My Final Post on "Give Me Liberty"

I know, I know...it's sad news. Why give up? Well, it has to do with a lot of reasons. First of all, I find that I just do not have the time to commit to my blog as often as I would like to. When I originally set up my blog, I had high expectations of posting at least once, if not a couple times per week. As most of you are aware, I did not meet those goals. I have recently found myself getting extremely busy with family, football, the new school year approaching, and my own schooling (for those that don't know, I am seeking my Master's degree in Education). So, I sincerely apologize to all of you. However, the light at the end of the tunnel, or silver-lining, or pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, or yada yada yada...I will, from time to time, post on Jessica's blog. So, to stay in tune with what's happening with my love for history, my football team, the Calvary Murrieta Warriors, and my family, you'll have to check out "On Bended Knee", as most of you do. I love you all and may the Lord continue to bless you and your families. Remember, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your strength, and, regardless of your political affiliation, support our troops and have respect and admiration for our nation's history. May God continue to bless America...for where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty!

Spending the day with my girls

What a great day. I had the opportunity to spend the first half of the day with my baby girls. Jess had a "girls day out" with her friend getting her appendages pampered (pedies and manies for those who don't know what I'm talking about). So it was Cami, Caylee, and Daddy for the morning. We got to play with toys, go outside and explore the backyard, swing, nap, eat lunch, and the most important event of the day...Daddy got to answer the following question at least 15 or 20 times...

"When is Mommy coming home?"

Maybe Daddy should go back to work now.

Memorial Day 2008

I know that this was last Monday (May 26), but I still felt I needed to blog about this day and what it means to me. As a US History teacher, I have come to respect those that have gone out in to the world and placed their life on the line for our country and for the people of other nations. I had created a powerpoint presentation for my classes, but was not able to load it onto blogger. So I have included some pictures that represent the history of Memorial Day and representations of those who have served in all of the wars American soldiers have fought and died in.

Memorial Day started in 1868 as "Decoration Day". On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan (Civil War Veteran) declared in General Order No. 11 that:

“The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.”

Since then, it has been observed on the last Monday in the month of May. However, it no longer represents only those who fought and died in the Civil War, but all American soldiers who lost their lives in the heat of battle. We remember those on this day. We remember their sacrifice, their courage, and their dedication to our country.






























































































































































Revolutionary War (1775 – 1781)
American Deaths: 4,435 (approx.)

War of 1812 (1812 – 1815)
American Deaths: 2,260 (approx.)

Mexican War (1846-1848)
American Deaths: 1,733 (approx.)

Civil War (1861 – 1865)
American Deaths: 214,938 (approx.)

Spanish-American War (1898)
American Deaths: 385 (approx.)

World War I (1914 – 1918)
American Deaths: 53,402 (approx.)

World War II (1939 – 1945)
American Deaths: 291,557 (approx.)

Korean War (1950 – 1953)
American Deaths: 33,741 (approx.)

Vietnam War(1954 – 1975)
American Deaths: 47,424 (approx.)

Persian Gulf War(1990 – 1991)
American Deaths: 147 (approx.)

War on Terrorism/Iraq War(2003 – Present)
American Deaths: 4,450 (approx.)

*All numbers taken from The History Channel website. All numbers represent those that have died in battle.

I very much understand that the above list does not include all of the engagements that our military has been involved in that history does not recognize (my opinion is that it should).

Thank you to all of the above. Those that have lost their lives in battle for our nation, for other people of other nations, and the way that I see it...for me...you will never, never, never be forgotten!

Cheeseburger!

So, we trying to figure out what to do for dinner. Jess goes and asks Cami what she would like for dinner. Here is the conversation:

Jess: Cami-girl, do you want taquitos for dinner?

Cami: Ummm...no...I want a cheeseburger.

Jess: We don't have any cheeseburgers.

Cami: Oh...well, Daddy will go bye-bye and bring me home a cheeseburger?!

(Daddy is now laughing very hard on the couch as he's listening in on the conversation)

I love my girl!!! Then again, I should probably take this as a sign that we go out to eat a little too often...wouldn't ya say?

Did you Pray today?

