Lena Marocco Paulauskas Author

You never know what power your words have or when those words will be needed.

Picture 1, is from today, August 16, 2026, from a friend who lost his wife this summer.

Picture 2, is a memory from my sister-in-law from 3 years ago, August 16, 2023. Her dad, my father-in-law, passed the following spring.

Yesterday, I was honored to read a poem from my book at the funeral of a friend.

Grief is hard.
Sometimes,
Most of the time,
We don’t have any
Words that will
Make it better.
My hope is,
My book
Will make you
Feel seen
In your grief.

Thank you for sharing, Steve and Lana.
I’m grateful my words have comforted you.

If you knew Jody, you knew the meaning of Aloha!

From Ami Ami Mais Jackson

Many have asked how can you help…..
1. Be there. Your presence is a present to us all. If you are able to wear your best aloha attire or your favorite Hawaiian T-shirt or Island reggae t-shirt in honor of Jody that would be great. Don’t own one, come as you are! Authentic Leis are also appreciated.

2. These are the Areas we will need help. I have a big vision to make this special for Jody.
-setting up the funeral, the repass, and cleaning up
-ushers, greeters, parking lot
-cooking for the repass. I’m looking to make an authentic Hawaiian luau type meal if possible. Think rice, teriyaki chicken, kalua pig, Mac salad, lomi salmon etc. if you know how to cook this type of meal and would be willing to volunteer please contact me.
-making desserts or “pupus” for the repass. Either island style desserts or spam musubis, sushi, etc.
-musicians to play or sing island style music at the repass (church appropriate)
-hula dancers that dance either at the service or the repass or both.
-Lei makers or recommendations on how/where to get leis in Texas.
-finances: some have asked if we have a gofundme. At this time we do not have an official gofundme, but any donations will go towards directly making his service special both here and in Hawaii. There’s a lot of logistics that have to happen to make both possible. My husband and I are the main people coordinating this in conjunction with out of state family. Donations can be sent via Zelle, Venmo, Cash App or Apple Pay.

Please dm Ami Mais Jackson
for more information.

Mahalo in advance! If you are able to help in any way comment on this post or dm me. ❤️Ami

Do you want me to come work with your students? Here is an UNEDITED sample of behind the scenes look at choreography for elementary.

Yes, I do get on to the children to mind their manners and focus.

Wonka teaching Soloist - 3rd & 4th grade
Wonka teaching Squirrels - 3rd & 4th grade
Lion King teaching Hyenas - 4th grade
Pajama Party 1st grade
Seussical, filling in for Wickersham Brother - 4th grade
Wonka Soloist rehearsal (she is very good!)

Theatre Directors and Teachers, I’d love to come choreograph or teach your kids (or you). I love helping kids come out of their shell and take big risks!

DM me for more info! 23 years of directing and teaching and countless workshops!

Father’s Day 2026…
Number 9 without my dad.
I’m not sad
I’m grateful.

Monday marked the 9 year anniversary since my Dad passed. We celebrated his “homegoing” on Sunday with family.

I had actually planned this thinking it was 10 years. I even said 10 years to everyone, including my Mom. Then we did the math and realized it was only 9 years.
We decided to celebrate anyway.

We met at the grave, sang our family song, The Doxology, said a prayer thanking God for my Dad’s life and for family, took some pictures then headed to a local Italian restaurant.

My Dad always wanted to open his own Italian restaurant.

Not only was it my Dad’s 9 year anniversary, it was also my Uncle Bill and Aunty Brenda’s 61st wedding anniversary and Uncle Jim and Aunty Colleen’s 55th (I think?) wedding anniversary.

It was a beautiful day, not too hot and we shared laughter and memories and caught up on life. My Dad loved having family together and it was always important to him to visit graves of those we’ve lost.

I miss my Dad so much. 9 years later and it still stings, especially when I stop to think about all he’s missed-my kids were so young when he passed, now two of them are almost adults.

I believe he’s watching us and cheering us on from a better vantage point.

One of the greatest teachers I’ve ever met is retiring.

Another great teacher friend of mine wrote an incredible article about the impact one middle school history teacher made on countless lives.

What stood out to me, is how many former students became teachers themselves.

This, is Legacy.
This, is Education at its Finest.
Congratulations, Colonel Rodney Hess on an incredible, inspiring career.

The Teacher You Never Forget Some teachers teach subjects. Others teach you who you can become. Rodney Hess did both.

Circa December 1997.
This is my dad, Dave (short one in light jacket), and two of his brothers, Jim and Phil.

They traveled as a singing group when they were much younger, The Marocco Brothers, Soul Singers from the USA.

As a kid, I loved hearing them sing together.
Phil (playing guitar), and my dad have both passed away.
Last night, as I filmed these clips on my phone I caught myself smiling the entire time.

It was good to hear
Their voices
Singing in harmony
Together again
Reminding me
“God has never failed me yet
He’s not about to do it now
So I don’t have to fret”