JET Program

With the terribly high number of fatalities in Japan, I feared that a JET member would be included. Sadly it is true, and she happens to be the first American death confirmed. My heart and prayers go out to her parents and family. God Bless her soul. 

Happy Birthday to my Bro!

A special birthday wish goes out today to my big brother!

Here he is with his adorable family on his birthday back in 2004:

And in 2005 with a cute cake

they made for him: 

Here he is with his boy in front of the White House, which is not too far from where they live: 

And with his little princess just after finishing a 5k: 

In Cape May in 2009:

And on his birthday in 2010. There's always a whole lot of "green" around on this birthday since it falls on the feast day of St. Patrick!

Both of my brothers and live clear across the country, so its not very often that we get to spend birthdays together. But I'm sure that his wife and kiddies have lots of special surprises planned for him today! 

Mannix, 

Hope your day is filled with fun and the year ahead with many more blessings!

Cam sends his big hugs and wet kisses! 

Love, 

Sheree

A Miracle in the Midst of Tragedy

Yomiuri Shimbun / Reuters

Have you heard about this story? It's a miracle in the midst of tragedy. 

This 4-month-old baby girl was found by soldiers in the rubble on Monday - three days after the quake. Isn't she precious? Her guardian angel never left her side. Can you imagine how her parents must have felt when they  thought she was washed away by the tsunami? And the intense joy that came over them when she was brought back to them --- alive. Truly a miracle. 

His Booth

BabyCam's latest addiction is the park. It can be any park big or small, and especially when it is lively with other kids that he can mimic and chase after. At home we take him to our community tot-lot that is just around the block in front of the lake. While at my mom's house, he gets so excited he can't get his shoes on fast enough for daddy to walk him around the corner to play at her neighborhood park. This is the same park that I spent mostly all of my summer days as child swimming in the no-lifeguard-on-duty, no-parental-supervision-required, just young park staff-who-don't-really-care-what-you-do wading-pool with the neighborhood kids. Ah, those were the days.

Anyhow, it was only last week that we discovered the grand-daddy of playgrounds that has become BabyCam's new hot spot to enjoy the best hour of his day. It's about a mile from my mom's house but still involves a short drive, so we can't really make it part of our daily routine. With steep slides and lots of ramps, one of his favorite spots is a little picnic booth tucked underneath the toddler-oriented jungle gym. The other day he picnicked on a ham & cheese sandwich with daddy (who can just barely fit inside). On this day we wanted to eat our lunch inside the booth, but it was constantly occupied so we found a big table and basked in another beautiful 75 degree day with our al fresco lunch. What's funny is that whether its one, two kids or even an entire family seated in the booth, Cam will find a way to squeeze his way in and join them (uninvited). Yet everyone welcomes "the baby" (as he is so often referred to at the park by kids and parents alike, "careful of the baby!" or "the baby was there first!") while he sits face-to-face, deeply gazing with his almond-shaped brown eyes at his new friends as if to say,

"This is my booth...you're just in it."

a portion of the grand-daddy of tot-lots

I think the kids are playing cards and he's telling them to, "hit me!" 

I really don't know...

Prayers for the People of Japan

My heart has been aching with sadness for the people of Japan as they experience a catastrophe of epic proportions that perhaps nobody thought would occur in their lifetime. I pray that God will provide strength and comfort for those whose loved ones have died or remain missing. I say a special prayer for the parents who lost their children in the devastation, for children who have become separated from their parents and for parents who now carry the burden of how to care for their children because they no longer have a place to call home, and parents that have a new fear for their children to radiation exposure.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I read a CNN report of a “shell-shocked” man in a Sendai shelter that fled the tsunami and was clinging to his 3-week-old infant saying, “I have to protect my children. I have to protect my children.” I’m sure the parents of young children amongst the 145,000 in shelters are feeling the same way. 

One thing I noticed during the brief time I lived in Japan was the tremendous respect of society as a whole towards the elderly. Unfortunately, America has something left to be desired in that area. However in the suburban (and probably rural) parts of Japan, it seemed to me that elderly people were everywhere. I wasn't sure if its because the environment was elderly-friendly, or because the elderly made the outside environment their place, as well. They were so cute, white-haired, most only about five-feet tall in height and often times hunched over (some severely perhaps due to Osteoporosis). I would see them working in the gardens, taking the bus, slowly climbing steps to the train platform, grocery shopping, or carrying grand-babies on their backs. I was impressed at how service workers, store clerks and school-kids spoke courteously towards them. 

A caption of one of the news reports this morning read something similar to, "Elderly make up large part of population in the affected rural areas". It saddens me to think these older Japanese have survived perhaps nearly 100 years, but are now facing the twilight of their lives with such confusion and despair. I pray for them, as well the sick whose care is in the hands of those whose services are being stretched thin. May God guide those in authority to act with haste and proper judgment in order to save and restore lives. And may all the dead be located and laid to rest in the peace and glory of God. 

St. Paul writes about suffering in his letter to the Romans: 

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.

For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope

that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.

We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;

and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance. 

Romans 8:18-25

Ash Wednesday

From today's Ash Wednesday Reading: 

"Even now, says the LORD,

return to me with your whole heart,

with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;

Rend your hearts, not your garments,

and return to the LORD, your God.

For gracious and merciful is he,

slow to anger, rich in kindness,

and relenting in punishment.

Perhaps he will again relent

and leave behind him a blessing,

Offerings and libations

for the LORD, your God."

Joel 2:12-18

Happy Birthday to Three Special People

These three beautiful women have March birthdays and 

I wanted to share them with you. 

Sorry ladies for the belated wishes!

This is Arcel. Here's picture of us with me as her maid of honor on her wedding day.

That's her super-cool husband, Kevin:

Arcel is the friend that everyone wishes they had. 

We've went to elementary school together

and even though she lives far away from me in Nevada, 

we manage to remain super-tight. I'm always in awe at how easy and 

natural it is for the two of us keep in touch despite 

the distance and craziness in our lives. 

This is my sister, Joy. She's my one and only sis. 

Here she is with her little princess, Emma:

She also lives far away - in Washington State, so we don't get
to see each other very often but we talk all the time. 

Here's couple of pictures I found of her 13th birthday party:

Joy and her friends admiring her new Michael Jackson's Off the Wall album. 

That's me on the right ---- always into what the older kids like! 

I'm the youngest of four with an 11, 10 and 9 year age gap between us.

(Perhaps my brother can enlighten us on the funny motion he's making in the background):

And this is Barbara, my friend from college. 

Here's a picture of us on graduation day with our 

friend Katrina (far left) and Barbara's momma:

Also far in distance but certainly not at heart, Barbara now resides in NYC. 

We have a special bond that is now going on 13 years!
My favorite memory with Barbara is staying in our hotel room that we got the 

night before our graduation...
talking and painting our toenails, and getting two hours of sleep before 

we had to meet on campus at 7am for the commencement ceremony.

Here's a pic of Barbara and BabyCam. You can tell he really likes her!

Happy Birthday Arcel, Joy and Barbara! 

May all your wishes come true. 

Sheree