As I'm sure you are aware, today May 1 was the National Day of Prayer. I thought I would share with you the foundation of this day and how it began. Taken from the official National Day of Prayer website:

"Because of the faith of many of our founding fathers, public prayer and national days of prayer have a long-standing and significant history in American tradition. The Supreme Court affirmed the right of state legislatures to open their sessions with prayer in Marsh vs. Chambers (1983).

The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln's proclamation of a day of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual, national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations."

This may be a day our nation sets aside to pray, however, I encourage you to pray every single day as an act of worship to our Lord and Savior who blessed us with this wonderful nation. A nation in which we are FREE to pray whenever we want and wherever we want. Never, never, never let anyone tell you that there is a separation of church and state by proclaiming the 1st amendment. The 1st amendment grants us the right to pray and worship without fear of persecution or even prosecution. Our nation was founded upon three fundamental reasons: Political freedom, Economic freedom, and Religious freedom. At no time does anyone have the right to tell you that you can not pray. Be bold, be brave, and exercise your right that our Constitution has given you, and above all, the right that our Heavenly Father has given you. 1 Thessalonians 5:17,18 proclaims, "Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." And as the title verse to my blog states, "...where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Do not allow people to deny that this nation was founded on religious, Christian principles.

GOD BLESS YOU AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS AMERICA!!

This Day in History

Here's the ironic thing...I had mentioned that a portion of this blog was going to be dedicated to US history. When was the last time I blogged about history...well, I guess that is history in itself. So I thought I would give you a bit of the history behind this day, April 23:

1776: John Paul Jones burns Whitehaven, England during the Revolutionary War.

1791: President James Buchanan is born.

1865: Confederate President Jefferson Davis explains to his wife as he flees from Union troops that "panic has seized the country"; he had realized that the South had lost the war.

1954: Hank Aaron hits his first homerun.

1956: Elvis makes his debut in Las Vegas.

1969: Sirhan Sirhan, Robert Kennedy's assassin receives the death penalty.

1975: President Ford declares that the war in Vietnam is over for America.

* Information provided by The History Channel

The Teacher becomes the Student

Finally, my 5-year plan is happening...three years after it was supposed to be completed! I guess that getting married and having children thing got in the way...TOTALLY KIDDING of course...I love you babe!

I'm going back to school. I was just recently accepted in to the Master's program at Azusa Pacific University. I will be starting classes on April 14. Please pray for me as this will be quite an adventure. Yet I know that if I do not do it now, then it will never be done. Jess and I have been praying about this for some time and feel that this is the time. I should be able to get two classes completed prior to the beginning of the next school year and football season.

Frequently Asked Questions:
1. "Why are you getting your Master's degree?" - It has always been a goal of mine. I knew I always wanted to continue my education beyond my undergraduate degree. This will allow me to explore other avenues of education.

2. "What are you getting your Master's degree in?" - Educational Leadership

3. "What does 'Educational Leadership' mean?" - It is a different way to say Administration.

4. "Do you want to be an administrator?" - I've been considering it for some time now. I have always believed that the Lord has blessed me with leadership qualities. In no way do I want to deny the abilities the Lord has given to me.

5. "Would you miss the classroom?" - Yes I would. I love teaching. Teaching has been such a blessing to my life. The relationships I have developed with my students over the past eight years have been...to sound like a high-schooler...awesome! Teaching United States History, World History, Government, Economics, Health, PE, Psychology, Agricultural Biology, Veterinary Science, and Floriculture (ask me later about the last three), have been an amazing, challenging, and above all, a huge learning adventure.

6. "If you love it so much, why give it up?" - I'm not giving it up just yet. It will take awhile before I finish the program. My guess at this point, is that I will not enter the administration field full-time for another two or three years. Only the Lord knows. Also, I don't feel that I would be giving up teaching. Would I not be teaching History, yes. However, being an administrator does not mean you stop teaching.

So, that's it for now. I will keep you updated as the program continues. Again, please be in prayer for me and my family, as this will be a very busy time. We know the Lord is in control. If you have any other questions, please feel free to comment, and I will get back to you.

Can you believe it!?

Jess and I decided yesterday that we wanted to play the lottery...well, let me clarify, not the big multi-million dollar pay out lottery, just the little scratcher games that are usually found under the glass. Neither of us has ever played, so we thought, what's a dollar? So as we were out and about last night, we pulled in to the local 7-11 (of course for a slurpee), and we bought a ticket. After we got home and put the girls to bed, we sratched and WON!! We won $5,000!!!! Can you believe it? We can't either, we are still in shock. We just wanted to share the crazy news with you all. Have a great rest of your day...you know we will be! Have you or anyone you know ever played and won? Let us know.












