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2008
2007
2006
25th Anniversary of the First Space Shuttle
2005
36th Anniversary of Lunar Landing
Historical Events on Ashlyn's Birthday
2004
Alec is born!
October 20 , 2008
Alec Michael Freeman was born today. Julie's labor and delivery went amazingly well. He was just about one week before his due date.
The doctor had encouraged Julie to induce labor since Ashlyn’s delivery 3 ½ years ago was so speedy. We had checked in the hospital around 8:00 am and Alec was born at 2:38 pm. Anne, the same CNM (certified nurse midwife) that delivered Ashlyn delivered Alec. Paris, the labor and delivery nurse was the best support and encourager for Julie. Julie’s mom, her sister Barbara, my mom and dad, and Ashlyn all met at the hospital just before Alec arrived.
Julie was so courageous and strong through the delivery. I was there to help with what I could and cut Alec’s cord after he arrived. He came out quite purple, but cried a few minutes and with the CNM rubbing his back, he turned pink within just a few minutes.
The hospital had instituted a new process just the week before. Rather than taking Alec to the nursery right away for a bath and heating lamp in the nursery, Paris, the labor and delivery nurse, simply wrapped Julie and Alec up in a blanket and let them be together.
Ashlyn got to visit shortly after he was born and was such a proud big sister!
Barbara stayed the night with Julie and I took Ashlyn home for the night. (We couldn’t have done it without Barbara’s help!) Later that night, Alec got a bath, a vitamin K shot, eye salve, and more with the night shift nursing staff.
We’ve been home a few days now and Alec is doing great. He’s a great baby. Ashlyn loves helping take care of him and we’re looking forward to seeing him grow!
Here's the message from his birth announcement:
James and Julie Freeman are proud to announce the healthy and happy birth of Alec Michael Freeman. Born at 2:38 pm on Monday, October 20, 2008 in Ventura, California. He weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces and measured 22 inches tall.
New Website Launched
August 1, 2008
Today I just launched www.growthandchange.org, a website promoting workshops for parents, educators, and organizations. My hope is to build some supplemental income with some training outside of my current full time job. We'll see what happens this year - I've already got two paid workshops this month!
Just how much spare time I've had this year is evident in there being only one post on this site since April. All is well and maybe some photos from 2007 will show up in future posts.
We hope you had a happy Christmas and have a happy new year!
Air Force Thunderbirds
April 1, 2007
The Air Force Thunderbirds performed today at the Point Mugu Air Show. It was Ashlyn's first air show and she enjoyed it. View some photos.
Gerald Ford (1913-2006)
December 27, 2006
Gerald Ford, the 38th president (from 1974 - 1977), passed away last night at age 93. Visit the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum or the Gerald R. Ford Foundation.
"I am not a saint, and I am sure I have done things I might have done better or differently, or not at all. I have also left undone things that I should have done. But I believe and hope that I have been honest with myself and with others, that I have been faithful to my friends and fair to my opponents, and that I have tried my very best to make this great Government work for the good of all Americans." - from a statement at his Vice Presidential Confirmation Hearings in November 1, 1973
". . . The ultimate test of leadership is not the polls you take, but the risks you take. In the short run, some risks prove overwhelming. Political courage can be self-defeating. But the greatest defeat of all would be to live without courage, for that would hardly be living at all." - from his remarks upon receiving the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award
May 21, 2001
Five Years Since 9-11-2001
September 11, 2006
Today is the fifth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attack against the United States. We remember the more than three thousand people who were killed in the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the crash of flight 93 in rural western Pennsylvania.
Many, many more were deeply impacted and it drastically changed the times in which we live. The director of the National Park Service wrote that "the message of September 11 is not only of loss...[it also] speaks of courage, determination, and perseverance." We also remember the individuals who - many experiencing personal loss themselves - showed such courage and determination.
Visit the National Museum of American History collection September 11: Bearing Witness to History or the National Park Service 9-11-01 Remembrance.
Steve Irwin (1962-2006)
September 4, 2006
Australian naturalist and wildlife expert Steve Irwin was killed today by a stingray off North Queensland in the Great Barrier Reef. He and his wife, Terri, had two children, Bindi (1998) and Robert (2003). Referencing a 2004 interview on Larry King Live, a Wikipedia article tells about his dedication to his family:
Irwin was as enthusiastic about his family as he was about his work. He once described his daughter Bindi as "the reason he was put on the Earth". His wife Terri once said, "The only thing that could ever keep him away from the animals he loves are the people he loves even more."
