Junior Giants

I'm a little late with the pictures of Trin and Joey playing in their little t-ball and hit, run, catch and throw baseball league they were in this year. They both were placed on Giant's teams. Very fitting for our family this past year with the Giant's winning the World Series!

Jen and I had to laugh seriously at the ball caps the league gave the kids. They are like some truck drivers hats from the 1980's or something Jen and I wore when we played on the elementary baseball league at our school.












Joe Joe was a crack up. He loved watching his sister play chanting, "Go Giants Go!" and "Here we go Giant's, here we go!" It was adorable to watch. He was pretty good with the orange and black pom pom.

What was super cute was watching a bunch of 3 year olds (but Joe Joe was only 2.10 yrs. old at this game) attempting to play the game of baseball. Most of the kids were watching the butterflies float on by, when running ran the wrong way to no base, and at the same time each thought they had the whole game down and that they were pro's. Hilarious!



























Our little Junior Giant is baby Eric. He is such a cutie and loves to laugh. I really love his one-zie that Amy put him in, "My Auntie is #1".

Jen does this little gig and dance to baby Eric and he giggles and giggles. It is pretty cute to see him giggle. I can get him to giggle a little but not with the gig and dance Jen does. I try but he looks at me like, "nice try Auntie, you can't dance!"

Good One Girls!

Great job Mom, Jen and Amy on pulling off this wonderful surprise for my dad's birthday. We did it good this time! Wonderful surprise. Three cheers for the women in my family!

My friend Nathan (thanks Nathan!) owns a plane and he was gracious to take my dad up for a ride for his birthday and it was a complete surprise for my Dad.

From the pictures you can see that we took off from a local airport, flew over the Carquinez Straight, over the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, and up to Somona Valley to the Charles Shultz Airport. Nathan allowed my dad to fly the plane. What a thrill for my Dad. He flew the plane like a pro! Fun time. Amazing to see God's creation from 3,000 feet up.

Way to go girls with this wonderful surprise for Dad's birthday!

Small World

Sorry in advance that I don't have a picture, it is on a few Facebook accounts somewhere (but currently I'm not on Facebook). Last night my dad and I went to a Giant's baseball game at AT&T Park. My mom told me before we left that her cousin Kerry and husband would be there and for me to look for her. I chuckled and told her, "might be close to impossible to run into her, but with God all things are possible". Little side note here, if you don't follow Giant's baseball, every game at AT&T Park has been sold out this year which is around 42,000 + people at each game.

The deal with my dad and I going to a ball game is that I purchase the tickets and he pays for the food and fun. Usually (I would say 9 out 10 times), we go to the Irish Pub and get fish and chips. Neither of us last night wanted fish and chips, so we headed out to the center field arcade for something different. On our way to check out food (and it was an hour and half before game time!) my dad says, "I don't think I will recognize Kerry", I said, "I am pretty sure that I will recognize her if I see her but I think it will be close to impossible to run into them here". Not but 30 seconds later I see Kerry and her husband Steve and I call out to her. We had a nice chat for 10 minutes and then were on our way. All of us were amazed that we were able to run into each other, especially since none of us knew where the other were sitting.

Small world, all things possible with God!

BTW- Giants beat the Dodgers 5-0!

Waiting to See the Doctor

Yesterday I needed to go to the doctor to see if they could help me figure out what is going on with not feeling well for several days with a fever for 5 days. I don't want to discuss my health in this post but the wait to see the doctor in the exam room.

There are so many posters and fact sheets all over the walls of the exam room. I am determined they make you sit on the cold exam table until you have had enough time to read everything on walls. You have to leave more informed or more confused. Here are a few glimpses what passed from my eyes to my brain.

