My brother, Scott, is a motorcycle cop. He has managed to avoid showing us his cool outfit like the cop in Dumb and Dumber. This has not stopped my other brother, Jim, from calling Scott "Capn' Gay Boots". Scott is a good cop and serves the badge and the people of Chino very well. Today he was in the local newspaper, The Chino Champion. Check it out.
I have heard it said that the only constant is change, meaning that the only thing that doesn't change is the fact that there will always be change. Last Sunday was a day of changes. I was released from serving in the Meadowbrook Young Single Adult Ward Bishopric after a year and two months. This was met with mixed emotions. My immediate realization was that I get to go to my family ward with Sarah and Leah. but I quickly thought of how sometimes you truly don't realize what you have until it is taken from you. I quickly came to the realization that I could have done better. I could have done more. I could have involved myself more and made myself more available. It was a thorough pleasure getting to know many of the young people in my area. If there is one thing I realize, it is how important these people are! Not to quote Whitney Houston, but "I believe the children are our future". Of course the YSA's are not children, but they are indeed the future. I worry that some don't realize this burden lay on their shoulders. I worry that they have not bought into this concept and therefore will realize later in life when much good could have been done in the meantime. I also am so proud of many of them that have already proven they understand just how important they are and have aligned their decisions and plans accordingly. I cannot say enough along these lines. It was a pleasure serving with these young people and, while I realize they may not see things this way, I hope they forgive me for not giving more of myself to this calling when I could have.
Brad Myler saw potential in me and I am grateful for the things I have learned from him. He is a worthy example to follow and I am the better for having worked with him in this capacity. As I learned that they would be replacing the Bishop and counselors, I was saddened that I would not have their association any longer and would have to move along with the new team...at least for a transitional period. This turned out to not be the case. I too was released and replaced. While I enjoyed working with him and Jon Welch and Justen Nadauld and the YSAs, I always had a nagging annoyance in part of me that I was not in the ward I loved, The Orchard Hills Ward. What a great ward with a wonderful Bishop and Bishopric! Sarah and I are truly blessed to be associated with such a great group of faithful people. Having lived in several awesome wards, and one of those wards being the Amazing Chino III ward, I know how a ward should be and how important a role it can play in my life. With that said, the Orchard Hills ward is simply put, the best ward I have lived in since the old Chino III. I was sad that the Meadowbrook calling came to an end, but I was ecstatic to be back in the Orchard Hills presence. O-Hills Rocks!
The next change that occurred that same weekend was that I was called to serve as the Elder's Quorum President of the Orchard Hills Ward. This is an overwhelming calling simply when recalling how many very capable men are in the ward! It is humbling and exciting all at once. I am so blessed to gain this experience and in such a functional ward. I think serving as EQP in the O-Hills is like first drinking milk compared to the eating of meat that would be serving as EQP in most any other ward. Again, there are so many good people willing to serve and give of their time, love and resources to those around them. This ward has faced only a few trials, but they have faced them in the most perfect way possible and have proven they have the true love of Christ in them.
I can name several brethren that would do a much better job than me so this is humbling, but at the same time, I know it is I that am needed at this time in this role at this place. I can't explain it effectively enough, but as I was given the keys for this calling, I completely knew God knew me. He knows me strengths, talents and character. He also knows my weaknesses, sins and shortcomings. I know that he loves me regardless and know he will make those shortcomings disappear and make my weaknesses strengths as I make myself available to him and others in this calling. I am already surrounded with great families in the ward and have surrounded myself further with great men in the presidency. I look forward to working with them.
Spring is here. This time, I believe for good. I have enjoyed the opportunity to mow the lawn and work in the yard. Leah loves smelling the pear and cherry blossoms. Sally, the Mustang, has been out and about. I took her to her first car show and she won an award. Fun times. Spring is awesome.
Leah loves the concept of smelling flowers, but doesn't know quite how to do it yet. She gets close to the flowers with her nose and then breathes out instead of in. Cute.
She loves the hammock. WHEEEEEEE!!!!
Leah enjoying the Pear blossoms
Leah is discovering the outdoors and enjoys hanging outside with Daddy.
Cheesy grin!
Eyes of sky blue
Enjoying the Cherry Blossoms
Resting in the yard with Daddy
I took Sally to the Cruisin' Chadders Car Show. We took 2nd place!!! I think it my have been rigged to get the new guy to come back. Nonetheless, I am excited and had a fun time.
