Ramirez and Ortiz

There will always be a special place in my heart for these two boys and one other Johnny Damon who brought the Red Sox to the play offs in 2003.
It makes me sad however in recent news to hear that they both have been in the press for alledgedly using drugs to enhance their abilities as ball players. Nothing of course has been proven about Ortiz but Ramirez being suspended in May, even if for another team, was a bit sad to me.
I am not sure how I feel about the use of steroids mostly because I am not that knowledable about what exactly it does to a person. I do however know that it's not something they are allowed to do when in contract with these ball clubs and that should be enough for them to not do it, right?

Happy Birthday Isaiah

Brodey the Bishop and the Process of getting Published

I never imagined a year ago when I sat down at my computer to finally create a children's story that I would be here. I have been accepted by a publishing company, but now I am considering getting an agent and going with a bigger, better publishing company.
After reading a 10 page contract and having no idea what I was really getting into I have been reconsidering my first choice for a publisher for a lot of reasons.
I am still conversing with them about the book but I have also sent out queries to two separate agents that I am excited to hear back from. These agents in the world of children's books are HUGE!! So, if they like my pitch and my books then I am going to take the leap of faith and hope for something better for this book.

Health Care and CHANGE

I have been trying to think about a topic to blog about for a very long time. Most of my blogs have been more of updates than topical, which is fine but I do love the topic blogs so much. The blogs that really get everybody's attention and get conversations going.
So the other night I was having a conversation with my hubby about the recent health care topic that is on the forefront with our country right now. We have somewhat of opposing views being that he voted for a different person than the one that is now in office and who is also the man I voted for. Needless to say the conversation about this topic is one that always is interesting around here.

I don't know how many people know this but my vote this presidential election went to the person who had the greatest proposal FOR health care changes. I have my reasons for why which is not really what I want to get into here. What I want to talk about is this; recently we have a somewhat distant relative(ex-brother-in-law to Moses and our niece Kaylanne's dad) who was in a terrible motorcycle accident. He was out of state, out of work, and obviously therefore having no insurance. He was taken to a county hospital and is still being cared for there. He has had to have several operations and has been in the hospital for several weeks.
Is he being cared for with government money or are The good tax paying people of California footing this bill ( even though he lives in Mississippi) ? OR are both government and the people responsible here?

He has had nothing but quality care since the moment he arrived. There was no one at any point and time that even looked at him funny because he didn't have insurance or a job. So my question is this, what exactly will change?

Do people honestly believe that Doctors and Nurses will suddenly turn into these villains who only care for the people who have the biggest pocket books? Do you people not know that the Doctors and Nurses who would do that are already doing that and will continue to do that? BUT- there are those Doctors and Nurses out there who didn't take that vocation for the money and they will continue down that road of service whether there is money in it or not because that is their lives calling.

This is my big question- Do you think that the current health care situation is a good one in this country and should therefore be left alone? IF so why or why not??

I do hope people can converse about this openly and honestly and know that none of our conversations will do a damn thing and are strictly for some playful adult bantering only !! (unless of course you are a politician or related to one that has lots o money)

New Project

It never ceases to amaze me how my hubby can just take a project and run with it. We were having lots o fun at all the Reno Art Town stuff when I came upon a booth selling hair accessories. I have been checking online for some flower hair accessories to go with my fifties style dress(borrowed from none other than Mrs. Heifner). This ensemble will be for a photo shoot that is for our VW clubs calendar(more on that later). Anyway, needless to say the flowers that I had seen online were quite expensive so when I found a booth this weekend selling these pretties I was so excited and bought one right away. Soon after my purchase my new found excitement was met with even more excitement when my ultra talented hubby Mo took one look at what I bought, and said what I have heard him say countless times before... "I can make that" and he did.
Now I have a flower accessory for every outfit, and some for my friends as well.
The one I bought from the art fair has already broken and so of course my genius husband saw that coming and made these new hair "pretties" to be much more functional.
So I am pretty much set and once again so impressed by my boy.

Introducing...

Brodey the Bishop and The First Day of Spring

Brody the Bishop

I have been working on a series of children's books since last year. It has taken a long time to get the perfect artist. I have been through 3 other artists before landing the greatest female artist Natalie Rose Heifner. She has finished the pages of artwork that we need to submit this project and I am getting nervous now.
I am of course hopefully optimistic about it all, but still there are some nerves involved there.