• if I used an inhaler, it is much better to use an extender chamber
• saw the differences between a cold that is bacterial vs. viral (my case could be either)
• figured my current BMI
  
• the hospital offers many classes for people with diabetes
• and that if you have diabetes, you should have your shoes and socks off for the visit with the doctor
  
• from now, age 42, until age 100, I know what appointments I should making (not looking forward to a few of the future screenings)
• if I found myself in an emergency the sign by the phone told me how to call the nurse's station
• what a fetus (little human being) looks like at 9 weeks past conception. I am always awe struck at the incredible complexity of the development of a human. Truly an amazing work of God
  

The Desire is There but Energy is Not

I'm not one of those bloggers that blog every day, every week, or even every month. My blog is not the whirling of theological discussion but just what is going on in my life and what God is doing in my heart. To be honest, a thought of something to post comes into my mind every day but to sit and actually post does not happen (as you are well aware of).

The LORD has been refining me greatly with my new job. There are several refining rods He is using with this job but the one I will mention today is sickness. From September to a few weeks into January seemed like I was with a cold or recovering from a cold and this cycle seemed to repeat itself constantly. New job, new germs. Guess the saying could go, "what is yours will be mine". Last week the season of better health came to a halt with a positive test for strep throat. Thankfully, today I am past the feeling of swallowing dry gravel.

The last 2 days I have been laying it pretty low key. In times like this I have to fight the feeling that I am being lazy. Thankfully, I don't have children and a husband to take care of. So, I am thankful that in this round of sickness, I had the desire to spend more time with God. Yesterday I read a fiction book based on the life of Tamar. Today I read several chapters in Genesis to see how the author came up with her thoughts of Tamar's life. I was then able to spend some time preparing for tomorrow's sermon from John chapter 5 and to pray to my Father in Heaven.

Regardless of what goes on in this life, God will never leave or let you down. He is ever faithfully working out His plan. He is good. Need to wait upon the LORD!

Here is a song we sang last week in church. If you would like to listen click here.


Everlasting God
Chris Tomlin

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord (repeat)

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer

You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Baby F!

Wow, can't believe that Baby Eric Walter will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. Poor Amy had a hard delivery, 39 hours. Thankfully, she only had to push for 18 minutes. Baby Eric (I might end up calling him Ric Ric love- like Trin Trin love and Joe Joe love) is named after his daddy and Walter is after my grandfather on my mom's side. His name is real special for me. So, here are the details: Eric Walter, 6 pounds 6 ounces, 19 1/2" long, full head of dark handsome hair and so cute. What a honor to be present for the delivery. I don't think Amy even knows this, one of the items on my bucket list was to be in the delivery room for the birth of a baby of my family. Thanks Amy- check. I praise the LORD for the blessing of being an auntie again. My prayer is that I will be able to share the love of Jesus with him.

I'm Around-Just Busy

Posting has once again taken a back seat to my busy life and lack of energy to do so. Would love to say that posting has stopped because of the Giant championship that came to San Francisco that I mentioned on my last post but it truly has been busy. The blog will not go silent, it will resume soon. When I have trouble getting my clean laundry folded and put away and not spending as much time reading my Bible and praying, that is when I know I have no time for blogging.

My "loves" are in town this week and my time is spent playing, pushing swings, pretending I am the puppy vet, reading books, and so much more, all good fun!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends celebrating the birth of Christ, the Savior!

Here are a few family holiday photos.

The San Francisco Giants are the World Champions!!!

Yes, yes, yes! The (my) San Francisco Giants have won the world series! History has now been made. First championship ever for San Fran in baseball history. There was some serious hooting and hollering inside and outside of my house when the game was over.





Call me crazy or call me loyal, but today is the big parade and I am going! Thanks to some hard earned bank days at work and the awesome feat of the Giants to win it all. The crowds are expected to be big today. Last time I was around this many people it was for the New Year's celebration going into 2000 in San Francisco, that was crazy crowded night.
Images taken from knbr.com

The Excitement is Growing- Magic Number-1

Yaaaaahooo! Giants are up 3-1 in the series. There is great eager optimism growing. Tonight I found myself saying several times, "The Giants might (the might is with emphasis) win the World Series!" Tomorrow night might be a very sweet night. I want to dream already of going out and banging pots and pans when the final out is recorded but I know better to not to go there yet. Wow!

