Exhausted!

"If you have done nothing, or if what you have done has been fruitless because it was done for a human motive, begin immediately to do good works so that at death you will be able to offer something to Jesus Christ in order that He may give you eternal life..."

HAPPY BIRFDAY: WEdnesday nite was a long day, with work as usual w/the kids. Then getting stuff prepared for the holy fam priest's bifday party. I really enjoy the priests at holy fam, they radiate this openess and willingness to support their parishoners. You can always see them walking around the parish somewhere or always there to lend a hand. On top of that their homilies are great, very spirit filled and always focusing on a 'holy family.' The parishoners I think really enjoy their priests and give them a lot of support in almost errthang they do. Anyway, happy birfday shout out going to fr. johnny, fr. vic, and fr. antony!


I dig this one!














We were matching colors!














YOUF DAY: Youf day at congress was a little
bit different this year, being that I went with a whole new parish this year. The atmosphere was different too being that these were kids who went cuz they wanted to. Their whole attitude towards church was more positive, rather then using this as a day to get out of skool. I remember I couldnt stand going w/sPv kids cuz they were so rowdy and many of them were so disrespectful. This is the first year I didnt go w/sPv, but Im glad I was able to still go. A lot of great things learned, made some new friends, bonded w/new people, and saw a lot of ol people as well. I was late this mornign getting there, I was suppose to be there @ 5am, but freakin didnt wake up till 5am. My alarm was set for 415am, but I didnt even hear it go off. All good cuz we didnt leave until like 6ish anyway. I hate rushing and being late for things! agH!












This random girl wanted to take a picture w/me ha I dont know why though.
























































I saved this guys life twice! ha














NEW MEXICO: On top of the busy day at congress, we also helped out the confirmation team by hosting a youf min./confirmation program from the state of new mexico. They drove all the freakin 14 hours from albuquerque to cali. Talk bout a lot of discomfort on a busy bus. So we fed them, played some ice breaker games, discussed their experiences from the day, then ended with a some warm up songs. The group I was eating dinner with were all girls, but they were cool. They didnt sit there and not say anything, real open and conversing w/cherry and I. Helped make dinner enjoyable rather then having to push things out of them. It was kinda fun hosting another community, and sharing the hospitality with them. Praise God for sharing the love of God w/others.

ONE YEAR: I cant believe it's been one year since the passing of JPII. I remember it was after easter and he got really sick on good friday, had to have that surgery then that went well, but was still struggling. Then hearing on the news that he had officially passed away, it was sad day. I think I was going to sPv for the parish retreat and the church was decorated in all black. They were giving away little prayer cards and pictures of him. You know even though many people may not have met him personally, you could juss feel this connection w/him as if you did know him. The funeral mass was sad, but also crazy how within a couple of weeks the whole world was watching the catholic church once again. He was loved and admired for so many different things, let us continue to ask for his intercession, I can't wait till he becomes a saint! JPII the great!



Im so glad it's friday!!

"Stay close to me girl..."im done, im out God bless!

Life is full of apples

"Be kind to each other: it is better to commit faults with gentlesness than to work miracles with unkindness..."

TOUCHING: Saturday after I gave my talk bout the gifts of the holy spirit, I ended it w/this small music video slideshow. I love watching that thing, cuz it brings me back to why I chose to serve as an advisor for the youf min. Anyway, so one of the kids came up to me afterwards asking me about it, like where we did all that stuff etc. I explained to him that I was part of the youf min. at holy fam. He seemed pretty interested and wanted to go, I told him to go the anniversary party that day. WEll he never went but called me on monday asking if he could go to the youf min. meeting. I was pretty excited when he called and wanted to go, so I picked him up and we went. Praise God cuz he was really touched at that meeting. It was different experience for him being around people who want to live out their faith, and also to see peers his age who choose to be there rather than at confirmation being forced. Quite moving it was, praise God for juss his openess.

