New Life in Fresno

I have been thinking about my walk with the Lord and I have enjoyed it so much here in Fresno. Yes I am still homesick, but this is my first time living on my own and I am still learning all of the financial stuff that I need to learn like how to only spend money on the things I need to buy that are a necessity. I enjoy Fresno State so much though. I have met some wonderful people there... most of the people I have met is mostly in the Criminology Fraternity that James is in. I never thought that this would be such an easy walk and it isn't an easy walk, but it is a lot easier then I thought it would be. James and I have found a wonderful new church, with Pastor Steve's help, in Clovis that is an Evangelical Free Church. James and I went to one of the churches here and didn't really enjoy it because there was 3 services and each service had way too many people in it, so we never got to meet anyone, so we tried Clovis Evangelical Free Church also known as CEFC and within the first Sunday we went we fell in love with the church and met so many people who all took us in with open arms and they made us feel so at home. Some of the people that have made a difference in my life at CEFC are Ashley and her husband Jim, Dan, and Chip. Ashley and Jim have been trying to get James and I connected in the church and Ashley has told me she would do the best she could to help me in my walk. Dan has made James and I feel so welcomed at Soul Cafe and for those who are wondering what Soul Cafe is... well it is a bible study that James and I go to after the first service... we study the word and we have snacks as we discuss what we are study on that day. Then finally Chip is always willing to pray for me and James whenever we need it the most. I really do love my new church and my new church family, but nothing will ever replace The Harbor though, so now James and I have two churches. Not only do I go to a wonderful church and go to a wonderful school, but I got great neighbors that I love to death. I am also engaged to the most wonderful man ever. I never thought when I asked James 5 years ago to help me with a title on my English paper that we would start dating and then we would get married. I have continued to look forward to see what the Lord has in store for me with in my few more years here in Fresno!

Pismo Jubilee by the Sea 2008

So it is that time of year where I update you on the jazz festival. James and I went back home for the Pismo Jubilee by the Sea on October 24th to the 26th. We went home on Thursday and were going to go see We 3's special set, but since we got home to late we decided not to go. We went and visited some people at Hancock College. Then we went back to Lompoc and stayed with Randy. Then on Friday Randy took me to Marie Calenders to help sell for Ivory and Gold at 11 am since James had a doctors appointment. I told Danny I was lost without James and I asked Jeff if he really thought James would leave his wonderful fiancee alone. Then after Ivory and Gold I talked to some of the wives of The Night Blooming Jazzmen that I grew up with and I watched The Night Blooming Jazzmen. Then after that I sat and watched Jeff Barnhart play and about half way through Jeff's set James came and we watched the rest of the set. After that set James and I then went and ate at the hospitality room and then at 4 pm we went and watched Titan Hot Seven and then after that back to the hospitality room and then we went to Titan Hot Seven again. We stayed and talked to my parents for a bit and then we went and saw Titan Hot Seven play and then we went home and slept. Saturday we got up early and drove to Lompoc and feed Randy's bird and then went out to coffee with Jerry and Redge and then we told Redge that James and I are now engaged. Then we went to go see Cornet Chop Suey play, but the venue was full and I couldn't get in even though I told the volunteers that it was my grandpa's band so James and I went and talked to Jeff Bishop and then we came back and my mom got us in, it took my mom, my grandma, and Russ to get us into the Vet's Hall just to see the band play and then James and I stayed and watched Titan Hot Seven. Jerry Karhn and I also set up a time to have a little guitar lesson. After that James and I went to the hospitality room to eat and I showed Jeff a picture on my phone of James and I and we talked about how long James and I have been engaged for. Then James and I went to Titan Hot Seven's last set and after that James and I went to Jerry Krahn's room and I had a guitar lesson. He says that I am ready for chords now so I can't wait until Sherri sends me some chords. Then after that James and I went to go eat in the hospitality room to eat where Danny and Jeff were making fools of themselves, but it was fun to be around. :) Then James and I went to Marie Calenders to go sell cds for Ivory and Gold and Jeff announced that James and I just got engaged 2 months ago, but instead he said we just got married 2 months ago. After the Ivory and Gold set James and I went to go see the 3 clarinets and leyland trio which was so awesome. After that set James and I decided to go home. Then on Sunday morning James and I decided to go see Blue Street's gospel set and then off we went to see the Titan Hot Seven and High Sierra set which again was an awesome set. Then after that we went to the hospitality room and ate and then off to the second to last Titan Hot Seven set James and I went to. Jeff Barnhart found James and I in the audience and then decided that we should be on the dance floor so he pointed to James and I and then he pointed to the dance floor so James and I went to go dance, but what Jeff didn't know was that the song only had a few seconds left and that is when everything went down hill and that is when Jim Fryer got on the mic and told James "You know James you don't ask your women to dance when the song is almost over" and I told them it was Jeff's fault. Then Jeff announced that we were Titan Hot Seven's really good friends and we just got engaged and that made Bob Draga get on the mic and tell James "If you need any advice on marriage to come to him." Then Jim said "Yeah if he wants to be married more then once." It was pretty interesting to be a part of the show. James and I finished our dance and then we went to the cds sells table so that we could sell for Ivory and Gold and then we finished our festival off with Titan Hot Seven as we always do. We had a great time this year and I have many memories and some of those would be being a part of Titan Hot Seven's show, watching the front line of Titan Hot Seven go and surprise High Sierra and then High Sierra getting Titan Hot Seven back, Jeff telling us he got caught in a conga line, having a guitar lesson with Jerry Krahn, being told that Jeff, Anne, Danny, Sherri, and Matt would love to play at the wedding and that we need to get the details figured out after we set a date, and of course the best of all was seeing Russ' face when I told him James and I were engaged!