What I’ve been up to until now

Dance of Asian America performs at Sunday’s official opening of Houston’s newest urban park, Discovery Green happened April 13, 2008. Mayor White participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony at noon and events and activities took place throughout the day-long celebration.

Caroline Bowles takes pictures during Sunday’s official opening of Discovery Green. “I’m glad that Houston’s spirit is so joyful and inclusive to everybody,” she said of the park’s opening.

Jackson Gaebler, 13, pulls on a parachute during Sunday’s official opening of Discovery Green.

Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff, right, prepares to search for leavened bread, also called chametz, at Chabad of Uptown April 17, 2008 in Houston. The candle is used to search for the chametz, while a feather is used to sweep it in to a wooden spoon. All three items are burned along with the chametz. The burning of leavened bread represents the eradication of the ego and all of the negative energies associated with the ego according to Jewish religious scripture. Pesach, or Passover, celebrates freedom. Egypt represents the limitation of ourselves. The observance of Passover is an exercise in being better today than we were yesterday and unleashing personal boundaries to drive ourselves to perfection.

Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff lights a candle used to search for leavened bread.

Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff, left, searches for leavened bread with family and friends.

The search continues…

A crumb is found…

Every nook and cranny must be searched…

Sweeping away the chametz…

Burning away the ego through the elemental separating qualites of fire…

What I’ve been up to until now

Members of Precinct 379 vote on a chair to lead their precinct at the convention March 29, 2008 at the George R. Brown Convention Center during the Texas Democratic Senate District 6 Convention. That person will also represent them in Austin for the state convention.

 

Nancy Whitlow, center, physical education coach at Killough Middle School, guides students on completing a flexibility test called a Sit and Reach.

Harris County sheriff’s investigators have arrested a Houston man accused of stuffing a woman in his trunk and then killing her last August. Members of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force took custody of Brian Ranard Davis, 22, this afternoon. Davis is charged with the death of Kandus Yvonne Hightower-Sharp, 25, whose badly burned body was found just outside city limits.

The casket of Cpl. Joshua Alexander Molina, 20, who passed away on March 27, 2008 while honorably serving his country in Iraq is transfered from St. Matthews Episcopal Church to Houston National Cemetery.

The casket flag of Cpl. Joshua Alexander Molina, 20, is folded as his mother Maria Molina and sister Paula Fredrickson look on April 8, 2008 at Houston National Cemetery. Molina passed away on March 27, 2008 while honorably serving his country in Iraq.

A solider carries in a portrait of Cpl. Joshua Alexander Molina, 20, into St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church as two members of the Patriot Guard salute.

Mourners pass by the casket of Cpl. Joshua Alexander Molina, 20, at Houston National Cemetery.

Mother Maria Molina and father Josue Molina grasp the casket of son Cpl. Joshua Alexander Molina, age 20, who passed away on March 27, 2008 while honorably serving his country in Iraq, April 8, 2008 at Houston National Cemetery.

The casket of Cpl. Joshua Alexander Molina, 20, remains after the conclusion of his internment ceremony at Houston National Cemetery.