The First Day of School!! YIPPEEEE!!!!!

Sarah's first day of school was great! It's tradition that Tony and I both take her to school the first day. It's the one time that I'm able to take her right when school starts instead of at the crack of dawn. We met her teacher and she's amazing! So nice and she's a doctor!! She was a principle for about 15 years and she wanted to go back into the classroom to teach before she retires. I think this is going to be a good year for Sarah. Can you believe it....a 4th grader!!??

Sarah's last week of Summer Break!

So every summer for one week we send Sarah to the Helen Woodward Center for Animal Camp. It's a great way to break up her summer and to let her learn about all different kinds of animals and how to respect them. During camp there was one horse that Sarah could click her tongue at and it would come right to her! It just made her day. She had a such a great time and it was well worth the money spent! Below is a picture of Sarah with one of the horses that are at the center for rehab. She couldn't be happier!!!

I Think...

I am: a good friend
I think: about all the sewing I could be getting done
I know: that I am loved
I want: a new, bigger home
I have: 3 beautiful girls and a wonderful husband
I wish: rates for home loans would come down
I hate: being stuck in traffic
I miss: my grandfather
I fear: losing those I love
I feel: very blessed
I hear: people typing on their keyboards
I smell: my perfume...Flowerbomb by Victor&Rolf
I crave: sweets
I search: for Avery's passy constantly
I wonder: who reads my blog
I regret: nothing...because if I didn't do all the things I've done I wouldn't be where I am today
I love: Cord...and the girls with all my heart
I care: about the feelings of those around me
I always: want dessert
I am not: patient
I used to be: a military wife
I believe: everything happens for a reason
I hope: my girls learn from their mistakes
I dance: when the music feels right
I sing: in the car to make the girls smile
I don't always: say I'm sorry, but I'm working on it
I fight: when I think I'm right
I write: when I'm inspired
I lose: often ;)
I win: umm...I said I lose often
I never: like being wrong
I listen: when we're at the dinner table talking about our days
I can usually be found: at my desk at work
I am scared: of leaving this world too soon
I need: a vacation

On that note...Feel free to hi-jack and play. After all, I did!

"The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch 1961-2008

For those of you who know me...when I'm inspired by something I want to share it with the world! Last October I first saw Randy Pausch, a professor from Carnegie Mellon University, on Oprah repsrising his last lecture.

Back up...who is Randy Pausch you ask? Randy Pausch is a married father of three, a very popular professor at Carnegie Mellon University—and he is dying. He is suffering from pancreatic cancer, which he says returned after surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Doctors gave him only a few months to live.

So, what is the "Last Lecture"? "There's an academic tradition called the 'Last Lecture.' Hypothetically, if you knew you were going to die and you had one last lecture, what would you say to your students?"

About the lecture in Randy's words...Despite the lecture's wide popularity, Randy says he really only intended his words for his three small children. "I think it's great that so many people have benefited from this lecture, but the truth of the matter is that I didn't really even give it to the 400 people at Carnegie Mellon who came. I only wrote this lecture for three people, and when they're older, they'll watch it," he says.

This was about the time I saw him on Oprah. As I sat and watched him speak of his family,life, work, diagnosis etc...I cried. All I could think was how courageous and strong this man was...this man who knew his fate that lie ahead! How can someone be so strong, so uplifting, so positive...and yet terminally ill? I'm saddened today by the news that Randy Pausch lost his fight with Cancer on Friday, July 25th. However, I am forever changed by him and his "Last Lecture". Please take a few minutes and click on the link below to watch his "Last Lecture". You will be truly inspired by this man.
May God Bless You!!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8577255250907450469
(this is the short version seen on Oprah)

http://www.youtube.com/user/carnegiemellonu
(this is the one he gave at the University to his students...1 hour and 16 mins.)

Thinking out loud for the world to hear!

So, the other day I got an instant message from my sister-in-law, Stacy, telling me that she thought she found her birth mother. Yes, Stacy was adopted at birth and for 36 years has wondered where she came from, who were biological parents are, and her ancestors history. Well, I was so excited for her that I told her to call, that I would be there for her no matter what. Well, I couldn't believe it but she eventually did make that phone call, hands shaking, voice cracking...all the anxiousness I can only imagine!! Later that night Stacy calls me at home and as I say hello to her on the other side, all I hear is..."it was her". I knew right then she found her birth mother! How exciting...I had all the questions, all these emotions...I felt so excited for her like it was me!(Wow...sidenote, but Stacy and I have come a long way and to be that excited for someone like it was yourself is truely amazing! Complete selflessness.) She went on to tell me the whole story about her biological parents, where they came from, how they met, her birth! Incredible! Stacy finally had the answers to the questions that she carried with her her entire life. And as if that wasn't enough...two days later I get another call. This time telling me, "it was him". She not only had found her birth mother but now her birth father. This is almost too much to take in all in one week! She shared with me all about him and his family and history! She even shared his myspace with me so that I could see pictures! She looks so much like him and one his youngest daughters is a spitching image of Stacy when she was a girl! I couldn't believe it! I was in shock and I could only imagine how she was feeling...excited, anxious, overwhelmed! Imagine going 36 years of your life without resembling someone, or seeing yourself in someone else(well until she had her own children, of course), but still. Stacy now has some peace of mind and can move on with all this information and start friendships with these people who gave her life. She has two entire families full of half siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles...holy cow! And they all live here in San Diego except for her birth mother. I'm so excited to share this new chapter of her life with her...she is the sister I never had and wanted and it took us a long time to get here, but we're here!! I can't wait to see the years ahead unfold with all this new found information. Am I scared...not at all...she'll always be my sissy!!! xoso

Pub Crawl with the OC office!!

So, last Sunday we headed down to PB with with some our partners and employees of the OC office for an informal pub crawl. However, this just wasn't any pub crawl...this was a "dive bar" pub crawl. We met up at the Sandbar, then off to the Open Bar, then lunch at Taco Surf. From there we went a block down the street to Thrusters for $2.00 Mimosas!!! We then went to the another bar, which I don't really remember the name because me, Heidi, Cathi & Traci left to go find a peircing place. :) That was so much fun! and yes I'm 35, omg that sounds old, but I've always wanted my nose peirced. So Traci and I took the plunge! We then ended our day at the Silver Fox with a game of pool with Duane and Traci...who joined us even though it was their anniversary weekend!! What a great day and great fun with friends!!