Spending the last evening on the farm and in disbelief at how quickly the week has passed. This afternoon Jess, the boys & I went for lunch at a little place in Farmville nestled atop a hill overlooking a babbling brook. As Gabe was stuffing himself with oyster crackers and Tristan slurping down his red pepper crab soup all I could think was, there is nowhere else I would rather be right now. With all my adventures over my past 32 years that consist of camping with Beduoins in the Jordanian desert, hanging with Fijians on a small island in the middle of the Pacific, racing an Arabian horse around the pyramids in Egypt and planting cyprus trees on a farm in the middle of Tuscany; all of these pale in comparison to the moments I have with them. They bring a sense of peace and wholeness that my passport just can't match up to.

So as we roll into another year there will be more stamps on the passport, new experiences with friends, but nothing will ever supercede the times with the ones who make my heart the happiest: my little dudes. So I'm signing off to roast a few more marshmallows over the fire place. Below is a pic of Tristan, gloves and all, eating one of his ever so crispy toasted marshmallows. We do it with style : )

A little recap of one of my favorite conversations with Tristan:
Tristan:"E, you livin' the dream?" Me:"Yes Tristan I am are you?" Tristan:"Not yet E,not til' I'm an adult & then I'm coming w/ you." Me:"Where we going buddy?" Tristan:"We gotta go somewhere you've never been yet,E." Me:"Ok Tristan, what are ya thinking?" Tristan:"China.." Me:"I've actually never been there buddy." Tristan:"I know that E, that's why we're goin' & I'm bringing the snacks.."

A few days ago I was in Jersey a midst a whirl wind of frenzied shoppers, coffee infused tailgaters and the endless exchanges of, 'Happy Holidays.' On the farm, feeling removed from all the wrapping paper, tinsel and commercialization I've found more plenty in morning coffee chats with my mom, seeking out a tree in the middle of a pasture with the nephew & hauling in wood for the house with my dad. The other stuff is just a distraction and detracts from what this time of year is about...Christ's birth and the hope found through His birth. Santa, re-gifted candles & glittering Christmas trees pale in comparison to the truth that is so often placed on the back burner.

The next few days I hope to continue hitting the pause button & savoring the moments I have with the family. I love the baby cow prancing across the front yard, hacking down a tree in the middle of the forest & hearing 'E' all day long from my little buddy. Enjoying the moment, because time goes so by so quickly. Lovin' it, livin' it, doin' it : )


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Snow, snow & a little side of snow

I pulled into Faith Farm around 4:30 am after a very long, traffic laden trek from Jersey. It feels very good to be here and hopefully have some time to recharge and spend time with some of my favorite people on the planet. The past week was a little quirky and after a few days of being snow bound and having way too much time to think my heart and spirit were very ready to be with my family the next week. I consider myself very independent, but sometimes good friends just aren't the same. Maybe it's the time of year, weather and a combination of things. But the past week the longing to be with family has been acute. So here I am...

I must also say, that I also do realize how profoundly blessed I am for not only family, but friends. In moments of the potential 'pity party,' it is then that you are dragged out to frolic in the snow or have a much needed chat on the cell to put things in perspective. I am grateful and blessed, but also feeling very at peace being on Faith Farm right now. So, the boys are running in circles (it's genetic:) in the living room with the crooked Christmas tree we chopped down a few hours ago with the smell of freshly baked apples filling the house. Lovin' it...


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Jingle bell rock ... or roll

The Christmas Season set in for me this weekend with Christmas trees propped in empty parking lots, lights on houses, chaos in every store within a thirty mile radius and the seemingly endless source of cookies that are in every planning center at Seneca. With a week and a half remaining before break it is during this time that so many people really struggle with the holidays. For many, it is a reminder of someone that they once loved who is no longer with them or salt in the wound for mom or dad who may have lost their job or the reality that they have 11 days home where someone under their roof is struggling with addiction. I don't mean to fix a dark cloud over head, but even as I bobb my head to Bing Crosby in the back of my mind there is the reality that now, more than ever, it's so important to bring out the empathy card.
I feel blessed, profoundly and very undeserving of what I have. With that we prep for pulling another fifty plus Christmas baskets together for local families. In my heart I hope the sense of passing on a little 'goodness' will alleviate a little sadness and allow many to know that they are indeed cared about. So if you have the chance to really look someone in the eyes and wish a very sincere, heart felt, 'Merry Christmas' I can bet after a few pupil to pupil connections there is a lifting of spirits and hearts. I dig it.

This weekend was the first of a flurry of Christmas parties that lie ahead in the next few weeks. Although it becomes a little overwhelming having to be in seven and a half places at once it is also a time of year that I so enjoy spending time with friends that I don't see nearly as much as I'd like. There is just something about being in the presence of good people that a gift card, fluffy slippers or good tunes just pales in comparison.

It also in these next few weeks that life seems to kick into crazy train status and in that how easy it is to get sucked into the realm of insanity distracting us from the meaning of this holiday season: Christ's birth. He is, in all sense of the word, the reason for the Season. I thank God for sending His Son, for providing the ultimate definition of love, sacrifice, forgiveness and healing. Our God is a great, loving and profoundly epic creator that I am continually in awe of.

