friend-to-friend

ADDRESS!

2006-12-18T16:47:00.000-05:00

Hey!! Here's the new address!
17740 Scherzinger Lane
Box 117
Canyon Country, CA 91387

Yeah!! We're almost all moved in! I'll post pics when we're done..... :)

Dear Friends

2006-12-13T15:20:00.000-05:00

I don't even know if you guys are still checking this - BUT! I just wanted to let you know that we are moving this weekend! I know you guys have been asking for my address, but I don't quite know what it is yet! ;) As soon as I know what it is I will post it! SORRY ABOUT THAT!

Things are crazy around here - my last day of work is Friday and I have a job interview for a place near where we are moving today - so HOPEFULLY that will work out! ;) We'll see - I'm just SOOO THANKFUL that for the first time in over a year and a half we will finally have our own place...and just in time for C-mas too! Gotta go! Love you all - SHARON, LET US KNOW AS SOON AS YOU PIC A WEDDING DAY SO WE CAN MAKE PLANS!!!

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Belated Birthday Keara!!!

2006-11-22T11:07:00.000-05:00

well - i hope that you all have a great thanksgiving. we're spending it with family and will be enjoying the vacation.

and keara - i'm so sorry that i missed your birthday. as soon as i get your address your card will be on the way. i can't even believe that i missed it. so i hope that it was wonderful.

have a fabulous holiday. can't wait to decorate for christmas!!! :) we'll be listening to christmas music. :)

Hola chicas

2006-11-12T18:12:00.000-05:00

Hey girls! I know that you probably think that I've fallen of the face of God's green earth - but I haven't! :) I'm still hanging in there. Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged! Things here are going well. It's been a crazy couple months, but the good news is that we are moving into our own place FINALLY by December 1st. I'm going to see all the things that I packed up and put into storage a year and a half ago. I'M SO EXCITED! It'll be like opening all my wedding presents again! Anyways, the Lord has moved in some crazy ways that we don't understand, but we are trusting Him to keep leading and guiding us. The church that we came out here to work with - well...that all fell through in a BIG way. So, we have just started attending a new church and hope to move to Santa Clarita (where our new church is) and start over. It's funny b/c the first Sunday that we went there we ran into Josh and Holly MacCarty (Fluth) That was a pleasant surprise! Anyways, so Dave is loving seminary and all that fun stuff - I never can understand why going to school can be fun, but apparently it's fun for Dave...weird... :) Well, that's a quick update on my life! Love you guys! Keara

A little humor and a hello

2006-11-07T10:55:00.000-05:00

No one seems to update this blog, so I thought I would. I just want to say hey to all of you and that I miss you all! Jen--call me sometime so we can figure out a time to hang out so you can meet Derek. Christina--love you and praying for you every day--hang in there. If you need me give me a call, I'm here for you! Keara--how is life treating you? I haven't heard from you a in a while and just checking in to see how you're doing.

love
Sharon

A little humor that I found in some archive e-mail file of mine:

The Dysfunctional Section of a Hallmark Store

Card 1. I always wanted to have someone to hold, someone to love. And now that you've come into my life...
(Inside card) -I've changed my mind.

Card 2. I must admit, you brought religion into my life....
(Inside card) -I never believed in Hell until I met you.

Card 3. As the days go by, I think how lucky I am....
(Inside card) -That you're not here to ruin it for me.

Card 4. Congratulations on your wedding day!...
(Inside card) -Too bad no one likes your husband.

Card 5. Someday I hope to marry...
(Inside card) -Someone other than you.

Card 6. Happy Birthday! You look great for your age....
(Inside card) -Almost lifelike!

Card 7. When we were together, you said you'd die for me...
(Inside card) -Now we've broken up, I think it's time to keep your promise.

Card 8. We've been friends for a very long time...
(Inside card) -What do you say we stop?

Card 9. I'm so miserable without you...
(Inside card) -It's almost like you're still here.

Card 10. Congratulations on your new bundle of joy....
(Inside card) -Did you ever find out who the father was?

Card 11. You are such a good friend. If we were on a sinking ship and there was only one life jacket...
(Inside card) -I'd miss you terribly and think of you often.

Card 12. Happy Birthday, Uncle Dad! (Available only in Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, and West Virginia.)

Card 13. Looking back over the years we've been together, I can't help but wonder...
(Inside card) -What was I thinking?

Pumpkin faces

2006-10-18T23:52:00.000-04:00

One of the things I like about Fall is pumpkin carving! So I thought I would bring that enjoyment to the blogging world! Have fun, and keep it clean! :-)

Carve your own pumpkin at pYzam.com!

HELLO OUT THERE!!!

2006-10-18T09:58:00.000-04:00

so i believe that we all check the blog but none of us ever find the time to post. so i have some questions:

Keara where are you? i haven't heard from you in a very very long time.

Anyway - i got to run - i hope that you all are doing well!
love you and miss you
-jen

yes - i do check the blog...

2006-10-09T16:23:00.000-04:00

charlie on the bean bag
Originally uploaded by jenandmark710.

but i have a hard time finding the time to actually blog on the blog. :) this is our pooch a couple of months ago. (maybe only one - i can't remember). this is at my parents house - he loves this bean bag. well he's 6 months old now which means that we can FINALLY get him fixed. thank goodness - now we just have to work it into our schedule. :)

well - i still haven't met derek (sorry if i spelled it wrong). we haven't been able to work that in either. but i know that both mark and i are really looking forward to it. we hope that you are all doing well. have a wonderful afternoon!

Does anyone read this anymore?

2006-10-08T20:29:00.000-04:00

Being a Believer is like being a pumpkin.

God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for the entire world to see.

Happy Halloween!

Fire Breathing

2006-09-22T12:21:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I don't have a picture of Derek, but I have this video link of him fire breathing. I'll work on the picture thing I promise.

http://crakatown.com/FALL%20IN%20FL%202005%20138.mpg

I don't know anything on why Dr. Zichterman left, but I can check on it for you guys with my connections:o)

Hope you guys are having a super day!
-Sharon

WOWEE!!!!

2006-09-21T10:15:00.000-04:00

Great Job Christina!!! the makeover looks great. definitely on your page too. i should have you do mine to since i'm seriously lacking in creativity in that department. and i'm also not quite sure how to do it. well - its been a while since i posted on here. not much going on. we're looking forward to playing calvary today. watch out sharon!!!

love you all - and miss you!!!
-jen

inquiring minds want to know

2006-09-14T10:16:00.000-04:00

Since I know that you all have been waiting with baited breath to know all the details of my life. . .I will now inform you so that you all can sleep tonight.

First things first. . . yes there has been a significant development in the area of a certain man in my life. His name is Derek and is in seminary here at Calvary. He has a desire to be a missionary someday, most likely to Argentina. Things are going well, we talk everyday for long periods of time and I have yet to be tired of his presence. . . which is a good sign. We are not officially dating yet, because we don't want to rush after only knowing each other for a couple weeks. On monday night we talked about intentions and future and stuff like that, so things are progressing quickly, relatively speaking. I don't have a picture yet, but here are a couple very coincidental facts:
1. His middle name is Jordan
2. He shares the same birthday as my dad

I hope that satisfies everyone's curiosity for the time being.

slightly confused!!!

2006-09-12T15:45:00.000-04:00

so - who posted that last post - i'm assuming that its keara. sorry that it has been forever. i feel like my life has ended since school started. our lives are crazy busy with prep for class and then sports and then youth group. we very rarely get a moments rest. hopefully we won't burn out this year. i'm kinda worried about mark although he is doing exactly what he loves.

i'm trying to remember what has happened since the last time that i wrote. probably nothing much - besides our ever consuming jobs we don't really do anything - isn't that sad. i think so!!! sometimes i look at my sisters in college and envy their easy going lives. :) but then being done going to school is wonderful. :)

so keara - what's up with you - you sound so depressed. hey if you ever need to talk - please call me!!!! you know that i'm always available. i haven't called you because i'm not sure your schedule and i don't want to call at a bad time. so let me know and i'll give you a buzz. anyway - i miss you all and i wish that we could get together again. i realized that its been over a year since i've seen chris or keara. how sad. maybe God will work out the details (like money) so that we could spend some time together. i know i would like that. well - love from "freezing" (compared to florida) cold delaware!!! - jen

2006-09-12T03:54:00.000-04:00

Hello! Anyone there?

Does ANYONE even read this anymore? I know you guys are busy and all, but come on!

