Work Is Exciting

My role as the business administrator at Ev. Free is always exciting and challenging. Whether it is working hard on the budget or a financial seminar or getting to put my fingerprint on the church campus, there is always something fun going on.

In the 8 years of my being on staff there have been a lot of joys; remodel of our youth building and chapel, building of a massive parking structure, just to name a few. But none has brought as much fun and excitement to me as getting to design and see built a new playground for the children and young families of our church. As I am writing this BLOG, it is rising from the dirt and will be completed in about three more weeks. Here is a photo of what it will look like.

I can't wait for opening day to see the smiling faces as the kids come running through the gates! There are weekly video updates on the church website so check them out at http://www.evfreefullerton.com/

Oscars 2008 - Film versus Movie

I love going to the movies but I have a problem. One of my theories is that there are two classifications for this form of entertainment: movie, and film. It is often hard to define and it is very subjective to the whim of this writer. Message plays a huge part. Cultural significance plays another. Whether or not the movie makes you think or just entertains you is a qualifier as well. Perhaps I should develop a matrix to help me decide. As an example: Schindler's List is a film. You've Got Mail is a movie.

Having just watched the 2008 Academy Awards with our friends (an annual tradition). Here are my selected classifications for the movies I saw that were nominated for best picture:

• There Will Be Blood - Film (based on message)

• No Country for Old Men - Movie (just an shoot 'em up guys movie)

• Atonement - Film (based on message and production quality)

Chime in and let me know your thoughts. Like to know what I think about a particular movie/film just post and I'll let you know.

Getting Older & Not Liking It!

The heading for this rant is exactly what I hope to communicate in this BLOG. I am getting older and I am not liking it! Not only that, but my children are getting older and I am not liking that either! Maybe even less!

I have realized more and more lately how unprepared I am for my children being teenagers. I have had years to prepare for this time and have even enjoyed watching them grow and mature into the beautiful young women they are becoming, but that does not make it any easier nor do I like it any more. Not to mention that I am a dad of two beautiful young ladies which adds additional anxiety. I am very proud of them and what they are becoming but it is all happening too fast and I long for the days when they were daddy's little girls who needed me and whom I could hold tight and make things better (for both of us).

So what has changed all of a sudden that has brought this realization? The photo to the right. Megan's first high school dance. A disco dance, which makes this Abba fan feel even older as I realize that her school's oldies dance is now music from my generation. Sure, she just went with friends and she is a great kid who is making good decisions but I think this is the first step in this dad's realization that more and more he will have to let go of his little girls. Did I mention that I just don't like it?

The Green's

Sandy and I have come to love spending time with our friends the Green's. Funny how God works things out sometimes. I met Richard 8 years ago when he was a volunteer helping me learn everything I could about carpet and flooring. Six years later...Leslie became my assistant. Somewhere in that time, they became some of our closest friends. If there is fun to be had, we are usually with them. We have had many parties together including celebrating anniversaries, birthdays and graduations. The last few New Years Eves have been together. We love music and have seen Jimmy Buffet, Norah Jones, Hugh Masekela & Rod Stewart together. There is always great food when we are together. We love movies and will dance the night away when challenged by Leslie. Most of all, we just love to hang out and be with them and be ourselves with them.

The photo is a little outdated but is from a once in a lifetime experience; dinner at the exclusive Club 33 in Disneyland. A fantastic evening. So this post honors our friends Rich & Leslie. Our next BIG event with them will be a trip to Hawaii in October. Since I love Hawaii, there is a photo of that as well taken during the Queen Liliuokalani Outrigger Canoe Races in 2006. Aloha!

Club Volleyball 2008

From November through June, our lives revolve around one thing: volleyball. Club volleyball, and to be more precise the Smack Volleyball Club. Megan plays on the 15's black team while Courtney is playing on the 14's black team and sometimes fills in on the 15's blue team. Megan is a middle blocker and Courtney is a setter and outside hitter. Club volleyball means practice multiple nights a week and a couple of tournaments a month. This past weekend Courtney's team placed third in their tournament playing at the 15's level. Megan won their tournament going undefeated and winning in 6 straight games. Both girls did great! Megan wins this weeks MVP award for scoring 7 straight service points in the final game and 3 kills in a row. Mom and dad were exhausted after having to pick Megan up in Big Bear (from camp) for her games and then driving her all the way back after the tournament. Six hours of driving for the tournament. Boy are we dedicated parents or what?

USC Football

Again this year, we enjoyed a season of great Trojan football. While the season didn't live up to the hype, we still won the Pac 10 championship and the 2008 Rose Bowl.  Who would have thought Stanford would stand in the way of another national championship anyway? What the heck!  We still ended the season as the best team in college football.  

 

Dogsledding in Skagway

One of the highlights of my life happened this year.  While in Skagway, Alaska, my daughter Megan and I went dogsledding.  We lifted off from a heliport in Skagway for a 30 minute flight over some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.  We landed on a glacier and spent the next hour mushing along the glacier, holding puppies, seeing what life is like for Iditarod racers and having the most exciting experience ever, before another 30 minute flight back to our ship.