Are there superstitions

about people who have passed on coming to see you in a dream? I should ask my mom, she would know. This morning Rocky was in my dreams - his eyes bright blue, his skin sunkissed, his hair blond and streaky. A month ago yesterday he passed and I was sad when I heard the news, but honestly I haven't given him too much conscious thought because I guess in a way, I'm still sad that he's gone.

In my dream we talked a lot, which was not something we did while he was here. We exchanged salutations regularly, but rarely ever had any spoken conversation. We talked about his wife Jena and how she knew me, and about his baby that Jena has nicknamed Pebble. He asked me if it was a boy or girl and I said judging from the nick name, I thought it was a girl, although pebbles are little rocks ... to this he smiled so big he crinkled his nose and scrunched his eyes nearly shut. Smiles weren't something Rocky spent a lot on me.


The Rocky I remember was reserved and serious, except when he was talking about God's awesomeness and how HE worked in his life - he really didn't smile a whole lot then either, but his eyes gave away the excitement of the promise he wanted to share with everyone.

In May it will be a year since my uncle passed away. I wrote a blog then about how I knew he was perfect again and no longer suffering because he came in my dreams that same night and smiled at me. I still clearly remember what he was wearing.

I'm guessing this is probably much the same thing? My subconscious is letting me know Rocky is perfect in the presence of our Lord. He's able to have lengthy, comprehensive conversations and he's excited about his child. Like I said before, I'm confident Rocky is double-fisted stoked to be with Jesus. I wonder if they chat over coffee?

Sometimes forwarded emails are worth reading :)

I HAVE DECIDED TO BECOME A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE. HERE IS MY PLATFORM:

(1) 'Press 1 for English' is immediately banned. English is the official language; speak it or wait at the border until you can.

(2) We will immediately go into a two year isolationist posture to straighten out the country's attitude. NO imports, no exports. We will use the 'Wal-Mart 's policy, 'If we ain't got it, you don't need it.'

(3) When imports are allowed, there will be a 100% import tax on it.

(4) All retired military personnel will be required to man one of our many observation towers on the southern border (six month tour). They will be under strict orders not to fire on SOUTHBOUND aliens.

(5) Social security will immediately return to its original state. If you didn't put nuttin in, you ain't getting nuttin out. The president nor any other politician will not be able to touch it.

(6) Welfare - Checks will be handed out on Fridays at the end of the 40 hour school week and the successful completion of urinalysis and a passing grade.

(7) Professional Athletes--Steroids. The FIRST time you check positive you're banned for life.

(8) Crime - We will adopt the Turkish method, the first time you steal, you lose your right hand. There is no more life sentences. If convicted of murder, you will be put to death by the same method you chose for your victim; gun, knife, strangulation, etc.

(9) One export will be allowed, Wheat. The world needs to eat. A bushel of wheat will be the exact price of a barrel of oil.

(10) All foreign aid using American taxpayer money will immediately cease, and the saved money will pay off the national debt and ultimately lower taxes. When disasters occur around the world, we'll ask the American people if they want to donate to a disaster fund, and each citizen can make the decision whether it's a worthy cause.

(11) The Pledge of Allegiance will be said every day at school and every day in Congress.

(12) The National Anthem will be played at all appropriate ceremonies, sporting events, outings, etc.



Sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes

GOD BLESS AMERICA .

Bill Cosby

Sometimes Goodbye's The Only Way

I feel it on my heart to blog about Rocky, but I'm not sure what it is I want to say. I guess in a way, my time spent missing him happened a long time ago when he moved to California after serving his time as our MMC Worship Leader. After he moved it was good to share an email with him once in a while, and it was hard to believe such a good man had to suffer when we heard of his brain tumor in 2007. It was even more heartbreaking to hear he had to fight it once more. I always believed Rocky to be a survivor, the traveled man that he was. I believed he would beat it again this time. He told Matt he wanted to put down roots, that he wanted to get married and have a family and I believed, or underlyingly just hoped, he would see and hold his baby due this coming June. God has a different plan than I do most of the time ... but I know for certain Rocky is double-fisted stoked to be with Jesus.

