Michigan Trip Pt. 1

So I got up at 4. Yea, dawg, it was early. I took a shower and ate a peanut butter jeally sandwitch and took off with mama. I had luckly my addidas michigan bag and my michgian pack pack that I use with the motorcycle. We got to the airport and I had to take out my bottles and give them to mama, even my hair stuff. THis was the first time a trip with American worked, alothough I was only 20 minutes late it was amazing. THe first flight sucked cause I was in a crammed old properller plane on the endge and seriously no position was comfortable to sleep in, none at all. I tried the all, trust me. Hardly slept at all. Stopped in Dallas and took my time changing terminals and getting food and magazines. Then in Detroit I landed super excited. I wastched part of the soloist on the flight and it was weird. I got to Detroit and I texted Rina and then walked outside to wait for the next 20m as they kept getting lost. Finally after forever they came up and it was Rina and Mark. Mark looks like an elf with his hair and his chin beard and patch under his mouth and his earls and nose and brownish look. They was so excited to see me. They kept like buzzing. Mark made a comment about "well, I guess no bike after all"..and I was like what? And he said no money fo the bike. And I said, no; I already have one. And then what commenced was a series of "WHATTT!!!" by Rina and no way and why didnt you tell me and ahhhh and a bike? and shut up! and Tell me more! and all the above. Hahaha. I was like...so you dont read my blog?? Hhahaha. The Lesson of the Day: Read DP´s Blog...or else... or else you will be oblivious to the awesomeness adventures of DP the Great.

Tuesday was a lot of fun. M first real day. I had fun with all the kids especially jake and luke and little jordan. Then I got to run some of the small 3 on the games and that was wow what a challenge but how funny. THen I got to reff some of the older games. My first game was Indiana with Ben, which was my team,a gainst Novak. I was getting accomsoed to reffing beause it was my first one ever. I had to adjust what I was watching and how I was blowing the wiste and everything.Sure I let a lot slip in the beggining and I didnt know who was on whoes team,s o often I would blow the wistle and look for either ben or ovak to give me a direction. There was no pressing on defence and so a lot of times I would shout to the kid to back off instead of blowing the wistle. One time I had to yell like 6 times and Ben was like blow your wistle already. I think the most famous part of that first game was definatly when I lew the wistle near the half court line and yelled "You kids need to have more discernment!"...and all the kids looked up to me with big eyes in a completely confused manner and Novak turned to me and said, "Pinedo, what the corn is that? How do you expect the kids to know what that means when I dont even know." I was like, um, good point. So I gave them a quick run down and it was all good and I kept going and Indian lost by 1 point at the end. That loss killed Ben and my reputation for discernment might never lave the face of the earth. Later I had to do 50 pushups of redemtion for my Iniana team so that they would elt me stand on the sideline again; it was hillarious.

And for all out you out there who DONT know what discernment is, here you go...
discernment |diˈsərnmənt| noun 1 the ability to judge well : an astonishing lack of discernment. 2 (in Christian contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual direction and understanding : without providing for a time of healing and discernment, there will be no hope of living through this present moment without a shattering of our common life.

Camp was cool Weds. Busy and full again. Today we had a lot of competitions. I was having with Jake and Luke and Jordan Vergollo and the kids were loving me. We would play knock out and they would all go against me. It was so much fun. They all know me by nae and love to talk to me. They also didnt want me to reff their games, team Indiana didnt at least. The camp ended and then I was told by will to talk to the new strength and conditionaing coach, Jon Sanderson about babysitting for him tonight. I rebounded for Novak for an hour and then I went back to the appartment and waited for Sanderson´s call but I got none. So I finally left and hung out with the bros at the cathern house at the diag and with Bethie and Rina too and Elfie. It was cool.

