Bible Verse of the Day

Saturday, April 28, 2007

EGGZ!

I know that Easter is over, but I just have to share this page that I made with my niece's egg hunt.


Journaling reads:

Kathryn, it was so much fun to watch you hunt eggs this year. Every time you saw one you'd scram at the top of your lungs, "EEEEEEEGZ!" It was a cold Ester in 2007, but that didn't stop the hunt. And bing the sharing little girl you are, you even wanted to let Kendall have an egg. John and Roberta's home 4/8/2007

All paper, letters, and ribbon (except as noted): Basic Gray Lilykate collection.
Vellum: Mrs. Grossman's
Flowers: Hobby Lobby Silk flowers
Microbeads and glass beads: Unknown
Large beadns and brass beads: my mother's old jewelry box

Friday, April 27, 2007

Parade Survivor

Today was the Battle of Flowers Parade. For anyone who lives outside of San Antonio, this is fairly meaningless, but today was a local holiday which allows people to take off from school and work to attend the "grandaddy" of the Fiesta Parades. Our son's high school band marched in the 2.4 mile parade today and many parents walked with them to support them with cooling rags and water. I was one of the walkers and DS was carrying a glockenspiel. Not many people use those any more, but it was a heck of a lot lighter than marching bells.



The band director told everyone a month ago to start walking and hydrating to prepare for the parade. I never got started and I was a little worried about how I'd handle it, but it wasn't too bad. Actually it was pretty bad because of the humidity, but I didn't drop out and neither did DS. We actually only had two drop out: one about a block from the end, one as soon as we stopped marching.

I recorded the parade and we came home and watched it later. It was cool to pick ourselves out on TV.

Now about last night. I wanted to post this, but was too tired to stay up and do it. Last evening was the Battle of Flowers Band Festival, also known as Battle of the Bands. There were so many bands there, that they had two parades through the stadium. I've never been before, so it was quite an experience. I was able to go to the other side of the stadium where they were parading to take pictures of the band


They were so impressive! When they went transitioned from March Grandioso and a normal march to Tribute to Troy and a high step, the crowd went wild. Not only were the paying seats cheering, but you could hear the band groups in the stands on the other side of the stadium! I was a very proud band mom.
After the parading and several feature bands they had a mass band performance and awards ceremony.

I don't know how many kids were out on the field, but I counted 78 tubas, alone. There had to be at least 3000 musicians on the field! When they started announcing awards, I thought perhaps our band might win the "People's Choice" award because of the cheering. When someone else won it, I figured it was all over. They didn't win any of the ones I expected them to win. There was one more award, though, that I didn't know about. When they announced the President's Award, I didn't expect anything because our school is fairly new and I know there's a lot of politics in some of this stuff. Imagine my surprise when they announced our school's name. All of us band parents on the backside of the stadium went crazy.

It has been a great weekend, but I am now ready to rest and cool off. I'm still a little dehydrated and tired. DH is asleep beside me right now, but I wanted to share my good news. I leave you with a photo of DS with the newly acquired President's Cup from last night and the two of us together before the start of the parade. Notice the hat :-). 'Night all!


Wednesday, April 25, 2007

What a Night!

Last night was some pretty rough weather. The three of us at home went to get haircuts, but we knew we had to get back pretty soon because the weather was predicted to get fairly violent. I didn't think it would come too quickly, but just to be on the safe side, we put the dogs in the garage before we left. They don't like thunder and lightening and wind and rain (Argh!). Thunder can be 50 miles away and Snickers will hear it and start jumping on the windows and whining.

Anyway, after we got our haircuts, we went to pick up some food to take back home and on the drive to the window, the lightening grew steadily more frequent and long and we started to hear thunder while driving. You know it's close when you can hear it in a moving vehicle. We made it back home and then watched a little TV. About 9:30 I went to finish patching some baseball pants for DS's college team and work on another layout. My sewing machine was giving me fits the previous night, probably because it liked its 10 year hiatus. I thought I got it going, but then last night it started doing it again. Soooo...it took some time to actually get sewing. Sorry for the rabbit trails, but I just feel the need to explain myself.

