping with a nightlight and maybe that would probably help you too?"

He started giggling and opened up a little more, "Also, it's been hard because I see these shows on TV lately, where they would show the houses and things moving and trying to find out the reason behind it."

"First of all, you should not even be watching those kind of shows....trust me, I would be scared too at this age."

"You would?" he asked.

"Of course, I would....If I saw what you saw, I would run to Mr. Lontok and start crying."

Then, he started laughing and it made me smile to see him smile. Oh television, I wonder what my teachers were thinking when I was crying about a clown popping out of the toilet.

Downtown LA

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to venture into Downtown Los Angeles for two separate occasions. Both events, I had the chance to visit my new favorite hidden spot behind the Kyoto Hotel, where you can share afternoon tea and drinks in a Japanese Garden along with the breathtaking view of the city.

Here are some photos to share of our downtown area:

Angel's Knoll Bench (featured in 500 Days of Summer)






This is by all means not Downtown LA, but I had to get a shot of my buddy, Het :)










Maile, Rosie, Amenda and I discovered this hidden gem Friday evening...

The Gift Tag

This morning, I met up with a few of my colleagues from last semester for a volunteer assignment at the Loyola Marymount University's Literacy Lab. The lab is open to all students, who are struggling with their reading and writing from grade levels K thru 12. My purpose was to assess the group of incoming students for the spring semester to help find a placement for their needs. Once I finished scoring, I took some time to evaluate and review their results to report to my professor. As I walked over with the tests and results in hand, I was saddened by my news. My professor asked, "How did it go?"

My eyes lowered as my voice echoed, "I wish I could give you positive feedback...but from the assessments, these students are at the 3rd and 4th grade level...and performing in the 1st grade level for vocabulary and comprehension."

Then, I placed one of the tests on her desk and expressed my concern, "This student in particular I took noticed because she kept asking questions and was inquiring about how much time was left. Also, she was continuously flipping through her booklet and looking outside to see who else was completed."

"Yes...this is the student I was particularly interested in knowing her results. Her aunt actually called me about a week ago inquiring about our lab. She mentioned to me that during Christmas while everyone was opening gifts, her niece teared up because she could not read the gift tags to identify who the gifts were from..."

My professor and I discussed some more about other topics before I took off, but throughout the afternoon, I could not help but think about the literacy program in our schools. This past Christmas, Greg presented a gift to me in an envelope. It was a donation to First Book, where a child will receive 50 books along with tutoring and mentoring for an entire year. I'm thankful to have a partner, who understands the song to my soul.

Wham!

During playground duty yesterday, one of my students came up to me and asked, "Mrs. Lontok...could I please sing you a song that I remembered this morning?"

With a smile, I responded excitedly, "Of course! I would love to hear you sing!"

He began bopping his head and counted, "One...two....three..."

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart...
But the very next day, you gave it away.
This year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special!

Once bitten and twice shy....
I keep my distance but you still catch my eye...

Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
Well it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me...

I wrapped it up and sent it with a note saying "I Love You"
I meant it

Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kissed me now I know you'd fool me again...

After he finished the song, I gave him a hug for making it a wonderful Friday and reminding me of the quote Greg always mention...

"Are you singing because you are happy or are you happy because you are singing?"

Hope you are all starting off to an awesome weekend!

77

Received a forward from my friend, Jonas, with the following prayer reflection:

*******************************************************************************************

Dear Lord,

I thank You for this day, I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning.
I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God.
You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.
Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you.

I ask now for Your forgiveness.
Please keep me safe from all danger and harm.
Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.
Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper about things over which I have no control.
And give the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.

I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart.
Continue to use me to do Your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.
Keep me strong that I may help the weak...
Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.

I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way.
I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood.
I pray for those who don't know You intimately.
I pray for those who will delete this without sharing it with others..
I pray for those who don't believe.