Will they say yes and and sign me finally after all this time?


It remains to be seen whether this will be the artistic adventure of mine that will finally come to pass.

Here's to Hoping!!

Things I know for sure

Some things I know for sure-

I have found myself to be a person in process and I am okay with that.
I am no longer the person I once was when I started walking with Jesus 20 years ago.
I have not forgotten the wonderful things He has done for me in my life nor will I ever forget.
There is a passion still there to learn more about Him.
There is no where else I could go to find the Love that He brings.
He has a beauty that is beyond compare.
His way is the best way.
His character is one that has proven to be so unlike that of human nature.
This is what still intrigues me.
This is what I pursue.
He is what really matters.
I have realized some interesting things along the way though.
Things about humans that I wish weren't true but alas they are.
It's not about what a person speaks but rather what they do.
It doesn't matter if you say you are a follower if you don't follow.
You are not a leader without followers.
No one can speak to my heart and change it better than He.
People tend to take for granted what they are given freely.
Human- is a race that feels entitled.
Gifts are given freely from no one other than Jesus.
No one can take from you the gifts that God gives.
There is nothing better in life to pursue than Love and God is LOVE.

Bragging.

My man is THE MAN!!

Psalm 121

" I lift my eyes up, to the mountains where does my help come from?
My help comes from You maker of heaven, creator or the earth"

I have been singing this worship song for quite some time now as I have been patiently waiting, praying, calling, researching, talking, calling, explaining, writing, searching, calling and calling some more in regards to our home and a Loan Modification.

I am happy to report we will be helped. Last week the news came in and there will be help for us. I am thankful for it. I am mindful though, truly in my heart and soul I am mindful of where it has come from.

I KNOW who my help comes from and I am thankful to HIM this morning.

Isaiah Gregory Scofield

My little man will be turning 5 in about a month. I cannot even begin to tell you all the emotions that are going on inside me as I turn this corner from little kid household to big kid household. I have been saying for a while now that at one point in our family all of their school careers will be played out at the same school for one year. That is next year. Well, actually that is this fall a few short months away. Isaiah keeps telling me that he's going back to Little Lites. I think that it might not only be a hard transition for me but for him as well.
I remember being pregnant with Isaiah. When I found out I was in shock and just laughed. In fact Mo and I both just laughed because we thought it was either laugh or cry and laugh is a much better emotion so we went with it. Little did we know this wonderful surprise God had in store for us was our son Isaiah. He is the only baby that I did not find out about until he was born. By that I mean I didn't peek to see who was in there. He was a surprise and a good one. When they announced "it's a boy" I was shocked. Even though I didn't know who was in there I somehow thought it was going to be a girl. I have since determined that my baby gender picker has never been right so chances are if I feel like you are going to have a boy you will have a girl and vice versa.
This person, Isaiah has been an amazing, joy ride. Some days not as joyful, like the day my cell phone went down the toilet. But most days, like the other night when we are at the Drive-In movies, watching Transformers 2 he starts to fall asleep in my lap. Ever so quietly and so out of the blue he whispers...."Indiana Jones". Don't really know why but he just has a way of making me smile.

