I’m thrilled to introduce you all to Mariko and Rachel Tinaya with their beautiful children, Eli and Sparrow. I first met Mariko when I began my grad work in the Urban Studies program at Eastern University. She was an intelligent, insightful, cheerful person already a year advanced in the program. I was deeply unsure of my place in the MAUS…
There is an especial quality of healing in the smell of baking bread. For me, it is not just any bread but the warm, yeasty smell of my mom’s homemade bread. It seems no matter what darkness enters into my life, the smell of her bread reminds me that somehow — however remote that how appears — all will be…
When my eldest nephew was about 18 months old, we began to introduce him to the playhouse/treehouse my father — his grandpa — had built here. As I toddled along with Cubbie, his chubby hands gripping my fingers and his diapered butt keeping his steps to a waddle, I pointed to the playhouse on top of the slide and jokingly…
“Compassion is not only relevant to those who are blameless victims, but also to those whose suffering stems from failures, personal weakness, or bad decisions. You know, the kind you and I make every day.” – Kristin Neff, Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind I’m sitting on the Embarcadero, San Francisco, watching the almost-full moon rise over…
I have my dad’s smile. It was a common refrain for me to hear growing up: “You look so much like your dad!” And it’s true. I have his eyes, his hair (all on my head, thank goodness; he can keep the beard), his bone structure and body type, and even his sinuses (ask both parents how many times they…
Saturday morning I woke up, padded around in my pajamas, made a light breakfast, and checked my newsfeed. It was as normal a Saturday morning as ever one was. I scrolled down through the various posts and articles, until I saw I picture of a tiny baby’s legs. It caught my attention because these were very tiny legs, and very…
“Mrs.Brown, Mrs.Brown! Please let me down!” “Not until you say my favourite colour!” What a crazy Easter. Nefoo #3 turned two on the 27th, and Nefoo #1 turned a whooping seven on the 29th. My parents and I went to my brother and sister-in-law’s place to celebrate Cubbie, Rex, and Jesus. It was a noisy, barbaric, wonderful time. Of course…
Dear boys, You are growing faster every time I blink. I’ve loved every stage you all have (and still are) growing through: your first infant cries; first smiles and chuckles; first crawls; first foods; first teeth and first steps. Rex, your brothers managed not to pee, poop, or puke on me; but you decided to throw the whammy at me…