But I thank you that I believe that God changes people and God changes things.
I pray for all my sisters and brothers.
For each and every family member in their households.
I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met.
I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God.
Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.

I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it.

Beef Oxtail Pho

On the day before New Years, my father and I spent the entire day together. He wanted to pass down a recipe to me, Beef Oxtail Pho. We went grocery shopping in the morning and prepared the meal throughout the afternoon. In between stirring and simmering, he shared stories of his experiences and journey to this day. We discussed about my career and how he was able to empathize since he was once a history and art teacher in Vietnam. As each year goes in passing, it allows me to see the value in time...Thank you dad for everything that you are...

Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have live. - Unknown

Invictus...

"I am the master of my fate...I am the captain of my soul." - William Ernest Henley



Cheers to 'now'...sending you all the best in 2010!

Dog Sitting

In the midst of the rain, I was able to take a break from household errands and take some photos. For Greg and I, the thing closest to a kid is the iRobot Roomba. It has its own weekly schedule and vacuums every nook and cranny. If it was on the Coldstone menu...the iRobot Roomba is a Gotta Have It. As for Grace and Quinn, their vacuum is Rambo. This cute Yorkie and I had some quality time today indoors and appreciating the gentle drops of the rain. Hope you're all having a wonderful hump day!

He was ready for his first pose...


then he was over it...








Next thing you know, he was sprawled out on the floor with his fierce look...

Tree Recycling

What we do today, right now, will have an accumulated effect on all of our tomorrows. — Alexandra Stoddard



California Christmas Tree Recycling offers a hassle-free way to recycle your tree and give something back to our environment. Starting at $25, they will come to your home, remove the tree from its stand, vacuum the floor and take the combustible tree to the recycling center. The mulch is then used for local plantings and a portion of all proceeds goes to TreePeople to plant new trees. A portion of the proceeds are donated to TreePeople. This local urban forestry organization is working hard to educate children all over the city about the importance of a green and healthy environment. TreePeople has planted and cared for over two million trees that are removing carbon dioxide, producing oxygen and reducing temperatures right here in Los Angeles.

Just booked our appointment for Saturday morning! If you are interested, here's the site below:

California Christmas Tree Recycling

Greetings

Like branches on a tree, we may grow in different directions, but our roots remain as one. - Author Unknown

With open eyes and ears, may you experience a miracle through each encounter this holiday season. Have a Merry Christmas!

Love,
The Lontoks

Ryden

Yesterday afternoon, I met up with Rachele to have a little photo session for her nephew, Ryden. Check out this little cutie patootie!

James Landas' Impersonation...


Channeling Ja Tecson...








Ryden was giving his Jack Nicholson face...


This expression makes me want to hug him...








To see the rest, here is the slideshow below:

Ryden - Slideshow

Handprints

This year, the K-1 teachers put together a handprint gift for the parents. On the left side is a black and white photo of the student and on the right side, a set of their handprints were matted around the message. Hope this poem warms you up this holiday season...have an amazing day!

Sydney & Avery

Before meeting up with Maybeth in Irvine for lunch yesterday, I had the chance to take some photos of Sydney and the Dinh's family latest addition, Avery. Here are the photos below:



































To see the rest of the photos, please check out the slideshow:

Sydney & Avery - Slideshow

Shivani's 1st Birthday

After my holiday brunch for work, Greg and I ventured to Thousand Oaks to celebrate Shivani's 1st Birthday. Below are pics from the festivities...happy birthday Shivani!































To see the rest of the photos, please check out the slideshow:

Shivani's 1st Birthday

Chuckles

Last Saturday evening, I rested on Greg's arm and fell into a deep sleep. Greg was about to call it a night as well, only to be awakened by my laugh. Eyes widened, he looked at me and thought, "I could have sworn she was sleeping."

Clearly, he thought I was having too much fun in my sleep and apparently, I wanted to share it with him too because I woke myself up by my own laugh, right hand on my forehead and said, "Wow...that felt so real!"