I feel so isolated...

like I'm on an island or something...

I think I need a hug...

:-(

It's me

2006-08-30T05:47:00.000-04:00

Ok! I know there are some of you who think I have just dropped of the face of the earth, but I haven't... just been in and out of the Hospital since the 20th. (mostly in) I'm ok, I actually wasn't in for me. A good friend of mine, Brooke, was 29 weeks (7 months) pregnant and started to go into pre-term labor. Yeah, scary. Well, the good news is that she gave birth to a beautiful, healthy boy on the 28th. (which was just 30 weeks into her pregnancy) He only weighed 4lb and was 17 inches long. It was such a trying yet wonderful experience. I got to be with her when she gave birth, and I was with her just about every day (and night) she was in the hospital (Her husband is deployed to Iraq). It's a really long story, so I won't share everything, but God is so good and He has such perfect timing. We were all prepared for Luke to have lung problems, but he came out crying and he's breathing on his own. He still has some problems, but they should all get better as he gets older and gains weight. I was just there today and I got to see him again in the NICU. It's so funny I had started reading to him while he was still in mom's tummy, and I think he recognized my voice. This is the third birth I have seen... and not one of those has been my own. It's kinda like that saying, always a bridesmaid, never a bride... Wow! I really must really be sleep deprived, I'm starting not to make sense! I just have to say one more thing. I have the GREATEST husband. Throughout all of this he was so understanding. There were nights I would come home late, or not at all, and every time I asked him if I should come home or not stay he told me to stay with Brooke. Maybe he just needed a break from me :-) Anyway I really haven't gotten much sleep, but I just wanted to let you know what has been up with me. Here are some pictures of Luke and Brooke. Maybe I'll write more about the whole 8 days later... on a clear mind. Night! Yes, for those of you smart ones, I posted this same thing (minus one picture, lucky you) on my other blog. Sorry, I'm tired!

Luke Patrick Saltsman

He's so tiny, and all those monitors :-(

Brooke and Luke

A-W-K-W-A-R-D

2006-08-25T15:24:00.000-04:00

Sooo, girls, how do YOU deinfe awkward? Well, I define awkward as going to a party and running in to your ex-boyfriend and his wife. Yeah, this is a situation that is awkward on so many different levels. The awkwardness CAN be overcome if both parties are mature enough to realize that they are happily married and there were no hurt feelings in the past. HOWEVER, if one party happens to be INCREDIBLY immature about the whole thing - then, my dear friends, awkwardness abounds. It gets even worse when one party (me) makes a joke and the other party (my ex) laughs (because of course it is a funny joke!)and the third party (my ex's wife) shoots him a look that could kill and then they excuse themselves! Yeah, it just amazes me that people that are happily married can still live in the past about stuff like this! I've moved on! :) Oh well, Dave and I had lots of laughs about it later! :)

finally!!!!

2006-08-14T13:55:00.000-04:00

well - i tried to blog something yesterday and because i logged on as myself for my blog it went onto my blog instead of this one. so now that that is said...i will post.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA!!! so i think that i should get the props cause i called her at 3:30 in the morning. i can never remember that time change. and chris i think that that is the best birthday present ever. i would so trade the dog for that one. :)

so we moved christy in to her apartment in west virgina. lots of fun!!! then this weekend we went waterskiing with my fam. that really was fun except we all got sunburned except for steph and mark who slathered themselves with sunscreen. anyway - i had a nice week. i only have one more week of work left then start school preparation for which i am NOT looking forward to. oh well! i hope that you all have a great day!! love jen

magic8ball

2006-08-12T18:38:00.000-04:00

magic8ball
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Click Here to get this from FreeFlashToys.com!

Just for fun...

2006-08-09T15:39:00.000-04:00

Things you may not have known about me.....
A) 4 Jobs I have had in my life
1. Library in Pittsburgh
2. Slippery Rock Baptist Camp
3. Teaching in the Caribbean
4. Atkinson-Baker Court Reporters (my current job...) :)

B) Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. You've Got Mail
2. Braveheart
3. Hope Floats
4. National Treasure

C) Four places I have lived:
1. Pittsburgh, PA
2. Dunbar, WI
3. Caribbean
4. Burbank, CA

D) Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. America's Got Talent
2. Lost
3.
4.

E) Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Wyoming
2. Boston
3. Florida... Orlando ... Disney World!
4. Bequia (island in the Caribbean)

F) Websites I visit daily: (or semi-weekly)
1. my email
2. all my friend's blogs - there are about 50,000 of them!! :)
3.
4.

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Pizza... I could it eat it all the time....
2. chips and salsa (especially the chips with lime!!!)
3. anything with Chocolate
4. Spaghetti

H) Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Back at home in the Caribbean... I miss it....
2. Anywhere with Dave
3.
4.

Thank You!

2006-08-08T16:05:00.000-04:00

Thank You!
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Thank you guys! I am so blessed to have great friends like you. :-) You all are wonderful... even if you do call me at 3 am! You know who you are :-) Check out my blog page for the run down on how my day went. (sorry, it's to long to post twice) I love you all and thanks again! Oh if you're curious here is what the inside of the card says...

Hey ...
I figure what the heck ...
lay it on thick and
maybe you'll do it again!

LOVE YOU!!!!! :-)

Happy Birthday to Chris

2006-08-07T15:26:00.000-04:00

Hey girl! Happy Birthday! I hope that you had a happy Hawaiian birthday! I love you and am thinking about you!!

Love, Keara

P.S. Props to me for being the first one to give her a birthday call!! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA!. . . a day late:o(

2006-08-07T13:33:00.000-04:00

This entry is all for you Christina! Happy Birthday a day late! Sorry I did not get to post anything yesterday, but it does not mean I love you any less. I hope you had a fabulous day with Sam and your friends in Hawaii!!!

Thanks for being a great friend and a listening ear (especially the other day when I was having one of my "girly" moments). You are my favorite Hawaiin friend:o)

I send much love from Pennsylvania to you!

Love
Sharonowski

update from Sharon

2006-07-25T19:10:00.000-04:00

Ryan Timothy -2
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

So Timmy and Dana had their baby Saturday night. His name is Ryan Timothy Jordan and was 7 lbs 5 oz and 20 in. long. I assume that you can figure out that the picture is of Ryan.

I also purchased a new car. . . I posted a picture on my personal blog (www.sharjoy18.blogspot.com), so that you can take a look and help me come up with a new name for it.

I just got back from 2 weeks of camp so I am in recovery mode and enjoying a couple days off to catch up on life. I will write more later, but I have to run to meet friends for a barbeque:o)

Love you all!

jen got her act together!!!

2006-07-24T14:18:00.000-04:00

pose for the camera
Originally uploaded by jenandmark710.

so i finally got around to putting a picture on the blog. this is charlie. he is a little bigger now and growing rapidly. so far our summer is going okay. we're staying busy. mark is starting "camps" for sports as well as some open gym nights. so we've been busy. the first week in august we're moving christy - yup that's right. she's moving to west virginia - and we get to take her. it should be an interesting time. we might take the week off and visit phil and jodi - phil was in the wedding. :) they have a baby boy - by the way - his name is zachary and he's adorable. well hopefully i'll be able to post some pictures of our apartment as well. i love you guys and i hope that you have wonderful day!!!

I got a job!

2006-07-16T20:15:00.000-04:00

Yeah! I have good news!! After a couple weeks of waiting (somewhat impatiently) :) I have a job now! I'm so excited! It seems like a really great job and I'm so glad that everything has worked out! I thought if I was going to have to fill out another application or give out another resume I was going to SCREAM! :) But anyways, it's at this law office and I schedule meetings with attorneys and court reporters. Sounds interesting....NOT! :) But I am grateful! Actually, the company was founded by scientologist (but they promised that they wouldn't try to convert me- too bad I couldn't promise the same thing!) :) so that might make for some interesting stories. We'll see...they already made me read this supposedly "non-religious" handbook called "The Way to happiness..." Anyways, I love you all and hope you are all doing well!! Love, Keara

Sharon's ex-car

2006-07-11T23:43:00.000-04:00

Sharon's ex-car
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

So you heard Sharon's story, and I didn't know if everyone got to see the picture... so here she is, or was. My condolences Sharon. :-(

the end of a legacy

2006-07-08T14:26:00.000-04:00

Well, yesterday ended a legacy. . . my car, Stella. She was hit from behind unexpectedly and now the trunk resembles an accordian. Here's the story. . . I was on my way home from work and decided to drop by church. So I turn on my left turn signal to pull into the back driveway of our church. So I just come to a stop, waiting for a break in the opposing traffic lane and BOOM!!!!!! I was hit by on old Dodge Ram van. Poor Stella, so petite could not survive such a hit from such a monstrousity. I got out and my bumper was 10 feet behind my car and my trunk became part of my backseat. Good news is I am OK, the other driver's insurance will cover it and next weekend I will go shopping for a new car. God protected me and I am glad that it happened during the summer and not during the school year. I have a bit of soreness from whiplash, but that is all. Hopefully the soreness will go away before I head up to camp on Monday for the week to counsel 4th-6th graders!!!! Yipee:o)

Hey from LA!