Whatever your opinion of his work, you have to agree he was a joyful, enthusiastic man who lived with all his heart. A close friend was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald as saying that
"[Steve] was true to the core. He was big and alive and had a total commitment to everything he was doing. You will never ever find a guy with more passion about the environment or the conservation of wildlife." (Mr. De Deyne, a close friend)
In an official statement a few officials from Discovery Networks reflected on the loss of Steve:
"Steve was a larger than life force. He brought joy and learning about the natural world to millions and millions of people across the globe."
"Steve [was] a human being of enormous heart, irrepressible enthusiasm and dedication to everything he touched."
Some quotes from Steve himself reveal his passion for learning and life:
"Since I was a boy, from this house, I was out rescuing crocodiles and snakes. My mum and dad were very passionate about that and I was lucky enough to go along."
"When I talk to the camera, mate, it's not like I'm talking to the camera, I'm talking to you because I want to whip you around and plunk you right there with me."
"I believe that education is all about being excited about something. Seeing passion and enthusiasm helps push an educational message."
"Where I live if someone gives you a hug it's from the heart."
Visit the Australia Zoo in Breewah, Australia at www.crocodilehunter.com.
John Grisham's Ballpark
June 30 , 2006
The National Center for Fathering included this interesting clip in their weekly newsletter today:
This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the opening of Cove Creek Park, a state-of-the-art youth baseball and softball facility in Covesville, VA. The complex of seven fields was funded and built by novelist John Grisham, who has often mowed and lined the fields himself. Grisham was motivated by a love for baseball and a desire for his own son and daughter to have a good experience with the game.
As commissioner, Grisham set the entry fee at $25 per year for a child to play, though if a child could not afford the fee or didn't have money to buy a glove or cleats, the park provided them. Games are run in a decidedly kid-friendly way: poor sportsmanship, profanity, and arguing with umpires is not tolerated; and to help ensure parents do not create problems, their bleachers are located beyond the center field fence.
The article included a reminder of the many lessons kids can learn from sports - such as self-discipline, dealing with pressure, adjusting to change, respecting others, overcoming setbacks, etc. It concluded with a thought from the book The Ballgame of Life:
The world of most children is already full of people telling them what they cannot do and say--all day, every day. The last thing they need or want is another critic when they are trying to have fun playing a game with their friends.... Yes, we do have a responsibility to teach the kids the game. But there are ways to teach and correct constructively and with good humor that will go a long way towards teaching your little Babe Ruths how to play and respect the game.
Ashlyn's First Birthday
April 18, 2006
Ashlyn's turned one year old! Visit some photos from this past year.
25th Anniversary of the First Space Shuttle
April 12, 2006
Today is the 25th anniversary of the first space shuttle flight. On April 12, 1981 Columbia lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida as STS-1. Visit www.nasa.com.
Some of Our Favorite Music
April 5, 2006
Enjoy browsing some of our favorite musicians and songwriters:
Sara Groves
We've seen Sara and her husband/manager/drummer, Troy twice in Orange County. She's a wonderful songwriter and singer. www.saragroves.com
Michael Card
Nearly every one of Michael Card's songs is thought provoking and powerful. He's authored a few books, which are available on his website. www.michaelcard.com
David Crowder
The David Crowder band does a great job at engaging culture and speaking truth into it. They have quite a spread of style and talent. www.davidcrowderband.com
Chris Tomlin
If you're looking for uplifting, devotional style music, check out Chris Tomlin. Many of his songs will bring your thoughts on better things. www.christomlin.com
Nicole Nordeman
Nicole has a wonderful voice and is an amazing song writer. Her lyrics are realistic, thoughtful, and uplifting. Her live recordings are as good, if not better than her studio work. www.nicholenordeman.com
Child Safety Links
October 10, 2005
As a new parent who's worked with kids for several years, I'm realizing more and more the threats kids face today as they grow up. There are a few helpful sites that build awareness and provide practical help:
The California Department of Justice provides a list of designated registered sex offenders at www.meganslaw.ca.gov. It's searchable by zip code, lists home addresses, and it's free. You can find links to other states at www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/cac/states.htm.
