Ok New School Year! Lots of changes.... Seems like I'm not handling the changes very well any more, did I ever? I guess I'm still working through it! "Forgive me Lord, for my unbelief".

Tara is in her last semester as an undergrad (CSUCI),Nick is going to school up in Davis, Sean is a Senior at El Camino High School (an independent studies school), and Sam is a Sophomore at Buena High. I think that this is the first time that they're all been in different places. Changes....

SC football. New Coach, no bowl games, scholarships cut. At least they will still be on tv. Changes.......

Starting a new bible study this week. I'm pretty excited about that. I'll let you know.

I was sharing with my pastor today that I think God might warrant a 15 yard penalty for "piling on". Now before you get all up in my face I did warn him to stand back because I did not want to put him in jeopardy of getting hit by the same lightning bolt as I was. I kept him out of harms way.

Life is just really tough.... I know it's the same for all of my friends and yes some have it worse. (thank you God for health and family.)

yes, yes I know God didn't promise us a life without hurt I know all of that. Sometimes its just overwhelming.....

I'm pretty much the optimist and the encourager and the cheerleader. I like that and I believe it. I'm all about doing the right thing and keep doing the right thing. I guess I want a break... I'm willing to work for it (is that really a break though) I feel like I have been working for it.

but.... sometimes life is overwhelming.

Here's what I know: God works all things out for Good! Awesome!!! God will never leave me or forsake me! Even better. I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Hard to top that! He loves me and calls me his own. Aha! Truth is, God is awesome and He loves us with an everlasting love.

Still.....Sometimes life is....

I'm not one for excuses. Washington looked good today and they outplayed us! I'd say they made Coach Carol look good in his decision to start the freshman qb over Corp in the first 2 games. He sure didn't show me anything today.... except he's not an SC caliber qb.Interceptions, dropped balls, fumbles. Too many turn overs.
Ok boys, bring it on home and practice 1) holding on to the ball. 2) Catching the ball, 3) Throwing the ball. To be more concise, back to basics. I'd better send Barkely a get well soon card. Ouch! That one hurt.

Game on Huskies! I think I'll take that line from Frank Zappa, "Watch out where the Huskies go, don't you eat that yellow snow." (It's even more gross when you see it in print I think.) I use that line every year when we play them. Ren can attest to that! Trying to get everything done before game time. So I'll make this short.... ESPN says SC's starting the other qb today, Pete says it's a gametime decision, I choose to believe Pete (I know many of you think that ESPN is the gospel). We'll just see in about an hour and a half.

Sean is off to Magic Mountain, Nick is off to work, Tara's at work, Sam is with a friend, I'm telling you this house is getting emptier and emptier all the time.

Well, it's good to have the day off! I love my job don't get me wrong and very grateful to have it. Just loving that I can have some down time. Time to do some housework, do a little cooking, get some laundry done (did I say I have the day off?) spend time with the family.......oh Sean and Sam are at School, Tara is at work.... Nick is still sleeping....Ren is off to OC...... Ok, well at least I'm available even if they are not.

Sam has his first home game today at Buena. I'm excited I love to watch hime play, unfortunately, he's not getting much playing time.....yet! But we go we happily support the team but we hurt for our guy. At least he's not getting hurt! Trying to put a positive spin on it!

Ahhh, it will happen. Just keep working hard....

I'm off to do all the things that I try to fit in on my "day off".

While I'm at it, My friend has a new friend! Awesome, great.....my delima, What do I call him.I've given this a lot of thought..... "Boy-friend", "Gentleman-friend", "significant other" (too soon for that I think), how about the "someone special in your life guy", Come on now, help me out. This might be important! I'm not sure! This is new for me and her and I don't want to blow it. Maybe the "I'm just having fun for now guy" naw too non committal. I guess I could call him "Sailor Boy" or "weekend guy". I'm just not feeling it. It might help if I met him. Is it still too soon to meet the friends? We're talking good friend here...... Bff's (that's a whole other blog)..... Ah well, I guess I just have to call him by his name for now...... What kind of friend am I? Not very creative at the moment..... I'll keep thinking.

I guess that it's that time of year to start posting again. It's been well over a year since my last post. Life continues on whether I post or not. Some of my friends are very busy bloggers. I think that most that I know are very faithful about blogging. me? not so much. I've joined the face book age, been thinking about twitter but don't have a lot of time to follow people I don't really know. I've been thinking about it more for work. To be more visible for those that do use that site. We'll see. Between email, websites, fb...... how much time do I really have?

My favorite time of year is here! Yes... you know.... football season. Some think that the season has started out shaky. even though we have two wins. Our freshman qb is doing well. I'm like a proud/protective Mama. After all, I do have a boy his age. He got hurt last week, bruised shoulder, and still finished the game! Awesome. I guess someone else will start this week, but he'll be back soon. We're up in the Great North Wet this week and next, playing against our old offensive coordinator. "It's a building year for them", I can hear it already. Not that the game is in the bag or anything. As coach Lombardi always said, "On any given day...."
Wish I could make it to a game this year but it doesn't look good for that. I'll probably be too busy with the other fb (face book) or learning to twitter....