2006-06-26T22:54:00.000-04:00

Hey guys!! I'm finally in LA!!!! Oh boy! It's crazy! So, we've been looking for jobs and hopefully we will find some soon! I'm applying at temp agencies and seeing what comes out of it! I'd appreciate your prayers! :)

Anyways, I don't know how wise it is to do this, but we just got a cell phone and I wanted to give you guys our number. It is 818-823-0537. It is verizon, so I don't know what you guys have, but if you have Verizon we can talk for free whenever, or something like that! :) If you don't have Verizon, that stinks cuz o the time change, (except for Christina), but hey- we can always talk on the weekends!

Love you all, Keara

a man's or woman's best friend

2006-06-23T10:36:00.000-04:00

well - i finally got my wish. i got a puppy for my very belated birthday. we got a chocolate lab. his name is charlie. i liked dexter and franklin, and christina suggested hershey. but this was the name that mark liked. i think that mark is more excited about this than i am. he never had a dog growing up so this is a big deal for him. he's trying to get him to fetch already. well - we got him yesterday in new jersey so we had quite a drive. but we made it. we got home and the poor puppy wouldn't move. he was so sad, but he started to perk up a little. last night we blocked him into the kitchen where there isn't any carpet, and he pooped all over the floor. oh well- so we had a fun morning to say the least. when we left for work this morning we shut him into our very large bathroom. mark said that he was crying. hopefully he will have an okay day. i will post pictures as soon as i can. thanks for all of your help. especially christina. i was so worried about him last night and she helped me get my mind off of it. i appreciate it hun!
well - i got to go.
love you all
jen

howdy to all!

2006-06-20T18:52:00.000-04:00

Last Day 1
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

Ok, so I couldn't think of an ingenious title, so you got stuck with a cheesy one. Anyway, this picture is of my 5th graders on the last day of school. They were definitely a little excitable that day -- as to be expected.

Summer break has been treating me well. Of course this is the first week where I actually felt a more calm schedule. From graduation parties, weddings to go to, and Jen Ostergard visiting, there wasn't much time to sit back and have some time to myself, until now. So, hopefully, I will post more often. . . but don't count on it:o)

Not much else to report on for life here in Lansdale, but I will try and keep you posted. I know that you are all waiting by your computers just to see the exciting life of Sharon Jordan. . . JUST KIDDING!

My theme for the summer

2006-06-19T21:18:00.000-04:00

So I've decided to just take it easy this summer you know relax, rest... just hang out at the beach and do nothing. :-) I have more to share but I have to go, so
to be continued...

The Life of the Party!!!

2006-06-19T11:26:00.000-04:00

well - an entry from jen the party can start NOW!!!

so keara it sounds like the trip is pretty exciting. mark and i are jealous that you and dave might go to hawaii. we just can't afford it right now. we're attempting to buy a house eventually. ugh. :) i understand how you feel about being nervous. moving to a new place is so difficult. last time at least we knew 1 person. now we don't really know anyone. there is always that weird feeling. and our apartment still doesn't feel like home. "home" what an interesting word. when we were in florida - "home" was always pa but now florida actually felt like home. mark said that he wouldn't miss it, but he has actually said that he does now.

right now i am working in a day camp that the school has. it is definitely not as organized as what i have experienced before. but what is funny is that some of the kids that are going to be in my class next year are here and they thought that i was a high schooler. funny huh! then i told them that i was 24 and their teacher for next year. it was great. but maybe i'll get a little more respect. we'll see. the kids are actually pretty well behaved (as far as city kids go). well - i should go. i hope that you all are doing well. i miss you all.

hey sharon - give me a call sometime - we should get together.

Hola Chicas!

2006-06-15T09:16:00.000-04:00

Hey girlies!
Just wanted to take the chance to say Hi! I am sitting in a coffee shop in Denver Colorado right now. I should be in Wyoming, but my parents car broke down and needs a new engine *sigh*, so we're not sure how long we will be here... Anyways, I guess it's a blessing being here because I've always wanted to explore Denver!! It's been nice so far! Well, soon enough (by a week from now) we will be in LA. Let me tell you something, I AM NERVOUS! I worried about finding a job, paying for seminary, meeting new people, etc... Probably the same things you are worried about Jen, except for the job part- I think you have that covered! :) Well, God knows, and I guess moving to LA couldn't be any more of a leap of faith than it was to move to a foreign country for a year! :) Well, I love you guys!
Hey Christina, Dave and I are seriously considering coming to Hawaii sometime since tickets from LA will be so much cheaper. I guess we'll just keep on watching fares, and see what happens! :)

Jen's Visit

2006-06-13T12:24:00.000-04:00

Jen and Me (philly trip)
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

Well, this week since school has been out, has been full of wonderful social activities. Jen came in over a week ago for a visit and left today. We spent the day in philly when she first came. . . and we even had a tour guide (Ryan), but we never made it to the historical district. . . hmmmm. . . Anyway, we also went up to Shyla and Nate and baby Jackson (who is adorable). Over this past weekend we had a spa/cafe with Sarah Zwart (Becker) and headed out to our singles camp. Jen met her long lost twin (anna munro), of which I will post pictures later. We hung out at my house on Sunday night and monday, and I just got back from taking her down to the airport.

Sorry, Jen that I didn't get to help you move this weekend, I wish I would have known earlier so that I could have made plans. Christina, I will check on prices to fly to Hawaii. . . but my budget is tight these days since I just paid $1000 to fix my car. Keara, did you get moved into California yet???? Hopefully all of us can get together sometime soon.

Love you all
Sharon

Long time no write...

2006-06-12T03:32:00.000-04:00

Hello my dears! I know it's been a while since I've written anything (I've been cheating on you all with my own blog) So this is a picture I took on our anniversary... on the boat. :-) Sorry, I just love saying that! We really did have such a great time. (This picture is crappy though, I hate it but it's the only one I took of the two of us) You can check out my blog page fore more details and more pictures.
I hope you all are doing well. Keara and Jen, I know moving sucks and I hope you get settled in soon. Sharon, I'm glad you are "free" for the summer. Enjoy yourself, relax, sleep in, and maybe go to the beach... Hey Hawaii sounds nice. You should try that! :-) I love you all!!!!

FINALLY!!!!

2006-06-06T10:56:00.000-04:00

we finally found a place to live - no not a house but a really nice apartment. we were a little disappointed about no house but hopefully we'll be able to save some money and buy a house within the next year or so. i will be sending you guys our new address and we'll be changing our cell phone numbers too.

Christina - i wanted to tell you happy belated anniversary. i can't believe its been two years already.

oh and guess who's birthday is only 1 week away??? pretty crazy. the years just seem to fly by.

anyway - i guess i will be talk to all of you later. miss you and love you! - jen

a little time to say hello

2006-06-01T19:14:00.000-04:00

Howdy one and all! I have not even had time to look at this blog for over a week, much less write anything. Sorry for my long blogging absence, but for 3 days I was out of town (helping Jen move-and yes, Jen, it was loooooong, especially day 2 driving). I have been wrapping up end of the year whatnot here at school, which obviously keeps me super busy. Between helping with our school field day, end of the year grades and awards, last day class party and actually being somewhat organized for the last few days of school. . . hmmm. . . not much time to do much else. Even with my blogging absence, all of you are in my thoughts and prayers everyday! I can not say how excited I am to have summer break just a few days away. My family and I will be going to the beach the next week for a little R & R, if you will. Jen Ostergard is flying in this Saturday to visit her sister, Jaime, and of course me:o) We will be spending the day down in Philly and then Sunday we are going to the beach after the morning service. . . yipee! I know this is full of random thoughts, but I am in a hurry and about to go off to Bible Study. By the way, Christina. . . love the change of our blog look! Variety is the spice of life:o) Love you all and miss you tons! (even you Jen after the 2 day travel up from Florida).