Thursday worked all day. Camp ended at 11:30. Indiana was coached by me and we had a heartreaker loosing tot he number one team by 1 point, 23-25. At the very end with 3 seconds left our chubby tall kid dribbled down the court and shot up a trhee and got destroyed and no foul as the buser went off. If we would have gotten the foul he would have gone tot he line for 3 shots in an attempt to tie or even win the game. But no. Bull.I had like 4 kids cry it was sad but they played really good and they played liek champs and I did excellent coaching I wont lie and I was calling plays and speciall double team help side with one of their good players and we were getting boards and some good ball rotation it was great. Camp was over and I had to sign all the kids shirts just like I was a player, it was hilarious. All the players an me had a sharpie hahaha and LLP and Ant were all like, DP, we see your signature everywhere hahaha.

Friday I worked all day at teh freakin office getting the next big camp ready. Then I got out at 5 and ran to borrow Alex´s car to go to pick up Carlito Tostido and I was excited to show him the ropes in this great city.




Saturday we woke up and we were supposed to leave at 7:30 to go to Lake Michigan but it was raining and I was unsure what to do. The weather were mid 70s all day botht there and here and I was unsure if we should go all the way over there. SO I called it off and instead we would get together and make some breakfast and then figure it out. So we went and made a massive breakfast that took like an hour to make and took almost as long to clean as it did to make hahaha. And then we descided to take off to lake mihcigan anyways cause it cleared up but then Rina was called to work unexpected. Carlos took a nap for a while. Then I took carlos and mark and bethie to Crisler to check it out and thenw e picked up Rina and went to Marks house...because unbeknown to us the ENTIRE time that Mark had a freakin River run through his back yard. Yea, what the heck?? Why didnt I know this earlier? But I tell you what...it was chill tubing down that river. It was awesome, aweosme aweosme. And we are only half way done on the trip! Camp starts again tomorrow!

Part of our breakfast

Carlos taking his siesta

Carlos trying to show Bethie how to play ball

Me infront of Mark´s house

Campint Trip!!!

So I got up early again, like at 7. I made some french toast and then me and Marissa and Ana drove all the way to San Antonio. It was actually a pretty quick trip. Ana is going to Eaurope as a graduation pressent. She studied speach therapy and plans to go to one year of grad school to get her degree in costa rica...lucky. Then me and Marissa drove home and that was fun.

Once I got back I put everything in a higher gear. Started to get my stuff ready for the camping trip. I started to pack and get everything ready. I am going to gardner state park and apparently its a really nice place. Then I went ot pick up Edy and Jake came over after work to shower. We ate dinner and then took offWe drove a long ways all the way to pfluversville, Texas, but not before getting lost and going in the middle of no where. If we would have found a little kid walking with a doll or something we would have crapped in our pants and died of a heart attack, it was that scarry out there. There were only dry corn fields and bushes that were encroaching the woods. There was absolutely nothing out there and we knew were were going the wrong way, especially when we found out we were at "Fuchs Grove"...yea, it was that weird. But we crashed and slept good at Edy´s Uncle, Derik´s house. Its a nice house in the middle of no where, a little subdevision. We slept hard but short cause we had to get up again soon haha

So we took off int he morning and had to use old school maps. We ate a little breakfast and that was fun. And then we had to drive through Austin again and we descided to round off san antonio and then we got closer and closer and then we got lost in this one small town because edy said to go strait and we went off the map into this guetto village place and he said keep going trust me and then we got through this bridge over water into a dead end. Thanks. But Jake found it. we finally found gardner state park and then we descided to get some food. Edy said he knew of this place that was a little off. Well Edy gave us another huge detuer with him saying, tust me guys its over here I swear, when I thought we should have gone in the other road that was approaching a small town. Well we finally do turn around and we find th eplace. What do you know.

Then we have tog et in line to get our reservations and we made it to the camp ground. Pretty modest little spot with a fire spot, a bench, a trash pole and a water faucet. Yea. So we first piched tent which turned out to be pretty easy and then we went to the lake.