Sam's playing high school football this year, well he's practicing a lot anyway. It's hard for him and for us. He's back up qb. So kind of just waiting to go in. Last year he was in on every down. He finally had to ask to sit out Special teams so he could have a little break, this year he doesn't have that problem. "Hang in there", we keep telling him, "just practice hard", we say. "You'll get in there", we encourage. Of course we think that he's good, and better than the other guy, but he is! Besides being his parents, he is......

Tara is working really hard at school, she's taking 19 units trying to finish up her minor so that she can concentrate on her major her last 2 semesters at College. Bless her heart. She's doing a great job by the way. Loves her profs. And she's still working at the bank. Sometimes I feel bad that I can't help her more. Tuition went up again, and again this year while cutting back teachers with furlough days. I'm thinking furlough is the new term that evokes the same fear that pink slip did in years gone buy. Keep plugging away Tara, basically the same things we say to Sam.

Nick finally got a job. Yeah! three cheers! It sure is different. The house isn't as full anymore. between School, work and girlfriend I hardly see my Nickster any more. Oh let's face it when they get a girlfriend we don't see them. He's doing a good job with his time management, I just miss him.

I'd better talk about Sean as well. He's doing really good this semester. He's keeping busy with school and stuff. And that "stuff" isn't video games and computer. Yahoo... He's at El Camino high school, independent studies, taking 2 classes at Ventura College, and a drama class at Buena. Whew! Things are clicking a bit for him and he's working hard. He's really involved in youth group at church and just started an "evangelism study" with the other high schoolers.

They're funny kids, they all face book about everything.... I just have to log on to catch up with them. Sometimes I make them take it off and say something else/ What a mean mom I am. And I'm very careful and try not to comment on their friends fb, I guess that's not cool. But I often have a comment....Really? Anyway, hope it's not another year before I find something else to write about. Gotta check my fb now......

Some great adventure! I don't even have time to write about it! Too busy! I don't even think about taking pictures and posting them. I did at one time (think about it) but then I couldn't quite figure it out. Like my friend Julie, It's been months since I've even thought about blogging. Now it's June... a pretty sentimental month for me. Birthday's, Graduations, ending of yet another school year, a lot of "I wish I had done that" feelings. Regardless, here we are. First week out of school and I feel like the summer is ready to go blazing by. Tara's readying herself to transfer to Channel Island, Nick is ready for his Senior year to begin (tell me it's not true!), Sean is going to summer school and starting to get it (I see glimpses of hope, Thank you God for that), Sam is leaving for Navajo on Saturday with our youth group, gulp. And playing all stars for baseball. Ren is traveling a lot for work, with 2 major trips planned for the summer. Oh yea, I'm holding it all together with help from the duct tape roll! Deep breath. Mind you, I'm not trying to complain, just getting it all on "paper" will help me remember. In my efforts not to loose touch, I have....lost touch. Julie B, Julie O, Liz, Amy......are you out there?
I'm sure that you are just as busy as I, probably handling it much better. Agghh.
It is so good and encourageing and lovely to know that God is Never too busy or tired to forget us (me)! What an awesome God we have. Joy, joy, joy abounding and He is sufficient for me.

You'd think with the amount of time that has past, that I just didn't have anything to write about or that nothing has been going on. Neither of which are true. Since I last "blogged", Sammy finished up his first season of football, is in the middle of Basketball season and just had try-outs for Pony Baseball. Not to mention a whole semester of school. Nick finished up yet another time demanding season of Marching Band (with 3 Band director changes and numerouse practice schedule changes) with the highlight of their season taking Sweepstakes for Drumline in thier last competition, and he is now gearing up for his competition season in Drum line. Tara has another semester of College under her belt and is finishing her paperwork to transfer to Cal State Channel Islands next semester. She made the Dean's list again......working at Play It Again Sports, volunteering at Awana (with her "girls") and savoring the Red Sox as World Champions. Sean is getting aclimated to High School and interested in Cartooning. He is scheduled to visit Disney's Animation Center in the Spring. (Deep breath). God remains so faithfull. (No surprise there). Ren is busy, busy, busy.....but still loving and attentive to our family. He was able to coach Sammy in football, they both really loved it, and basketball....and baseball. He knows it will be coming to an end after next year as Sammy enters High School so he's grabbing his moments while he can. He travels quite a bit with his job and I don't know how he juggles it all but he does, and he does it well. He's teaching an adult Sunday School class at Church and he enjoys it all so much. And me????? Well, I've been busy as well. Head Cheerleader is hard work! You know what I'm talking about. And I don't even have a cute little uniform! (Ahhhh shouts of relief go out!). I'm still on the board for baseball and that has been fun....mostly :-)It's a great way to get involved in the Community and I have met a lot of good people. I'm still involved in a Women's Bible Study and growing deeper roots as I study God's word. We said Good bye to our former teaching Pastor at CBC. He stepped down in August to persue a new work (after 5 years with us) and thus began a Pastor Search. Once again, God was faithful. (I know, no surprise again). God brought us a wonderful man and family, who loves the Lord and preaches His Word with confidence and enthusiasm. Some changes for me work-wise, after being on my own for 7 years, there's someone here everyday. I think that we're both getting used to each other and building a mutual respect for one another.
I'll try and get in here more, if only for my own sake.
Blessings to you!