So back to the weather. While I was working in my craft room I could hear the rain start up and some thunder. For a while the rain was pretty heavy. All I cared about though, was that the electricity stayed on so I could finish sewing. About midnight I finally made my way to bed and the thunder was getting pretty intense. DH was asleep, so I tried not to wake him while getting ready, but he woke up anyway. So we went to bed and about 15-20 minutes after lights out, I woke up to hear him talking to DS#1 and asking him where he was. They were on their way back from Victoria after playing UofH there (they lost, darn it!) and were getting close to the school, but they were going through some hail.

Now one time last baseball season, the team was on their way up IH-35 towards Dallas when they got caught in a vicious hail storm in San Marcos. DS called us from the bus during the storm and it was LOUD. One of the front windshields of the bus was busted by baseball-sized hail. I thought that was appropriate for the baseball team :) And earlier this season, they got snowed on in Dallas and had to slog through ice and sleet coming home until they got to Austin. What is it with these guys and weather?

The airport got 1.6" last night, but I'm sure that we got at least 3 inches. When I went out this morning, someone's bag of garbage had floated down the street and stopped in our cul-de-sac. What a night!

Monday, April 23, 2007

Weekend Stuff

This was a fun/scary weekend for me. The big activity was to decorate our hats and the "mules" for the Battle of Flowers Parade, one of the three big ones for Fiesta San Antonio. But before that was concession stands at the school district's softball tournament followed by late lunch with my out-of-town family. My SIL was bringing me my Pampered Chef purchase from Easter. Well, true to my poor scheduling and paying attention, concessions were longer than I thought so I had to get late lunch rescheduled to early supper in the middle of the decorating party. Fortunately we got to leave the concessions early and drop by the party for a few minutes before meeting the family. That was all on Saturday!

On Sunday, after church I was going to try to be part of a welcome home group for the son of a friend who came home on R&R from Afghanistan, then celebrate another friend's 50th birthday, then take DS#2 shopping as he tore his pants pretty badly at school last week and he needed more of them anyway. So after church I called the first friend and her son had already arrived, but I did get to talk to him and tell him how much we were looking forward to seeing him next Saturday for his birthday, then I was able to go straight to the birthday lunch. What fun! There were 17 of us and our server said we were the best party she'd ever served. (All I can say is, "Church Group!") Then I took DS shopping and went home and did laundry I've been neglecting for too long. All of this was in the rain. Yech.

So much for the fun part. The scary part was talking about children in both contexts of social and church groups. At the decorating party some of the women were telling stories on their children about their sex lives and trouble they've gotten into. So far none of them has gotten into trouble because the parents warn them of the consequences of getting a girl pregnant, namely 18 years of child support. Some of the women talked about what they do to make sure their kids are drinking and such or what kind of things they've tried to get away with. I am so thankful that my boys are good boys. Neither of them dates except in groups, they don't like the taste of alcohol, and they don't smoke or do drugs. And they're not boring, either!

Then on Sunday, one of boys that's in DS#2's grade, although at a different school, had a girl sitting next to him that I'd never seen before and when they stood for the bendiction, I noticed she was pregnant. It's a large family so I figured she might be a cousin or something. I asked his mother after church who she was. That's her son's girlfriend. I'm sorry for the chaos that family is in right now, but I am still thankful my boys don't have girlfriends.

All of this shook me up enough to talk to my younger son about it. Older son was away with the baseball team and if something happens with him, he's old enough to get married and get a job to support a family, so I don't worry about him so much. I guess I don't have to worry about it because DS#2 told me that he plans to remain a virgin until he's married and can support a family. Praise God!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

An Op-ed From An Emmaus Community Member

Violence
by Richard Evans
Today our country experienced another example of senseless and inexplicable violence against scores of totally innocent people. At least 33 students at Virginia Tech died and many others were seriously injured. We still have few answers and countless questions about what happened and why. How could anyone feel so much anger and channel it into such violent behavior? Why were those people the targets of that violence? Could anyone or anything have prevented it?

We live in a world of violence. There is far too much violence in our homes directed against spouses and directed against children. There is violence on our streets and in our workplaces. We’ve see violence in our places of worship. We read about it daily. It headlines our news programs virtually every time we turn on the television or radio. Hopefully we’ll never understand it, we’ll never become complacent to it, and it will always shock us out of a sense of complacency.