Love,
Sharon

back in the awesome north east!!!!

2006-06-01T17:46:00.000-04:00

well - we're back up north. the move was long - right sharon? we had a caravan from south florida to greenville, sc. we were helping some others move as well. but we made it. well mark and i have decided that we are going to rent for a year or two just to save some more money so that we could buy a house and not be quite so tight. but we made a deal that if we rent we can finally get a dog. we've been waiting awhile now we'll just have to see if it all works out. anyway my dad is doing well - he's walking around but still using crutches. he's definitely antsy. he's got 3 weeks to go. anyway - i guess i'll talk to ya'll later. i love you - jen

from Keara

2006-05-26T14:50:00.000-04:00

Hey guys!
It's me- the long-lost member of the fab4some! :) Just wanted to tell you guys that I am back in the States!! It has been a mixture of emotions being back, let me just tell you that! I miss all my Vincy friends, but of course, I love being back here! :) It's been interesting to adjust back to being in America after getting use to life in the West Indies. Also, Dave and I both picked up a few West Indian idiosyncrasies that are hard to shake! :) But it is nice to be back and we are looking forward now to moving to California! Hope all is well- let me know what's up with ya'll! :)

Pretty in Pink

2006-05-24T19:30:00.000-04:00

Friends and Roses
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Hey I decided to change up our blog a little bit. I hope you all like pink! Sam bought me some roses the other day and I thought I'd share them with you. If you look closely you can see a picture I have on my end table... look familiar anyone? :-) Yep, I keep you guys close always. I hope all is well with my traveling buddies. Everyone's moving, and no ones coming to see me! Hello!?! :-) Love you guys!

I finally broke 100!

2006-05-22T21:10:00.000-04:00

bowling106
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

No, I am not talking about my weight, I broke 100 years ago on that one. I am talking about bowling. I thoroughly stink at bowling, and the last time I bowled I scored a 22 (which was almost 2 years ago)! Well, last night a bunch of us went bowling and I scored 106! Now I could have had more if I had actually knocked some pins down on my last bowl to make my last spare count, but the pressure got to me. I even won on my lane--another first!

Life has been crazy, but good. In two days I leave to help Jen and Mark move up to Delaware, and I am in the midst of preparing for my subs. It's almost not worth taking days off for all the work you have to do to prepare to leave, but I will do it out of love for you Jen!

I hope you guys are having a fabulous week and your in my thoughts and prayers!

love,
Sharon

Tribute to My Man

2006-05-17T05:01:00.000-04:00

Navy Poster
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

So nothing much has been happening with me. I have been teaching K-3 these past weeks... which has been intresting. Actually today I was ready to not have any myself. They were driving me CRAZY!!!!! Anyway enough of that, I don't want to dwell on that anymore. Hopefully the rest of this week will be better. Well, it's late and I've not been sleeping well, so I'm going to get to bed. I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow. I just wanted to let you know I check the blog and think of you daily. I'll write more later. Love you all!

Sharon, I'm glad you got things "off your chest"
Jen & Keara, I hope your moves go well... I know how moving goes so I've been praying for you both :-)

thank you, thank you, thank you!

2006-05-12T11:22:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for your prayers this past week and this past month or so. God is teaching me a lot, and I am so thankful for friends who care and pray for you, especially in my time of need!

I am finally feeling somewhat emotionally normal, if that is even possible for a girl. There's nothing like not knowing if your going to start crying or not every day that you wake up, which is how it has been for the past month or so. I know that through these times, God brings me closest to Him, which is the most precious thing in the world!

Jen--I can't wait to see you at the end of this month (especially since I get to use some personal days)!

Christina--Well, hopefully this summer either you'll be able to come up here for a visit or I'll find the funds to visit you!

Keara--I'm just excited at the fact that your moving back to the mainland, and therefore we can catch up and keep in contact via cell phone!

I love you all!

love
Sharon

long time no talk

2006-05-10T22:38:00.000-04:00

well it has been a very long time since i have written. life has been absolutely crazy. we have been furiously packing or at least mark has been. :) we had some changes in plans and mark's sister christy is now moving with us. so that through everything out of wack, but with a little help from sharon who will be driving with us back to pa it should be a piece of cake. well my dad had double hip replacement surgery yesterday. i can't remember if i told you guys or not. he had very advanced arthritis in both hips - pretty much his hip joint was gone. well my mom said that he's doing okay but he's in a lot of pain. so please pray for him and for my mom. well not much else is going on. mark and i move on the 25th and we will hopefully be staying with my parents. lots of fun! well i hope that you all are doing great. i miss you all so much! -jen

Inquiring minds want to know...

2006-05-02T08:32:00.000-04:00

Sorry, I have been remiss in replying, I haven't been on the internet since friday afternoon! I wasn't just ignoring you! :) Well, we will be arriving back in the States on May 20th in the pm. I have to say that I have mixed emotions. I know I will be REALLY glad to be in the States, but I know also that I will miss all those that I know and love down here. I am already planning a trip to come back and visit next year! :)
So, we get back the 20th - we spend two weeks at Dave's house, and then we spend one week at my house. With my parents and my brother we drive across country to Cody, Wyoming where my grandparents live, spend a couple days there, and then Dave and I alone drive from there to California. :)
Well, as far as contact info- I know where we are living - I will get that address to you, when we first get out there we are living with someone til we get things figured out. We don't have cell phones yet, but are planning to get those also once we get to California. So, for right now, I guess my e-mail address would be my only contact info... sorry...
I think I'll post something a little later to tell you all a little bit about my weekend..... :) Love you all

feel good picture of the year!

2006-05-01T20:24:00.000-04:00

yuck!
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

This picture ought to make you feel great that you don't have fat roles on your calves! And for me. . . I figure if they found each other, there is hope for everyone.

So we are still waiting for a response from Keara. . . our long lost friend. Maybe someday we'll be able to hear her sweet voice again:o)

Nothing new to report on. I am pretty busy with planning my field trip and progress reports. Just thought I would send a little hello to everyone:o)

I love you all and Christina. . . I'm praying still about those plane tickets. . . keep me updated!!!!

Big Dog

2006-04-30T19:09:00.000-04:00

Big Dog
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

This is not a dog it's a horse! I don't know how I came across this picture, but I did. This is Gibson. He's a three year old Harlequin Great Dane (yes a he, can't you tell?) not a Dalmatian and he holds the record of being the tallest dog in the world. He's all tall as an NBA player! Ellen is 5'7½" and as you can see he is way taller! Just thought this was interesting and I wanted to pass it on. It's amazing what you can learn from the internet! :-) Have a great week.

KEARA!

2006-04-30T18:58:00.000-04:00

We are all wondering... When do you leave St. Vincent? Will you be going straight to California or stopping at home? Once you get to the "mainland" will we have any way of keeping in touch, like a cell phone or an address? (So many questions)
I do know you guys are busy and I'm praying for you cuz I know moving sometimes really stinks. Oh, and will Kopper get to come with you or do you have to leave him behind cuz that would be sad...
Love ya and praying for you all!

up close and personal

2006-04-26T16:27:00.000-04:00

kyle up close and personal
Originally uploaded by jenandmark710.

so this is our nephew kyle. he's 4. this picture was taken at christmas - he loves having his picture taken. :)
anyway - we have excellent news. we got the job in delaware - FINALLY!! now we just got to find a place to live - hopefully a house :). we've looked a little on line and found a couple of smaller house or townhomes that might work. we'll see - God has provided for us so far He'll provide for us now. i was telling christina that i have been learning my fair share of patience lately. :) anyway - i hope that you all are doing well. i love you and miss you.

God is good...

2006-04-24T20:41:00.000-04:00

sunset in Maui
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Hey all, I have some difficult news to share. I just found out (for sure) that I was pregnant... unfortunately I found this out because I had a miscarriage last night. I was suspicious about being pregnant, but I wasn't sure. I know God has a reason and I know it should be "easier" to handle since I didn't know for sure that I was pregnant. Actually that's not true, I knew. I was a month late and I just had that feeling...I knew. I'm waiting for a call from my doctor to figure out if I need to go in. It's just so weird cuz I don't know what I'm supposed to do or how I'm supposed to feel. I'm sad, but I know God spared me or my child from unknown suffering. I know I'm rambling but I'm still trying to piece my own thoughts together. I'd appreciate your prayers for Sam and myself. He has to put up with my emotional self. :-) I love you all very much.

