STAY, in the Breath

letters from a writer & photographer's journey

The Truth About the Day

Yeah, it’s true. I laughed out my nose when the three year old lunged across the table to steal food from his older brother’s plate deft like a praying mantis after it’s cricket. Seriously—the way he moved was impressive and spontaneous and I could NOT help it.   Yeah, it’s true, I sighed at first when: 8 year old: “mommy.” me: “just a minute, I’m in the middle of a.. Read More

All I Gotta Do

All I gotta do is share publicly about my prayer life to be driven to my knees. All I gotta do is talk about my kids’ relationships with each other to begin to feel desparate that they’ll never talk to each other once grown. All I gotta do is try and I’ll be sure to face a challenge. It’d be easier not to but, “You must do the thing you.. Read More

To Dwell: A Prayer

“The essence of a thing is always elusive, hidden. The dream of art and prayer is to come nearer, even to slip through to dwell for awhile…” ~ John O’Donohue, Beauty the Invisible Embrace

Wonder that Overcomes, (Siblings) Part 3

It would be too simple to say or think that all I do as a parent to nurture my children through the wilderness of sibling relations is head for the woods. Yet it is a very powerful, meaning filled way I can put feet on my prayers. And it’s not just for the kids, it’s for me too. Maybe me most of all? It’s at that mind numbing point (I.. Read More

Wonder that Overcomes, (Siblings) part 2

In my last post, I began with speaking about the complicated-ness of sibling relationships. So what’s wonder got to do with overcoming that? Brother/sister-hood, our children’s and our own, it’s heavy with glory—a target of great worth. I’m trying lately to remember Beauty in the quiet places I can steal away. I know that the stories of wonder planted deep into our world, and deep within us, can emerge. I.. Read More

Still, here…

Hello! Just in case you are stopping by to see what’s going on here I thought I’d leave a small note to say thank you for your patience as I have not posted anything here for a little over a month. By the title, “Still, here”, I mean a few things: First, I am literally “still here” and looking forward to posting more often and soon. Second, kind of like.. Read More

Story Written Everywhere

I see story written everywhere, in the earth, in the sky, in our exquisite form and functions, at the market and at the theatre, in scraped knees and scrapped lives, in triumph and pride, broken hearts and bent over limbs.

When I came upon this place, pictured, just a little ways from my home, it was the story of beauty being closer than I thought and inviting me in. I needed that and even still ached to absorb it, to believe it—in a practical way….

Destroy Imagination: method 1

…our trail-mates are considering the path ahead as we had, all eight of us (although I hardly hold the 3 year old accountable on this one!), managed to leave our trail maps back in the car! It was a pivotal moment where we all decided to push on, discovering 5 miles later the full impact of our decision!! hahaha! … More of the story, images from summer to warm those of us experiencing winter up a bit, poetry and hopefully some inspiration to get outside and have an adventure – on the site today…

Family {Story} Portraits

“Hi. Want to blow some bubbles together?” This summer while we were out on a picnic, a storm (as I am prone to find myself in) gently began to blow, and as my troop and I sought nearby shelter, we bumped into another family doing the same. One of my children offered to share his bubbles and it was so fun, we haven’t quit sharing since! I recently had a.. Read More