The Polly Klaas Foundation offers a free 24 page Child Safety Kit at www.pollyklaas.com (click on 'Keeping Children Safe'). There are some good tips in this kit about what kids should know and what to do at different age levels.
RAD Kids at www.radkids.org helps train kids to resist aggression defensively. They provide community programs that teach physical skills, safety plans, and strategies for dangerous situations.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also has links on child safety, Amber alerts, parent resources, and more at www.missingkids.com.
Photographs from Space
August 22, 2005
"One of the highlights of my time on orbit was to look out the window at the Earth."
In April Leroy Chiao returned to Earth after six months as commander of the International Space Station. In orbit 230 miles above Earth, he took pictures from around the planet. "The beauty of the Earth was very inspiring, and I tried to find new ways to capture and express that beauty."
Before the trip, he got suggestions from scientists who helped plan good photo opportunties based on the daily orbit schedule, weather, and geographic landmarks.
"...since the Earth is moving past at 17,500 miles per hour, or about five miles per second, you must pan the camera as the shutter is released, otherwise the image will blur and appear out of focus...after a while you just get a little better and a little better, and after six and a half months, you get to take a few good ones."
Find out more about Leroy Chiao or view his top ten photographs.
36th Anniversary of Lunar Landing
July 20 , 2005
It's been thirty six years since the first lunar landing on July 20, 1969.
Lifting off on a Saturn V rocket Americans Neil Armstrong (commander), Edwin Aldrin (lunar module pilot), and Michael Collins (command module pilot) took three days to get into lunar orbit.
With only thirty seconds of fuel left, the lunar module (Eagle) touched down on the moon with Armstrong and Aldrin. Armstrong called to mission control: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."
While Collins orbited the moon alone in the command module (Columbia), Armstong and Aldrin explored the surface of the moon for two and a half hours. Aldrin described the lunar surface as a "magnificent desolation".
Before leaving they rose an American flag, left a patch in memory of the Apollo 1 crew, and a plaque that reads: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind."
The crew splashed down near Hawaii on July 24. So far only ten astronauts followed their footsteps on the moon.
Check out the geography of the six Apollo landing sites at Google Moon or great video and audio features at NASA's Apollo 11 at 35.
Some Favorite Places to Eat
June 5, 2005
Make sure you're hungry before visiting some of our favorite places.
Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant (Buena Park, California)
Located on Grand Avenue right in front of the berry farm created by Walter and Cordelia Knott in the 1930s. Some of the best fried chicken! www.knotts.com/camplace
The Old Spagetti Factory (Hollywood, California)
Several locations across the country. We've been to several! Each one is decorated differently - the buildings range from an old schoolhouse to a former tractor sales room. www.osf.com
Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House (Savannah, Georgia)
All you can eat family style dining since the 1960s. For years the small dining room has been open for lunch with a line forming around the block. We've been there around Christmas and avoided the wait. www.mrswilkes.com
Lady and Sons (Savannah, Georgia)
Don't miss this southern buffet! Paula Deen grew up in south Georgia and started this restaurant as a bag lunch service out of her home with sons Jamie and Bobby. Now it fills a two-hundred year old three-story building in downtown Savannah. www.ladyandsons.com
Andersen's Pea Soup (Buelton, California)
Originally named Andersen's Electric Cafe, Anton and Juliette Andersen opened this restaurant in the 1920s. We love the breakfast with all-you-can-eat pea soup. www.peasoupandersens.net
A.J Spurs Saloon and Dining Hall (Buelton, California)
Get a taste of the old west. As soon as you sit down, you're treated to a pot of stew, salsa, and beans. Every meal finishes with root beer float! www.ajspurs.com
Historical Events on Ashlyn’s Birthday
April 25, 2005
Ashlyn shares her birthday with several other historical events:
April 18, 1521
Martin Luther stands before the emperor of Germany, Charles V, in Worms, Germany and refuses to retract his writings which would eventually lead to spread of the Protestant Reformation.
April 18, 1775
Paul Revere and William Dawes ride horseback through Massachusetts to warn patriot colonists of British troops leaving Boston on a mission to raid the patriot arsenal at Concord and capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock who were in Lexington.