Girls Night Out and Babs

I want to share a story about the lady I met in Target and about celebrating long-lived, love- filled marriages.
My friend Marie suggested a while back that we throw our friend Joni a party for her 20 year anniversary and surprise her with lots of fun stuff for her and her man. She had the thought that it's such a shame we don't get showers for the years after our wedding day and how really those should be the times that should be celebrated. I would have to agree.
Joni was surprised. It was pulled off amazingly. Kudos to Marie, Natalie, Trista, Sue, and Lolita. We all dressed in 80's garb and had so much fun. SO much fun!!
That's all you are going to get out of me about that, ya know a lady never tells....
What I am really excited to blog about is the lady I met at Target, Babs who I bought my presents for Joni from. Today while in Target I was checking out with the goods for Joni when I got in conversation with the clerk Babs. She commented on the outfit I was buying and I then told her what it was for. She was so excited that someone was celebrating 20 years of marriage this way that she then proceeded to tell me about the fact that it was about 20 years in when her man started to come home with different kinds of outfits. I smiled and thought..... this is going to get interesting, and indeed it did.
"Yeah, 20 years is about the time that my husband started to bring home some really fun outfits" I said, "Really!!" She kept saying, "He was a really fun man" I then decided to ask how long she had been married to which she replied 46 years until he passed away. She told me about a day when she opened the door all dressed up for him and you could tell that it was just bringing joy to her heart to relive some of these fond memories. Good thing there was no one behind me. She then told me about some of the outfits, how much fun they were and how fun he was. She said that a lot " He was a fun man". I am thinking she had a good married life along with a good sex life. I went on to say that I bet the reason why she had such a long, happy marriage was because although he bought the outfits- she was willing to wear them.
What a fun spunky lady Babs is. If you see a Babs at the Big Target in Sparks just know she's a firecracker that one.
Here's To 20 years married Joni and Louie- WELL DONE!!
And here's to all marriages out there who are still trying to keep love alive!! KEEP ON KEEPING ON!!

Peace In Jerusalem

This morning while reading my favorite book I came across a scripture that I have read a thousand times before. Maybe not this same exact scripture a thousand times but certainly others like it. It goes like this,
" Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you, the Holy City." Psalm 122:6
Normally when I read scriptures that mention praying for the peace of Jerusalem I shout out a quick prayer for peace for them and I am on my merry way, but this morning something hit me.
I was thinking how bizarre it is that the whole world is told in these scriptures to pray for the peace of this city. Would if we came across something that said, "Pray for the peace of Reno, Nevada" ? I think because we have heard this slogan or phrase so many times we don't stop and take note or as the bible says, SELAH. Stop, ponder, think upon these things.
Well, this morning I did just that. I stopped and thought about how Jerusalem is such an unsettled city. Every time I hear of Jerusalem is usually because there was a bomb, or a fight, or something violent going on there. I am happy to report that when I checked the New York times this morning for headlines regarding Jerusalem there was none of the above.
So I thought well, I pray that there will be more days when I check the headlines and don't find them reporting turmoil in Jerusalem. Today in fact there was an article about some who are migrating back to Jerusalem from Peru. I found it so interesting how so many people migrate to different countries for different reasons. Some migrate on their own accord but many leave because they have to.
Then I thought if I was born in this city Jerusalem and I read about my fame in a book that was most famous what would that be like? Would I ever want to leave that city? Many people still live so far away from the city of Jerusalem for fear if they go back they might not survive until their next birthday.
It's worth noting that Jerusalem always will be the center of attention for something because it's not everyday that God's Son is born. It's not everyday that someone as beautiful as Jesus walks the earth. He will come again and I wonder will that be the city he returns to? Is that why I am praying for peace for this city that I have never been to?

My Dad

Gregory Anthony Pellant is my Dad. Born the youngest of 3 boys it was I am sure a bit of an adjustment for him to have been given 3 girls, 2 sons to raise. I would like to say that he's done a really good job with both. What really is the role of a good dad? What measuring stick do we use to say that's a good dad right there? For me I would say, ask the guys children. If you were to ask this child whether Gregory was a good Dad I would say yes. Yes, he is a good dad. Now, this might come from the wisdom of being a parent myself, but I think if you were to ask me even in my teen years when I would get irritated that he would ask me to take a shorter shower, or turn off the lights, or do the dishes, etc... I think even then at the core of my young being I still knew;

He is a Good Dad.

When I was a little girl I wanted a Cabbage Patch doll more than anything in the world. I remember them being very expensive and hard to come by. So hard to come by that one morning my dad caught wind of them being sold at a local store but said we would have to be there really early. He took me out to breakfast and we waited outside the doors with everyone else, mostly moms to get this doll. We weren't successful. They had already been sold out before we even got there and it really was just a gimmick to get people to come to their store. My dad comforted me. He said, we would just have to go on the hunt again.

He is a good Dad.

When I was a teenager, I had been dreaming of owning a VW bug for as long as I could remember. Every VW that was on sale in our little town I would imagine myself in my dreams driving it down main street, I would imagine the day of purchase and everything right down to what kind of cute decor I was going to hang from the rear view mirror. I worked at the Rec Dept at the time and didn't really make a whole lot of cash. So, I knew the fancy bright shiny VW's probably wouldn't be an option so I went on the hunt for the rejected VW that maybe my little brother could fix up for me( He would fix it after he broke it but that's a story for another day, I digress). I found one. It was 500.00 cash only. I didn't have that kind of money but my dad did. He bought my first car.

