Reading is for Everyone (Creatures big and small.)

Been a while since I last saw this furry face. I'm sure she's enjoying Bali. (The good life.)

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A Little Prayer for my Little Boy (who is growing up all too fast!)

Little feet, so rich with charm,

May you never come to harm.

As I bend and proudly blow

Laughter out of every toe,

This pray, that God above

Shall protect you with His love,

And shall guide those little feet

Safely down life’s broader street.

(Baby Feet by Edgar Guest)

More images of precious feet at I Heart Faces!

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All That Glitters

Rich hands.  In experience and in jewels.
Love the fact that this happens to be a self-portrait, too.

Waiting Readily for Their Turn (pun intended)

While waiting for their turn to wash their hands after snacktime, these little students are encouraged to take a book from a shelf and read. What a wonderful way to encourage reading in young minds!

Pan de Sal Breakfasts

There's something about pan de sal that pulls those little hands into the bread bin. This little roll of bread easily becomes a favorite of little eaters.

My son was first introduced to it when we went home to Manila for a visit. It became his bread of choice. He nibbled on it while he played and went about his daily business. You don't see it in this image but he was playing with his Thomas the Train whilst munching.

The soft, warm handy little roll is definitely a must-try when you visit the Philippines. Small neighborhood bakeries bake new batches in the morning for breakfast and in the afternoon for merienda (afternoon snack). Lovely with some organic peanut butter, fruit jelly or coconut jam. Also works well with coffee. And some Thomas the Train, apparently.

I Remember Beema

One good thing about looking through old photos is meeting old friends.

Let me introduce you to Beema.

He's a lion. A beautiful lion I met when I visited Bali Safari and Marine Park a long time ago. His portrait is one of the highlights of my visit there. It speaks so much of emotion, of strength, of calm and of potency. It speaks the same language the caged bird sings.

This has been added to iheartfaces photo challenge: pet week.  (Though lions should never ever be pets. Unless they're lion plushies!)

Take a Deep Breath

A snapshot of the time when Life was grand and ready to escort the Future into our world.

(an I Heart Faces entry on sunflares)

Did you know then?

It's not often I write about you and what you mean to me. Our lives have become populated with strange citizens bearing strange names like How Much Milk Costs and What's For Dinner that we've only seen glimpses of our old familiar neighbors from way back when. Friendships with Let's Go for a Bike Ride Now and Let's Explore This Strange Street have become long distance affairs. Every now and then, though, they give us a call to remind us of the friendship we shared with them once.

This is a record of a conversation between myself and our friend, Let's Stop for Pictures and Have an Adventure.

We gossiped about you and wondered...Did the Universe hint in whispers then where we would be now?

(For other interesting pictures of other body parts, please visit I Heart Faces.)

My Sweetest Lullaby

Everyday now my body sings a song to weave you together. The difficult notes meld slowly with the sweeter undercurrent of your own. Most of the time I am aware of the nuances in pitch and harmony, but sometimes you still let me sing my own song - the one which put me together and is changing continuously to make me into a better harmony for your newly made one.

For now, you are a hum - slowly taking form as my body provides the staff for your notes. The lines are rigid and yet, take surprising turns. I have yet to know how your song will eventually be and I cannot wait for it to burst out into the joy I know it will hold.

(written for my first born when he was still growing inside me. His song has been singing joy and light into my days for almost two years now.)

This photo was taken with my camera phone. If you're looking for other images made by camphones, I suggest you head to "I Heart Faces" and view the amazing entries for this week's challenge!

Let's Talk About Friendship

Let's talk about love today.

The kind of love that does not expect anything at all.

The kind that says "come and have fun" and "it's time to play."

The kind that witnessed scratches and bumps and falls - only to shrug and reach out its hand to pull you to the street to play until the sun set.

That kind. The one that wakes you up in the morning with conversations of "do you remember?" and "what're we doing today?"

The kind that can pull twigs and strings and leaves together and call it a campsite.

The kind that laughs at any joke.

The kind that pulls you in with a laugh after you just had a fistfight over who owned which stone.

The kind that sits with you all night as you dream up monsters you've both created - for fun.

Let's talk about love today.

Let's talk about friendship.

(This is an entry to the I Heart Faces Weekly Challenge. Why not make friends there, too?)

All You Need is Love

I asked my students to make a shape poem recently. One drew a heart and all she wrote was "All you need is Love, Love, Love."

Either she was sharing an essential truth or she has a dad who likes The Beatles. Any which way, her words hold Truth.

(Also an entry in the I Heart Faces Theme Challenge of the Week.)

Isn't she the sweetest? Enjoy!