Officials will seek new ways to protect us from these acts of violence with mixed results. In the long run, perhaps the best plan is to turn to the Lord for guidance and some sense of understanding. Embrace His ministry. Teach the world to be brothers and sisters embracing each other. Help them achieve a sense of belonging, a sense that there is value in their life and in the lives of all God’s children. Perhaps when they can recognize their own worth and value, recognize that they are loved by the Creator of the universe; then they will begin to sense the worth and value in the lives of others.

Until such time as each of us has a belief in the worth and dignity of all mankind and each of us has a relationship with God; we can look forward to more news stories that remind us of the violent nature that is within mankind. I pray for a day when we all find a way to let God guide our actions and show us the beauty of a world filled with peace.

God bless you all!


Embracing the Lord,
Jan and Richard Evans

Why?

Why would someone come into our country, purchase several guns and lots of ammo, and proceed to kill 33 people? It doesn't make any sense.

We have these anomalies periodically in this country, but it never makes any sense. I remember when the shooter went on his spree in Killeen at the Luby's. I know people who, to this day, will not sit with their backs to the door wherever they are. And they weren't even there!

I believe in a well armed citizenry. After the Killeen incident, Texas made it easier to purchase hand guns and implemented the concealed-carry license, which allows one to carry a handgun on their person without having to declare it. I heard on the radio this morning from Dennis Prager's substitute host that the crime rate in Texas has decreased slightly since those measures were implemented. Most criminals think twice about attacking someone here because he may get shot. The criminals don't know who is carrying guns, so they don't take the chance (when they have any sense about them).

If places like the liberal universities and liberal local and state governments allowed people to legally carry guns, crimes like Killeen and Virginia Tech would certainly have fewer people dead. I know it sounds trite to repeat the phrase "when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns," but there is a certain truth to it that any rational mind should be able to grasp. What will it take to allow citizens to protect themselves against such attrocities?

From the wild, wild west...thanks for letting me vent.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Getting Ready for Fiesta!

Today we sang our Easter cantata at church. It was quite a production. We had a few extra people singing that are either friends of the director or one of his HS students. In addition to being our church choir director, he teaches choir full-time at one of the local high schools. In addition, we had a full miniature orchestra with HS school students and friends of the director. We sang it twice in addition to a three hour rehearsal yesterday.










It was a pretty amazing experience to sing in a group with an orchestra recounting the path that Christ walked on his journey to the cross.


In other news, I'm fine after the bus accident. I was sore for about two days and after a couple of full doses of ibuprofen, I got over that. I already got a letter in the mail from the bus company asking for my statement about the accident. That was in Friday's mail. They're pretty darn fast!

As you may know, I've been making paper flowers to decorate our support carts for the upcoming Fiesta parade my son's high school band will be marching in. As part of chaperoning for the event and walking along in the parade, the chaperones are creating Fiesta hats. I started on mine this evening. Here's what I started with:




















One of the mom's ordered these for about $3 apiece. Couldn't pass that up! I started adding flowers in the primary scheme of our school's colors and then started going a little crazy. I hope the giant glue dots I used for the main flowers hang in there for at least a week! Here's what it looks like so far:





















The big wad of ribbon on the left side are curling ribbon streamers that will hang down the back. There's almost 75 yards of streamers on the back. And I still have to curl each one of them...sigh. Why do I do this to myself? I ran out of the little white flowers on the brim, so I'll have to make another trip to Hobby Lobby for some more, oh darn! (That's supposed to be dripping with sarcasm :-).

Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

What do you get when a Sephia tries to take on a city bus?


Quite a mess. I went to work today and I'm not any more sore than I was when I went to bed last night. Only difference is I haven't had any ibuprofen today. Oops!

I went to a luncheon today for a former manager from a different company that I left three years ago. He was the best manager I ever had. This gathering was for people who worked for him in the capacity that I worked under him. It was like a reunion and it was really good to catch up with people I haven't seen since I left.

Much of stuff I heard today made me sooooo glad that I don't work there any more. When a company goes from being a focused, family-oriented, service organization to a bottom-line driven conglomeration, things change a lot and they're not always for the better. My stress level is way lower than my former co-workers. At least I don't have to worry about being laid off any time soon.