Dialect

2006-04-24T09:15:00.000-04:00

I am going to include in this blog an e-mail that I got from one of my students, you see, they speak in dialect down here. It is a form of English. They do speak in English when the occasion calls for it, but when friends get together or in an informal situation, they speak in dialect. At times it is very frustrating to try to understand, but I think I can pretty much get it now. We have a visitor last week that said, "They aren't speaking English are they?!" Needless to say, the dialect combined with their thick accents makes for an interesting combination!! :)

me like how yo gwine leave arewe an gwinwe backa merica. but me nar tell yo nocnu, all arewe go see how farse yo ah reach back down ya. but in eh mean time me havefo ge yo enof dialec fo go bak. wen yo reach tell yo mumma and yo puppa howdy. wait ya- me navenu ge fu see yo buddey and greg before dem go wey. any way me garne arewe go ketchep.

Interesting, huh? Let me know if you figured it out!! :)

Love, Keara

Dialect

2006-04-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hey girls, Sorry it has been so long since I have written! I do read this blog all the time, though, and I love being updated on your lives.

I am including an e-mail one of my students sent me. They talk in dialect down here, and it's very hard to understand. We had a visitor last week, and he said , "They aren't speaking English are they?!" Well, they are, but it's a different kind of English. I can't speak it (well, I can speak some), but I can understand it now.

me like how yo gwine leave arewe an gwinwe backa merica. but me nar tell yo nocnu, all arewe go see how farse yo ah reach back down ya. but in eh mean time me havefo ge yo enof dialec fo go bak. wen yo reach tell yo mumma and yo puppa howdy. wait ya- me navenu ge fu see yo buddey and greg before dem go wey. any way me garne arewe go ketchep.

It might be easy to read, but hearing it is a whole nother story!! :)

an update from sharon

2006-04-18T19:22:00.000-04:00

Luke
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

First, this is a picture of my nephew, Luke. I thought this picture was absolutely adorable so I couldn't resist sharing it:o)

Here is an update on life here in PA. I do ask prayer for Pat Farnham and her family. She was in a serious accident on saturday afternoon. She is one of my friends, and my hair dresser. Her daughter-in-law teaches next door to me and her son is a Professor in our seminary. The outcome is not looking so great. If you want more details look at my other blog. . . (www.sharjoy18.blogspot.com) I just do not want to talk about anymore, because it is hitting me hard today.

I guess another happening in my life is the whole situation with Dan. Of course, he's probably reading this or one of his friends is reading it and reporting to him. So I won't get into details, just pray that I have patience, because on top of the Pat Farnham situation, it's just something extra that I do not want to have in my life. Of course this probably leaves you in curiousity, so you can check out my other blog as listed above under the post "letting go". It's definitely not like I hate him or despise him, I am just frustrated because there has been mistakes made on both parts.

God has been working BIG TIME in my life. Psalm 121 has become a very precious passage for me! My help comes from the LORD!

On the bright side, the weather is warming up here in PA, so recess has been great these past couple weeks:o) I love you all and keep me posted on how you are all doing! Oh and by the way Keara, when are you guys moving to CA exactly?

finally a new entry!!!

2006-04-17T09:35:00.000-04:00

jen and mark new years 3
Originally uploaded by jenandmark710.

well - i check to see if i missed any recent news, but no one has blogged anything!! well we (mark and i)checked out another school - this one is in delaware right near the pennsylvania border so that means that we are only about 1 hour from home and...SHARON!! it looks pretty good. its not a glamorous school or church, but their hearts are in the right place. mark is really excited about it - which is amazing because as we all know mark is pretty even keeled. anyway - they told us that they would let us know by wednesday or thursday at the latest. but we're not getting our hopes up because of last time...they still haven't called us by the way. :( well we go back to school tomorrow - ugh. and no funny news - i was telling sharon that everyone always has funny entries and mine are never funny. oh well. anyway - i hope that all of you are doing well and we'll keep you updated on the school deal - oh the best part is that since its such short notice we might have to live with mark's parents - and we all know how i feel about that! :) miss you all!

ahhh the memories. . . and a little something funny:o)

2006-04-05T14:52:00.000-04:00

Jen's Wedding Day
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

Remember this one girls??? I pulled up some old pictures from a picture CD I had from almost 2 years ago! We all looked so beautiful that day, especially you Jen:o) Hope that brings back some wonderful memories. Oh and by the way Christina, I got lots of compliments on my curly hair:o)

And now a little something funny. A little twist on "Little Red Riding Hood". . .

Little Red Riding Hood is skipping down the road when she sees a big bad wolf crouched down behind a log.

"My, what big eyes you have, Mr. Wolf."

The wolf jumps up and runs away. Further down the road Little Red Riding Hood sees the wolf again and this time he is crouched behind a bush. "My what big ears you have, Mr. Wolf."

Again the wolf jumps up and runs away. About two miles down the road Little Red Riding Hood sees the wolf again and this time he is crouched down behind a rock. "My what big teeth you have Mr. Wolf."

With that the wolf jumps up and screams, "Will you knock it off, I'm
trying to poop!"

Fab 4

2006-04-04T00:13:00.000-04:00

Fab 4
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

I found the slide show that was shown at the senior banquet and I got tons of pictures. :-) Don't we all look so pretty in the snow... stupid snow! And doesn't Sharon's hair look so nice and curly :-)

ode to my friends. . . from sharon

2006-04-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

dogwood-blossoms
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

Well, this really won't be an ode, or in any poetic form, but I figured I would make the title interesting.

Jen, I'm sorry that things did not work out for you guys to go to North Carolina. I will continue to pray for you that God leads you where He wants you to go. Remember that God is rarely early, and He is never late. I love you!

Christina, well I guess Magnum is a good name for your dog. Although I did get a kick out of Jen's suggestion of Denny. I love you!

Keara, I hope all is going well for you and Dave in St. Vincent. You are in my thoughts and prayers. I even have my 5th graders pray for you. They love the fact that I have friends in tropical places. I love you!

Any new updates with me you ask??? Well, just the usual mostly. Tomorrow we start Stanford Achievement tests. . . yahoo:o( On the personal side, there's a lot going on with different relationships. No, none of them deal with dating, so don't get your hopes up for a wedding anytime soon. I just ask for your prayers. Hope you guys have a fabulous day!

my class

2006-04-02T17:25:00.000-04:00

my class
Originally uploaded by jenandmark710.

yup.. this is my class! they all shaped up right away when i told them that it was going to be on my blog. they're a pretty good group. anyway - we're soooo :) upset that we lost the name game. anyway - we actually talked about talking to hanalani again. we'll see! well i'll write more later!

And the winner is...

2006-04-01T01:35:00.000-05:00

Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Sam cuz I have to live with him! Sorry Jen! Although I did like Todd cuz then he and Copper could be friends. :-) So the official name is Magnum, no not PI, but like the Dodge Magnum. Yeah, I know but once you hear about how we got him you'll understand why I let Sam name him.
It was like a movie. Sam wanted to take me to the Humane Society. It was raining (tons!) We are going on 41 days of straight rain, worse than Noah! But that's another long story. All the dogs were soaking wet, and most were hiding in the back of the kennels where it was dry. But not this little guy, he saw Sam and came running to him, and Sam was like "I want that one" but I was not really feeling it. But Sam was adamant about seeing him. So we took him out of the kennel to look at him and dried him off a little. It was interesting cuz the areas they normally set aside for that were outside in the rain, so we were stuck in this little bitty room. :-) Anyway, as he started drying off and getting used to us, I fell in love (Sam already knew he wanted him) and we took him home that very day! Yeah, totally not ready for a dog but we didn't want him stuck there in the rain for another night. He is such our baby! I went in to the Church today to put up my bulletin board and took him with me. :-) He was so good, and his personality is too funny! He’s like a little person. I know I keep rambling on about him, but he's like my baby now. :-)
Well, before I go I'll answer the "would you rather" question...
I would rather know everyone's future and not tell cuz I could do things to help people and cuz I'm just nosey. :-)

Oh, one more thing Jen, since NC didn't work out, I think its God trying to tell you to come teach in Hawaii. Come on, Keara will be close and come visit and with two of us here Sharon would have to suck it up and come visit. :-) Just a thought.
I love you guys very much and miss you tons!

