Robyn

My sis...

My sister Robyn is making major motions forward in her videography business. She now has a company called Big Red Box Productions, LLC. I wanted to share with you her latest news since many of my friends have met my sis before and so that the family can get an update as well!

So here's an update from Robyn.

If you would like to see some of her sampled work click on her logo below.

"Hello Family and Friends!

First off, Shawn - Happy First Communion and Birthday! I love you and am so sorry to have missed your big day.

To the rest, I wanted to send a little update to you because God has really been sending blessings to Big Red Box Productions and I wanted to share with you. Yesterday I filmed the Ram's Draft Party down at the Edward Jones Dome. And the Rams were the ones who hired me! This is the second event that they have hired me to film and hopefully this is the beginning of a long lasting relationship with them. They were very pleased with the first event and I can only hope they are pleased with the footage I captured yesterday! It was a great time, a little nerve-wrecking a points. I would say the most profound part of the experience was realizing that the players were my age and the cheerleaders 4 years younger. Very very strange. Still, its hard to be confident around them, but hopefully I'll ease into them being my friends! (Don't worry, asap I will bring them to a Carmody celebration, but give me a little time.) We haven't settled if they would like the footage edited or not, but my fingers are crossed that they will. (I'll let you know!) So that is big time.

Also big time is that the company my dad works for has hired me to make a 2 minute video piece for their salesmen to use. Tomorrow I will be flying out to Washington DC to do the filming, coming back Tuesday and then producing 500 DVDs for them in the next two weeks! So this is also a huge opportunity for BRB Pro.

Now, if I can just get these philosophy papers done (by tomorrow) then everything will be settled! On a better note, only one more semester of school! I will be walking across the UMSL stage next December (Mom, put that on your calendar somewhere!) and I am going to have everyone over to my apartment to celebrate, see where I live finally and for you to meet both my awesome new roommate Stephanie and my always awesome cat Aiko.

A little update on Tim - he is doing really well and we're doing really great and having a lot of fun while being way too super busy. He is now working at Trader Joes along side of UPS and starts his shift at 5am, which means he's getting out about the time I like to wake up! He is liking it although God is bringing in great new opportunities for coffee and so we're praying that God will lead him where He sees best fit for Tim's passion right now. We are very active in our church, Grace & Peace and love it...we are surrounded by very wonderful, down to earth, people and families (small kids galore) there. I have another great set of twins in my life now at church (Joe and Nadine) which is the second picture. The first is of Aiko in all of her glory. Please share with your kids.

Hope you all enjoy. Would love to hear back from you. I love you!
Robyn, Pumpkin Head"

KC Royals!

Friday night some of my colleagues from PHS and I headed to Kauffman Stadium to watch the Royals play. Those who attended from the math department went out to dinner before hand and then carpooled to the game. The game started out a little slow, but once we headed into the 6th inning the game picked up and we witnessed a victory! It was a cold night in April, but we had a good time.

Dinner and Happy Hour with my colleagues and spouses.

The largest screen in major league baseball...

The youngins' of the department, at least for the remainder of this year.

Kerrie, Becky, and me.

Marcia and Jetta. Jetta is my mentor at school.

The fountains.

Friday Night Fireworks

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!

Spring-filled weekend

This weekend was awesome thanks to many events and the spring weather!!!

I have been on the go for the past several weeks, and I thought that I was not going to get to slow down until next weekend, but this weekend ended up presenting itself as a time of rest and fun!

Friday night I played the last indoor soccer game of the season then went out to celebrate with some friends. Saturday I began my day with Mass, followed by some major spring cleaning, went for a run, and got ready for the evening.

Saturday night, Stacy and I planned an Eastertide Wine tasting party. This was in lieu of last November when we had an Advent Wine Tasting party.

To my surprise, yesterday morning my sister Lori called to tell me she was in town for a volleyball tournament! I was so excited to get to see her and to invite her to the party. She took some pictures of the two of us, so I will post those as soon as I get them from her.

Then Sunday I went to Mass with my friend Michelle, spent a few hours on the deck catching up with her, took a nap, went to the park, went for a run, read a book, and now I need to do some school work!

Overall, it was a great weekend to enjoy the weather, be with friends and family, and rest up!

Here are some pics from the wine tasting....

Mark and Sebastian

Sebastian, Brett, and Stacy (with the pizza rolls, a standard at our wine tasting!)