We were dying to see this sign
...especialy with Edy directing

THen we went to the lake. We were there for about four hours and it was a bunch of fun. THe water was vey low because there was no rain in like forever. The water was warm and it was shallow enough that you could touch the rocks at most places with your feet. Me and Ed had fun witht his really high rope swing. Edy coudlnt get enough. Then we watched some guys climb these trees super high and then jump down. Two kids did back flips off of them. Tjhere was this one guy who went up there and then sat there at the top for a while. THen he turned around to moon everyone and then let go after everyone started to laugh at his white butt and he landed hard on his back. It was pretty entertaining I must admit. THen we met some girls that lived in Sheperd, Texas and most of them were ging to A&M and that was cool talking to their fun experiences at the park. THen we took off ourselves back to our palce. Edy made a fire becuase he was persistant that he needed to make one. We said wait till alter, but he said he rather have the hot embers so when we came back we could just wiff them up and have a blaz. That was until some random dude told us to put out the fire because park people were making their rounds looking for fires. So Edy had to put it out...so much for that.

Our Tent

Dont tell me you didnt want to see random trees

We ate a little and we had a good time talking. Then we dressed to go dancing. And this is where it got fun. We left at 9:15ish and got there and went in at 9:30. There were a lot of people, a LOT OF PEAOPLE. We wer elucky to find a quick place to park. We went in and took a few scans of the place. Tons of girls. I ran into this one girl who was all out texan. Started to talk to her and I told her things about Michigan and bla bla bla and then she was like, so you dont know the two-step? No I dont...well, let me show you! Ok! Haha, so she took me out and she showed it to me and it was a lot of fun. The next thing you know I was all over the dance floor nailing that Two-Step down. It was awesome.

About to get our groove goin

The rest of the night we just hung out at the tent and talked about good times. It was already really late by this time so we were exausted. But the weather was much nicer and dang it was a good bonding time. The next morning had to get up at 8 and get ready to leave. We cleaned up everything and tore down the tent and then we left for Corpus. The ride back was a lot smoother and then I went to work. it was great considering the last time I had a ligit shower not inculding the river was 2 days ago. But it was awesome and so was the game. Yea, it was great, great trip. about 800 miles in two days. Want to go again.

Too early to get up...and who´s fault is that??

Final Times at Ann Arbor

Well that time of year is here, that it is ending soon. And for some reason everything starts to pile up on you, very very quickly. It started out with a ton of school work, studying and writing papers for all my classes, but I also was able to go to two orchestra concerts, a St. Mary Dance and had a mini dance party at Rina´s house with a couple of buddies. Like to dance salsa or swing? Well, we got you covered! Hahaha it was good to spend time with them before I left. But it was also physically exhausting as I started to get sick in the mix of all the packing and studying and hanging I had to do.
What a memorable time!

The Saint Mary Dance with Mark and Ashley

Me Mark and Brad goffing off
at Rina´s garage

I also had my chatecism kids´First Communion. I had worked with these kids all year,w orking for their first reconsiliation the first semester and their first communion for this semester. I had 5-6 graders and after they figured out I am a cool guy, we started to get really into it. They ended up understanding everthing within context of the scripture and tradition and they began to asnwer so many good quality questions that I am not even accostomed to hear from adults. It was great. And then we had rehersal Friday afternoon and the big mass Saturday. I was so proud of my kids: they were ready to recieve Christ for the first time because of all the work I put into them; they were a product of my hard work and focus. It was awesome that I had a direct effect on their lives and they will always carry that. Wonderful. I wish I had as cool a chatechism teacher as they had.

My Catechism Kids

I have to tell you of my intence philosophy paper. It was over Averroes and his question of wether or not God, an unchanging and eternal being can know the changing and temporal world. The argument goes that if God never changes, how can he know things that do change, like the wether, our beleifs and events. How can his knowledge be one even though knowledge must change according to the change of the world? Anyhow, that was my topic at hand and I had to adress a few issues and at the end I made an awesome 2200 word paper. IT was sweet. Took a lot of work and ended up working up till I had to turn it in. Success is beautiful.