Make sure to not let the tinsel, ribbons and santa hats over shadow what this time of year is actually about. Fight the distractions and take some time to soak in how epic the meaning for the season really is. Dig it.


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Post dia de Thanx

This week seems to have flown by, but one that has left me fairly tired. With Friday approaching and the weekend at my fingertips I look forward to a little 'down time' to catch my breathe after a rather crazy train week. This time last week I was breaking bread with the family and soaking in some very precious time with the nephews.

Even with the national day of thanks being in past tense, there is so much to be thankful for. As I spoke with Tristan today talking a million miles an hour about transformers I found myself closing my eyes and just feeling an overwhelming sense of goodness, love and peace that brought a smile to my face. Even on a yellow bus with twenty teenagers heading to the bowling alley, peace and tranquility can be attained. It is so often, a matter of the mind and a realization that there is really so much to be thankful for.

As the weekend approaches I shall take time to reflect, chill and tell those little dudes how much I love them. It's not just a faith farm vacation thing, aiming for a 365 thing. Totally attainable.



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Turkey in my belly:)

Weekends in Virginia seem to fly by quicker as the years go on. I hopped a train from Philly on Wednesday with time to grab a cup of coffee, have a few deep breathes and have a nice chat with Pa's Governor Rendell. I actually forgot he was now the governor and no longer mayor, but that's what happens when the ginseng pills have dried up. Following my little chat with good old Ed I was Va bound.

The first half of the week was beyond whirl wind status attempting to bring together Thanksgiving baskets for area families. It was an unbelievable high to leave Seneca on Wednesday with the knowledge that so many had a hand in making someone's Thanksgiving a little better than it would have been. Heading south on the train I tried not to let my mind wander to all those who were not identified in our area who would not have a meal on our national day of giving thanks. My hope is that we will continue onward in doing what we are able and never just simply take the back seat and observe others 'doing.' I believe paying it forward is one of the greatest gifts that comes in so many forms.

On the farm we had a day of Thanks with the family eating a seriously epic Turkey courtesy of Faith Farm. My parents take great pride in how they raise their animals, how they are treated and I must admit there is just something different about it. It is amazing what they've accomplished and how a guy and a girl from Bayonne, NJ ended up in Virginia as free range farmers. Life is never predictable and surely never boring. But I am thankful for my family, friends and the life I have. Very often, I feel unworthy but will continue to live fully never compromising and never regretting.




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Gracias isn't just once a year ....

Tomorrow at this time I will more than likely be sitting on my parent's front porch gazing for shooting stars with Tristan on my lap as we sway on the rocking chair. It is quite a contrast to a day that ended a few short hours ago that has left my feet sore and body on the verge of exhaustion, but I'm not about to complain. There is tremendous focus on 'giving back' around the Holidays; we really pull out all the stops. What I'm pretty proud of that at Seneca it is a year round pay-it-forward mentality and I believe it is reflected in our student body. But we do get a tad intense around the holidays. This year we're rocking out close to 50 Thanksgiving baskets for people within our community.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in the hoopla of this time of year it can be easy to overlook the reality that many, especially with our present economy, do not have a Thanksgiving dinner awaiting them come Thursday. I have to tell you, being able to be one spoke in the giant wheel of our 'giving cycle' leaves me with a long term stoke that money, material goods or even 1,000 surfboards could come close to. Man, what a total stoke...

So as we gather round with family and friends this coming weekend do indeed count your blessings. Take time to tell those around you how you care and I urge you to carry on the giving concept beyond that of our special calendar dates. With our two hands it is truly possible to change the world, even if it is one full plate at a time.

Reelin' in the energy

It's mid-week and I still have yet to catch up on lack of sleep and energy expended from last weekend. Even with lethargy still in full swing, the feedback and unbridled enthusiasm from the kid's who participated in the retreat is unbelievable. So many have shared how life altering the time away has been. In my heart I feel the challenges and growth that occurred in these three short days will stay with some of these kids for a life time. For me, being an eyewitness to all of this is truly unbelievable.

Even with all the preparation, energy and insane schedule of this relatively short amount of time - I would do it all again in a heart beat. Being in a position to see the wheels spinning in the minds of so many young people and know the reflection and personal challenge is leaving an impression is really an amazing process to be a part of. So often teens are cast in such a negative, harsh light. If the media could get a brief glimpse of what so many kids are doing to create a surge of positive, life altering steps maybe the tide would change. But I'm not thinking the fluffy bunny ends of things sells as many papers. Just a thought...



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Drug Squad Returns

Little less than an hour ago I returned from a three and a half day retreat with my Drug Squad kids that consisted of many hours of a big yellow bus. As I lay on my bed typing my body is sore from essentially abusing it from lack of sleep, sitting in a bus for over 14 hours traveling there and back as well as sleeping on a solid wood floor. WIth all of these elements combined I'm a tad on the numb side, but so greatly in awe of the magnitude of the weekend and what was accomplished in a relatively small window of time.

