2007 Year in Review

"You don't love in your enemies what they are, but what you would have them become by your prayers..."

OVER IT: So after a month of fighting off this cold I've finally gotten over it. No more stuffy nose, or coughing or anything like that. Praise God, I hope this flu season goes away real soon. Now the goal is to stay from all those who are getting sick. I dont know if anyone really reads this since its been out of commission forever now, but I can see the tagboard works still and a few other things. I wish I had more time to blog and I wasnt so lazy. Like I said I wonder how I did it before when Id be able to blog almost errday-geez that was back in my younger days for sure. Anyway, hopefully in 2008 Ill blog a little bit more than I did last year. I am tempted to juss shut it down but I think I'll juss keep it up for whenever I get that ounce of energy to share something exciting or interesting.

THANKS A MILL: I want to thank you all for praying for my mom. For all your prayers, as well as kind thoughts. Its crazy cuz word gets around fast, there were some people at the Parish who heard about my mom and I didnt even mention it to them. My mom's doing better, the past couple of days post surgery she was real sore and tired. However, things are slowly going back to normal. She'll meet w/her doctor on thursday for a post surgery. Were hoping that they cleared errthang out and thas the end of it. So if you can please continue to keep her in your prayers that would be great. I must say I am extremely fortunate to have such caring friends who I could always rely on prayers.

ADOPT A YOUTH: The youf min campaign for adopt a youth set out this weekend. We pleaded to ask for help of the parishioners to sponsor our trip. I think it turned out to be pretty successful, I guess we'll see in the next couple of days juss how well we had done. I took the opportunity myself to ask certain people I know to help sponsor my trip. I felt like a politician out there reaching out to the people in the community ha. Sooo if you;d like to help make contribution to send me to see the Pope in Australia let me know! YOur donation is tax deductible and will help out immensely!

JANUARY: The new year started off with wedding bells as Mike and Lyn-lyn celebrated their wedding at Holy Fam. Heif got engaged to her boyfriend of 5 years and were well on their way to prepare for their wedding. Its too bad they ended up calling it off a couple of months later. Headed over to Laguna Beach at the end of the month for my friend at works birfday. Sometimes when you're around people outside your regular comfort zone it becomes real interesting. Coffee nites became great ways for a catch up, ketchup sessions w/friends whom you haven't seen or spoke to in ages. Became the three musketeers with a cherry and jenn from OLF daycare, having rotating dinners once a month.

FEBRUARY: My weekends in February were completely packed one right after the other. There was one weekend where I was surprised I made it through the day. Celebrating mel's one year move out to cow town kicked off the beginning of the month over at her place. The weekend following that went w/the boys to see the roots and lupe at city walk. Talk bout one d0pe ass concert! It was crackin' alright, with akon opening and special appearances by jill scott. Rob and I had our annual philly cheesesteak sandwhich luncheon on valentines day, its become a weird tradition for the both of us ha. I still remember the very first time we went though...ha the memories. That weekend was crazy cuz I was trying to be at 3 different places at one time. Went to work for a little bit, followed by the funeral for my friend's lolo. Someones presence at major life events means a lot-I know the feeling. Headed over to the Lake Elsinore for heif''s engagement/house warming party maaan talk bout a long drive and mileage on the car! The nite ended at pomona at the auto crave show that I helped promote for my cousin. Crazy and busy day it was, I was definitely glad it was a 3 day weekend. Shared my testimony with the youf alpha peeps at Norco, it sure was a whole different crowd. Fr. Fogarty is great, I really like that guy. Back to back birfday parties at the end of the month, my aunt celebrated her 5oth birfday and dang was that a bash. My little nephew celebrated his birfday birfday in oceanside, yeah it was one hell of a month. Started to become a 'lost' addict, spent 1 weekend watching and catching up with 2 seasons. Oh yeah I made it through one year working at the Rectory.