He is a good Dad.

My last year in High School I was in a play called South Pacific. I played the lead role Nellie. My parents had payed for me to have voice lessons since Jr High so I am sure it was nice for them to see all their hard earned money pay off. I remember that my dad and mom came to one of the last shows. After the show I came out to my car and it had been covered in stickers from the cartoon character Ziggy. They said, YOU DID IT!!

He is a good Dad.

I was only out of High school for about year when I started dating Moses. My dad had known of my crush/infatuation about this boy named Moses since my sophmore year in High School. When Moses was nominated the home coming king that year my dad took his picture out the paper and blew it up made a few copies and teased me relentlessly about my high school crush. I still have those copies of Mo with a crown on his head. Now a few years later this boy named Moses was pursuing his daughter and was over a lot. I was only the young age of 19 when Moses asked my dad for permission to marry me. My dad didn't grill him, embarrass or harass him. He knew how much I loved this boy. He knew it since I was a young teenage girl. So he said yes.

He is a good Dad.

On our wedding day I will never forget how much my dad made me laugh to ease the nerves a bit. As I was walking down the isle, really the grass lawn out at Wallies he kept cracking jokes and made me laugh so hard that by the time Mo saw me he was wondering if I was taking this, our wedding day serious. My dad gave me away that day and then has proceeded all these years to ask me for a copy of our personal vows that we said to each other. I think it's amazing that he is willing to learn from his children.

He is a good Dad.


He has taught me a lot about the male species. He has taught me that men can be faithful to their wives. Men can get up everyday and provide for their families year after year after year. He has taught me that most men like sports. All sports. He has taught me that not all men are driven by fortune, fame, lust or other worldly things. My dad has given me an example of a man who is steady as he goes. He is humble. He has shared his home with total strangers over the years for the sake of doing what the bible calls us all to. Loving your neighbor. He graciously stepped aside when his parents died and there was some inheritance money left specifically for him, but there was some dispute about where it should go. He stepped aside. Said it wasn't his to begin with.

He is a good Dad.

When I was little I remember thinking that my dad was the strongest man on planet earth. He always seemed to be a strong tower of wisdom and to me because of this, he was a bit frightening. I didn't understand my dad for a lot of years. I still don't fully understand everything about him but one thing I do know is that this is a man I have heard countless time apologize for his mistakes. A man who isn't afraid to cry in front of others. A man who loves Jesus. He has shown his love for Jesus his whole life. Even in things he would consider grave hypocrisy's he has shown what it looks like to repent. He has shown what it looks like to love a woman, the same woman for 40 years. Without a wandering eye his love has stayed true. He has loved 5 children and now 5 grandchildren. He has given his whole life for the love of his family. He knows and has never forgotten in "mid-life" crisis who he is.

He is a good Dad.

A right of Passage-Self Hair Cuts

I woke up this morning to the sound of my 11 year old acting as though it was the end of the world. Is it just me or does the drama factor go up a notch when kids hit double digits? Anyway, when I finally got my cup of coffee and figured out what all her mumbling was saying to me( I just hear mumbling until that first sip of Java) I realized that the final right of passage in the hair department had been accomplished this morning while I was asleep having more crazy dreams.

It's official, all the Scofield children have accomplished this right of passage- Cutting their own hair. Isaiah would be the final one to go this route. His reason, " I couldn't find a comb". Okay well, that was an interesting one, guess we will have to make a trip to the dollar store later for more combs.
Other excuses over the years that I have been given, "Well you do it mom" " I just wanted to see what I would look like" and the one I loved most from Chloe who wants be a hairstylist someday-" I needed some practice mom" this was of her not cutting her own hair of course but her siblings.
Every time this passage is walked through in my house it reminds me of when I was little and I had a friend named Heather. Heather had a perfect page haircut with bangs that were so straight you could have used them as a ruler. Heather's mom was from England. Her mom had not been back to England with her children since they were born. Heather's mom had planned this special trip to England for her beautiful girls to meet all their relatives for the first time. The trip was in just a few days after this dreadful day that I speak of.
I bet you can guess what happens next.
It was traumatic.
I was in big trouble.
Heather's bangs took a long time to grow out.
I will never forget it.
Isaiah is not as skilled.
The damage has been done.
He is not going to England anytime soon.
Now, we can all move on.