This past week I was loaded as well. Friday was hectic. It was the UCO Final. John asked me to make the slide show. So I started to work on it first thing after my Stats final. It took me all week to study for the sucker and I think I did aweful. But you can only do so much. So I worked a lot on this slide show, from that night till 3am then started first thing the following day and went all the way to 5:20. And I was like awwww, dang it! It was the first time all year that we had 80 degree wether and I was shut up all day in my room working on the slideshow. But it was done and even though the event started at 6, I wanted to play ball! So I did! I went out and owned on the blacktop and then get in like at 6:20 and showered and changed and grabbed my magic props and then left to the place. And it was a beautiful day, just wonderful. And the slideshow went wonderful as well. Check it out and tell me what you think.

After being there for a while I took off cause I had a magic show...yes! I had a magic show! First one in a while! Like a year and a hlaf! For those of you who dont know I did magic professionally for 3 years from 10th-12th grade in high school through the summer until I began college, and once I got here I was so involved with classes and the christian community and basketall that there was just no time. But since things were loosining up here at the end I figured out I could take a show and thats just what I did. I grabbed my bag and left the finaly a bit early and got my game face on and went over to the place. And it was AWESOME! I got there and they delayed it for a while so I got to meat all the people there and get comfortable before I started. And then I went all out, which was only appropriate because the host also went all out. They decorated the whole appartment with magic themed stuff and even had magic potion and magic streamers and a magic flag and had a fog machine that went off for my entrance and after each trick. And they went nuts! They loved it! YOu have no idea! There was so much anticipation going into the show, especially scine most people didnt beleive there was an actual magician that was going to perform. But once I got started, epople were ready and went bonkers! Complete bonkers! Lets just say that I amde a lot of friends that night and had another fan club started here in Ann Arbor. It was great. Absolutely great.

DP the Great!!!

As that face attests, I dazzled everyone

What can I say?
I get a fan club everywhere I go

Saturday, the 24th we had a surprise birthday aprty for Rina who is truning 19. We got one of friends Chris Flanagan who has a bike to pick her up for a short ride and then instead bring her to the huron river where the gang was there awaiting. Then we got conoes and took off. It was so much fun! Then of course it started to rain and hail and thunderstorm, and of course the girls got scrared so we had to go to the side of the river and that ment of course that I had to drag the boat back mostly by myself. Hahaha it was such an adventure and I had so much fun. After that we went to Mark´s house to celebrate and that was good times.

The Survivors

Rina´s response to her guitar birthday cake

Sunday I went to Christ the King for the last time and then went to packing, or trying to pack. Always so much stuff going on its so hard to get down to it. And that followed on monday. I was working on packing. I fannialy got my boxes so I went to work. I had 3 medium to ship with books and shoes and some clothes and 2 large ones to pack with jackets and winter clothes and bedding. And my roomates that are in that same philosophy class were studying up a storm. But I went to a party instead. I went to this blueplex party in Ypsi. Its the women´s household there and they were having an end of the year party cause Eastern Michigan was done with the school. And that was cool. Got to hang out with some women that I have never met before and chill with the guys.

Blueplex party

Tuesday was weird. I woke up and I wasnt feeling good. Like at all. I got up early to start studying on my exam. I was up by 8 and went to study. And all of assuden I feel asleep at 11...and then woke up at 1! I was like, holy cow! ANd right then I get a text message from Will the Head Manager to come meet him at the office to get my Letter Jacket! So I run over and we got to Schembeckler Hall were football is and I got my jacket right away! And It looks tight! Just thing, I will always have this jacket. It is something that I can wear and have and is a simbole of Michigan and I am apart of that great legacy. I see old men come to Crisler all the theime wearing their old letter jackets. Some day I can too. THis is awesome, a distinction, a recognition that I can keep forever. Really really cool. Ad no, its not just like a high school letterman, this si a varsity Michigan Letter Jacket. Its ligit; the real deal.


