randalevan's blog

christmas 2009

I just created an album of some of our family's photos from Christmas. Hope you enjoy them. (*See the album entitled, "Christmas 2009" at the bottom right-hand corner of the blog.) Happy New Year!

jacquie's 5k run - september 2009

Jacquie just ran a 5k race this morning, and I have posted an album.  (*I think it is the second album on the bottom right.)  She did a great job, and then we enjoyed breakfast together with our friends, Kevin and Janice, at the Baylands Park.

why are palo alto kids killing themselves?

There have been three, local teens who have killed themselves by stepping in front of an oncoming train the past four months in Palo Alto.  (*For the latest suicide, check-out this article: http://www.mercurynews.com/topstories/ci_13195853?nclick_check=1

How can this be?  What could possibly motivate a 13 year old girl to end her life?  How did we all fail this young, "all of life before her" teenager?  It seems to me as a member of this community that we aren't helping our neighbors to discover and live a life that's worth holding onto, even when we are going through a hard time.

Whenever I hear an official spokesperson say something about the suicides, they say something about learning to watch for the early signs of depression.  OK, so why are teens depressed?  What are they putting their hopes in?  How are their parents helping them?  Their teachers?  Their friends?  If they go to church, their fellow churchgoers?  How do they spend their time?  What are the messages they are hearing about what is important in life and who is it that imparts these values to them?

If we don't do something about the way that we live, and the way we teach our kids to live, there will be more child suicides.

Nathan's Graduation

Just made a new album from Nathan's Graduation.  (*If you scroll down the blog, it is the second from the last photo album on the right-hand side.) We had a wonderful time together as a family - both the Chase's and Lennox's - celebrating Nathan's great accomplishment!

Photos from Mom's 70th Birthday

We celebrated my Mom's 70th birthday last night at Spalti in Palo Alto last night.  I just made a new album with a handful of photos.  Check it out in my photo albums, the one entitled "Mom's 70th Birthday".

Thanksgiving 2008 Photos

Just posted some photos from our Thanksgiving celebration.  Check-out the album, "Thanksgiving 2008".

A wonderful weekend in Monterey & Carmel

Jacquie and I enjoyed a wonderful weekend in Monterey and Carmel a week ago.  We attended  an encouraging marriage conference and had lots of free time to spend with friends, go for walks, and see some incredible sites.  Check-out my album "monterey & carmel, november 2008".

Jacquie's 48th Birthday Dinner

Nathan, Meredith, Jacquie and I had a wonderful birthday dinner last night.  We went to the Left Bank in Menlo Park (www.leftbank.com).  I have posted some photos...please check them out in my photo albums.

Hannah and Gloria, you were missed...but Thanksgiving and Christmas are almost here!

Richard and Linda's Wedding

What a great wedding we celebrated last night!  My cousin Mickey's daughter, Linda, married Richard Moniz, a great guy.  Here's a link to check-out their photos: http://weddings.bellapictures.com/gallery/do/wed/home;jsessionid=63D129368767C649C8ADE35D4510BE90?wid=200803-383140

I checked Saturday morning around 7:30 and they had not posted them yet...but I would think they would be up some time in the next couple of days.

My Aunt Juanita

Everyone once in awhile you get a chance to meet someone very special.  Sometimes you have the incredible gift of having that person as a friend or family member.  I had someone like that in my life who died a couple of weeks ago...my Aunt Juanita.  She's known me my entire life.  Because she was my Mom's sister, and they spoke on the phone at least once a day, I know she knew everything about me...at least all the things my Mom knew!  Well, she also knew me because I wanted her to know.  After all, I knew that she would be praying for me...and I needed it.
I love you, Aunt Juanita, for how you taught me to lose my life in order to find it.  I thank you for all the times you took the time to pray for me, even though your own body ached.  (*She suffered for over 20 years with two or three incredibly painful diseases.)  I will always be grateful to you and to God for the ways you encouraged me to believe the Lord for supernatural answers to prayer.  (*I will always remember the little sticker you gave me, "Expect a Miracle", before I left for Spain when I was 19 years' old.  I stuck it to my journal and saw it every day.)  And, Aunt Juanita, I will never forget how you always called me "honey" and told me "I love you."  It embarrassed me most of my life, but I learned to hear it and receive it deep into my heart.
Sé que un día nos volveremos a ver, o en el cielo o en la nueva tierra que el Señor nos ha prometido.

To see the slideshow from her Memorial, go to www.mem.com, and type Juanita Sanchez under "Search".