Happy April Fools Day! Did I get ya? Huh? Did you fall for it? Or are you just that in tune with your calendar? Oh well...someone had to try, right? Love ya!

For those of us that just don't have the cash...

May I remind you of one of the greatest inventions in the world...past, present, and future. A little something I like to call, "A Redneck's Frappuccino".

I recommend the wonderful combination of Coke and Wild Cherry (your mouth just started to water didn't it?)...Enjoy.

Daddy's got a new toy!

1984 Chevy El Camino, "Conquista"

Copy Cat

Did you ever play this game when you were a kid? I remember doing this to my sisters and my older brother. Of course, they would get annoyed with me! But there is something about this game when your 3 year old daughter plays with you. I'll set the scene for you...

I was sitting at the computer, watching a video that my mom forwarded. As I was watching, I was sitting back in the chair with my arms folded. Cami walked up, as she usually does when there is something playing on the computer. She looked at me, then looked at the computer. She looked at me again, and then proceeded to fold her arms just like I was doing. Okay, first of all, I was already watching an emotional video. And now, my daughter is watching in the same way her daddy is watching! For those Dad's out there who have little girls, you know what that did to my heart.

Here is the video that I was watching, I think you will like it. One more thing, as the video was progressing...Cami turns to me and says, "Daddy, is that your American flag?"...That's my girl!!

Now that I've been home for a week...

...I thought I would go ahead and post the last few days of my trip to the East Coast. Sorry this has taken so long. Once I got home last Thursday night, I wanted to do nothing but spend time with my family before I had to go back to work on Monday...I'm sure you understand.

The last few days of our trip was great, of course. As you will see, we headed into Philadelphia and then on to New York City. Philadelphia is a great experience. To view the city as it must have been when it served as our provincial capitol. We were able to take a walking tour of the historic district. Our guide gave us a tremendous perspective of life in the city, especially during the Revolution. I was able to take some time and go inside of "Independence Hall" and be in the room where our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution...WOW!! The chair that George Washington sat in is still in the room!

We then moved on to New York City. Now this is where I shoot myself in the foot. On the day that we go to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, The Empire State Building, and so much more, I FORGOT THE BATTERY TO MY CAMERA!!! I may have just jumped into the harbor on that 30 degree day. Also, I won't mention that I didn't even get to go to Federal Hall (where George Washington was sworn in as the first president), the Stock Exchange, Ground Zero, and Christ Church. Needless to say, New York City was not the highlight of my trip. But I was able to capture a few pictures on the last night and day we were in town to share with you.

All in all, this was a fantastic trip, and I would recommend it to anyone! In fact, if you have the time, money, and energy to spend with 8th, 11th, and 12th graders, we will be going again, February 17-27, 2009! Come and join us!!

1. Meeting house of the First Continental Congress (1774)
2. Original one-way cobblestone street in Philadelphia.
3. Betsy Ross' house
4. Burial site of Benjamin Franklin
5. Independence Hall
6. George Washington's chair
7. No explanation needed
8. Time Square
9. Radio City Music Hall
10. Central Park
11. View from the bridge in Central Park

East Coast Historic Tour - Days 7 and 8

First of all, I must apologize...I was not able to get on to the internet at our last hotel. I guess Gettysburg wants to remain in the 19th century!

Now, let me tell you about Sunday. We had a spectacular day...at least I felt that way. We started our day at Mount Vernon, the home of George and Martha Washington. This is by far, my most favorite stop on the trip! In the words of George Washington, "There is no better place situated than Mount Vernon." I would have to whole-heartedly agree. We arrived at around 9 in the morning. That is one of the best times because the sun is still rising and when you sit out on the back porch and overlook the Potomac river, there is no better place. Sorry Dad, but I would choose Mount Vernon over Hawaii, but that's the history in me.