Dreams

I have been having really weird dreams lately. The thing is I never remember my dreams and so it's very strange for me to have had so many dreams that I actually remember.
I am not much for reading into dreams although I do know somehow they work into something sometimes. I am sure that some dreams really do tell us something but my dreams are just so flat-out bizarre that I just can't imagine making heads or tails of them. More than anything I really think our dreams are part of our subconscious being released in a way that is necessary for thought process.
So would you like to know what my dreams were the last few nights? Well I am not going to share all of them but here are a few that will be good for the sake of blog entertainment.

First one I had was of me and Mo. We were training for a marathon. On the actual day of the marathon he got ahead of me which isn't surprising because one of his steps is the equivalent of 2 and half of my steps. So there I am running alone when all of sudden he jumps out the bushes and runs along side me again for the rest of the race. We laughed so hard the rest of way that we almost didn't finish. Weird !!

Second one I was walking into a parking garage to my van. It wasn't our VW it was a van not the creepy weird kidnapper kind of van but a van none the less. Apparently my van had goodies in there food and drink and when I looked in the van before hopping in there was a complete and total stranger laying on the front bench. I immediately ran to the other people in the parking garage and said there is a total stranger in my van can you please help me to which they ran away and left me there all alone. I out of curiosity went back to the van and looked a little closer and realized it was a girl with curly long hair. She wasn't even ugly but was snoring quite loudly. Then she jumped up and out of the van before I knew it she was in my face asking me to stop running away. I kept telling her to go away from me and she just laughed at me , not a wicked creepy laugh but just like why are you telling me to go away as though I should have known who she was. She had a nose ring like me and curly brown hair. I don't remember how this dream ended because I think I just woke up from how weird it was.

I think the last dream about the girl is due to the fact that my desk calendar that has scriptures on it had that one that says "don't be afraid to entertain strangers because in doing so some have entertained angels" apparently that scripture really stuck with me the other day.

The first dream I am also pretty sure is because sister Jen, Gina, and myself have begun to train for a 5k marathon and I suppose it's on my brain a bit.

Death by Fire

Yesterday, while driving down to Carson City for my brother Jeremy's 17th birthday party I looked over at the mountain that is to the right of the freeway when you are coming into Carson.
I remember this mountain that was on fire 5 years ago when I was pregnant with Isaiah. It was a miserable hot summer and the fires were out of control(literally). This particular mountain got the worst of it and the fire that summer not only burned half the mountain or more but took out several homes as well.
Well, yesterday to look at it now 5 years later you would never have known the sight that we sat on our rooftops and watched 5 years before. It is now filled with new life, green in fact greener than it was before and just plain old thriving.
It reminded me of something about the cycle of life in nature that is true I believe in the spiritual and that is sometimes things have to die by way of the most extreme death- FIRE. But then if given time what comes back in it's place is something better than what was ever there before.
There are some areas in my life where I have allowed a great deal of compromise creep in. I have tried in my own strength to kill these bad habits but somehow they have all been feeble attempts. I realize now that I need a refining fire to come in and however painful the process of death to these things might be I need to allow this to happen so that I can look back and see a field of green instead of a dry dessert place that has no life, breath, reason for being.
So, that is my prayer this morning;

Refiners fire
My hearts one desire
Is to be Holy
Set apart for you Lord
I choose to be Holy
Set apart for you My Master
Ready to do your will.

I have to say that I have had absolutely no inspiration for a blog lately. It could be because I have been gone every single weekend for the last month and that doesn't leave much time for the imagination. 

 I thought about blogging the trips I took but then that's kinda like sending one of those postcards from Hawaii that says, "Wish you were here" which to me is just plain rude! 

(Speaking of rude, Bon Qui Qui has got the number on that word, "RUDE-  Don't interrupt" if you don't know who this character is you are seriously missing out) Put in Bon Qui Qui on YouTube and prepare to enjoy.

