Art Camp Collage

This is what I used as the front of the thank you cards I sent to various
donors. (Commercial Art etc.) Sherry Alberti donated the flowers in the upper left corner, which were gorgeous in person!

Blah

I came into this site to remove the two Ithaca photos because I am sick and tired of communities, communes, and cults! I am sick of whack-os parading around as holy annointed ones, ruining it for those of us who try to live in a away that might erase the preconceived notions of what a "Christian" is. This doesn't mean I am any less sick of the Pharisees covered in denim, or in headcoverings, or in beautifully tailored suits, or in new found Jewishness (Messianic of course). My concerns about Gabe and YWAM weigh heavily....
Oooo--I began this day in pain and my attitude is following that course. So I'll post the photo that is a collage of photos of the very successful art camp endeavor. (two girls have come to me to say that they will be old enough to come next year....) By the way, I wasn't able to delete the commune photos. Hope all is well enough with those of you who drop in on this blog.

Garage/PolkaSisters

Ch--ch--ch--changes

Meaghan saw the first non-green leaf of the season on Howlett Hill Rd. Wha..??? I HAVEN'T HAD MY SUMMER YET! (And so our Orlando visit is CRITICAL to my sanity!!! and to my ability to make it through a cold winter.)
Yes, I've been busy, busy enough to make me tired enough to fall asleep in my chair. I was positive I would never be one of those chair sleepers! The night of the Art Show I fell asleep while Dad was talking to me, and I woke up clutching the remote with a death grip. Now, there is a conspiracy going on here---no one wants me to have the remote---some sort of de-control therapy or something. I'll admit I do flip channels during commercials, but there are only so many car ads I can take. Also, if I'm going to be vegging in front of the tube, I might as well make the most of my time and see more, right? My current fav show is Project Runway, Wed at 10 on Bravo. If it ran against Survivor I would be hard-pressed to choose.
I went to see a movie along the same vein---"Devil Wears Prada" with Anne Hathaway of Princess Diaries. Talk about gorgeous clothes!!!! But like I told Lisa (scali) my nightmare job would've been like that---waking up in a closet-sized apartment in a huge, noisy city, dressing up in stockings and stilettos, and taking a taxi to a job in a bustling box, working with a bunch of fake beautiful-facaded back-stabbers. I left there feeling very underdressed, but happy happy happy that I have lived my life the way I have. I do think I'm ready to visit NY for a few days, though. I called Grandma Frances during that terrible heat wave to see how she was taking it (and yes, Grandpa was still sitting outside everyday baking in the 100+ sun). While we were having a nice conversation for the first time in ? long, it started raining in the dining room, just past the "arch" into the tv room. Whaaa the monkey??? See, the upstairs sink drain had been running slow, so Dad plunged it, and the clog didn't quite clear the pipe that crosses over to the tub drain....so then the tub drain was spewing some sort of black watery crud...and the, shall we say, vigorous, plunging of that led to an overflow of the water through the air vent of the close-the-drain mechanism....luckily the water that came down in torrents (for a few minutes) had been filtered so that it wasn't too dirty. Except for the sagginess you can hardly tell. If the ceiling had to come down to reveal the original high ceiling, oh well. But we do have other pressing issues first. There is a sinkhole of sorts that occurred in front of the Whitney side of the garage. The front wall of the garage basement caved in! and took with it the pavement in front of the garage door. (about 5'x3')I'm sure it has something to do with the leaky roof of the garage---it needs replacing. Hey I think I'll take a pic and post it here. I had the city here a couple of times. They tried 'fixing' our giant puddle, but the handfuls of tar just didn't work --duh!
Okay, let me post some pics. Let's talk soon.

The Romano Family Blog

The Romano Family Blog

Checking In

Hey Guys, I just wanted to let you know I just read the last couple of posts. Yesterday I rigged up my cell phone to work as a wireless modem with on my Powerbook, so hopefully I can be "in touch" a bit more (even though I get a LOUSY signal in our concrete box of an apartment). But the cool thing is that now I can use my Powerbook from the road, so if I need Mapquest directions I can get them whenever, wherever. Katie and I were driving in the car last night and she was on IM. Technology is crazy. Anyways, we are super excited about moving, and we have plans to do alot to the place. I hope everyone can come down at some time or another this year. It's already a third over! Meaghan, it's great to hear that things are going well between you and Sean. There are always those small "details" of validation that are so refreshing to find in the development of a relationship... Gabe, I hope the school thing works out for you down here. It would be great to have you here and live the FL life! Anyways, I have to get back to work. There will be plenty to do when you guys come down, so be ready to work hard and play hard too. Maybe we can go pool hopping at the big resorts...

Photo--Moto!