Then I was on the move again. I shipped my 3 boxes with the help of Bethie. Then I had to go back and forth and get stuff done. And then I took a nap. Slept for liek another 2 hours. I really was feeling light headed and buzzy and my stomach was not good. But I kept on moving cause I had too. Then the dormtroopers went to go play lazertag cause there was a tuesday special. And of course I wanted to go and show my aweful colour blind skillz. But I was still feeling really bad. But you either live happy or die tryin, so that what I did. And it was fun and I didnt do as bad as I thought I would. THen some of my buddies came over to the Dude for the last time to hang with me. Of course there were the dudes but also Rina, Ashely and Bethie and her sister Sarah. It was like the last time we would see eachother to perhaps late August. So we made the best of it makeing fun of eachother in scategories. It was great haha and Brad is so FUNNY! Finally whern his girlfriend left that boy is amazing! He is so funny and so much fun to be with. Dang, Bethany should just stay up there and let Brad be Brad! Jealousy?...yeah, you could say that. But dang he was so much fun. It was a pretty emptional goodbye but its all good, Ill be back in 4 months!



Weds was another full day. I woke up feeling aweful. No work out. Study. Study...cant dang it! I had to pack them last boxes and clean. THen I had to go to the basketball office one last time to pick up some things. Then I had to get a blue book and then this and that. So I finally get to Angell Hall super worn out super tired and sucked out of energy and I had 30 minutes to get ready for my final, of which 10 were spent in the bathroom. Yeah, it sucked. But the final didnt turn out to bad, nt at all. They were either short essays or long essays which allowed me to explain myself. And what was better yet, even thoug I didnt get to go over the topics study wise, I was able to talk and explain most of them with MArk and Ashley the day before. So I had at least thought of responces and I just wrote them out! Wow, that was awesome! Thank God.

But the day was far from over. I got back and did my best to finish packing my boxes for storage. Everything that was not in those boxes had to go with me on the plane. I called Bethie and she came by to take me and the boxes to the Caldwells. That was funny too cause I played a little joke with Rina, saying I was not going to be at her house to drop off the boxes but really went to surprise her only to find that she wasnt there because I told her I wouldnt be there haha. BUt then we found eachother and us 3 went on a tour of Eastern Campus. It is a very clean and nice looking campus, well, except for the dorms. THey have a lot more dorms than I thought they would, being a communer school. I thought, who would ever want to say they live int he dorms at Easter? hahaha. They looked like prison cells! THey really did hahaha. But the rest of campus was very nice and clean. It reminded me a lot of Delmar College here in Corpus. It was nice and modern and clean, but you know what, it had no passion, it had no soul, it had no antiquity of style that really shone off to the rest of the campus. It was not beautiful or while or charming like the Ann Arbor Campus. It was not alive. But thats ok; not every campus has to be as cool as Yale or Notre Dame or Michigan. Haha

I got back to the empty dorm at 9pm to meet with the guys. It was our very last time that the fellowship of the Pentadude would be united. It was the last time. We went to David´s house and built a bon fire and talked and smoked pipes and chilled for a long time. It was great, becasue a lot of these guys are seniors that are moving on. And for the rest of us, well most are in household int he summer there in Ann Arbor but I am back in Texas. So either way, i might not see them for 4-8 months. It was a very special moment...well, besides the fact that I became super sick. My stomach was killing me and I was so light headed and dizzy and baaa it was awesful. I stayed next to the fire to stay warm. But when I left it I was shivering like mad even though I didnt feel that cold. I dont know...all I know was that it was my last night there in Ann Arbor and it was suppose to be super cool but I was feeling awful but I tried to make the best of it.

Last time, baby!
The Pentadude will live forever in our hearts!

Of couse I got back at the Dude at 2:30am and slept in my bare matrice in my clothes and zipper hoody to stay warm. I got up at 6am to get my bags and meet my godmother, Miriam Torrez and drive to the Detroit Airport. And it all worked out. I had to make sure my luggage would change with me cause I was going American half the way and Contenental the rest. And of course I was stuck in the plane for an hour and a half on the runway with American (cause American sucks, every time) and then missed my other flight and got back to Texas 2 hours after the original plan, but the fact was that I was back, in Texas, that once used to be my home and now where I reside for 4 months of the year. It felt like I haddnt been gone. I felt like I jsut seen my parents and brothers, even though my brothers looked taller and my parent slooked older, haha, but you get the picture. It was good to be home, in hot, humid, and sun-killing flat Texas. Its good. Yee-hawww!!

