I felt you!

Two nights ago, I felt you move for the first time. It was the second most amazing feeling I have ever had, to feel the life that was created by the hand of God. (The first amazing feeling I had was putting a ring on your mother's finger) You, my sweet daughter are a blessing to us from Him.

Your life is precious and has touched many already and will touch many more in the months and years to come. Your mother and I love you very much and are so excited for you to come into this world. As you will soon see, this world is not perfect, but it was perfectly made. I look so forward to holding you, picking you up, and teaching you about life. We are so excited God picked us to be your parents. Although we won't be perfect, our love for you will be perfect and never ending.

PS: Please forgive us for teasing you with the flashlight- we are just so thrilled to feel you. Keep rockin' baby girl. We love you.

Our Government's Assault on LIFE

The White House seems to believe that baby at 20 weeks is essentially not human and can be killed freely.

At 18 weeks, my unborn child has a heartbeat of 120 bpm, arms, legs, a face and functioning brain. In 2 more weeks, our baby girl will be even more developed. The White House's statement is sickening in regards to vetoing a bill that would prevent abortions after 20 weeks!

USA Today- The White House issued a veto threat Monday, calling the bill an "assault on a woman's right to choose."

Voice up people!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/06/18/abortion-bill-house-vote/2435353/

It's a....?

Words really can't express the excitement we feel. I'm looking forward to daddy/daughter dates and dances, soccer, and Angel games with our little girl.

 

I'm still learning the husband roll, but I'm sooo looking forward to the dad roll. I couldn't have picked a better partner to do it with. I'm truly blessed.

Mossberg, or Remington?

So this is 30?

I can’t believe I just turned 30! Nothing against you 30+ year olds out there, but I’m finding it hard to believe that I’ve been on this earth for 3 decades. I find myself researching life insurance policies, retirement plans and ways to minimize, or eliminate any debt left to my family once I’m gone. It’s interesting, you spend your adolescence and teen years preparing for adulthood. Once you get there, you’re planning your exit strategy.

Life is short. Life is precious. I need to step back, take one day at time and not get caught up in worrying about the future.  I need to remember what’s important while I’m on this earth- faith and family. If I keep my focus there, everything will fall into place. We got a baby on the way! (...blog to follow...)

Why I'm Better than Mark Zuckerberg...

...because for the time being, I OWN him...and yes Mark, I am down for some friendly competition :)

Hello America, Remember Me? It's America....

This blog is inspired by Sunday’s episode of Secret Millionaire…

I’ve grown up here in southern California my whole life. When I was young, I remember making sandwiches and taking them to downtown Santa Ana, the homeless hub of Orange County. I was always aware that homeless people lack the privileges of a toilet, clean running water, clothes, shoes, coats, beds, etc. When I would see a homeless person, I would assume they were on the streets due to the self inflicted wounds of alcohol or drug abuse. Shame on me. 

Sunday night I learned that there is a huge population of homeless women and children that seek the streets for shelter from abusive relationships and unemployment. I also learned that 91,000 people call the right angle of a building and sidewalk, or the bushes, home in Los Angeles. That would fill up the Rose Bowl. 

Saturday, $150k was raised for the Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims through Youth Run 4 Japan. The event was organized by Josh Duhamel, B list actor and husband to the Black Eyed Peas’ female vocalist, Fergie. The billionaire Hilton empire heiresses Paris and Nicky Hilton participated in the run. I wonder if Paris waived her $100k appearance fee? 

It’s nice to see celebrities getting together to raise money to help those affected by this natural disaster. My heart does go out to the people of Japan. They probably haven’t lost this many lives since the atom bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945. What has happened across the Pacific is truly a catastrophe. 

I think what our silver screen, and pop culture “role models” are not doing about homelessness in the United States is a worse catastrophe. Only 30 celebrities claim to be affiliated with homeless related charities around the world according to“Look to the Stars- The World of Celebrity Giving”. 

It seems like these uber-millionaire celebrities ban together to support and raise cash for foreign country disaster relief efforts in Haiti and Japan, and ignore the homeless epidemic within their own city limits. On Skid Row in Los Angeles, at least one homeless person dies a day. One thousand people become homeless per day in the United States. Do the math for a year….

What if these celebrities united together and created businesses for homeless people to get off the streets and make a decent wage, receive a new skill set, and eventually invest in an apartment or home? Let’s rehabilitate our own citizens. Let’s rebuild America’s infrastructure to overcome our own current economic turmoil. Let’s stop throwing money at other countries’ problems.

No. That is not selfish. That is preserving and taking care of the broken, dying lives we have here within our own borders. You think any countries care about ourhomelessness disease and will send money to battle it? Heck, no! Nor should they, it’s our battle. 

Helping the homeless get on their feet will likely lessen depression and disparity, thus reducing both crime and the overcrowded prison system your tax dollars pay for. Real estate values will increase and the overall quality of life in America will improve for all. 

Once our own citizens are healed from our crippling economy, then let’s help those other countries. A country in debt should not be getting into deeper debt by helping every country involved with natural disasters. They happen-that’s why they are called, natural disasters. They have happened for years, and will continue to do so for years to come. 

We have the power to become a prosperous nation once again. Our broke government isn’t doing enough. It starts with us. It starts with me. 

 

Munchkin Dinner

Recently, I had the honor of eating dinner with my grandparents and my grandmother’s dear friend Margaret Pellegrini at Outback Steakhouse in Long Beach. Both my grandma and Margaret played Munchkins in the Wizard of Oz.

When casting for The Wizard of Oz, the male little people outnumbered the female little people. To compensate, they casted young children actors such as my grandma to play Munchkins. Today, there are three living children Munchkins and four little people Munchkins.

Margaret lived with my grandmother and her parents. To this day, they still talk about the fun times they had with my grandmothers’ family and meals they shared together back in the late 1930’s. Margaret is a huge Tabasco fan! 

Margaret's close friends Tim and Kyle, her great and great great grand daughters, Stephen Cox, author of “The Munchkins Remember," my grandparents Bud and Priscilla Clark (Priscilla Montgomery), my brother Nick and myself attended this special dinner we will be sure to never forget.