::So Fresh::

Well here I am-- on a wonderfully beautiful day, running a fever... I think this was the only way Mom could get me to stay home and get some much needed rest from my "busy-ness". Stinks that it is under these circumstances, but I am enjoying my naps and getting some homework done. As you know, my b-ball banquet was last night, it was fun! I have been wearing my new hoodie around all day...I love new warm, fuzzy hoodies. My nice new award is sitting next to my other award. ( Did I ever tell you that I made all tournament second team?) I am so blessed to get those awards, I wasn't expecting them at all....So I am pretty sure I will be down in the fall. I have to talk to the Coach from Warner about $$ stuff, but I am pretty sure there will be a scholarship comin' my way. Let's see--what else has been happening? Well, the warm weather has come and the ants are attacking the house again! Mom killed about a gazzillion of them in the cupboard today. I have about 4 weeks of school left after tomorrow. I don't think I even have that many finals, only 1 if I remember correctly! *yay* I like school a lot, but I am looking forward to the break, I have been going a little too much. This is what my normal week looks like for me ( just to give you a little taste of my life ;) -- Monday school from 8-2:30ish, then I workout till 3:45, pick up Mook, go home do some homework go to work by 6 and work till around 10ish or later.
Tuesday I do my internship from 10-3ish, do my homework, then go to work at 6 till whenever....
Wednesday I have classes and I do volunteer work at night for one of my classes
Thursdays are the same as Tuesdays
Fridays I have two classes Tennis and Bowling...lol... I dislike my tennis class because my teacher is a whack job! I have never had a teacher like this before...well, my bowling teacher is pretty crazy too... she always asks the class-- "do you comprehend?" Like we don't get what she says. It's pretty funny! I have about 75 hours done at my internship and only have 25 more to go. I have to do a special project at the end of this month. I am putting on a talent show with the residents....it should be fun, a ton of work though. I have to help the residents find their "performances" and get them going and keep them motivated. After my internship I have to give a presentation on my stay at Alterra to my advisor....

All in all, life is busy, but I am having fun and learning a lot. I can't wait to come down and see you both-- soon I hope! Luff yous!

I See Signs of Spring...

Shawn and Kate,
How are you guys doing? I have been meaning to find a spare second here or there to say hi, but...well, I'm about to explain. : )
So as you have heard, I am surprisingly in a new relationship. I suppose my days of guy bashing are over... DARN IT! :P When I met Sean for the first time, I mean, REALLY met him, there was a lightning bolt and thunder clap...But I didn't say anything to him, except for small talk at Gabe's games. I really thought he was after HER, and we laugh about it because I didn't know he was really after ME all along. He is a solid Christian, and has a leader's heart. It is so evident in the way he treats people, but even more so when he speaks! I can feel the genuineness of his actions and his intensions. .. I never had that with anyone else. God IS, for the first time, the main focus of our relationship. And all along, I should have known that God would let me find what I've been seeking in a partner! I really had given up hope of finding someone who was as passionate about the Faith as me, and I was willing to settle. I am ashamed that I doubted the way I did... And one night as I was sitting there listening to him sing a song that he wrote for me, I cried my eyes out! He just looked at me with the softest eyes, and kept playing his guitar. It was at that very moment that I knew that God doesn't neglect the details! Not a single one. Everything that is important to me, He knows. It was a silly girlish dream, but I always wanted someone to play guitar and sing to me...I just figured it would be a roll of the dice if I actually had that, kind of like a bonus. :) He loves art, the outdoors, wants to build his own house, have a large family, work in the medical field, loves to be active and fit, has a great talent for communication and music, has a love for the Church, and the list goes on and on. One day, I just let him tell me about what he wants in the future without saying anything. It was scary. We were both headed in the same exact direction, down to the smallest details. (He was watching tv and said "oh I love that name!" I just looked at him...I had that baby name picked out. I kid you not, it is just plain weird.) And this time it isn't me trying to force things to "fit"... I wrote in my journal in 2004 that I wanted someone to grow old with, someone to sit on a wrap around porch with glasses of iced tea, and share what God has done in our lives that day. I feel that this IS the person that I can do that with! Sean is amazing. He believes in my whole purity endevor, which is such a relief. I don't have to keep myself and the other person accountable anymore... It was too hard, way way too hard to keep saying "no, no we can't" constantly. But now I only have to watch myself, and even if I were to have a moment of weakness, Sean would be there to smack me upside the head. :) I LOVE IT! I can't wait for you guys to meet him, I think you will be nuts about him. Everyone here approves, and that has never happened before. He has been through the wringer with Gabe and Tiff, even Mr. Hatch. He called Gabe before he talked to me about his intensions to get her ok. He understands if I can't spend all my free time with him! He doesn't get mad that I have to work, or study. This one is THE ONE. My heart is joyous in knowing that everything I went through with Jonathan and Bill was to show me what a gift I have in him. :)
I have to go braid Gabe's hair, but I will continue this converstation with you on the phone later today! I love you guys! XO Me