Easter, Baby! Christ has Risen! And Ashley´s Confirmation!

...............................................................................................................................
Well Easter is comming up and I am really excited for everything that is going to take place and cant wait to feel the Lord at work during this time. I love this time of year, Holy Thrusday, Good Friday, and of course the Easter Vigil at Christ the King. Very Epic. Very epic indeed.

THursday was the first day of teh Tridium. I was glad to be taken in with the Caldwell family to have the cedar meal. The cedar meal was the meal us Christians have in memory of the Passover when the Hebrews were in Egypt in their last effort to be freed from Pharaoh´s hand. So there are some bitter herbs and flat bread and lamb. It was great. Along with our dandy little brown book from the community, the same one my family has back home, we went through the ceremony and I was very honored to be with them and taken in at this time of celebration when I am away from home. The mass was spectacular and very full for a Holy Thursday mass. That only gave a slight peak for the things to come.


That night we had a Good Friday Vigil on the diag held my UCO. I thought it was well done, with good things to meditate on and a big wooden cross that we moved throughout the Diag. THen we had shifts over the night for people to stay and pray with the cross. Very powerful.

UCO Good Friday Vigil

Friday was almost the same deal. I didnt go to clases at all. Infact, I stoped doing anything school wise since that Cedar meal. No more. It was time to feel the Lord and dwell in what he has done for us. And it was well worth it. The mass on Friday was very somber yet very powerful. Again Rina and her family took me in, and what a time. After the mass the youth there had a love stations of teh cross and it was great to see them and talk to them afterwords. At Rina´s house we hung for a w hile and then wathed the passion of the Christ, and every time I watch that movie it makes me pumped. I dont know if that sounds right, but I cringe and then it pumps me up to live for the Lord. THat might be a weird effect, btu thats what happends. I see what Jesus did for me and I do cringe, its painful to see himself allow to be torchered in a way that is veiwed as the most painful way to die in human history. Its is painful, but it makes me strong, knowing that he did that for me and the rest of the world and there is no reason on earth I should not give my life for him and live for him every moment of every day. It inspired me and "pumps" me to be better. it challenges me and even though this is a movie you cant watch often, it still gies me that inspired feeling. It was great.

The whole week I had slept very litte, between 4-6 hours a night. But again I went to bed late and again I had to get up early. I had a basketball clinic with some kids of the community and the basketball team. Had to get all taht done and prepared for and then nothing much to do but wait and help with give aways and signatures.

But wafterwards it was pretty crazy. I had to find a suit for both easter and the basketball banquet on Monday. I finally foundone I could use with the seromics, so I rushed and got the suit and picked some flowers for Ashley´s confirmation. Yes, Ashley, my good friend, was getting confirmed int eh catholic church today and I was so excited! I was kinda like the dude that got the ball rolling on this one. She told me that she had not gotten confirmed in High Shcool and I told her she should get it sooner than later and egan looking into it and then we found Rina as the option sent my heaven for Ashley. The the last two days was just full of excitment for us three to see this event to finally come to place. So yeah, I bought flowers for the best time in my life and I thought they looked cool. I mean, I didnt feel ashamed holding them in my hands and walking around, they were that cool. Definately Pinedo Approved. Then I had to get ready and get my gifts for shely ready,a nd also prepare this sweet magic trick. I literally came up with the trick in my head the nigth before that was very complicated but very amazing. I have never heard of anything like this before, and it was all ust me thinking of what I wanted and how it could be done and somehow it pulled together which was awesome considering that I never had a chance to practice it and it was probbobly the most difficult and complicated trick I have ever done.