Everybody knows how blessed we are to have Little Leah Caity B in our lives. We love her so much. Everybody knows how grateful we are for the major role Caitlin's played in making us so happy. We still keep in touch with her from time to time and are anxious to attend her graduation this May. She is such a go-getter and she has made us proud as we watch her make the right decisions for her life. College and military service have always been important goals for her and it makes us happy to see her stick to those goals that are worthy of someone with her potential.
As we have witnessed Caitlin making the right decisions in her life we often think of ways to give back. Not just to her, though we want to, but to the many other brave young women like her that have chosen to make something wonderful out of circumstances less than desirable. As we consider the struggles we have encountered to start our little family, we also think of those who are less fortunate; those that maybe do not have the resources to complete the adoption process. Adoption is such a mentally, emotionally and spiritually draining experience as it is, yet those in power seem to also make it financially draining or not possible at all due to money. Couples wanting to adopt are taken advantage of regularly by legitimate and illegitimate companies playing on their emotions and promising to bring them happiness. I do not see anything changing soon, but we want to be part of the solution for both the birthmothers and the adopting couples.
Sarah and I are in the process of establishing a foundation that we hope will do just that. Initially it will simply be a scholarship program funded by us that will offer financial assistance to qualifying birthmothers that have a desire to get their lives back on track via higher education. We hope there will be a day that we will be able to do regular fund raising and donation seeking to broaden the scope of who is affected by the foundation. Maybe we can offer low to no interest loans to couples wanting to adopt that cannot afford it. Then in turn, their repayment of the loan will continue to help others in the same way. Maybe we can help couples with the costs of fertility treatment or sponsor seminars and workshops that would raise awareness for the need to adopt or the support of adopting families or birthmothers. The possibilities will have no limit. (Consider yourself warned. We will likely come begging for money in the next ten to twenty years looking for donations! I know you will do what you feel you can.)
The thing holding us up right now is the name for the foundation. We are open to suggestions. We want the name to focus on families or adoption in some way. Here are a few names we have come up with already. Some are great, some are not. Please chime in with your suggestion or vote.
*Moving Forward *Foundation for Forward Thinking *Foundation for Forwarding Families *Further Forward Foundation *Another Step Forward *Families for Families *Furthering Families Foundation *Leah Caitlin Bliss Foundation *Families First *Life for Life Foundation *From Love ~ To Love *Giving Back Bliss Foundation *Trosper Family Foundation *Bliss-ful Family Foundation *Full of Bliss Family Foundation *Forwarding Families Foundation *Two Caitlin's Foundation *Forging Families Foundation *Foundation for Forging Families
I like to refer people I know to other people I know. I figure if someone is going to give someone else money, it may as well be to someone I know. Anyway, if you need your tree trimmed, call Joe "The Toe" Tree Trimming Company! He does great work as can be seen below. Have hack saw will travel!
This last week has been crazy! Sarah and Leah were gone for a week, leaving me all alone! At first I was excited, then sad, then excited again. I always miss Sarah, but it amazed me how much I missed Little Leah! Man, that little girl has me whooped! I love them both so much. It is an interesting dynamic being alone for a week. I planned on doing nothing all week, but ended up busier than usual and almost always had something to do. I kept myself busy with house work and yard work. I had some church things come up that I wasn't planning on which added to the mix. All in all, the time flew by. Except at night. I cannot sleep without Sarah next to me. Come Thursday I had the biggest sleep deprivation headache ever! By today, I was a walking zombie! The interesting thing about having them gone is how I hated it and enjoyed it all at the same time. Did that make sense to anyone else?! I bet it does to all those that have kids and/or are married. I enjoyed coming home from a stressful day at work to a quiet and clean home. I also hated coming home from a stressful day at work to an empty home. Anyway, I am happy that ends today! They are coming home!!!
Sarah and Leah are gone for a week on a road trip to California with Sarah's Sister, Molly, and her boys. I have enjoyed the quiet home and relaxation, but at the same time I desperately miss the very people who's absence make that quiet home. Interesting. I miss Sarah and Leah. Only four more days! I really miss putting Leah to sleep every night and watching cartoons with her in the morning. A cousin, Allison, posted this on Facebook. I thought it was hilarious too and felt it needed to be shared. Leah loves Elmo. Sarah loves Ricky Gervais.