MARCH: The Lenten season had begun and it kicked off by spending the entire weekend at the Congress conference. It was my first time actually going through the whole thing and it was eventful. Ended up making friends w/this guy who soon became my new coworker at the Rectory. Went to my first Matthew Kelly talk and felt inspired to buy his books and start the Matthew Kelly collection. Some traditions never die, had the annual lenten rubio's luncheon w/the peebs, like I said its great some traditions never die. Donne celebrated her 18th birfday debut at the KNott's resort, maan to be 18 again. Became commissioned as a Eucharistic Minister at Holy Fam, I've always wanted to become one but was never able to at sPv due to the age restriction in the diocese of Orange. Served fish fry at the Lenten Soup kitchen, which became one of the first unofficial wyd fundraisers. ONce again abck to back birfday bashes with my other nephew turning 2 who's got a vocab. and sentence structure of a 5 year old and jacob celebrated his first birfday. Spend youf day at congress w/the kids of sPv, luckily I was able to get away erronce in a while and do my own thing. Came home with a nifty picture with the Cardinal and Bishop Solis.

APRIL: Easter activities in the Church was vastly approaching, was able to participate in the washing of the feet at Holy Fam, that was humbling experience. Vanguarded it up in hollywood w/some of the hFYA folks, talk bout weird people out there in the clubs. The principal at the skool I work at finds out she's switching skools next year and that was sad. The principal, who was my boss, was also my 5th grade teacher, who I learned a lot from. She juss isnt a very good administrator, however errone has their flaws. Easter was coo spent half the time w/fam and other half at lawrence's place celebrating his initiation into the Church. The Youf min. officially kicked off the WYD project as we presented to the Parish our ideas and asked for their prayerful support, maan thas crazy now were already in 2008 getting ready to leave in July. Coy leaves the Rectory and in comes mr. john bueno. Nuff said...ha City of Artesia opens up this new plaza
across from the church and has this new thai joint which has became the late nite 'chill place.' My grandparents celebrated what wouldve been their 62nd Anniversary. Masks of all kind were in season at the Masquerade Ball fundraiser Spring Formal.

MAY: Season 3 of confirmation ended and I really enjoyed that class. It had to be one of my favorites next to season 1. THe World Youf Day selection began as we started to read the many different essays and filter the ones who werent going to be selected. MAy was the perfect time to have a family picnic, as the youf min. had a family picnic on a warm hot, sunny, saturday afternoon. Great times for fun, games, and juss some good ol' family fun. MOving and grooving at the masquerade ball was d0pe. Spiderman 3 came out and it was forever long, too much dialog not enough action for a superhero type of movie. Along w/the help of some HFYA members, a Pentecost Celebration was put together and it turned out alright, despite the fact it was on a holiday weekend. After a good long run, my futon broke apart in the middle of the nite, thus the search for a new bed began.

JUNE: A change began at work, as we had found out a new admin. was coming in for the next skool year. Unexpected drama came up the second of last day of skool, which stuff was reported about me to the principal that wasnt even true. At that point I kinda wanted to juss to get the heck out of there, though running away from it doesnt help either. I decided to stick it out one more year and see if things w/the new admin. would be better and so far it kinda is...no drama...yet. Not a whole lot of excitement happened in June, besides the regular birfday celebrations that took place. The new iPhone came out at the end of June and wow after weeks of watching apple iphone commercials, I was able to get one. Yeaah you know me and phones! This was one I couldnt pass up though, now there were some ups and downs to the phone but overall I love it! It has to be one of the best phones I've ever had, it was an exciting nite and an exciting way to end the month. 'Say hello to the iPhone.'

JULY: I love the month of July cuz 1) its my birfday and 2) there's always celebrations during the month of July. The month started off attending a black and white party, which was real cool. The whole black and white them makes it look classy! The first week of July there's always tons of birfdays from cherrys to abe's to jays and so on...I turned twenty-freakin' five 5 days into the new fiscal year, waht better way to celebrate than drinks at dnbs! Even to today I still find hard to believe how old I am. Our new core leaders for the youf min. started their term up in big bear at a weekend retreat. Good stuff despite the heat, made me realize how home sick I get! Celebrated my lolo's 1st death anniversary, God rest his soul. More birfday celebrations from coy to mikayla to my cousin and more. July must've been the month to celebrate life as my friend Melanie's cousin Kyle, who was the same age as me past away. After a hard fight w/cancer he finally was able to rest. Made me realize how valuable and important life is.