We then headed out of Washington DC and made our way into Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. As many of you know, this is where the battle took place that changed the course of the Civil War in favor of the Union Army (the North). Gettysburg would probably be a close second behind Mount Vernon (that is why this day was spectacular). There are so many stories of the 75,000 or so that fought on these fields in July of 1863. The most astonishing fact that I learned yesterday, is that there are still around 1,800 bodies unaccounted for. This means they are still on the battlefield! This gave me an erie feeling as we were driving around. Also, there is a battlefield guide that is about 90 years old, and he was present at the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. He was a boy scout then, and was used to help the 90 year old Civil War veterans find their way around. So, our guide told us that he gets to work with a man that has shaken the hand of a Civil War veteran! That connection made it very clear that we are not that far removed from the Civil War.

And now for Day #8. This has been a very relaxing day. We departed from Gettysburg and headed into Amish country about an hour and a half away, to a little town called "Intercourse". And no, I'm not making that up. We learned today that some of the townspeople have been working to change the name...I would second that motion. We visited a couple named Emmanuel and Rachel Smucker (and yes, he is related to the jams and jelly family). They are an Amish-Mennonite family, meaning they do not abide by the strict Amish customs. They use electricty and have a cell phone, however, they still live a very plain lifestyle. They are the neatest, most compassionate people you will ever meet. Allow me to tell you a story about Emmanuel:

There were some "outsiders" who had come into the town, to simply take advantage of the Amish people; needless to say, they were thieves. They came upon the Smucker household and were going to steal Emmanuel's ladder. Well, Emmanuel caught them in the act. As they were carrying the ladder out to their truck, Emmanuel grabbed the ladder from behind. No, he was not trying to stop them. He was helping them load the ladder into the truck. He stated, "If they need a ladder that badly, then I pray it will be a blessing to them."...WOW!! There are other stories that I can share with you at another time.

I must apologize, but I did not take any pictures while we were in Amish country.

Anyways, today we did a lot of driving. We then headed into New Jersey, where we are bedding down for the night. Tomorrow will be another great day, as we head into Philadelphia to tour the most historic square mile in the United States! Check back tomorrow night to see the fun!

1. Mount Vernon (front)
2. The view from the back portico, overlooking the Potomac River.
3. Tomb of George Washington
4. Civil War era graffiti on the tomb; check the date.
5. 75th anniversary monument at Gettysburg
6. General Robert E. Lee; overlooking where Picket's charge took place
7. The Eisenhower Farm
8. Damage from the war to a local farm
9. Pennsylvania's memorial to Gettysburg; largest monument on the battlefield
10. Little Roundtop; some say, where the battle was won.
11. Gettysburg Unknown Soldiers
12. Where Lincoln delivered his "Gettysburg Address"

no internet!!!

For everyone who is checking out this BLOG for the daily updates of the East Coast Historic Tour, today was great. However, this is Jess so I really can't give you many details ;-) Just wanted to let you all know that the hotel Cam is at tonight has no internet access, or if it does it's VERY slow. Therefore, no update tonight, sorry! Cam will be in a different hotel tomorrow, so hopefully we will have 2 days worth of info & pics to look through. Thanks for stopping by & check back tomorrow night.
Blessings to all!

East Coast Historic Tour - Day #6

First of all...you may want to go back to yesterday's post, as I have uploaded some pictures of the day's events.

And now for Day #6. This was a very good day in that we were given a lot of free time to roam around the Washington Mall (and no, that does not mean shopping). You will understand when I get to the pictures. We started our day by going to Ford's Theatre (the place of the Lincoln assassination); unfortunately it was closed. However, we were able to go into the Peterson House across the street; the place President Lincoln was brought to after being shot and the place where he died. Very intense to see the bed that Lincoln died on.

We then had time to walk from museum to museum along the Washington Mall. The most unfortunate part of the day was finding out that the American History museum was closed due to renovation. However, they had brought some of the artifacts over to the Air and Space Museum...I spent plenty of time looking at those artifacts; especially Abraham Lincoln's hat that he was wearing the night of his assassination. One of my favorite parts of the day was going to the top of the Washington Monument and looking out over all of Washington DC.

1. Ford's Theatre; closed for renovation.
2. Lincoln's hat
3. "I don't want to be a pirate!"
4. Vietnam soldiers helmet; "Counting the Days"
5. "Fireside Chats"
6. George Washington's uniform...his actual uniform!!!
7. Andrew Jackson's uniform
8. World War II and the Lincoln Memorial
9. Washington Mall from 555 feet
10. The White House