Sandy wasn't messin'

Over the years many of us have heard the countless false alarms or over exaggerations in lieu of blizzards and hurricanes. Sandy sent early heads of warning with billowing clouds days prior to her inching closer up the east coast. We batten down the hatches on Sunday ready for whatever would come our way.






(Camp Oswego sustained a bit of damage with a very uprooted tree swaying over our power lines. Very scary. Earlier in the day the police closed the road off which made all of our neighbors very ecstatic for the possibility of a power outage along with lacking access to their homes. Awesome.)









Early afternoon on Monday Keith trekked out with me hanging out as I did a little mid-hurricane paddle boarding. Except for a bit or rain and wind, it really was a nice escape from being house bound. From clips on the news to pics on face book it was heart breaking watching the devastation along the Jersey Shore and then on to New York City. Lots of loss, flooding and damage that will inevitably take heaps of time and money to put all back to its pre-hurricane state.

As I am officially going insane being stuck in the house for over 55 hours, so much of me is grateful for that we are all safe, warm and intact. Viewing the countless pics on the internet there are many, many people that have suffered extensive damage and loss. Thankful for Camp Oswego staying in one piece and the family being safe and dry.

Accelerated weekend(ish)

Very rarely do my parents have the opportunity to trek to Jersey. I can count on my fingers the amount of times that they have been able to break free from the farm since I moved here over nine years ago. So having them for a whole weekend(ish) was very nice. 

Tristan seemed on overload with a heap of activities planned that started the minute he got out of the car. The kid is accustomed to a pretty laid back life style consisting of a day of home schooling, farm life and treks to church and town. So walking into a sea of 1,200+ kids participating in our first ever school wide lip dub and pep rally was a bit overwhelming, but awesome. 

Sometimes it is nice to have activities spread out a bit, but that wasn't' the case with attending the Seneca Character Breakfast followed by the Safe Trick or Treat @ Shawnee (where Taylor was a very cute zebra) and wrapping things up with the Medford Halloween Parade. The little dude was exhausted once nine o'clock rolled around. But he was a super trooper.

Even though everything was warp speed, it was really nice to see the three of them. I loved watching Taylor and Tristan have some cousin time goofing around, hugging and laughing. A six hour trek isn't as easy to accomplish as it used to be with time and life obligations, but the next scheduled trip is for the Drug Squad Retreat beginning Nov. 15th. Deep breathing as that date draws a bit closer. It's not always easy to take the time to smile, breathe and take in moments that are easy to slip by our fingertips if we're not careful. Making it a priority has to be a priority....I just haven't conquered that one yet. 

PF3

This morning the sermon at church delved into the aspect of giving, serving and stretching ourselves beyond our comfort zone and, in turn, allowing God to use us in the lives of others. Taylor and I spent some time chatting about the aspect of giving and serving. Are we serving? And when we do, is our heart in the right place? A struggle I have is how easily I can become disheartened when others don't share my vision, but the other side is how absolutely contagious it is once they get (as I like to refer to it) infected : ) . It's life altering. 

So goes the PF3 at Seneca. Philly Full Fledge Feed...bam! Another yellow bus rolled into Philly on Wednesday afternoon with a load of teens and adults ready to rock and roll. It seems each time we go things roll a little smoother and the interactions with those receiving food and clothing gets more genuine. I love watching the hearts of these kids, adults and now my friend's little ones totally get super amped up while gaining insight into a world that very few allow themselves to go. 

Seventeen year old boys rolling through Love Park on their skateboards eagerly handing out blankets and bag lunches to young and old on benches, street corners and huddled in groups. Kids scouring for just one more blanket or pair of socks to give to someone who, in just a few hours, will be sleeping on the cold concrete as evening sets. I am in awe of the lessons, in just a very short amount of time, that these guys are taking with them. Each of them asking, "Lawler, please let me go on the next trip." Stoked. Elated. Awesome. With the proper direction, ingredients and man power seeds can be planted and eyes can be opened to pass the torch in establishing a life time of giving, serving and living in a way that's anything but ordinary. 