CONFIRMED: We all go through our times of discouragement, wondering if this wha we were really called to do. Wondering if you're really neeed even when seems errone else is agaisnt you. Last nite I think I juss received another confirmation after the craziness of this past month. Had a nice little chit chat w/mallory and she gave me this tight hug, one of those impactful embraceful ones. It was then that I juss looked up and said 'praise God.' There's nothing else left to say cuz thas all you can say. Even though the roads get bumpy and rocky, there's still lots of joy in serving. BEsides you cant go through the ressurection of easter w/o going the crucifixion of good friday.

LENT: THis lenten season has been one extraordinary one, cuz of the many different things God has called me for. Geez, I think ultimately he's trying to teach me to really learn the importance of patience and understanding. Even though I basically gave up eating breakfast for lent, there's been some other things God has called me to live. Its been an amazing faith journey so far with different things going on, but through it all he has been there guiding me. A lot of sacrifices, a lot of crosses to carry, yes there's been roses but also some cuts from the thorns. Its all bout healing, but patience through the healing process. Reminding us of that suffering he went through and asking us if we can offer up our own. SOmetimes I think to myself, I can't wait till lent is over, but then again all I have to do is juss look up at the cross and I'm reminded of what lent is all bout.

Do you question the manner of how Jesus carried that cross?
...Then why do you question the manner of how you carry yours?

There are times we question our service because we believe we are not worthy to carry that responsibility.
There are times we question our faith because we believe we are not pure enough to walk the path of righteousness...

Jesus, who not only carried that cross, was also whipped, tortured, spat at, crowned with thorns, lacerated, beaten, kicked, cursed at, laughed at, stabbed at the side, nailed by the hands and feet and chocked in utter sadness and humiliation...
He fell 3 times in His path...What did he do?...He got up and picked up His cross!

So we complain about our own burdens...Do you think you have it much worse???

NO!

Did Jesus let go of that cross??

NO!!!

Just know this...Carry that cross or die trying!

...because we owe Him our salvation
...because we owe Him the life we are blessed to live
...because we Love our God


Sometimes juss all i want to do is sleep!

"My hips dont lie..."im done, im out God bless!

What UTC is to me...

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one..."

A Family...














That is not judged...

by how we dress



















by how we look














What kind of pictures we take...





























How crazy we get...




























How we eat our food














Or how messy we get



















How hot we look...






































Or by how emo we can be...





























UTC lets us:

Be that smile we need in the dark...














Celebrate birfdays together...
























































Sing until we can't sing no more...














Dance like we've never danced before...














Share hugs with one another














Laugh until our stomach hurts




























Share the joy of a simple smile














Teach each other new things



















Get through the deserts, climb the mountains, and valleys together














Evangelize to others














Lean on one another














Inspire each other to keep on going



















Wash each other's feet



















And in the end we know all we have to do..
is juss call out for another...



















and we'll be there




Happy 1 Year anniversary UTC!








"I still love you girl cuz without there's no me..."im done, im out GOd bless!

And That's A Wrap!

"It is not the actual physical exertion that counts toward a man's progress, nor the nature of the task, but the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken..."

ALL DONE: So what felt like months of planning, but only took a month is actually over. No more wednesday meetings, ahh all over. Things didnt exactly turn out the way I wanted to but its alright, I can't always expect things to turn out perfectly. In the end errthang was alright, the decorations were nice, the memorabila table was real creative, plenty of food to go around-tons of pizza. The battles was worth it, I dont know if I'd want to go through it again ha but it was good. Yesterday was juss oneo of those days, where you juss looked at the calendar thought how are you ever gonna make it through the day. However, God never leaves his people abandoned. He always gives you His grace to carry on, even through all the pain and struggles. Sometimes we juss have to learn to let go of our own pride, in order to make more room for the spirit to grow inside of us.

CHOIR SHOW: Thursday, toni and I went to kennedy's choir show, thought I'd show my support to some of my kennedy kids. It was real cute, it brought me back to the days of watching my sister's choir shows. The dramaitc dance moves, the corny little moves, ahh yeah I love it. Towards the end of the first half I was started to get real sleepy, sometimes I hate watching the solos cuz they can be real boring. Im more less a group performance type of person, yeaaah some of them were real funny. Toni and kept laughing the whole time cuz it was too cute. Nico and allen on their under the sea performance...classic! Then the 'kiss the girl' one was real cute as well. We bought flowers for the two of them, as well as one of my confirmation student's as well. It always feels good when you have people out there supporting you in what you do.