Oh dear...oh dear...did I tell you that Greg married me because I am so smooth?

Ahhh...mortified!

The next day, Greg and I were on a double date with his parents to see Straight No Chaser. Before the performance, there was a projection screen above stage, where you can text directly to the screen for everyone in the audience to see your message. Through that experience, I discovered the knee slapping Chuck Norris jokes. It reminded me of the 80s and had me laughing with my eyes squinted and not closed this time around. Here's a few to share:

1. There is no 'ctrl' button on Chuck Norris's computer. Chuck Norris is always in control.
2. Chuck Norris can sneeze with his eyes open.
3. Chuck Norris can eat just one Lay's potato chip.
4. Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.
5. Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.
6. Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.

Hope you're having an awesome week so far!

Peppermint Hot Cocoa

This past Tuesday, our school held an annual event for our students known as "Grandfriend's Day." Our students came to school with their grandparents and participated in some fun holiday activities. Then, we followed it with a nice brunch, where the students performed for their grandparents. Our K-1 students finished their performance with the song, "This Little Light of Mine." As for our activity in K-1, the students put together packages of Peppermint Hot Cocoa with their grandparents.



While I was working on my project yesterday, I glanced over my Peppermint Hot Cocoa mix. At that moment, Christmas decorating became more enticing than evaluating the integration of Schema and Metacognition Theories. Before walking to the bedroom to get ready, I told Greg of my idea, "Hey Greg, I'm going to step out a bit for a break and will be right back. I think I'm going to pick up some Christmas decorations to spruce up the place."

"Why don't you just relax and stay home? That way, you'll feel that you are taking a break," he responded.

"Oh don't worry, decorating is relaxing for me. Trust me, I'll be home soon. Just enjoy some QT with your dad," I smiled back at him.

He gave me a hug and said, "K, have fun and let me know if you need anything."

(Two hours later...)

Greg's phone rang only to hear me asking, "Hey! Guess what? I'm in front and I got a tree! Could you please come down and help me?"

On the other end, "Oh wow, you were serious. I thought you were kidding...k, coming down right now with Quinn."

(Another two hours later...)





(Thanks Marilyn & Marc for your wedding centerpieces! Greg and I are able to use it every season...this winter, we decided to put fake snowflakes on the bottom and top it off with dried berries.)



Please excuse the stand, how could I forget to dress someone on top and miss their bottom? My bad :)





The theme for our tree is peace...

Peace...
It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.
It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.
- Unknown

Worth Internalizing

Over tea last night, my father-in-law shared with me his new iPhone application, Awesome Notes, and he mentioned how it's one of the most productive tools he discovered. One particular tab he set up was labeled as, "Be Inspired." It included the following message:

I promise to be strong - and that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
To make all people feel that there is something in them.
To look at the bright side of life always - and make my optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as my own.
To forget and learn from past mistakes - and press on for greater achievement in the future.
To be cheerful at all times, and give every person I meet a smile.
To keep on improving myself - and not to criticize others - no matter how much they deserve it.
Not to hate, not to fear, and too grateful and happy to worry.
To know that God's love is always with me and my love ones.

Nguyen Family

This morning, I met up with the Nguyen Family for a fun photo session at the San Pedro Bell. It was heartfelt capturing these images for them...Co Oanh and Deacon Van were our wedding witness and today, I was able to partake on on their wedding anniversary. Their love for one another is still genuine as when I first remembered twenty-years ago. Thank you for being such amazing role models throughout my life and teaching me the meaning of being life-giving.

As for their kids, Peter, Paul and Maryann (how perfect of a name right? only appropriate for the Deacon's children :D), my childhood and adulthood would have not been the same without you. I am constantly amazed and inspired by your commitment to service for our community.

Thank you Grand Uncle Nguyen for teaching the rest of the family how to strike a pose! :D

























To see the rest of the pics, please click below:

Nguyen Family

Thanksgiving Day

1:00am: Received a phone call from my brother, Jimmy.