Tonight is choir practice. We're rehearsing for our Easter Cantata on Sunday. It should be a really good one. There's nothing better than singing praises to God!

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

I got run over by a bus. No wait...

I had an interesting trip home from work this evening. I ride the bus from the suburbs to downtown and back several times a week. I know, that's not unusual for about 80% of the world, but in Texas, everyone drives their own car. What with gas prices and all, I figured for $25 a month, all I have to do is ride the bus once a week to pay for it, so why not?

I took an earlier bus after work today just so I'd have a little more time at home after working out when I got off the bus, but that wasn't to be. Halfway home our bus got rear-ended by a Kia Sephia! ph34r.gif Totalled the car. I was sitting in a sideways facing seat at the back and I could feel it when I got up to walk off the bus. Sort of like a sideways whiplash. They sent a replacement bus and I was planning to go ahead and work out, but as I stood there waiting, my side was getting more uncomfortable. I ended up going straight home to the ibuprofen. I think I'm going to be sore tomorrow.

When I get my cell phone/PDA/camera out of the car, I'll post a picture of a Kia trying to take on a 40-passenger city bus.

And I'm still making flowers. I've moved on from crepe paper to tissue paper for a little while. I'm using whole sheets of tissue paper and the flowers are coming out about a foot and a half across! Ha!

Monday, April 9, 2007

What am I working now?

What am I working on now? I'm probably going to have to put scrapbooking on hold for a few weeks while we're getting ready for Fiesta. This is the biggest party in San Antonio. It always happens around the week that contains San Jacinto Day. This was after the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution and it's what the Texians remembered at San Jacinto.

Fiesta lasts for 10 days and pretty much shuts down the city the whole time. There are three major parades: The River Parade, the Battle of Flowers Parade, and the Fiesta Flambeau Parade. The River Parade is just what it sounds like. They decorate river barges and floats and drive down the river through downtown. The Battle of Flowers Parade is on the second Friday of Fiesta and is one of the oldest continuous parades around. Our son's high school band, pep groups, and student council are in the parade this year, along with most of the other high schools in our district. The Flambeau parade takes place on the following Saturday night. Yes, it's a night parade. All of the floats and participants are lit up somehow.

As a band parent, I'm lucky enough to get to march in the parade in support of the band. We're allowed to have one golf cart per group, so we're decorating two golf carts, one for the band, one for the spirit groups. I'm currently making the paper flowers for them. Thsi is going to take forever! And I still have to decorate my hat! Oh I hope I don't run out of time.

How this for a schedule: Friday afternoon dentist to get my replacment crown, then immediately to concessions for 4 hours. Saturday: at the middle school where the spring BBQ fundraiser is at 5:30AM to start prepping, 9:00 AM rehearsal for the Easter Cantata till noon, then going to work from 10PM till hopefully not past midnight, but could go until 2AM. Sunday: two services (8:30 and 11:00) performing the Easter Cantata. I think I"m going to be exhausted by Sunday afternoon!

Wish me luck!

And now Easter is over

This Easter season has been almost as hectic as Christmas was, without the presents, though. It's actually not quite over, yet because our choir cantata is on the 15th, the week after Easter. We worked so hard on all of the Easter Sunday music that I'm a little concerned about the cantata music. We haven't worked on it that much.


We did have a family congregation at my aunt's house in Boerne, about 1/2 an hour away. Both sons were there, yeah! I was reading my last post and probably need to update the status of DS1. Not only has he quit his job at the sports company, he got the go ahead from his grandfather yesterday to go ahead with securing the space and the name for his new company. Grandpa's backing him in this venture.


DS1, I found out yesterday, may be uninvited to attend the University next semester. He's concerned about his grades. My prediction: He's going to get kicked out of school and spend his time building his business. At this point I think that may be a better route. Not every successful business person finishes college. And for me, if he doesn't finish college, but is successful otherwise, I can't ask for more. His grandfather didn't finish college and look who is DS's primary investor.


We've had a very busy spring band season with Winter Drumline and Concert and Sight Reading contest AND a parade coming up in three weeks. I'm proud to announce that DS2's concert band earned straight one's from every judge in concert and sight reading. That means they earned another sweepstakes (they had ones at marching contest in the fall). The school has been open five years and they still have the original band director. He's won sweepstakes every year at this school. Wow!