I was home this weekend though and still no inspiration is on the horizon. Some would leave their blogs unattended for a while but NO, not me.

I will sit here and type about nothing-ness just to have something new to look at on my blog.  I think I might share some fun new pics though.

- So the first would be SF-Giants ball park, I do believe that I could become a fan over time. Not more than the Bo-Sox's mind you but I have to say that SF has a pretty great park going on and I want to visit this place again in my lifetime. 

-Second pic is of me and Mo in our bus celebrating 14 years of marital bliss!! :)

-Third pic is Auntie Jen and Lo with blue bubble gum at Isaiah's graduation. Chloe is 9 now. She has this one last year before I have 2 kids in double-digits.....Help me Jesus!!

-Fourth pic Savy Rae Rae is a 2 year old now. I am just not okay with all these birthdays that happen so fast this time of year. We have Chloe and Em in May, Jeremy and Savy in June, and Isaiah in July. It hardly gives this phlegmatic time to breath.

-And Finally Emmers is now 11 and let me tell you something ....well I am practicing saying No and not caring that if her looks could kill me I would be dead 1000 times over, that is all I can say!! No really she is such a good girl it's just this pre-teen stuff not sure how I feel about it.

The End of an Era, The beginning of a New Day !

Just thought I would share some of the funny quotes from my job;

" Do you know that everyone has hearts, even Chinese and Japanese people."

In reference to sitting at the circle with our chairs instead of carpets;

"Okay let's do this, yeah let's do this thing"

When reading the story of David and Goliath to the kids one boy said,

"Why was that big guy so mean?" to which I replied....."Well, he didn't know Jesus" and then I thought well, no one did yet. Good thing the kids don't know that.

When we got our new carpet that had Jonah and the whale on it, "I want to sit in the belly of the whale like Jonah because he got to go swimming in there" eww gross!!

When showing the kids the map and where Nevada is Isaiah says, " Where is the Dollar Store on there?"

 

Yesterday was our graduation. 16 kids will be going on to kindergarten including my youngest child Isaiah. When I was driving in to work I had a moment where I almost lost it. Looking back in the rear view mirror to check on your little one is something you do early on as a parent. From the time they are little babies you want to see what they are doing back there, and that's why the invention of those little mirrors and all kinds of things to see what they are up to were created. Well, yesterday I thought next year I won't have my little buddy with me. I won't have someone in the afternoon to check on or think about or play with. It is the end of an era for me. 11 years long I have had a buddy all day long and now they are all going to be at big kid school all day in the fall. I am excited for the future but also in a bit of mourning over the fact that I won't have preschooler, toddler, baby or little person to light up my days anymore. Sometimes I wonder if I had so many kids because I didn't want to be alone. 

One of the little girls came in yesterday morning all dressed up ready for the big day with a huge smile on her face and said, 

 "Ms Noel, did you hear? It's going to be my graduation day today!!"

I felt like saying, Yeah I have thinking and preparing for this day for a really long time and now that it's finally here I feel like crying.... but I didn't say that. I smiled and said, "Yes, yes I did hear that today is your graduation."

I am going to miss them all and especially my lil man. To all the parents of little ones still in diapers take in the moments all of them because before you know it you will be knocking at the door of adolescence thinking....

Where did the time go?

Here's to Yardwork !!

These are pictures from the backyard of my friend Christene's best friends yard where we stayed this weekend. Her name is Caroline and she lives in Pacifica, California. Now I know Sparks, Nevada is no Pacifica but her backyard was the inspiration and motivation I needed to tackle my own backyard.
I spent three hours in the backyard raking up leaves that are about two years old. I think ever since we got Baxter and he chewed a hole through Mo's leaf blower/vacumer thingy, we have not really done much out in the back yard in the way of leaves. What a mess. I will still need to spend another good 8 hours to get the backyard ready for the first Scofield attempt at a garden. 

We have always wanted to plant one but never have and I am determined to do it this year. I am going to start off small and the hardest part we have already decided will be figuring out how to keep our dogs out of this new found excitement that will soon be entering their world.

My hands, back, fingers, legs and eyeballs are pretty darn tired from all this manual labor but here's to having the time to do some much needed yard work.

You know you are glad to be done with school when you enjoy yard work!!