7:30am: Prepping with Greg, Grace and Quinn.

1:00pm: Greg said grace for the entire family.

1:10am: We all toasted in celebration of our growing family.

1:15pm: Witnessed my mom shedding a tear, as she shifted the subject from Jimmy to thank us all for being present.

1:16pm: Looked down and squeezed Greg's hand.

4:30pm: My dad was napping.

4:45pm: My father-in-law and Steven discussed about life choices.

5:00pm: My mom and mother-in-law laughing in the bedroom.

7:00pm: Worked on my school project.

11:00pm: Looked up to see Greg sleeping on the couch to keep me company while I was working.

This year, I am thankful for all of these moments, enabling me to be mindful and present. I am grateful for...

knowing Jimmy is safe...
my husband...
my family...
my friends...
and life...

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Fresh Green Bean & Fried Onion Casserole


Sweet Potato Casserole


Smoked Sausage Stuffing


Spam Musubi


Parmesan Tilapia


Spinach Artichoke Dip


Garlic Mashed Potatoes


Jiffy Cornbread


Sauteed Tails


Cranberry Jello


Brined Turkey


Banana Cream Pie


Jello Cake


Mama Lontok & Mama Vu

Adding a Little Spice...

As she glanced slyly at my brother, the waitress asked,"Are you sure?"

"Yes, please go all out. He's my little brother, he'll get over it," I smiled and winked back at her.

Yesterday evening, Greg and I celebrated Steven's birthday with the family at Manna BBQ in the newly, renovated Fox Hills Mall. Definitely a fun spot with great food and service. Now, awesome memories to boot!

Happy birthday Steven! Hope you'll always remember this one. Maybe every time we go here, we'll always mention it as your birthday. Ha! You didn't think I was going to let you walk out of there that easy right? No way, I'm your sister...it's my job to pester you :). Here's a video of Steven's champagne toast. Fun times!

The Fist...

"When a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched, right? Like this?"

He made a fist.

"Why? Because a baby, not knowing any better, wants to grab everything, to say, 'The whole world is mine.'

"But when an old person dies, how does he do so? With his hands open. Why? Because he has learned the lesson."

What lesson? I asked.

He stretched open his empty fingers.

"We can take nothing with us."

pg 101 - Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

Have a Little Faith...

About three weeks ago, Greg and I met Mitch Albom at the parish we currently attend, St. Monica's in Santa Monica. He was there to speak about his new book, "Have a Little Faith." On our way to Portland, I was able to complete the book and could honestly admit, it's one of his best writings thus far. He speaks upon various topics, which includes life, death, spirituality and love. Most importantly, faith. It's based on his own personal relationship with Rabbi Albert Lewis, where he takes us on his own journey of believing.

For me, it was the perfect book to start out our Portland trip. From the food, culture, weather and natural beauty of Oregon, I felt grateful being present with each encounter and experience.





























To see more photos, please check out the slideshow:

Portland

Dream

Dream by Priscilla Ahn

I was a little girl alone in my little world who dreamed of a little home for me.
I played pretend between the trees, and fed my houseguests bark and leaves, and laughed in my pretty bed of green.

I had a dream
That I could fly from the highest swing.
I had a dream.

Long walks in the dark through woods grown behind the park, I asked God who I'm supposed to be.
The stars smiled down on me, God answered in silent reverie. I said a prayer and fell asleep.

I had a dream
That I could fly from the highest tree.
I had a dream.

Now I'm old and feeling grey. I don't know what's left to say about this life I'm willing to leave.
I lived it full and I lived it well, there's many tales I've lived to tell. I'm ready now, I'm ready now, I'm ready now to fly from the highest wing.

I had a dream


Dream

Priscilla Ahn | MySpace Video

One Decade Ago...