Twenty six teens on the farm for seventy two hours lacking cell phones, facebook and everyday distractions made for an ideal opportunity to challenge each of them to 'dig deep.' From intense group time in challenging them how they are living their lives to building chicken coops with one another as well as opportunities for each of them to share their own stories, backgrounds and the 'why' regarding the reasoning in the path they are taking in life -- each hour and day created a richer sense of them realizing that yes, they are indeed different, but essentially the same.

Witnessing friendships develop before my eyes was pretty amazing. Right along with that was sitting in the presence of 26 amazing young people with a heart for others and a desire to really rock out in how they are living their lives. To me, being a part of something so special leaves me very humbled and at the same time in awe of the potential these kids have to really make an impact in the world around them.

I'll be sure to post some more pics as well as more detail about the retreat once my mind clears up a bit. It was another great year with some epic kids & an extra bonus getting to hang with the fam. What more could I ask for?


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Good stuff

This weekend I had not much on the agenda & spent more time catching up on sleep, soaking in the nice weather and being in the presence of good peeps than I have on your typical weekend. What was a perk was a four day weekend courtesy of NJ Teacher's Convention. Of course, I would have loved to be there but it seemed more appropriate to just not go.

Jess and the boys were in earlier in the week and although the time was precious it left me exhausted come the weekend. So, four days off came at the perfect time. As I head into the week the focus becomes on my Drug Squad retreat that kicks off on Thursday and runs until Sunday in Virginia. It's hard to believe that this marks the fifth year and I believe it is running stronger than ever. Being able to have these kids away from the distractions of society (cell phone, email, etc.) for 3.5 days and really hit the pause button on life is a responsibility I take very seriously. Throughout our time my hope is to place continual challenges to them regarding the life that they are leading. We can go with the flow, we can be be complacent and the life we lead can come attached to a large pay check, fancy cars and so forth. All of that, does not ensure happiness. In my mind the more we have the more we want & the yearning to fill a hole that can not be filled with stuff. Instead, investing in others and living a life that will indeed make an impression upon the heart of others provides a richness that anything tangible in society can not replicate. I get excited and my hope is that my words and the challenges placed before them to do not fall on deaf ears. To think if these twenty five teens make the decision to examine their lives and choose to forego the pressures of their peers how dynamic their impact upon those around them will be. How absolutely epic is that?




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Whenever Jess and the boys roll in we are all about fun, time together and getting Jess caught up on some much needed quality pizza, hoagies and cheese steaks. Tristan had his first real Halloween that took a little transitioning. He has been wired with the whole, 'don't talk to strangers' spiel and going up to random homes, knocking and proceeding to ask for candy seemed to take him off guard. So, with an explanation that it's a once a year thing he rolled with it fairly quickly.

Gabe was a lion and Tristan identified himself as a ninja, but was really a Power Ranger (we just won't tell him quiet yet:) The little lion was out for the count by house number three where Tristan was just getting warm. With kids strolling up and down the streets in all types of costumes, Tristan was digging it.

Hitting the aquarium is a whole different experience when the little dudes are in town. From trying to explain that sharks can not break through the plexi glass to why jumping into the pirannah tank is not such a good idea - it's all, as I like to say, an experience.

Sometimes we get so consumed by the insanity of life that we allow the little things to go unnoticed. It was priceless watching Tristan go from being highly apprehensive approaching the 'please touch' shark tank to an hour later where I had to literally hold the back of his pants as to avoid him diving in with the sharks without a leash. The little dude is on his way to 'crazy train' like his auntie E, but he's got a few years to go yet.

I head back with them to the farm on Wednesday and return to Jersey Friday night to begin the preparation for my annual retreat later in the week. I think living fully or maybe on the cusp of insane, enables me to keep up with the kids I work with. Live fully, freely and (if it's a word) epic-ly. Do it up...



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32 and feelin' good

I've not been a big Birthday celebrator in year's past. This year I went a bit out of the comfort zone and spent an evening with friends just simply enjoying one another's company. With a little vino, appetizers and good conversation the night was really enjoyable. The last thing I had in mind was a big round table in a busy restaurant where there is a time frame on how long one can chat, chill and just be.

The past year has consisted of a lot of change on my part and it has landed me in a very good place. Life is never predictable, never smooth and sometimes a tad on the chaotic side; but through it all it is truly beautiful. Having good peeps in my life helps with that whole reality.

Seneca had its second annual Safe Trick or Treat with nearly 500 little ones scurrying the halls in pursuit of candy. Numerous clubs at the school participated in decorating random rooms with high schoolers there to greet the little ones decked out in costumes and doling out some serious candy. My office looked even more over the edge than normal, if that's possible. WIth a fog machine, strobe light and decorations the kids were diggin' it. I have to say, it was a good day.

Our THR (Target Heart Rate:) group at school opted to sport the whole 'pink lady' garb and I have to say we pulled it off pretty well. Jess and the boys arrived in town yesterday & I'll be posting some trick or treat pics shortly. Good stuff... and beyond.


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