Please don't think my whole life is all about baseball right now because life has continued on. I am going to work each day, I went to church today, helped my mom out with some projects, even got the laundry done and folded! Giants baseball has been real exciting and this has been a great year.

In my excitement trying to find good graphics, I have neglected to give credit to the graphics. All the Giants images have come from Google images.

GO GIANTS!!!

World Series Mania

The World Series starts today. Just 4 wins until a team is crowned the champions, my hope is that it is the San Francisco Giants (and the hope of at least hundreds of thousands too). I'll post more later as I have to go to work, wish I was going to the game though.

LET'S GO GIANTS!!!

Orange October

Orange October. Wow, so much orange in October. Orange has become my favorite color especially this October. Nothing better than an Orange October.

Every morning as I drive to work the east sky is a painter's canvas (God is the Painter!) with all the incredible hues and shades of orange. When I am running a little late, the sun has popped into the scene and is an enormous orange ball. Many of these mornings I am pleading with God to give me wisdom, insight, strength and love for my new job. Seeing the glory of the morning, the majesty and goodness of the LORD, my restless heart is reminded that He is with me, that He is faithful, He is working and that He is for me.

Every Friday I wear a orange shirt for two reasons. The first reason, it is spirit day at school and school colors are orange and black. The second reason, every Friday this baseball season is Orange Fridays, to cheer on the Giants.

There has been much more orange going on in October. Back in September, I had my toe nails painted orange to help push my Giants into the playoffs. The Giants won the National League West on October 3rd to go to the National League Division Playoffs (I will share about this game in another post- it was one of the most incredible games I have been to- EVER). The Giants won the NLDS and today start the National League Championship Series. GO GIANTS!!! There is a little baseball superstition in me, (isn't there a little in every true baseball fan?) not changing the toe nail color. I need a pedicure bad but have not been able to fit it in to get my nails done orange again. Every day the Giants win or the day after they have clinched, I am wearing orange. Last week, I had a whole load of orange laundry. Sure hope I can keep wearing orange until the end of the month (if need be, a few days into November!).

Broines Missing Links

The last two Briones hikes have been somewhat familiar. Parts of the trails we have hiked before and other parts were connector trails. There is something nice about familiarity, you remember certain landmarks, steep uphills, slopping downhills, and which way the trail bends. With new territory, you wonder how high a hill goes, if the downhill on the other side of the hill will cram your toes in your boots, or if there will be a post marker telling you where to go.



Today's hike was the second shortest in distance, but took the prize for the hottest temperature hiked in yet. The temperature was close to 100 today. Thankfully, most of the hike was under the canopy of the trees giving huge relief from the blistering heat. Last time we hiked the Pine Tree trail, it was foggy and cold and we slogged through deep thick mud. Today the ground was nothing but leaves and fine dust.







The poison oak is alive and well this year. Oaks and poison oak seem to go hand in hand. Poison oak and I don't have a good relationship with each other. I have done a pretty good job this year to stay clear even though there has been a ton of the poisonous plants on every trail we have hiked. I have had 3 or 4 tiny isolated spots of poison oak this season. I do not want a repeat outbreak like I had in high school a few times. The leaves are real pretty at this time of year, especially when the sun hits the leaves from a certain angle.




On the hikes, we have discovered lush, green, protected areas and we have been out with the grass (very dead and dry at this time of year) with not a tree in sight. From the hikes, I have discovered that I like the lush and cool areas better than the open hillsides.

The second to last hike we took was on the last day of July. There was a flock of turkey's looking for food. There were two "Tom's" in this bunch. One was on the fence and the other is the one with his head up checking us out. The Tom's are pretty protective of their hens. They make a bunch of noise too.

Today's W's

Whooping, Wasps, Work, Walk, Wonder

Whooping- got my whooping cough vaccination today. "This will be a slight prick", OUUUCH!
Wasps- sprayed them dead tonight at dust as they rest in their nest.
Work- will not be able to meet my new principal until 2 days before school starts, yikes cutting close.
Walk- back to the normal routine of my morning walk with the gals, was missing it.
Wonder- God worked in a wonderful way at last week's Vacation Bible School that causes me once again to be in awe and wonder of how mighty He is.