In a dark room observing a group of unfamiliar faces, he came up to me and placed a pin on the lapel of my suit. After the meeting and greeting of all the brothers in the fraternity, he stopped by to say farewell and that he'll be in touch with me throughout the semester. One week later, we met up for our big bro and little bro interview.

It was in the Hilton Lobby at Loyola Marymount University, where we had the chance to get to know each other's background, interests and involvement. Throughout our conversation, I kept thinking to myself, "He's a great egg."

From his dedication to service, genuine personality, sense of humor and openness, I respected him as a friend and thought maybe one day, I will meet someone just as great as him. For his 20th birthday, I bought a blank puzzle card and drew a picture with a message for him to piece together.

Ten years later, I just want to remind him that he is still the great egg I met the first time.

Happy 30th Birthday Greg...I am grateful to celebrate your life.

Intentions...

When the world says, "Give up..."

Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

~ Author Unknown



“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.” - Albert Einstein

April

This morning, Het, April and I met up in downtown Culver City for a photo session to build Het's makeup portfolio. Thank you ladies for displaying your talent and beauty!



















To see the rest of the photos, please check out the rest below:

April's Slideshow

Happy HOO-lloween!

Thursday evening, I decided to venture to Jo-Ann Fabrics and Ralphs to pick up items for my Halloween costume, which included the following:

2 yards of dark and light grey felt
fabric glue
tacky glue
3 yards of grey ribbon
white marabou boa
2 oversize yellow buttons
2 black buttons
2 copper scouring pads
yellow rubber glove
cotton balls

While I was creating my costume, I would ask Greg, "Guess hoooo I'm going to be for halloween?"

I know, I know...so corny, but I honestly cannot help it :D

Halloween is one of the most exciting holidays for our students and it became mine as well because I know how much it means to them.







Just for fun, guess who Greg was for Halloween?

Clues:

- He is a Filipino Professional Boxer.
- When he is in action, there is no fighting and crime in the Philippines.

Answer: Manny Pacquiao



Have a safe and fun Halloween!!

The Getty

It was a nice Sunday afternoon spending time with Susan and April at the Getty. Here are some of photos below:

The Secret Chord

A Jesuit I particularly mention on my blog and in conversation is Father Tri Dinh. Jesuits are educators, scholars and missionaries throughout the world. A life devoted to service, they are an exemplification of what it means to be life-giving.

For the last ten years, Father Tri was my mentor and for many others. With a welcoming smile and the ability to make anyone feel instantly connected, I admire his honesty, experience and willingness to share. Currently serving in Quezon, he shared a few pictures and asked us to continue to pray for the victims and those still affected in Manila. While I was taking in each picture, Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley was played in the background.

Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley

Humbled...

A quote from Father Tri Dinh:

Genuine love humbles us, for we cannot earn it, deserve it, or make ourselves worthy of it. It humbles us because it “brings us to the ground.” All we can do is embrace it and allow ourselves to be humiliated by love, as we are. Once that happens, we will know how to respond with the same extravagant or "wasteful" expressions of love.

Express Your Joy, In Every Syllable of Your Life...

Today, I found a post from Zen Habits stating the following quote from Ghandi:

"My life is my message..."

Below is an excerpt from Zen Habits to reflect upon:

Each of us lives a life that expresses who we are, reacts to the world around us, shows our passions, reflects our deep river of feeling and being.

We might sing out in joy, through our words and actions and expressions, we might hide in fear and pain, we might lash out in anger. Everything we do, everything we are, expresses.

Gandhi’s message was his life, and yours is your life. What message are you giving the world, through your actions, how you live, how you treat others, what you accomplish, how you choose to be, every moment of every day?

Are you an angry rant? A ballad? An epic poem?

Perhaps a sonnet, a limerick, a haiku?

If your life is a poem, what do you want it to say? What would you rather leave out? What will the essence be?

Enjoy each moment as the perfect syllable, recognize the lyrical in the everyday, and sink your teeth softly into that cold delicious fruit.