Victory!!! ... and Defeat

2006-03-31T22:43:00.000-05:00

mark thinks that every title i put in there is stupid and he says "oh brother". so steph is over this weekend and we really want to win the dog name contest - what's the prize? a fully paid trip to hawaii!!! :) he's grammar checking my blog too. how annoying i hate it when people read over my shoulder. :)

so here are our choices:
1. Denny (just for sharon although it isn't very manly but it could work :) ) just kidding
for real #2 Brutis
3. Jonathon Hamilton said that any of the Roman Emperors would be good like for instance: Nero or Vespucian :)
4. Sparky is cute but not very manly
5. how about Stuart after Stuart Little

well hopefully those will help :) we want to win!!! there's that horrible competitive nature of mine :). oh we also tossed around orlando bloom although there is little resemblance :).
and now to the not so victorious part.

i told all of you about our trip to wilminton and it went wonderful. we enjoyed it so much and really felt that this was where God wanted us. but we got the call yesterday and the administrator told us that he didn't feel a peace about us coming and working there. we were shocked and extremely disappointed. i felt so strung along - they made it sound like we had the job and then pulled it away from us. anyway - we're looking into other schools AGAIN!!! how horrible. i thought that this would at least be a little easier. we did get a call from a school in delaware and they worked out the pay so we could try and afford a house. it sounds like they will also work with us on mark's position. anyway - be praying for us that God will provide a job for us in His perfect timing and that we will have the patience to wait for it.
i love you all and miss you!!

sharon's random thoughts. . .

2006-03-31T13:24:00.000-05:00

massive bra
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

OK, so it's friday, and a whole week went by and ONLY Christina and myself responded to last weeks "Would You Rather. . . " So, this week I will make it easy, and I'll only have one question (that way you can go back and answer the ones you missed last week). So here is the question of the week:

WOULD YOU RATHER choose to see your future (without being able to change it) OR know everyone's future and not be able to tell them?

Here are some random "Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey to leave you with this weekend. . .

Children need encouragement. So if a kid gets an answer right, tell him it was a lucky guess. That way, he develops a good, lucky feeling.

Instead of burning a guy at the stake, what about burning him at the stilts? It probably lasts longer, plus it moves around.

The first thing was, I learned to forgive myself. Then I told myself, "Go ahead and do whatever you want, it's okay by me."

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST. . .
Instead of a Seeing Eye dog, what about a gun? It's cheaper than a dog, plus it you walk around shooting all the time, people are going to get out of the way. Cars too!

Remember...

2006-03-31T13:18:00.000-05:00

Hey! Just wanted to remind you guys, if you didn't already remember, that today is the two year anniversary of the accident involving Mego and Emily. Just keep their families in your prayers today and in the upcoming days, as I am sure that they are dealing with some painful memories.
Love you all, Keara

Aww cute!

2006-03-30T22:26:00.000-05:00

Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

I forgot to say he's a Welsh Corgie mix we got form the Humane Society. He's about a year old. He's gonna stay a small dog so maybe a manly name... I don't know... HELP!

Sam and .....

2006-03-30T22:22:00.000-05:00

Sam and .....
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

WE GOT A DOG!! Here is the newest member of the Porter family but we don't have a name for him yet. What do you guys think? He's small, only 23 lb, with short stubby legs, but very cute. :-) Let's have a name Christina's dog contest. Sam likes Dodge or Buddy. I'll post another picture so you can see his face better. :-)

It's Keara

2006-03-29T07:46:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't written in a while, but my in-laws have been here - yeah, I think that speaks for itself! Anyways, loved the pics!! I thought I would send a little post of my own!

How well do you know me?
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Librarian in downtown Pgh
2. Camp Counselor (6 summers)
3. Grad Studies Sec (4 years)
4. Teacher/Sec at BBCC

Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. You've Got Mail
2. Braveheart
3. Bewitched
4. Elf

Four places you have lived:
1. Perkaisie, PA
2. Pittsburgh, PA
3. NBBC
4. St. Vincent W.I. (next stop, CA) :)

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Lost
2. Everybody Loves Raymond
3. Friends
4.

Four places you have been on vacation
1. Wyoming
2. Disney
3. California
4. Bequia

Four websites I visit daily:
1. All my friends blogs
2. Lost forum
3.
4.

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Pizza
2. Potatos in any way shape or form! (I'm Irish, ok)
3. Icecream
4. Roti

Four places I would rather be right now
1. Actually, I am finally content where I am at
2. (although a nice cold Starbucks Frap would be nice!)
3.
4.

intimidation

2006-03-28T01:54:00.000-05:00

intimidation
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

I LOVE this picture! Too funny!

Sharon's Response

2006-03-27T19:39:00.000-05:00

First to the would you rather questions:
1. I guess speeding tickets for life. That way little stella (my car) can speed away. . .
2. I would say not cheat and everybody think that I did. But it would be extremely hard if my husband thought I did.
3. Husband develop the worst case. For one, I don't have a husband yet, and I can't stand popping zits:o(
4. I would go for my mom, but either way it would be scarring for life! The images I wouldn't be able to get it out of my head.
5. Cockroaches, for one I can't stand anything slimy. I'd rather ease into a tub of cockroaches and hope not to squish anything, besides tabocco spit . . . eww gross!
6. I'd say toenail, it isn't half as big as an entire armpit! Either way I'd have to resign myself to getting sick or catching some rare disease!
7. Sit on a lighted barbecue grill. It makes cringe just to even think of chewing on broken glass. I figure I could just hop on the grill and get right off.
8. This one is the hardest for me. Either one makes me sick to even think about the pain and discomfort! I guess the papercut, but it all depends on how big it was and if it would be permanently damaging to my eyesight.

I'm waiting patiently for Keara and Jen's response. Let's not be party-poopers girls:o) Just kidding, I know your busy.

Well, Jen you'll have to get me a picture of this kid Ben. I have lost all pride when it comes to being set up with someone. Before I always thought that only desperate people would be set up, but I guess as turning the corner to be the ripe old age of 24, I am up for a new adventure! So bring it on. . .

Christina, I love those de-motivational posters! They are seriously a crack up! Oh and thanks for listening to my ramblings this past week and weekend:o)

Keara, I hope all is going well for you in St. Vincent! I miss you tons and I can't wait til you move back to the mainland so we all can see you again:o)

To you all. . . I love you and praying for you all everyday! I thank God for each one of you!

Dedicated To Sharon

2006-03-26T00:19:00.000-05:00

destiny
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Sharon, this is the one I was talking to you about on Saturday. Maybe Dan is ment for you... as punishment. :-) Just kidding, but it is a nice little thing to chuckle about. Trust me both Sam and I feel this way at moments (I think you do in all relationships!). There is a fine line between love and hate sometimes. :-) I love you all my little punishemnts. :-)
Chris

cluelessness

2006-03-25T18:57:00.000-05:00

cluelessness
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Here is another one that we, as teachers, can all appreciate. :-)

great picture

2006-03-25T09:42:00.000-05:00

hey that picture is great!!! it made even mark chuckle a little bit. and those would you rather questions are (as my mom would say) d-e-sgusting!!! so we think that we are going to move to nc. in fact we're about 98% sure...we just need for them to offer us a contract. and we also found sharon's long - lost love. i couldn't get a close enough picture to put on here, but we will definitely try. :) have a wonderful day

wishes

2006-03-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

wishes
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

I would rather (yea, their back!)

2006-03-24T21:41:00.000-05:00

Luau
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

WOULD YOU RATHER. . .

1.be exempt from speeding tickets for life, although gas here is Hawaii is super expensive, but I'll stick with the speeding tickets. :-)

2.not cheat and have everybody think you did cuz God would still know...

3.have your spouse suffer with it cuz I hate having zits!

4.Both my parents are very fit and I'm sure they will be when they are 60, but I'd have to go with seeing my mom in the thong cuz that would be less tramatic for me. :-)

5.dive naked head first into a pool of chewing tobacco spit. Cockroaches could crawl into your ears or nose and I HATE roaches! No fear factor for me!

6. This is so gross! Who comes up with these?!? I guess I'd rather chew the toenail of a dirty man's foot... yuck!

7.sit on a lighted barbecue grill... maybe it'll burn some fat off :-)

8.paper cut on your eyeball, something about the biting the curb thing is like running finger nails down a chalk board. It makes me cringe inside!

I would rather

2006-03-24T21:26:00.000-05:00

Luau
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

BY REQUEST. . . Would You Rather. . .

