Celebrate Today

Thursday, April 16, 2026

Backstage Pass

It’s not every day you get a backstage pass into someone else’s life—but that’s exactly what today felt like.

After Mary Price picked me up at the airport at "silly o'clock" last night, she somehow rallied to go teach this morning while I slept in and came to one of her classes after lunch. Getting to watch her in action with her students was such a treat—she has such a wonderful way with them, equal parts warmth, humor, rapport, and high expectations.

Then, as if that weren’t enough, I got to see her shift gears and take charge of a middle school track meet after school. Clipboard in hand, moving a hundred things forward at once, empowering high school kids she's recruited to help run the show, cheering kids on—it was a whole second act.

She’s been at this school for 22 years and coaching track for nearly two decades, which explains a lot. The connection she has with her students isn’t something you can fake—it’s built over years of showing up, paying attention, and caring deeply. You can tell she’s beloved here.

Honestly, it made me choke up to see her so fully in her element—like getting to watch someone you love absolutely nail their role onstage, except the stage is a classroom and a track field, and the audience is a bunch of middle and high schoolers who clearly adore her. 💗

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Home Team

So grateful for this home team of amazing people I get to work with at Harborview-

truly these folks have some of the biggest hearts I know.

(Dionne, Lauren, Arlene, Elyse, and Gioia)

Here's the reflection I wrote about one of my hospital visits today:

Sometimes

The room was quiet
as mother and son
kept vigil together.

A full life of ninety‑seven years
was coming to a close.

And just like when he was an infant,
he is sleeping most of the day now.

Still, the mother and son
wait and watch
together.

As I spoke with the son,
he shared that he came
ten years ago from Hong Kong
to care for his parents.
I affirmed the honor and dedication
in this commitment,
but he simply said
this is what you do—
it is woven into the culture
to care for one’s elders.

And he expressed gratitude
that he has been able
to be here.

When I reflected on what a gift
he has been to his parents,
he smiled and said,
“That’s true… sometimes.”

And there it was—
the honesty of family life.
The way love can be steady
and still imperfect.
How we can be the gift
and the thorn
in the same breath.

We love imperfectly.
We love the best we can.
And the “sometimes”
is the truth we all know—
the truth we can laugh about,
and the truth that keeps us
trying to love
anyway.

Monday, April 13, 2026

Van Life

I got to drive to the race at Ancient Lakes with my friend Della, and we came over in the sprinter van that her husband Wayne tricked out during Covid. Such a fun weekend adventure!

slumber party in the bottom "bunk" that opens up -- so many cool features of this van!

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Bananas!

I saw this post a few weeks ago and thought it was laugh-out-loud funny.

(PB stands for "personal best")

We happened to have a banana costume in our costume box, so I added some flair and had some fun with it on a run with friends today over in Quincy, WA on the beautiful Ancient Lakes trails. I did hear some folks say, “We’re getting passed by a banana!” as we ran by at the beginning of the race.

I couldn’t help but think, “Yes. Yes, you are. And not just any banana—a tutu-wearing one.”

holding a picture of our friend Maegan as I promised that I would bring her with me on the run as she was sick at home in her bed and had to cancel the trip at the last minute :(