Dan, Jean, Kasia, Brook, and Resa

Kerrie and Becky, fellow math teachers at PHS

Stacy and Dan

It's not a wine tasting party hosted by Stacy and I unless Jenga is part of the evening...let the anticipation begin!

Maria, Carrie, Chris, and Chris

Kelly, Marcus, and Stacy


Notice Laura and Jean in the back, and Lorie taking the approach...


Laura, Jean and me

Lorie, Kelly, and Dan

Jean and Michelle

It's official!

Yesterday my friend Jessica Schippers and I purchased our tickets to travel to Italy this summer! We have been considering over the past year and have waivered back and forth whether or not we should go, but we made it official yesterday by purchasing our tickets!

As of now, our plan is to travel to Italy on July 13th and spend a few days there traveling around Rome and visiting many of the churches and Vatican city. Once we have spent a few days there (and most likely be overwhelmed by the city itself), we are going to retreat to Cortina, Italy into the Dolomite Mountains. There we will meet up with the Apostles of the Interior Life. We will spend several days there. Finally we will travel to Milan, Italy for a day before we head back to the States on July 23rd.

The Apostles are the religious order that I am part of in the Collaborator movement. This coming January 1st, if things go as planned, Jessica and I will be taking promises with the Collaborators as a laity, along with others. Being with the community this summer will be a time of formation, preparation, and retreat before we take the promises!

I am looking forward to this experience and will be excited to share it with you as well!

The Baptism of Isaac Joseph

On Sunday, April 13th, Isaac Joseph was baptized. Isaac is the son of my former froommate Katie and her husband, Ryan. They asked me to be the Godmother. It was a beautiful ceremony celebrated by Msgr. Krische, who was the chaplain at KU while I was in college. I look forward to being a spiritual figure in Isaac's life and being his friend. Here are some pictures from the Sacrament of his Baptism. Msgr. prepares a beautiful ceremony that consists of four processions. We first began outside of the chapel and then processed into the Church, symbolizing Isaac's entrance into the Church. Then Isaac was prepared for his Baptism before the altar. Then we all processed into the baptistery for his baptism. Finally, we were before the altar once more to welcome him and present him before Christ.

Props to the photographer, Sarah Davis. She took lots of great pictures, but here are just a few!

The proud parents

The proud Godmother with her buddy Joachim.

Joachim is Katie and Ryan's oldest son.

Isaac! A new soldier for Christ!

Parents, Godparents, Msgr. Krische with Isaac

We must be one in spirit, for we all color coordinated so well! ;)

Me with my Godson!

Isaac, may the Lord bless you and protect you all the days of your life!

Convivenza

As I have mentioned before, I am part of a lay movement call Collaborators of Your Joy. We meet once a month for formation and fellowship. Once a year we spend a day together. We call it a Convivenza, which roughly translated in Italian means "spending time together." During this time we share meals, attend Mass, Adoration, hear a meditation, and catch up with each other. One of the families who is involved hosted us out on their property. They had a lot of outdoor activities to offer, however it decided to snow in April! So instead, we enjoyed more of each others' company indoors. Here are a few pics of the day!

Fr. Steve celebrating Mass

This is my friend Sasha with her new fiancé Chris

This is my friend Teresa

And my dear friends Jessica and Jasmine

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!

The night of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship I had the honor of fixing the Burton's dinner. This was of course followed up by watching the Championship game! I have to admit, I wasn't sure if we were going to win, but I had to have faith. While watching the game I just wasn't as into it as I was the Saturday before...Well that was until the last few minutes when we were down by 9! Wow, what a game! Although these pics were not necessarily taken during the game I think they express the spirit in the Burton household!

First off, you have to carb up for the big game...

and as any good friend of Sheena knows, you must eat asparagus with your hands, it is only proper etiquette.

Then it was time for tip off. You have to call your friends at the beginning and during the game to be sure they are cheering on those Jayhawks!

Jaydreamin'

...modern style

But wait! Collin's did you really just make that move and risk the game?

Joachim: Oh my gosh! Hold your breath!
Isaac: Whoosh! It's okay bro, Chalmers saved the day!!!

Katie, we're going into overtime!


1988 and 2008!
We are the Champions!

As per request of Roy Williams:

Now since many of us did not get to experience live the excitement, this gets you pretty close to the spirit at Allen Field House!