BOYCE AVENUE - I love this version. We love you Rocky!
09.20.74 - 02.25.09

Find Rocky Green on iTunes
or purchase his CDs at www.rockygreen.com

Staci's Yakudoshi

Not just a birthday party, but a little bit of Asian Studies too.

Make a Smilebox photobook

The Human Eardrum

is the size of a dime.
On May 7th, 2008 my Littleman had surgery to remove glue-like fluid from his middle ear in both sides. He wasn't afraid at all and was such a champ! He's chatting here with the anesthesiologist who brought the mask ahead of time for him to get familiar with it. It still today smells like bubble gum.

At his 9 month check up this morning, Dr. Murakami, his ENT, removed the tubes. His eardrums have healed over and although he has some fluid in his middle ear because he has a cold, his doctor is confident he'll be good as new in a month.

And yes, I left them cruddy for good measure :)

Tow Truckin'

If you’re reading this, then you know me, and you know I wouldn’t call myself religious. I’m no bible-thumper, I can’t quote scripture, I don’t usually hear what the good Lord is telling me and sometimes, even if I do, I may choose to pretend that I don’t. But I wanted to share this anyway.

Last April I began noticing tow trucks while driving. For whatever reason it happens that I notice, I take the quick opportunity as it races past me to simply thank God for His continued blessings.

Your eyebrow might be raised about now with a ? above your head, but maybe I can explain it so you can see what I see?

Tow trucks have become an obvious reminder of Jesus for me because all I see is the hitch thing on the back end of the truck. I probably couldn’t tell you the company and not even the color of the truck, but when a tow truck is not towing another car, that hitch thing is folded up and whatdayaknow? It’s shaped like a cross. A cross, on it’s BACK.

Think about it: tow trucks come to help you when you’re stuck. They shoulder your burden and sometimes carry you too, to get you where you need to be or more than likely, to get you home to a safe place. More often than not, a tow truck saves us. Isn’t that what Jesus does?

It’s when we’re stuck and there’s no one else that we find out all we need is Jesus. Or a tow truck. Whatever the case may be :)

.......
"In happy moments, praise God.
In difficult moments, seek God.
In quiet moments, worship God.
In painful moments, trust God.
In every moment, thank God."
.......

A long time ago

I was going to be an Orthodontist. Why I had this dream when I was a kid, is distant to me now. When it came time for me to go to college, my 3.95 gpa was not enough to get me in at any school other than UH at Manoa, and my parents couldn't have afforded to send me away even if I wanted to go. So while dorming at UH my first year, I'd come to realize that I hated school, and had hated it all my 18 years, but I got good grades because that's what you're supposed to go to school for. By the time I got to college, I was spent and I was not in for the long haul to become any kind of doctor. So there went that.

But I'm the kind of kid that can't give up and I had to make my Filipino dad proud. So I finished college at UH, an extra year longer than expected, but I did it, and bought a Bachelor of Arts degree in Family Development because at the time I had to declare a major, I was working at the YMCA. And I earned a Minor in Speech, because I happened to enjoy the classes I had to take as electives. Imagine that, ME, in Speech?!

I spent 7 years in retail, refusing to move up and buying time ... for what, I didn't know. It was relatively easy with the exception of Holiday and I was good at it. It allowed me to have time at home when my Littleman decided to make his debut, and the same went for my Ladybug. It was indeed a blessing although at the time, I couldn't see being a stay at home mom. I convinced myself that when they were old enough to start school, I'd use my degree and get a real job. Well, my Littleman is not so little anymore, a scholar in the making, and the Ladybug will begin Kindergarten in the Fall. 

I kind of always knew God had a bigger plan for me, but what was unusual was that I was okay with that. I'm the kind of crazy that needs to know What, When, Where, Why, and How, right now. And here I am, many years later; a photographer and studio lead for America's leading school portrait company. I'd say it's a not-so-far cry from my degree since I work with children and families. And not-so-far off the mark of an Orthodontist in a way ... because I make smiles.

 
I am a SmileSmith. 

Hah!