AUGUST: So a while back ago I had met this cool guy at SCRC and we ened up becoming 'once a year' friends. Anyhow, we weer able to meet up and get drinks and juss chill. The cell group became a errother Friday which I enjoyed, despite the fact I couldnt always be there. It was juss a way to get together in a small group and talk bout God's blessings. In fact I wish it was still around, cuz w/the busy schedule I have it helped a lot. The summer officially started the WYD fundraising promotions with churro sales and car washes. Although I hated them car washes, it was a great way for community building. Summer slowing ended w/the annual SCRC convention, its always something I look forward to.

SEPTEMBER: I participated and became 'San Lorenzo Ruiz' for the churches anniversary celebration of this filipino saint. It was cool cuz portraying this guy helped me get a better glimpse of who he was and what he did for the church. Tons of activities were taking place in September, helped SH with their LSS for adults. It was kinda weird being a group leader for adults but being there and participating brought back so many memories of when I first started my journey with God. The youf min. annual Jam Nite and YPR turned out great. The Bishop came to our YPR and had a great inspiring message about the Holy Spirit. I knew that weekend tons of graces were being poured out from all over. Went w/Rob to meet Happy Slip and that was pretty cool...took a picture to add ot the 'cool people Ive met' album on myspace. Went to check CSULB's Newman club, it was crazy it was so diverse something I wasnt use to seeing in catholic communities ha. V20 for Angie's birfday was a blast, its those errsooften moments that I get at the clubs that are juss unforgettable!

OCTOBER: My dad left to go back home to help his family with housing stuff. When we lived there my dad, his dad, and his brother owned a housing business. People would rent out houses from us in the town we lived in. Anyway, so my dad went home to help rebuild some of the houses that were tore up. At the beginning of the month I had the opportunity to share my testimony at the LA Regional Congress. Represented my Parish on how God got me through a difficult time. I was really nervous but I praise God for the opportunity to share. The highlight of the month though had to have been Oktoberfest 2007. Watching and meeting Passion and Gabe Bondoc wow!!! I dont think I've ever see Oktoberfest so packed before! That had to have been the highlight of my year.

NOVEMBER: Confirmation is well underway and its funny cuz many of the kids in my class were kids who I had for first communion...wow made me realize how old I was! Nothing too exciting happened in November it was a chill month. Oh yeah, I had to serve jury duty for a week! My first time getting chosen for a case, the driving back and forth to Santa Ana errday sucked but I guess it was better then the ordinary day at work errday. My dad comes home after a months long stay in the midwest. I picked up an early christmas gift for myself, buying a macbook! I went back to the roots and wetn back to apple...yup an apple kinda guy! Thanksgiving came and went, did black Friday shopping all bymyself like crazy!!

DECEMBER: It sort was a hard month, sometimes we get hit w/the unexpected. My mom finds out shes diagnosed with breast cancer and will have to undergo surgery at the beginning of the new year. Liwanag from UCI celebrates their 10 year anniversary with a formal dinner at Knott's chicken...brought back memories of participating in their events. WYD Fundraiser meetings started happening to get the ball of raising a $100,000 going. I took a mini vacation right before Christmas to go up North...some place I've never been before. Being up North felt like being in a whole other state. I loved it, juss being able to get away from errthang. Helped put together w/the youf a performance for HFYA's christmas concert, despite the hardwork it came out alright. Christmas was here and gone and next thing you it's the end of the year.

THE END: There you have it a year in review. It's taken me quite a while to write this and I know its what 4 almost 5 months overdue, but hey its something! Perhaps this will give me that blog spurg I need again! So far the year is going pretty okay ups and downs but hey God is good and I'm still here. I cant ask for much more!


Here's to 2008!

"Dont you want to dace..."im done, im out God bless!