Right when I got there I gave her the flowers and then did the trick. This is what went down: Ashley picked the four of hearts. So there I went, got her card, wrote Ashley on the top left corner on the red heart and ripped the corner off. I put the corner down and gave Ashley the rest of the torn card to hold on too. Second, I asked Mrs. Caldwell if she could shuffle, and everyone laughed when she said emphatically “No!” hahaha. So I had her cut and she put the card in the middle and closed the deck. I then procedded to put the cards in the deck. I then put the closed and sealed deck on the little table next to the couch. I put tissue paper over the case case, just to cover it. And then I pulled out the lighter and slowly lit the middle of the paper so that it exploaded in flames all around it. The girls just staired at it with big eyes and covered mouths. I then slowely asked Ahsley to hand Rina the torn card that she had in her hands and pick up the deck. I told her it was still warm but ok. She was hesitant but carefully picked up the deck. At this point she still didn’t know what was inside. She didn’t feel it at least. I told her to slowly open the lid and see if all the cards disappeared leaving the one corner alone. She looked at me several times before she finally opened it and saw her black phone sticking out and then just rolled her head back and ensued in laughter. “Hahaha, I knew it! I knew you would make it appear! Hahaha!” And she thought the trick was over. She just kept laughing and Rina was there as well laughing. I told her to check her phone. Two missed messages. I told her to check the massages, but before she could, she exited the notice and then yelled again as she toticed that her signed torn 4 of hearts was on her wallpaper on her phone! She was going nuts and Rina too started going off! Haha, and then I told her to check her messages and she opened it up and it was a text and it said simply “4 of hearts” and she laughed even louder this time up and down and then showed Rina and she too did the same thing. I then put the phone down and matched the card with the corner on the wallpaper and it was a perfect fit, which let them loose again. How on earth did that corner get there so perfect!!?? I gave it back to the girls and they were so impressed and wowed, it was great. Wow that was a hard trick, but somehow I managed to get Ahsley´s signed croner of her selected card on her wallpaper after I had lit the deck on fire and there it was, a perfect match with the other part of the card, with a random text that had the selected card. I had just done the impossible and greatly impressed everyone. It was nuts. But that wasnt even the most magical part of the day.

The Excitment of finding the corner of the card
on the wallpaper of the phone. Perfect Match

We took pictures of course and then headed over to Christ the King. Noww this is the most epic mass there like ever. They go all out, literally. They have a huge chior and instrucments ranging formt he guitar to flute to eastern and jewish instruments to 2 harps...2 harps! Holy Cow! The place was loaded, but I was luck enough to be going with Ashley, who reserved me a seat since her family was there. So I was in the family group, it was pretty cool. And then the mass started and the Spirit just came down and hooked me from the back and just carried me up and down the entire mass! I was so overwelmed by the Spirit, it felt like we were playing, playing up and down and just fully entranced with teh Lord. Most of the time, and this was especially the case with the last two masses, when I feel the Lord I am very at peace and I can feel him just surrounding me and covering me. But this time I felt the spirit just lift me and give me full of enrgy and passion. Then the Gloria and oh my goodness! I remember the one from last year and was looking forward to this one and it was so good! From the choir to the bells ringing the whole time to the instruments and the 2 hardps they had, goodness gracious, it was amazing! So glorious! Haha I loved it! I was just adoring the lord the whole time and time just flew! Except for that one part, the part with Ashley getting confirmed. That was awesome.

