A new part of the journey

It has been a long time since I have written on my family blog.  It has been an intersting year that has brought the Seagle family on a new adventure.  Alot has happened that has brought us to a move and downsizing.  We are now in a small house near Old Town Clovis.  It has been a good move for our family.  The house is small but we are taking the time to get rid of junk that we do not need.  There is something cleansing and theraputic about getting rid of an overabundance of stuff.  We still have more things to get rid of but we are on the right path.  We love the atmosphere in Old Town Clovis and know it will bring us a great source of enjoyment.  The bike trail is right outside our gate.  It is a new chapter of our lives and a change  that is much needed.  It is time to unify as family and take the time to enjoy life.  I have come to realize that life happens to everyone...it is what one does with it.  I could become anger, bitter and wallow in my self pity or I can choose to make the best of the situation and take the time to enjoy.

Make memories

Time for a new family picture

This is the beginning of actually taking pictures and perserving memories. I have just had bad luck with cameras so I have avoided them. This was taken a couple of years ago. It is time to update my pictures more often. I just needed a reminder to begin again.

A beginning of a new era

Life moves pretty fast if you don't stop and look around once in awhile you can miss it. It is time to begin a new era of blogging the life of the Seagles. The ocean is our home away from home. It is time to perserve the history of our live before it flies by and we forget it.

A great day at the Temple

This was a great day. We were able to go to the Temple when Mai See Xiong went throught the Temple for the first time. Even though it was several months ago and she has already left for her mission. It is something that I wanted to make sure that I remembered. It was amazing to go and be in the Temple with so many great members of my ward. Mai See is a great example of courage and strength. I know that she is going to be a great missionary. The people of Taipai Taiwan will be greatly blessed because she will be serving her mission there.

Keep on the path

Life is amazing with all its ups and downs.....the way I have realized to survive is to keep on the path. The path is an upward course and if we keep looking upward then we will see where we want to go. I love this picture of half dome taken last year. It is still my goal to make it up that little hill. So even if I have to try many more times..at least I have my sights on what I want to do. I know I will make it.

To me it is through little things that Iwill prepare to go on this hike. Exercising....running...walking...hiking...climbing stairs...and getting my mind set on doing it. It is all about preparation.

I had a great day...without no pictures to show but had to share. I subbed today and had a great day. I was able to spend some time just listening to students read. It is something little that makes a huge difference in the life of children at my school. I had subbed in a 2nd grade class a few weeks ago. One of the boys was having a hard time. He was mad and crying. He had been at another school the year before and he did not like this school. So I asked him to read to me. He introduced me to Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold...very cute books for boys. He read two of them. I asked if he could read to me more often. I saw him again today and he remembered. I was able to arrange for him to leave his classroom and come read to me. He had marbles and was explaining all about marbles. I learned what a dragon marble is, mustand and ketcup and a black widow. It was a great experience and two children of God had a unifying experience that I will treasure. Another experience happened on Facebook. I served my mission in the Finland Helsinki mission. During the years I have lost contact with everyone but through facebook I found some companions from my mission. So today I had a great conversation with an amazing sister. It was good for my heart to go back and remember some amazing experiences from my mission. Those experiences are around us all the time. We just have to stop.....reach out....enjoy and be a part of someone else's life. It is those moments that I feel sorry for myself and feel life is not fair...that I stop...look around and find someone who needs a smile, a hug, a card or to laugh. It has been a long road to not be afraid to reach out to others. I have prayed for it and the God has been so generous to allow me to an instrument in His hands. Miracles have happened in my heart and I am grateful...it helps me stay on the path and look upward to where I want to be...back with my Father in Heaven. So it is my goal and motto to do whatever it takes to stay on the path....it is the best place to be.

Mai See leaving on a mission!!!!

Well we did it. Mai See left from Fresno at 6:30am...so that meant we had to say good bye at 5:30am. I am so grateful to be there and see her off at the airport. She is a very extraordinary person and will be an incredible missionary. I have had the chance to see her as a ward missionary and have been so impressed. Tuesday night we were able to go to the Stake President offices and see her be set apart. What an amazing time to have this experience. It will be great to hear all about her mission experiences. The next 18 months will go so fast and before we know it she will be home. I know that she will has so much to offer the people of Taiwan. I will miss her so much. She has touched my heart and I am grateful to have gotten to know her. One of the many blessings of being in the Pioneer Park Ward.

Great life lesson

An autobiograpy in five short chapters
by Portia Nelson



I.
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost...I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

II.
I walk down the street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend that I do not see it.
I fall in again
I can not believe I am in the same place
But it is not my fault
It still takes me a long time to get out.
III.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in....it's a habit
My eyes are open.
I know where I am
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

IV.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V.
I walk down another street.

I just love this quote. It has made me realize that too many times in life we really do not like what is happening in our lives. The problem comes from not doing anything about it to change it. There are so many ways to make our lives better. We just have to believe it and make the changes necessary to be happy. God has a plan for us and that is for each of to be happy. We just have to have faith and be willing to do whatever it takes to make our lives the best it was meant to be.