Speaking of Easter, Katherine Lee Bates, the great American song writer once wrote, "It is the hour to rend thy chains. The blossomtime of souls." I love Spring and it seems Easter celebrates the greatest traits of Spring; renewing life,sunshine, light, life and such. Well, at least it usually does! Thismorningwas the Annual Meadowbrook Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt. I have been looking forward to this for some time. I love Easter. I loveSpring. I love Leah. I love it when she experiences new things. I was looking forward to watching Leah experience Spring and Easter for the first time since entering the age and ability to recognize and appreciate new experiences. Unfortunately, it was freezing! The forecast was wind and snow, but at least it didn't snow! Leahdidn't let the frigid temperature stop her from having fun. She is a quick learner and was fast to pick upeggs and put them in the basket that Aunt Cynthia got her. Here are a few pictures.
Sarah and Leah say, "Happy Easter, Everybody!!!"
Marque says, "Does this basket make me look fat?"
Happy Easter From the Trosper Family!
Leah and her good friends, Bella and Gabby
Leah's first discovered Easter Egg!
Leah does not like dirt...at least not yet.
She found twelve eggs in all!
It was F-F-F-Freezing this morning!
And Twelve!
She is pooped after a fun morning of collecting eggs in the Spring (Winter) weather.
Her first boiled egg!
We limited her to this one egg. Within minutes it had been dropped and cracked several times.
Sarah, the Picasso of Easter Eggs
Hey Easter Bunny! Look what we made!
Twelve!
Happy Easter
We capped off the night with a coloring session with Dad and Leah!
Happy Easter!!!
She is so bright. She makes me happy. She brings me light.
As I filledEastereggs for the hunt, I realized once again how much excess we enjoy...often without realizing it. The eggs I bought werehuge, like the size of Legg eggs. I filled them each with chocolate...more chocolate than I would get as achildin my entire basket! Do we need the excess. Will it be remembered? Is there an upside? Isn't there so much to be said forsimpleliving and the memories it creates? I love my memories of Easter as a child. I remember coloring Easter eggs the night before the holiday. I remember dressing in the Springtime pastel suits my Mother bought me. I remember posing for picturesoutside with my brothers in the warm SpringCaliforniasun. I remember letting the grass grow without mowingit for weeks before Easter in preparation for the big Easter egg hunts. I remember finding my Easterbasketswith colored eggs, a kite and a chocolate bunny. I remember searching for eggs and seeing who could get the most. I remember taking turns hidingthe eggs around the home in the morning and in the tallgrass outside in the day. I remember going to the Easter morningsunriseservice with my Grandma at Knott's Berry Farm. I remember Easter dinner with my Family. I remember so much. I hope I can help to create those long lastingmemoriesfor Leah.
I grew up in Chino, California. There. I said it. Actually, I jest. I am very proud of it. I love the fact that I grew up in Chino. After all, "Everything Grows in Chino!" I loved every minute of my life there and wouldn't trade one minute of it to live anywhere else. Not even on the beach. Well....maybe on the beach, but not anywhere else. Of course, one of the highlights of my life were my adolescent years at Don Antonio Lugo High School. Home of the Conquistadors! I let my colors, Brown and Gold, fly proudly! DAL was a great place to go to school. It was a great place to be, when you had friends like I did.
Don Antonio Maria Lugo ~ The school's name sake
DAL took a lot of pride in it's sports accolades. From the time DAL was opened, we beat Chino High School, the other school across town, regularly at football in the annual Milk Can Game. That was until traitor Coach Monger left DAL high and dry to coach the Cowgirls of Chino! That wasn't even the worst part of football at DAL. We never had a stadium. Since the mid 70's and up until this upcoming season, The Conquistadors played their football games at Chino Memorial Stadium. Even our home games against Chino were at their stadium. BOGUS! Well, who is green with envy now?! I believe the Cowboys will be changing their colors to Green and Yellow. Green for the envy they feel for our new stadium and yellow for the fear they will now show against DAL at home games...True Home Games!
The Sun Always Shines In Q Country. This memorable saying was painted on a quonset hut near the football field at Don Lugo. If you can call it a football field. Unfortunately this quonset hut burned down a short while ago, but in it's place now is a beautiful state of the art football stadium with scoreboard, concession stands, locker rooms, bleachers and turf. All donned with the colors of my youth....BROWN AND GOLD! I can hear the cheer leaders now, "Let me hear you say brown and gold. BROWN AND GOLD!" Lucky for me, a friend took some pictures of the stadium at the dedication last night. So I have stolen them and posted them here. Thanks, Tisha!
It will be nice to welcome back the pride of the Conquistadors and allow the Sun to Shine down once again in Q Country!
The South End Zone
The North End Zone
The Conquistador among the crowd
The Score Board
Apparently they ditched the DAL for the DL
We took it from them on their turf in '09. Good luck getting it back in '10!
