I realized this morning that I have a lot on my plate, and just keep piling on the sides. I'm going home, and for a week. Why a week? Cause the Service is on the fifth, the Viewing the day before, and my sister is due on the 12th. Also, because I have only one critique next week, which it will be the day after the funeral. So I'm staying until my sister pops, so that she has someone to watch the boys and not have to wait 2-6 hours for them to come. Yes, I was a back up, and boy would that have been crazy!

So because of my leaving, which it wouldn't be that much different if I stayed, just would have had two extra days, I have to get two portfolios done by Saturday. This includes all my jewelry piece, which are due this Thursday, since Joe does critique during Reading Week. Which I finished my last project yesterday in class. But now I have to print five editions! This includes a Relief block, my Intaglio, and three to four litho stones. No I have not been lazy this semester, just stuck on a lot of things. One of the current editions wasn't even what I wanted it to be, but had no more time to mess around with it... Oh well, I'll get it done.

Also, as of yesterday, I have committed to two things at church, and the pastor is pushing for more. We were suppose to meet about the bulletin I made last week, and he was suppose to make revisions, especially when it had a lot of guessing involved. But do to his current time flick, I was just handed information about the remaining bulletins for May. This is fine, and what I wanted to do, but I also realized as of yesterday as well, that I will not be here for the next two. Yes, I can get them done, just simple swap outs, but it lacks information. The pastor wants us to grow in the church, but it's more like he wants us to be the church. He asked us, Jason and I, to be on the Vision Team. Jason has only been a member since the start of May, and a Christian since February. As for myself, I've battled against myself for years when it came to my walk, and am finally getting to understand what He wants and is doing in my life, but I have barely moved my Letter over to Greenlaw(3 weeks). And to be on a "Committee" when the both of us are so young, at least to the reminder of church family, is a bit weird to me.

Then take me out...

Gregg’s Angry Blog

Nothing fancy here...just the truth and how I feel. I am perhaps one of the luckiest men on this great earth. I have a wonderful, caring, loving, and talented wife and two awesome daughters. Thank you God for the great gifts that you have bestowed upon me!!! What really troubles me is other people's attitudes towards my family and I. About 4 years ago, we (Rebecca and I) decided as a couple, team, and partnership that it would be in our best interest that we moved to South Carolina. We were attempting to salvage what little bit of family that I have as well as pursue other areas in which to raise our soon coming family. I knew then and have always known that this was a sore spot for many in the family but the question is why? I'll tell you...because we were doing what was right for us and that wasn't convenient for your selfish little world. Over the years that I have been alive, I have watched many dear friends of mine move on to other parts of the country and world and have assisted most of them in packing. Always parting ways with a warm embrace. Many have lost touch over the years and thats ok with me...it happens. Some, I still keep in touch with and am just as fond of them today as I was 10 years ago. I don't fear that my distance from them will cause me to love them less. Take my friend Mike. We were on a Special Forces team together. We can go for years without speaking only to meet and continue the same conversation with the same brotherly love and affection just as if time stood still for us. Maybe that makes us different than some out there. I don't know. What I do know is that the move that we made years ago did not involve you or anyone else. It was for us as a family and it was the correct choice. Not only is our family stronger and closer now, but we are also more prosperous as well. That move was successful for us but you couldn't be happy for us only self centered and hateful. Your selfishness not only hurts me but more importantly, it hurts my wife who is the center of my world. By the way, I take your attacks on her as personal attacks aimed at me. I am not being quiet about it anymore. Let me hear one more snide little remark and I will confront you openly and in person. Why am I so angry you may be asking? Well, I will tell you. My wife is the most loving and caring person that I have ever met. You would do well to thank the Almighty to be related to her or to know her for that is a truly blessing. You don't though. Nope. You only ridicule her and myself and speak of her with ill report. I won't stand for it anymore and I dare any to confront me on this. This anger has come about from the years of biting my tongue while knowing that your smiling face was false and hearing your little remarks second hand. Such childish behavior. This last trip was the one though. I want to thank you for such a memorable time. We spent our hard earned money to come and see you, to be a part of a family event, but most importantly, we came to see GRANDMA!! We have known that she wasn't well and we saw this as an opportunity to see her perhaps for the last time. We sure hoped that wasn't the case but unfortunately it was. We had also decided, as a family, about a year ago that we would move back to Las Vegas in order to be closer to family and friends. See, South Carolina has been very good to us with regards to employment opportunities and has brought us closer together but the main reason why we moved just didn't work out and we have grown to feel that it was time to come back to where we both feel that we belong. We had to wait though because I have been busting my butt working on my BS degree through a Veteran's program which was intended to and is presenting better opportunities for the family. (Becca, I couldn't have done it without you!!!) Now the time is right for us to move and we are doing so. So any rate, we came out there with a full agenda planned...not really a vacation at all mind you. 1. See Grandma 2. Attend a wedding 3. See friends in Las Vegas 4. Attend job interviews What you people don't understand is that number freakin' 3 is very important to me. Remember, my family outside of Becca and the girls has deteriorated to just my brother and me. Friendship is very important to me as my friends are my family. Mike Torres...Special Forces teammate and brother. (you wouldn't understand because you've never been in that world and you have probably never had to depend on someone with your very life) Dave Thompson...my iron worker and motorcycle riding brother (he has always been there for me and the family in more ways that you'll ever understand) Kacy Coleman...he's putting me up in his condo until the house sells and I can reunite with Becca and the girls. (I had to practically break his arm to make him let me pay rent) Kathleen Dibble...She and Rebecca go so far back and Kathleen has done so much for us I feel obligated to re-landscape her back yard for her as a show of gratitude and love. By the way, when we decided to move to the east coast, these people were not happy about it, but they were a heck of a lot more supportive than you. This is why we were on a tight time line when we came to California. You are not the only person in our lives and we were trying to get a lot done and see a lot of people in a short amount of time. Like trying to get a job so we could move back to Las Vegas and be closer to you and our friends again. All in all, I think that we were being pretty giving but there again, you can't see past your own greed. Also, I'd like to add that we paid for this on our own dime and it wasn't cheap. Also, we were using our vacation time which we could have saved and used to take a real family vacation to some place fun for the family. You know, a simple thank you or a genuine statement that you were happy to see us would have been nice. Like that would really happen. No, instead, we were so warmly greeted with blank faces ignoring our presence. You wonder why I looked like a sour puss? I really just wasn't feeling the love from you. I will tell you who I really enjoyed seeing...aside from Grandma...Rachael, David, and their boy, Paul. Thank you guys for hanging with me and the great conversation. It really made the day fun for me. Also, getting to know some of the extended family that I never had the opportunity to talk to in the past was really cool. But you, and you know who you are, really let me down this time and it hurt. My feelings aside, it hurt my wife and I reiterate what I wrote above with the emphasis that you do not want that. This is not some sort of tough guy threat mind you. This is a fact that if you continue with your selfish ways and continue to nit-pick and back-stab, you will only be hurting yourself in the long run because eventually you will be written out of our lives just as my own mother has been after the devastating attacks on us that she did. Lies by the way so you can stop with all that BS too. We (Becca and I) are a team and we love each other. We do well together and won't let anything jeopardize that. Try to look at the big picture next time. You can either be a part of the fun or you can take your ball and get out of our yard. Is that clear enough for you?