April 18, 1861
President Abraham Lincoln (through Secretary Francis Blair) offers Robert E. Lee the command of the Union Army, which he refused. Four years later he became the Commander in Chief of the Confederate Forces.
April 18, 1906
An 8.5 earthquake hits the city of San Francisco, California.
April 18, 1923
Yankee Stadium opens in New York with legendary Babe Ruth scoring a three run homer against the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees won 4 to 1.
April 18, 1943
Isoroku Yamamoto (the Japanese Commander responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor) is shot down in his transport aircraft by American P38 fighters near the island of Kahili.
April 18, 1946
The international peacekeeping efforts of the League of Nations are dissolved and are replaced by the founding of the United Nations.
April 18, 1949
Eire withdraws from the British Commonwealth and becomes the Republic of Ireland.
April 18, 1955
Albert Einstein dies at the age of 76 in Princeton, New Jersey.
April 18, 1970
The crew of Apollo 13 – James Lovell (commander), John Swigert (command module pilot), and Fred Haise (lunar module pilot) – receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Richard Nixon at the Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii.
April 18, 1980
The southern African nation of Rhodesia is renamed Zimbabwe after it is granted black majority rule and formal independence from Britain is proclaimed.
April 18, 2005
Spirit (one of two robotic rovers on Mars since January 2004) sends images of whirlwinds in the Gusev Crater to earth that give atmospheric scientists new understanding of the effects of wind on the surface of Mars.
Ashlyn Joy Freeman was born today. It just happened to be exactly on her due date. Julie's labor and delivery went wonderfully well.
We were at the doctor's office for a scheduled appointment at 11:00 am and the decision was made that it would be best to induce labor rather than waiting any longer. Anne, the CNM (certified nurse midwife) sent us out to get a light lunch and meet her at the hospital around 12:30 pm. We checked in and they induced labor around 1:45 pm.
Anne said she expected the baby to arrive around 11:00 pm, which meant 9 to 10 hours of labor ahead. Julie was in a lot of pain, but was handling it great. We settled in for what we expected to be long hours. Julie’s mom, sister, and my mom got to the hospital around 4:00 pm.
When Anne checked back around 5:00 pm, Julie was progressing quickly – she had already moved into the stages of active labor. Anne said, “We’re going to have a baby real soon” and I knew she was serious when I saw her in her scrubs a few minutes later. Leigh, the hospital nurse set out all the tools and prepped the room for delivery.
Things fell into place quickly after that. While family went to the waiting room, Julie began the final stages of labor. Although Julie and I went to childbirth classes together and I was ready to help during the labor, I hadn’t expected to participate as fully in the actual delivery. I didn’t miss a heartbeat along the way. The CNM and nurse were extremely helpful and encouraging to Julie. After about 20 minutes of pushing, at 5:54 pm, Ashlyn was in her arms. Julie could not have displayed more courage or perseverance than she did during labor and delivery.
Julie and I both were ready for a strange alien-like creature screaming at us, but Ashlyn was a beautiful baby right from the beginning. When the CNM put her in Julie’s arms, Ashlyn was calm and her eyes were wide open. After about 10 minutes, the nurse cleaned her, gave her ID band, and gave her back to Julie for her first feeding. When she was finished feeding, Ashlyn and I headed to the nursery and Julie moved to her recovery room.
Julie’s sister, Barbara, helped her move to the recovery room while Ashlyn and I explored scales, heating lamps, foot prints, a bath, a vitamin K shot, eye salve, and more in the nursery. My dad showed up while we were in the nursery.
About 2 hours later we were all back together in the recovery room and Julie got to hold Ashlyn again. My brother, sister-in-law, and niece visited later that night. Julie and I took turns holding Ashlyn and sleeping through the rest of the night.
Here's the message we sent in her birth announcement:
Ashlyn Joy Freeman is born!
James and Julie Freeman are proud to announce the healthy and happy birth of their first baby.
Ashlyn Joy Freeman was born at 5:54 pm on Monday, April 18, 2005 in Ventura, California (USA).
She weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 18 3/4 inches tall.
She’s a great baby and we’re looking forward to seeing her grow!
Remembering Grandma Pat
October 6, 2004
Grandma Pat always ended a visit with the words, “come see us again”. She really made it feel like friends and family were welcome to stop by anytime.
