Sending My Love to You

Last night, I decided to add a site traffic widget to see just how many people check out my blog, and to my surprise, dozens of people from all over the world visit every day! So, for all you mystery visitors, please leave a quick comment telling me how you found my site and what topics you would like me to address in future posts. Namaste and thank you for stopping by.

Please Remember Haiti

The immediate response to the disaster in Haiti has been overwhelmingly powerful, a beautiful display of solidarity, action and empathy, but as time drags on, the situation will only get more desperate and complicated. In the coming days, weeks, months and years of rebuilding, please, don't forget them. The soul of Haiti is the soul of us all and we must take care of each other.

Here are some wonderful organizations doing great work for Haiti. Do whatever you can to support them:

• Partners in Health have been on the ground in Haiti for over 20 years and right now they are in desperate need of assistance to answer the overwhelming need for medical attention in Port au Prince.
• The easiest thing in the world to help is to send $10 to the Red Cross by texting "HAITI" to 90999. Please, just do it. There is no excuse not to.
• The International Medical Corps is providing emergency medical assistance in Haiti and will be staying there to help rebuild their decimated health care system.
• Fill a shoe box for a Haitian child through Million for Haiti. Fill the box with the following: 1 travel toothpaste, 1 toothbrush, 4 granola type bars, 1 bottled water (16 oz.). Mail your shoebox to:

Million for Haiti
3500 American Blvd. #685

Minneapolis, MN 55431

Along with these national and international organizations, keep an eye out for what's being organized in your own community. Look at churches, community centers, yoga studios, crafting circles, and music venues to support their efforts for Haiti.

As you do everything you can by giving money, putting aid packages together, going to benefit concerts, participating in benefit auctions, and encouraging your congressional representatives to support Haiti, also remember the power of meditation. In your daily yoga and meditation practice, take a moment to send your positive intentions to the healing of Haiti.

We're all in this together. Namaste.

I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!

WOW, the holidays were busy, busy, busy! We've been going non-stop over here since the week before Thanksgiving, so the blogging fell to the way-side. In the past two months, we had (and got over) H1N1, celebrated Thanksgiving, helped my father-in-law furnish his newly purchased home, baked a few hundred Christmas cookies, made a few dozen holiday cards by hand, celebrated Christmas, hosted out-of-town family and friends, and finally, planned and celebrated our wedding. Holy geeze, that's a lot! I was so blessed to be able to share the holidays with all of my family and celebrate my marriage to my best friend while they were in town, too. Better than me yammering on about recent events, here are some pictures!

My adorable nephew waiting patiently for Thanksgiving to begin

A plate of cookies made by yours truly

My nephew checking what Santa brought at my mother-in-law's house

Me, my husband, and my Christmas sweater

Christmas tree at my house

The path lit up at the Cathedral of Christ the Light for Midnight Mass

My brother, my mom and me at the Golden Gate Bridge

A candid moment at our wedding reception

The gorgeous (and delicious) wedding cake done by Torino Baking

The inscription: traditional vows in a coding language

My favorite picture of us at our reception

Thanks for hanging on with me. Next up: back to yoga blogging!

Blessings and happy new year to all of you!