2006-03-24T15:26:00.000-05:00

Here are the following questions to answer. You have to take the question at face value and you can not change the results by having plastic surgery or hair removal. As usual, it is more interesting if you say why you chose what you chose and you can not say neither or both. I'll start off with some easier ones.

WOULD YOU RATHER. . .

1. Get free gas for a year OR be exempt from speeding tickets for life?

2. Cheat on your spouse and have nobody know OR not cheat and have everybody think you did?

3. Develop the worst case of acne ever recorded OR have your spouse suffer with it?

4. Be on vacation with your 60-year-old parents and have your mom insist on wearing a thong bikini OR have your dad insist on wearing a tiny, Euro-style bikini bathing suit?

5. Immerse your naked body in a bathtub of cockroaches OR dive naked head first into a pool of chewing tobacco spit?

6. Chew a piece of toenail of a dirty man's foot OR thoroughly lick his unshowered armpit?

7. Chew shards of broken glass OR sit on a lighted barbecue grill?

8. Bite the curb and get kicked in the back of your head OR get a paper cut on your eyeball?

HOPE YOU ENJOY THE MENTAL PICTURES! I can't wait to see what you guys think:o)

what to say!!

2006-03-22T22:54:00.000-05:00

well - i once again have no pictures. i just wanted to let you know that we're going to go see a school in nc this weekend. so please be praying that God will show us where he wants us. i miss you guys! love - jen

what to say!

2006-03-22T22:48:00.000-05:00

well - once again no pictures from jen,but i'm working on it. i'm not quite sure what to say - i wanted to let you all know that we are going to be gone this weekend so i won't be writing. but you could pray that God will lead us to the place that he wants us. the other place we're looking at wants mark to do all kinds of stuff. like - athletic director, elementary and high school p.e., bible, history, science, coaching, and music, and youth pastor. my dad asked if they were going to pay 100,o00 dollars :) - yeah right its a christian school :) anyway - we're really hoping that this weekend works out. hope that all is well! love ya - jen

bringing back a classic. . .more cheese please!

2006-03-22T14:22:00.000-05:00

cheese:o)
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

You have to click on the cartoon to be able to read it. I thought I would bring back a classic:o) How could we ever forget our favorite snack. . . CHEESE! Keara, remember Jay Hall being allergic to cheese. . . and cheese makes you constipated. . . .khehehehe:o) I will send you all some laxatives, since I won't be needing it for a LONG time! Have a great day everyone. . .

Christina. . . I will post some more would you rather on friday. Give you something to look forward to.

reality...

2006-03-22T02:33:00.000-05:00

reality
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

This is so what I think every morning when I wake up for work. What I wouldn't give to live how I dream. I would have no worries, I'd also be confident, skinny, rich, and alot smarter. :-) Reality stinks sometimes, huh. Seriously though. Did you ever stop and think about where you are today and if it matches where you thought you'd be? Kinda scary. Now don't get me wrong I love my life and I love where I am at, it's just intresting to see how diffrent it is from my "childhood" dreams. I wanted to be a marine biologist and a dolphin trainer and work at Sea World. :-) Crazy huh. :-) Well, it good to know that God is in control of my life and not me, cuz who knows how that would of turned out. :-) Sharon I'm waiting for more "would you rather" questions. Come on slacker, hook a sister up! Oh I almost forgot, I saw Chris Lownes and Tommy Arndt the other day. It was fun to talk about old times. Hey, he's still not dating... and he'll be at Highpoint this summer. You know in case anyone's intersted... I'll end now before I get myself in trouble, plus Sam is waiting for me cuz he's ready for bed. Grrrr! Night Lady's!

It's a GIRL!

2006-03-21T08:16:00.000-05:00

Haven Faith Sauers (isn't that an AWESOME name!?) was born on Sunday night!! She was seven pounds (something ounces) :) and has strawberry blonde hair!! (Kelli has a pic on her blog site!) She looks BEAUTIFUL!! Just thought I'd share!! Love, Keara

For Sharon

2006-03-21T04:24:00.000-05:00

*Yeah! It finally worked!!!!

Ok maybe third times the charm... I've tried to post this message for Sharon three times already and for some reason it won't let me! Anyway, I will make it short and sweet cuz I'm not even sure it will go through.
Sharon, I am so very sorry for forgetting your birthday. I am a horrible friend! (I must confess, I have none of your b-days) I love you and I'm praying for you. I'm also praying this blog will post or else I just might scream! When you come to Hawaii, I'll make it up to you, k. :-)

Love,
Chris (who else!)

before & after

2006-03-19T03:38:00.000-05:00

before & after
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Well here is some progress. I actually have a kitchen floor. :-) We still have a lot to go but I just wanted to give ya'll an update. There is still time for you to help! Nighty, night girlies!

*sorry for the picture quality, if it's really bad I'll re-post the picture. :-)

Cleaning

2006-03-18T17:57:00.000-05:00

lazyness
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Ok, today Sam and I are cleaning and unpacking the house... and this is so how I feel! I wish I had a magic wand that I could flick and make it all go away into its proper place. I hate cleaning! But you all know that from living with me. My problem is I can't seem to get motivated enough to get my butt going. Anyway, I need to stop procrastinating and get to cleaning and putting stuff away! I love you all! :-)

sorry about that

2006-03-17T21:07:00.000-05:00

hey i'm sorry about the double blog - i was having trouble last night plus i was tired. oops! anyway - sorry about that - love ya - jen

SURPRISE

2006-03-17T16:17:00.000-05:00

Surprise B-Day1
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

My students have conveniently planned a surprise birthday party for me today. Well, I can not say I was exactly surprised, but I know that they were so excited about it. 5th graders are not that secretive as they think they are, so it gave a few good chuckles through out the week. They planned and conspired behind my back, sort of, and the result was a very fun and relaxing time this afternoon.

They "hid" the surprise by pretending to take a survey for a newspaper article. They asked me questions like: "What kind of cake do you like?" or "What kind of icing do you like?" or "What's your favorite color?" or "What do you want for your birthday?" They did well with the planning and getting the materials together, but of course I had to clean it up. . . oh well.

ahhh - so tired!!!

2006-03-16T22:35:00.000-05:00

i am so tired and i just tried to write a blog but then it wouldn't let me publish it. irritating - i hate computers. so i just finished my grades for the 3rd quarter. i hate that part of teaching. so we finally heard from our top choice in schools - its in wilmington, nc we're going to visit next weekend. we also heard from a school in wilmington, de. 45 minutes from home - perfect distance definitely not too close :) so i guess we'll have to see. oh and christina i would love to come help you with the boxes if you'll pay for the plane ticket :). love ya - jen

ahhh...so tired

2006-03-16T22:16:00.000-05:00

i haven't written in awhile...i feel so busy. i just finished my grades for the 3rd quarter. of all the things i don't like about teaching i think that this is number 1. ugh...the comments on the back are the worst. some kids are hard to think of good things for. :) anyway- i have been learning a lot about trusting God lately. we finally got a call from the school that we are the most interested in. it has been so long - we're going to visit wilmington, nc next weekend. we also found another school in wilmington, de (45 minutes from home). the perfect distance - not too close - not too far. you know how it is. anyway- mark is sleeping on the couch next to me - i wish i was sleeping - oh well. i hope that all is well and i will keep you posted on the job situation. oh and christina i would love to come help you unpack if you'll pay for the plane ticket :) !!! love ya!!! - jen

awesome....

2006-03-16T10:02:00.000-05:00

I just started reading in the book of Jeremiah this morning and I came across something awesome! I never noticed this verse before:
Jeremiah 5:22: Do you not fear me? declares the LORD; Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it.
Living where we do, we hear all day and all night the constant roaring of the ocean. We are always hearing the waves crashing and pounding, and sometimes (like during hurricane season) the noise is deafening! But the thing is, that God has set a limit for the ocean it can only go as far as He allows it! The waves at sometimes can be 20 feet high when the water is choppy, and even though the waves are so powerful and they would kill a human, God is in control. As mighty and as awesome as they are, there is Someone that is always keeping them "in line." :) What an amazing thought!
He created it; He is holding it in motion; all things submit to His powerful control!

Deeper Thoughts. . .

2006-03-14T12:35:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Dinner 004
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

Here are some more deeper thoughts for you to recall and contemplate:

1. If you ever catch on fire, try to avoid seeing yourself in the mirror, because I bet that's what really throws into a panic.