One day in the fall of 2003 Julie and I stopped to visit at their home and it was obvious we had caught them leaving. We offered to come back a while later at a better time, but they insisted we come in. They dropped everything and wanted to sit down and visit. Both grandma and granddad truly enjoyed talking about what they had been up to and hearing about how and what we were doing. All of her letters ended with “come see us soon” and I knew she really meant it.
I have many other good memories of Grandma Pat.
I can remember sitting in the room of their home in Nipomo with an iron pot bellied stove. I think it reminded her of her times at home with her dad. She told stories about her dad and especially remembered how he would cook sauerkraut by putting the cabbage in a drum and letting it sit behind the iron stove for days.
Grandma Pat loved animals. Her dog, Guy Guy, lived for years, and so did her cat, Spicy. Her house was full of pictures of animals and she enjoyed watching cows, horses, and deer out in the country around Santa Maria.
She was a full participant in Granddad’s fishing interests. Although I can’t remember her going out on the boat, she definitely had her roles. When we would wake up at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning to head out to the ocean, she would be up making sandwiches and packing plenty of lunch for us. She would listen to the weather and marine radio anytime Granddad was out on the water. When he would arrive back home with the boat, she was at her post to signal and help him back in the trailer.
As a young boy one of my hobbies was stamp collecting. Grandma Pat was always on the lookout for new releases, first day of issues, and corner blocks in good condition. It wasn’t rare when they visited for her to have a corner block of a newly released stamp. Looking back it was just one of the little ways she took a genuine interest in my life.
It was usual for an American flag to be waving in front of Grandma Pat’s home. On any given U.S. holiday she would faithfully put out her patriotic decorations and flags.
On July 4, 2004 Julie and I visited and brought her a U.S. flag for her room. It was the last good visit we would have with her. She recognized us immediately and was interested in how our summer plans were going. She really seemed to be herself that day. As we began to leave she invited us to come back and said, “Call first so I can get vegetables for dinner”. Even at the end she was thinking about how she could serve and give others the best she had to offer.
Remembering Granddad
June 11, 2004
A Freeman patriarch is gone. Just two months shy of his 87th birthday, his spirit outlived his body. He was a son, a brother, a husband, an uncle, a dad, and a friend to many. He is no longer with us but his memory already spans four generations.
I was his grandson. He never showed anything but love to his grandkids. As young kids, when my brother and I would arrive at his Lancaster ranch, he would meet us at the car with a warm smile greeting me with “Howdy, partner” and tell my brother Justin that we arrived “just-in time”.
On family camping trips when we would all meet at Lone Pine or Big Pine, Granddad would give his deal of offering a penny for each pine cone we could collect for the fire. We thought we could harvest the whole mountain and become rich as kings.
I will always remember the time we dropped an enormously heavy steel beam on my foot at his Nipomo home. I probably suffered for years from the injury, but for what it meant for a young boy to be out working on the big stuff with granddad, it was worth it.
He loved fishing. One time we were fishing in the Pacific with his brother and when we had what was possibly the biggest salmon he ever caught. As we tried to bring it in a seal decided it would be his lunch, but he wasn’t about to let that salmon go. He shot at the seal and whether right or wrong, his resolve was firm and the seal left the salmon to granddad.
It was nearly impossible to leave his house without being stocked for the road. A cold soda and a supply of whatever current project he had been cooking up whether a tin of beef jerky (or venison or whatever happened to be available and in season), or perhaps a bag of smoked salmon. And usually a stock of fish, freshly caught with his own hands, and enough to make several meals back home.
I will never forget the time when I brought my fiancé to their home for the first time. He gave me his approval as we left. He told me I had found a fine woman and put $50.00 in my hand to treat her to a nice dinner on the way home. I never spoke to him on the phone or visited his house when, if Julie was not with me, he would tell me to say “hello” to her.
Granddad was a man who was always hard at work or hard at play. What shortcomings he had as a person only served to make my dad a wiser and stronger man. I have learned from both of them what strength, determination, love, and caring mean in the midst of family life.
The formality of ‘grandfather’ never fit. It must have sounded too distant and too cold (even mom and dad called him “Pop”). Only granddad sounds right. He will be greatly missed, but greatly remembered.