One last thing. This isn't aimed at one person but rather several and I am not listing names in an attempt to be civil but in the future, I will call you out by name regardless of who you think you are...face to face. -GM

I think I'm responsible for this one. Mostly because I was highly upset about something I saw prior to all of this family drama. I saw how my sister would rather be with those that just tell her she's doing no wrong, than those that want to see the real sister, not the one that tells half trues. I love my sister, my brother and my two nieces, though I RARELY see them. I mean I rarely talk them, and it hurts to get a phone call from my niece and she asks for Kat. I'm glad that they have moved to South Carolina, and that it was a family decision, but I'm not happy about how they don't share with us, not that they did much before, what is going on?

I opened my mouth when I probably should have just bit my tongue, but I was hurting and not thinking. So now, my brother is attacking my family in full. Yes, my family would LOVE for everyone to be close, but they do realize(not always at first) that it's what GOD wants. But nobody hates for your doing so, and never did. Yes, you spent a lot of money to come out, and I'm sure the Bennett's and everyone else were happy to see you, but it was also a busy time. So I'm sorry you felt neglected, but I myself barely got to do anything for myself those few days Jason and I were their. He wanted to go to the beach, but instead he help my family get things going. I still feel bad that he didn't get to really do anything but work on a wedding. I'm glad you got to see Grandma and talk to her, because I didn't. I'm also glad you got to talk to family members that you don't normally talk to, for whatever reason. But to think, that we HATE or disagree with how you guys are doing in things is a bit drastic. We love you guys, but you don't allow yourselves to be open with us. I'm not saying tell us everything that is going on everyday, just stop with the lies.

One thing about our family is we critique each other, about everything, everyone outside notices it, but that's what we do. Not to hurt each other, but to bring attention to things that need to change. We are Critical because we love each other and want each other to succeed, not just in society, but mostly with GOD. And you both have been sliding for quite sometime... I worries me that you aren't saved...

This isn't meant to hurt you, or make you seem we don't care. You're family, and if you want me gone, take me out. It's not like I get them anyways...

I want one! they are so Cool!

She went home...

I just wanted to state how wonderful my family is. I realize that we don't talk as much as some, but we know we all love each other. They will always be there for me, and are my closest friends.

Why is it so hard to just trust God? I mean, He's in control, but I struggle so much to allow myself to just let Him work. I just found out today that a very important person in my life isn't doing so well, which is a bit of a given since she is almost 82, but it still brings sorrow to my heart. But God is in control right? Everything that will happen involving her is according to His plans. So if she goes home, I shouldn't be so upset about it... I can't change His course for her, but I can celebrate, when the time comes, her finally being home, and my excitement to go home myself. Right now I'm hurting for no reason, or at least something that has yet to happen, when I should just trust.

I kinda was saddened today when looking at something and it made me feel replaced. No, it's not by a boy, and it doesn't just effect me. I guess you would rather be with them anyway...

So my weeks are limited, not just with this semester, but I'm taking two Summer classes, and then next fall... it's coming up quick.

With Taxes being do, my hopes in fixing my truck are growing more and more. Especially with talks of the money I'll receive this Summer from the Government! Maybe I'll just put it away until I'm ready to start my studio... Which this would be amazing to have.... My Future Shop Equipment. I started looking at presses, drying racks and all kinds of things... I'm going to spend close to 20,000 dollars on just shop stuff alone. I think it will be worth it...

I made it back, and hopefully didn't overwhelm Jason too much with my family. I would totally would be overloaded when meeting a majority of my other's family, which was everyone, but two people, seriously. But he was there to help with anything... Labeling Cokes, putting up tents, even holding babies. I'm really grateful to have him in my life.