A Teacher's Dread, A Parent's Excitement

Two more days until I turn my calendars to August. Every teacher's longing is to keep the calendar in July, every parent can't wait for August to arrive. August 1st marks the final countdown of the days left on summer vacation.

Not exactly sure, but I think I have to be back August 18th and the students a few days later.

I am excited for my new job, my new mission field but I do like my summer vacations.

Job Placement

Waiting on the Lord has great reward. I don't think in this lifetime I will truly understand the fullness and complexity of waiting on God's perfect timing for a perfect answer to my prayers. He is faithful to give me glimpses of the rewards in this life. Last week I found out my job placement for this upcoming school year. To my great surprise, I actually had a choice of 2 jobs. Option 1 was being at 3 separate schools each work week, 2 days, 2 days, 1 day. Option 2 was being at a single site, a site that is going through major overhaul to improve test scores. My choice- option 2! What an honor to be offered option 2, to be part of the rebuilding process, to Lord willing, assist a struggling school to become a successful school. God gave me a little reward for causing me to wait upon Him.

For me, waiting on the Lord is not so easy. Daily I need to go to Him, begging Him to help me wait on Him, to trust in the sovereign plan He has for my life. The duration of the wait this time on the Lord was short compared to other things I am waiting on the Lord for (20+ years). There is still much waiting on Him with this job, there are so many unknowns at this point. And then there is the science test.

Waiting and trusting. He is so good all the time.

Psalm 100

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with
gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is
God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the
sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with
praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His
lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all
generations.

My Days are Less Busy Now

What a relief when this week finally rolled in. My life has been seriously busy for the last month and I am more than happy that my life has calmed down significantly. The busyness came on with no warning and there was nothing I could do about it. I praise God that He allows life to have it's seasons and they will last as long as He has predetermined them to be so.

Happy New Year (one week late)!

(Image taken from Google Images)

Happy New Year everyone! Seems weird that the date is now 2010 and oh how time is still flying on by. Was it just 10 years ago that the electronic world was going to come to a halt because anything computerized was not going to be able to handle the date change to 2000? What a wild New Year Eve that was for me 10 years ago. I was walking the streets of San Francisco with my dear friends Jerre and Selena along with 500,000 other people (at least). To say the least, it was crazy and so out of the norm of my typical celebration of New Year's Eve. This year was so typical for me, I really don't like being out in the crowds or driving after 12:00 with the drunks. My dear friend Dawn and I went to dinner at a new restaurant that we have wanted to try and then went to see Avatar in 3D. Was in the comfort of my own home by 10:30. Very nice (I was up way past the ball dropping in California time- I was not that huge of a party pooper).

I have come up with a list of New Year's Goals that I want to try to accomplish this year. Not resolutions, because to me making a resolution means that I need to correct something that has been incorrect or not right. There may be some truth to my goals about needing resolutions but not completely. So, I have goals this year. One of my lifetime sayings is, "If you aim for something, you will hit something, but, if you aim for nothing, you will hit anything". Here are my 2010 goals, in no particular order:

• Finish last year's read through the Bible in a year plan. Currently, I am about 3/4 of the way done. After I am done with that plan, I want to read through different New Testament books each month, the whole month through the same book.
• Read one leisure book a month (this will have to mean less TV and computer time).
• Memorize scripture
• Start a single gals monthly prayer time
• Get my WSI certification (water safety instruction).
• Keep going towards my weight goal, taking it nice and slow. I did not put on this weight overnight and I can't expect to take it off overnight.
• Order my creative wall expression for "We Are Family, All Of My Sisters and Me" and hang family photos on one of my hallway walls.
• Deep clean and organize my closet.
• Travel more, make specific time ahead of time to take trips including little day trips.
• Plan out my summer plans ahead of time, not every little detail but the big things.
• Join a Christian online dating site. I can not even begin to tell you how much I dislike online dating sites but God just might use this avenue to allow me to meet a Godly man.
• Take a photography class.
• Enter the county fair for a few photos, some of my herbs, maybe something from the garden and a jar of my apple sauce.
• Cook one recipe for family and/or friends and take one trip of a point of interest highlighted in each month's addition of Sunset Magazine. I would like to blog on each of these each month, possibly starting up a new blog called From Dawn Into The Sunset.
• Save $ into a specific bank account for fun money for purchases for my home.
• Hike all of the trails in Briones Regional Park with Suzanne (this actually needs to be completed by 11/11/10).
• Teach a canning class to the woman at my church.
• Have game nights at my home.
• Blog on what is growing in my garden, garden maintenance and what's at the farmer's market.
• Visit my beloved family in Coalinga often.
• Run a 5K, run/walk a 10K, and run/walk a half marathon.