WASTE: Since the night was still young, we met up w/my cousin @ starbucks on beach. This time the visit was more pleasant being that I wasn't getting sick. So I sat there and attempted to work on my talk, while he was uploading all the video clips from the youf min. By the time starbucks closed, we moved our adventure to molcs me thinking he needed an outlet, only finding out no one was really hungry. On top of that I'm getting tired of mexican food, too much aresinos. Well since no one was hungry, we wanted to get a drink to celebrate the end of toni's finals ha! Moved to the party to bjs in brea, but by the time we got there it was almost 1am, the last had juss past. Oh why?! Wha was left to do? Freakin 330! Yeah I know, but wha the heck mine as well. Had to pay a $5 cover charge, for only like 30-45min. stay cuz they were closing! Its cool though, it was worth the free corona, and besides that toni went home w/3 nice long stem roses. Oh what a nite...

ALL DAY: Friday evening spent the whole nite at the rectory putting together my talk and errthang else for the confirmation retreat on sat. While at the same time getting programs ran off and put together for the youf min. anniversary. Yeah it felt like one of those all niters, but it really wasnt. I think we were done close to 1230am or before that. Poor jan was going through stomach motions that nite...eh one feeling I definitely do not miss. By the time I finished up, I needed some alone time so I stopped by the Blessed sacrament @ sPv. Ran into mo who skurred me as he was coming out. Anyway, nice quiet time juss preparing myself spiritually for errthang was about to come. Especially being two big things happening in one day, not to mention outside things going on ex. apologetics workshop @ UCI. I felt refreshed and tired as hell coming out, but it was much needed.

CONFIRMATION RETREAT: I was suppose to be @ sPv to meet w/sandy prior @ 7am, but I knew that wasn't going to work. Didn't get to sPv till almost freakin 8am! Oh well, at least I was still made it. Even though the retreat had to have been the most unorganized retreat full of different test inbetween, it seemed fruitful. For the most part, the kids seemed to enjoy themselves, and my kids were even well behaved...wow thas a first! It gave me an opportunity however to get to know some of them more. Allow myself to be a little more kick back then I normally am on tuesday nite. Even though they've become my crosses to carry, they're alright. I felt unprepared and unorganized w/my talk, but it seemed like the kids liked it. They tripped out w/some er more less mark anthony's analogies of the different characers and the gifts. One good thing is that one of the kids in felipe's class wants to be part of the youf min @ holy fam. Yay for more souls! He saw my little video clip I used and he was motivated to want to get involve w/a youf group. Its stuff like that that makes you look up and say 'Praise God!'

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: Rushed home and got ready to get to mass @ 5pm. The fun juss doesn't end! I felt so sleepy at mass, but I did my best to keep awake. There wasn't as many people as I was hoping for, but oh well it was still fun. It was great seeing some ol kids who hadn't come to a meeting in a while. Conversations that kinda open your eyes and make you say, 'praise God.' Yeah, I had a couple of those w/chie and jan-michael. I was told tonite that when you recieve a rose or give a rose, sometimes there's thorns that come along with. Even w/all those thorns though, there's still that beautiful creation. Its juss funny switching from two different parishes, the environment is so different. Watching the slide show brought back a rush of memories from all kinds of different things. NOt even only holy fam stuff but also SH stuff as well. Wow all that seemed so long ago, but it wasn't this has been one crazy journey.

WELCOME BACK: Alaine's back for a week, it's her spring break. Some of us came together for dinner to celebrate her 'return.' ha! Errtime I see her, I still find it hard to believe she's in college already. All the endless conversations we'd have on the phone together. THe adventures of going to brea mall or juss going to eat. Im glad to see though she's still the same, and nothing has changed. YOu know there people out there who go away and they come back a brand new person. Or those type of people who even though they leave, when they come back you can pick up right where you left off w/o any akwardness. Anyway its nice that she's back in town again! yay for friend!


Man easter is almost hurr!

"This is our fate, i'm yours..."im done, im out God bless!