Under Our Stars

There's something about hope. There's something special about family. When you combine those two elements at Seneca you are bound to experience something unique. Last night I participated in our school's first annual "Walk Under Our Stars" event. It was our own school based Relay For Life involving over 700 students and staff. I signed up to work from start to finish. Knowing that this was going to be something we would all remember for the rest of our lives there was no way I was missing a moment even if the weather forecasters were predicting temps dipping into the 20s. My strategy was to layer, drink heaps of coffee & hot chocolate while surrounding myself with 700 AMAZING human beings. Cold and frost would be no match.
From the start of the school day it was already emotional just observing the kids streaming through the hallways with their coordinated shirts, sprayed hair and signs hanging promoting the evening's event. So much emotion and charge drove all involved from the get go.













Nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for what the next twelve hours would hold in store. Imagine 700+ teenagers gathering on a football field with pop up canopy tents, bags of food, blankets, chairs, tables, stuffed animals and the list could go on and on. The cynical type would raise an eyebrow and shake their head.
We had faith in our kids. We set the bar high. Our kids were spectacular and surpassed, once again,  the expectations for the evening. Hundreds of teens gathered for the purpose of not only raising money for cancer, but honoring those their friends, family members and friend's loved ones who either are a cancer survivor or those who are no longer with us. Tee shirts and posters with names and faces of loved ones filled all areas of the field that had me choked up before the evening officially began.






















The evening kicked off with all 700+ of us lined on the track taking the first lap together, as one family. Pride surged and our kids were off to walk, stride and push forward for the next 12 hours. As the clock reached midnight the lights were turned off and we gathered around the track for one lap, in silence, together. The entire track was lit by luminary bags, each one had a name of someone who had been touched by cancer. As the lights flickered and we walked under a canopy of stars all I could think of was the hundreds who surrounded me who were thinking of someone, at that very moment, that they have watch suffer or their someone who was no longer here. My eyes swelled with tears thinking of how my husband and kids have been effected. I thought of both of my grandfathers and many dear friends who are no longer here. It seems the majority, no longer the minority, have a someone.
Seven hundred kids and adults walking in silence. Mom's, Dad's, friends, aunts and grandparents represented by one single light. Standing individually, it seems so vulnerable and dim. Together, gathered and properly represented the lights burn bright and their loved ones stand strong.

As the weekend continues on those twelve hours still weigh on my heart. I feel so very honored to have been a part of such a awe inspiring event. It will stay with me for the rest of my life. I heart Seneca. 

Be the pink

Every Friday morning I meet up with a handful of my girlfriends for an early morning run before the school day begins. Our sneakers are slapping the pavement as the moon and stars are our backdrop against the blackened sky. It's a combination of mental, physical and spiritual rejuvenation that I wouldn't change for the world. I love my friends. 

This past Friday as we rounded the last bend before heading back to the locker rooms we were greeted by a sign (as seen above) that evoked a mix of emotions. Friday was our annual 'pink out' with hundreds of teens and teachers adorning pink shirts, bows and knee high socks. As students made their way through the hallways to classes it was a sea of pink. Love it. 

Our efforts were to promote awareness about breast cancer and the many other forms of cancer that have impacted nearly all of us in some way, shape or form. Most of us have had or have someone in our life touched by cancer; it's an epidemic. My heart aches with stories that seem to stretch on and on.

But I am also very proud. Those pink cups lining the field re-enforced a very powerful message. There is power in numbers. There is hope to be found. I believe we can, in many forms, make a difference in the battles that we wage each day. There is so much heart ache out there that includes so many facets of life.  So often we may feel alone facing battles in the form of illness, financial hardships, family losses and the list goes on and on. We are not alone. 

I thank God for the Hope that I have in Him. There is some crazy crap that life can hand out and I don't know why some have more than others. Some of the stories that I hear each and every day in my office can cause my heart to ache in a way that can leave me emotionally exhausted. I don't have answers as to the 'why's' of all these aches and pains. I do know that there is solace, there is hope in knowing that ALL things are in God's Hands. I know ALL things do work together even if I don't ever see the end result. I am comforted by the fact that God is good & in control. My heart is not as heavy or fragmented at this reality. 

So as those pink dixie cups line our fields I am so very comforted that there is, indeed, hope. Rock on and live strong.