Please feel free to ask me how I am doing of any of these goals at any point in time. God has programed me to need my cheerleaders along the way and accountability.

Fun Busy Days

My sweet "Loves" have been in town since the day after Christmas and my days have been a fun filled busy. Together we have turned over every rock, stone and wood stepping stone in Nana and Papa's yard several times and discovered many cool bugs and salamanders. Many books have been read through while sitting on a comfy sofa, with both snuggled close to listen. The kids were the best for a family party I hosted yesterday, playing happily in the empty room down the hall with the bucket of kids toys I keep on hand. We even went and saw Alvin and the Chipmunks (and the Chipette's, my niece would want to include). Today, we are going to try ice skating, hope my bum bum and knees survive. There is something special about a child reaching their tiny hand, or it feels tiny in my hand, up into your hand to be held. My heart melts when Trin Trin says, reverting back to when she was a wee little one like Joe Joe, "Shaw, Shaw" or when Joe Joe says, clear as a bell, "Shel". My response always, "Yes Love".

Loving these fun filled busy days.

Wonderful Start to My Vacation

My walking partner (and beloved sister in the Lord from my church), Suzanne, took me hiking just over a month ago to Briones Regional Park in the East Bay. That day, we made a pack that we would hike every trail in the park within a year's time. Beingtoday is my first day on Christmas Break from work, I decided there would be no better way to start off my vacation than with a good hike in the morning fog and to work on our trail goal.

This morning we parked off Briones Road, hiked a big loop on the Old Briones Road Trail to Briones Crest to Lagoon to Toyon Canyon to Tree and back to Old Briones Road.

On our travels we saw several newts along the way. A trail sign highlighted newts and stated "newts are traveling salamanders". I have not had the chance to look up what the difference is between a newt and a salamander (Tim Davis could give a good answer to this). When I felt the newt this morning he appeared to have firm and dry skin unlike a salamander who has loose and slimy skin.

The fog gave the landscape a mysterious feel. I decided to edit this shot and try black and white film.

The dew from the fog beaded so beautifully on the spider's web displaying her creativity.

The colors of fall/winter, the fog and the gloom, and the sunlight trying to burn through were incredible to the naked eye. The camera just can not capture the depth and hues of the true picture.

At some points, we were slogging through some mud and our boots were caked with mud making us a few inches taller.

Birthday Surprise

My sister Jen, is the queen of surprises and she pulled a great one on me this past weekend for my birthday. For the last several years, I have participated in a run/walk that my school promotes to the students. Usually the race takes place on the same weekend my birthday is celebrated. Just seconds before my 5K race started, I hear, "Auntie, Auntie!" I turn around and see my two sweet loves waving a sign and a hand wildly at me. What a surprise to see them at the race, I had no idea they were going to come and celebrate my birthday with me. Jen, my mom and Amy did a great job of not letting me in on the secret.

Knowing that I had two precious little one's waiting for me, helped me finish my race quickly. For this race, I had decided to walk the entire 5K and see if I could get my best walking time. My time at the finish line was 39:50, that's about 13:15 per mile. This was 6 minutes faster than my previous time. Next year my goal is to either run the 5K race or run/walk the 10K race.

Every year I am showered with love and kindness from my family and dear friends who want to celebrate my birthday with me. There are still a few more birthday celebrations to come with friends that I could not fit in during the busy weekend. Truly, the Lord has blessed me greatly.