2. One day one of my little nephews came up to me and asked me if the equator was a real line that went around the Earth, or just an imaginary one. I had to laugh. Laugh and laugh. Because I didn't know, and I thought that maybe by laughing he would forget what he asked me.

3. When you're going up the stairs and you take a step, kick the other leg up high behind you to keep people from following too close.

4. If you ever reach enlightenment while you're drinking a beer, I bet it makes beer shoot out your nose.

5. I bet a funny thing about driving a car off a cliff is, while you're in midair, you still hit those brakes! Hey, better try the emergency brake!

6. As the light changed from red to green to yellow and back to red again, I sat there thinking about life. Was it nothing more than a bunch of honking and yelling? Sometimes it seemed that way.

7. The wise man can pick up a grain of sand and envision a whole universe. But the stupid man will just lay down on some seaweed and roll around until he's completely draped in it. Then he'll stand up and go, "Hey, I'm Vine Man."

Hope you guys enjoyed that blast from the past. I love you all!
Love
Sharon

Maybe you already know......

2006-03-14T09:14:00.000-05:00

Maybe you guys already know this, but many of our Northland Friends are creating their own blogs! Somehow yesterday I got all wrapped up in going from blog to blog and discovering more and more blogs for people we know! :) How exciting!! Well, I thought I would post them for you guys so that you coud check them out too!! Pretty cool, huh! If you know of any that aren't on the list, please post them 'cuz I'd like to check them out! Love ya tons, Keara

http://heston-kelli.blogspot.com/
http://katesjourneys.blogspot.com/
http://conleyclan.blogspot.com/
http://lauraland17.blogspot.com/
http://timandjules.blogspot.com/
http://mjmuth.blogspot.com/

Kim and the girls

2006-03-14T05:54:00.000-05:00

Kim and the girls
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Look what I found on Northland's Web page. It's Kim and the girls from Northwoods in the background! Cool huh. It's one in the morning and I'm still up cuz Sam has duty and I hate sleeping by myself. I like to snuggle. :-) But I should get some sleep cuz I gotta work tomorrow!
Chris

This is my kitchen

2006-03-14T05:07:00.000-05:00

kitchen
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

Yikes!!!! What a mess!!! Who wants to come help me unpack? Any takers? :-)

Sam and Me

2006-03-14T05:06:00.000-05:00

Sam and Me
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

So it's been a while since anyone's written anything so I thought I'd break the cycle. I have been keeping busy with work and trying to de-box my house... I'll show you a picture later of my kitchen (it's really bad). Other than that nothing new is going on with us. We went dog shopping this weekend. I would love to have a dog, but I'm still unsure about the whole thing. I've heard rumors that a Northland team is here in Hawaii and I think Chris Lownes is here with them. So I might have more to say when I find out more. Remember when we snuck Chris off campus in the trunk of my car! :-) Oh and the "disappearing" pizza. Ah, good times, great fun. Well, have a great night, I love you all!

the LOVE sac. . .and deep thoughts

2006-03-13T19:58:00.000-05:00

neices and nephews 018
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

I do not know how much I have told you about this amazing purchase of mine. It is called a Love Sac. It is like a giant beanbag chair that molds to you! I have taken many a nap in this wonderful contraption and in the picture my neice and nephew are enjoying the luxurious accomodations that it provides.

So tonight at dinner, I had brought back to my mind "Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey. Remember those little books full of nonsense?? Oh how they made us laugh in the daily grind and at Barnes and Noble! So I leave you with one:

"Sometimes I think I'd be better off dead. No, wait. Not me, YOU!"

update from PA!

2006-03-10T14:17:00.000-05:00

thackers and me
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

Hey kids! I am finally updating you on life this week (which I know you are waiting with baited breath). The picture is of Melissa Thacker, her sister Melanie, and myself at their house over Christmas break. I had spent a few days visiting her during my days off.

As you all know life here is crazy busy, and probably goes the same for all of you. There has been a lot of sudden and unexpected deaths. Nathan Branine's cousin died in a motorcycle accident on Wednesday and he is heading down for the funeral today. The funeral is tomorrow at 2. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. Please keep praying for the Homontowski family because they are having a rough time with the loss of Arlene, which is to be expected. Especially pray as all the relatives and friends start travelling home over the weekend. I am hoping to go out in the next week or two to see them, if I can gather the funds.

School is busy as well, and today it is beautiful outside! It is a balmy 72 degrees, which I know is cold for you guys, but for us northerners, it's time to break out the shorts!

Keara--I am completely jealous, still, of the fact that you got to see in person the pirates set! That is my all time favorite movie and I can't wait for the sequal that comes out July 7th!

Love you all, praying for you and have a great weekend. . .

Sharonowski

hot stuff!

2006-03-09T20:59:00.000-05:00

j and m - dressup
Originally uploaded by jenandmark710.

this is mark and i in our apartment. we were dressing up for this hide and seek thing for the youth group. it was a lot of fun. anyway - it sounds like ya'll are doing so well. i miss everybody so much. i told mark about the st. vincent trip. it would be so much fun - but who knows. we still don't know much about next year, but we're open to the possibilities so if you here anything let us know :).

Pirates of the Caribbean Set

2006-03-09T07:57:00.000-05:00

Pirates of the Caribbean Set
Originally uploaded by stvincentorbust.

Hey guys!! A happy "almost weekend" day to you all!! I love Thursdays! Anyways, this in on my photo stream (which you guys should check out), but I thought I'd send it to the blog! This is on the Pirates of the Caribbean Set. This pic was taken from the dock where Depp jumps up on that tall crane looking thing and swings around (that is still there, by the way, maybe more pics later) Anyways, the rock that you see next to this cliff is where in the beginning of the movie, Depp sails past and sees some fellow pirates hanging! Pretty cool, huh? Anyways, you guys should come to visit (Mark and Jen, it's only about $400 from Miami to get down here!) For free lodging and food in a Caribbean paridise, it would be worth it! Think about it..... Love you all!

Casting Crowns Concert

2006-03-07T12:39:00.000-05:00

Casting Crowns Concert
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

This past November I went to see Casting Crowns Lifesong Tour Concert. IT WAS AWESOME! The group gave testimonies before each song and just made the songs more meaningful. The only hokey part was their opening band, Building 429. I could not understand what they were singing, and a little too hard core for me. The picture is of the view from my seat. . . the nose bleed section, but it was worth it! If they ever come back around again, I'm definitely booking early (maybe actually get a good seat).

Keara and Older Kopper

2006-03-07T08:25:00.000-05:00

Keara and Older Kopper
Originally uploaded by stvincentorbust.

Hey guys!! I finally figured out this picture thing!!

This is me and my dog (duh!) :) We picked him up as a stray down here when he was teeny-tiny, not old enough to be away from his mom. They treat dogs rough down here, so by the time we got him, he had already had a patch burned out of his side, a limp paw, and fleas, worms and ticks galore! But with a little TLC, he is healthy and stong! He has become the campus mascot and all the students LOVE him! They feed him leftover scraps from evey meal and he pretty much has the run of the campus!

In sort of a weird way, he has been a gift from God. He bridged the gap between us and the students better than anything else could have. The students were hesitant to come down to our apartment and make friends with us at first, but once we got Kopper, all that changed. Kopper was an excuse for them to come down to our apartment, and the more often they did that, the more comfotable they became with visiting us and with us.

Anyways, so I just thought I would share this with you guys! Since I figured out this photo thing, you guys are probably going to be hearing alot more from me! Whether you like it or not!!! :)

Love, Keara

Mi famila

2006-03-06T15:53:00.000-05:00

Mi famila
Originally uploaded by samtheman61280.

So this is my brothers and sisters as you probably guessed. This was taken when Sam and I went to the mainland to visit our families. I miss them!!!! Aren't they too cute! Anyway I thought you'd enjoy seeing them all "grown up" :-) Luv ya!

i don't know what to think. . .

2006-03-06T14:20:00.000-05:00

neices and nephews 019
Originally uploaded by sharjoy18.

Well, first off, am I only worth a mere 40 bags of coffee to be married off to some joe shmoe? I think you need to up the dowry amount. I might need as much help as I can get in that area anyway:o)

Just wanted to let you know (I think I e-mailed it to you as well), that Mrs. Arlene Homontowski died last night in a car accident. She was from my extension church and is probably in her mid to late 40s. Her daughter you would probably know, Tara Homontowski. So please pray for the family.