Me, Rina, Ashley

Check out ém flowers. Yeah, thats right

Now as I said, teh anticipation for the ENTIRE year kept bulding and building as this day drew nearer. At this point and the last 2 days we would just yell randomly in excitment. An then it finally came. But then it took longer! Cause Ashley was second to last and they had a long group of people to go through and Father Ed was taking his time with each one. So here I am, the official fotogropher, and just palms sweety and the heart just going off teh wall and the Spirit was alive and inspiring me and I was jsut getting so so so excited and it was taking forever! Ahsley was up there and waiting and waited and was getting tired of looking up and smiling and looking down in reverence. And soon and soon! And I started to get the camera ready and look and zoom and take off flash and then put it on auto and finally the dude next to her got it and I didn’t move, so I waited for the moment Fr Ed moved his hand off his forehead so that I could jet up to the front and squat there. And right when he did I made my dash and was there and my ankle was killing me (I sprained it on my birthday. Look at last post) but I started to take picture after picture, as fast as I could. And after 3 shots I noticed the auto wasn’t taking any with flash but it was too late to go to manuel mode and put flash on, plus the glasses would glare and I was a bit off to do that and it would only create more distraction to move up some more. I was close as it was. I took some more and the the last 2 horizontally, and got a good shot of Ashely shaking Fr Eds hand with a huge smile. Right when he moved on I quicly went back and sat where the girls were sitting and waited for the last dude to be called and then everyone stood up and applauded and I was going nuts and hollering and I got Ashley´s attention and pumped my fist in the area and yelling my DP sayings and I was so ecxited and the Holy Spirit just rocked the whole sanctuary, one could feel it. I felt the sign of relief after she had the oil put upon her forehead, I felt all the anticipation and relaxation relax right at that moment. I felt the Holy Spirit come down and just crash into her and the reminent of that spilled over to me. I was just struck and it felt so good, but I knew that was nothing comparable to what either Ashley or Rina expereicned. It was incredible. I dont think I have ever experience that in a mass, EVER.

Exactly 11:07pm, April 11, 2009

After the mass there was an onslaught of people from St Mary and UCO that came to congradulate her. Tons of pictures. It was great. After all the pictures were taken and things were slowing down, we all mad eht emove to drive to Rina´s house to parte, that’s right, get the groove on. Mass began at 8:30. Ashley was confirmed at exactly 11:07pm. Mass ended at 12:15 am. Now it was 12:40 and we finally left in the cars. At the Caldwells we had scores of people. It was great. Got to alk with all the friends a lot and we had a piñata and food and it was great evern though it was so late. We had salsa and swing and then we jsut chilled till 4am talking and it was great totalk to Ashley about her whole experience and everything that she felt during lent and the mass. Wonderful, wonderful night indeed. Will never forget it. I got back and crashed, at 5am.

With Father Ed

Me and Ashley

Ashley with her Awesome Sponsor, Rina

With St. Mary Friends

I got a phone call from my friend, Patrick Flanagan at 10am. Great wake up call. He told me he was on my way to pick him up! Hahaha. So yeah I hurred and got ready. Pat is a long time friend. Talking with him on thursday after mass we discovered that we went to preschool together when I still lived here in Michigan a long time ago. So he picked me up and took me to his house where his whole family was celebrating easter. It had beens o long since I had been to his house and I still remember it with much detail from my earlier days. It was really great to see all the family again, and see Mr. Flanagan, who will be ordained as a Decon in may, and to see Chris of course, who hangs with us in UCO all the time. Pat is in seminary at St. Paul´s in Minnesota to be a priest.What a wonderful calling. He is like my one good friend that I have that is studying to be a priest. I dont have any friends back in Tecas that are going to be preist. Kinda dissapointing. But it was great to hang out with the family and play settlers and catch up and everything.

With Mr. Flanagan

Pat left, Me, and Chris Flanagan

Whole Flanagan Family

Then I went to another party, this one at the Seromics at 3pm and it was great as well. I have kinda joined their family line up for big events cause this is the 3rd time I come and it was wonderful as usual. They are really chill and love to talk about old stories of my parents in Michgian and the community here and tell me of how the Lord has worked in their lives and eat awesome pies. Yes, they are famous for their wines and pies and I love it. Completely aprove. It was great.

pies, Pies, PIES!

Juan Pablo getting his groove on

Seromics are Awesome

And that was easter for me. I t was great and epic and wonderful. i will definatly never forget how I expereicned confirmation with Ashley and Rina and I will definately hold that mass up for the best one I have ever been too. I am so fortunate to know those girls and to be apart of that. I am fortunate to have a community here that loves me and takes me in even though I hardly know them. The Lord is good and provides and takes care of us, adn that is always apparent in these wonderful times. I hope you all had a good Easter season and would love you to comment on what you did. The Lord Lives! Hallelujah!