Wow….we are so emotionally exhausted but we are so grateful to have been selected to participate in the Every 15 Minutes experience. I know that all of us are forever changed as individuals and as a family. The whole experience was so amazingly realistic and each of our hearts have been touched in ways we never would have imagined. I honestly believe that I will remember this educational experience and the emotions that go along with it for the rest of my life.

I commend the students, teachers, rescue workers, SJFD, SJPD, the ambulance people, the trauma team people, the morgue lady, and everyone who was involved in putting this together. Thank you all for everything you do everyday to make such a positive impact on our lives and those around us. God bless.

Someone dies from an alcohol related collision. Kaileigh was chosen to participate in the program at her school as one of “the living dead”. When the school contacted us a few weeks ago and asked us to participate, we were both pretty emotional about it then. Less than a week later, our close friend Jon Maxey unexpectedly passed away. This process just became that much more emotional for Jono and I.

We both strongly feel that if Kaileigh’s participation in this event stops just one person from getting behind the wheel after they have been drinking, then the recent emotional rollercoaster we’ve been riding will be all worth it. And we’re kind of on the periphery of it. She was the one who had to be pulled from class today by the Grim Reaper and have her obituary read in front of the class by a police officer. Then she met with the other program participants and really got into the roll with the make-up, blood, etc. Some of the kids were taken to the hospital in “critical condition” and one student was DOA, her parents had to go to the morgue. I don’t know if I could have handled that. The phone call was hard enough….

I thought I would be pretty ok through all of this. I teared up a bit at the parent meeting a few weeks ago, and have been emotional ever since, with Jon’s passing, and then thinking about what would be happening with this and how it would possibly be if something like this ever did happen to our family. Then when the SJPD called me this morning, even though I knew they would, the call just seemed so real. I had to keep it in the back of my mind that we were just acting, that Kaileigh really is ok, she’s still my baby girl. But then not getting to see her until tomorrow, certainly adds to the realism of the whole thing.

This evening we went up to the school to meet with the firemen, paramedics, and the other families who were chosen to participate. On the way to the gym/auditorium, gravestones have been set up to represent each of the students who were involved. A bit shocking to see our daughters tombstone

Tonight I am going to sleep knowing that I am blessed, that my family is safe, and praying that this is the closest I will ever get to having this alternate reality.

Aren’t they gorgeous!

I’ve been sifting through our old digital photos, trying to get them sorted into at least some kind of category (like year!) and in one humongous “photos” file, instead of a little in this file, and a little in that file. Anywho, I recently stumbled on some holiday pictures from my first Christmas in 2000 with John and the girls. They were so small!!

Posted on the school website this afternoon:

Homecoming
Congratulations to our 2009 Fall Homecoming Princes & Princesses. Our Freshman winners are Lauren  & Brett. Our Sophomore winners are Kevin & Kaileigh Bautista. Our Junior winners are Emily & Brandon. 2009 Homecoming King Candidates are Dan, Andrew & Austin and our 2009 Queen Candidates are Camille, Lindsay & Mackenzie. Congratulations to you all!!

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How cool is that?! She always wanted to grow up to be a princess

Jono and Alanna left for Hot August Nights yesterday and after Bible Camp, I dropped John-John off over at Mimi’s house, so it was just Kaileigh and I for the afternoon and evening.  On our way back home, we stopped at the mall for a movie, shopping and dinner. We saw the new Julie & Julia movie. Cute movie. Kaileigh and I both enjoyed it. After the movie we shopped the mall a bit. I had a 30% off coupon at Aeropostal and they were having a buy 1 get 1 free sale on jeans. So Kaileigh ended up with 2 new pairs of cute jeans and a sweater for school and I saved almost $90! I was so tempted to go back and get a couple more pair of jeans to sell on eBay, but I resisted. I think I’m still regretting it.

After shopping, we had dinner at Buca di Beppo (which I also had a coupon for) and walked out totally stuffed with two plastic bags of leftovers. Ok, one plastic bag of leftovers, and one plastic bag of dessert It was a fun afternoon, one I wish we could do more often.

I’ve been taking an online Photoshop Special Effects class. Everyday there is a new lesson and project associated. Here’s the first one I did the other day:

This class involved the use of brushes and frames. I love this shot of Kaileigh and John and Manresa Beach.

All three kids are out of school as of this afternoon.  John-John had his last day today and is now officially a first-grader. Alanna and Kaileigh have been on summer vacation for a week now and have already been to the beach and Great America. It is hard to imagine that Alanna is going to be a Senior and Kaileigh a Sophmore. Where has the time gone?! I am sure we will keep asking ourselves this very same question for years to come. It continues to amaze me how fast the time flies.

Both the girls were asked to Winter Ball this year. This was Alanna’s third year going and Kaileigh’s first (and her first HS dance as well). They both looked so pretty and grown up!

Check out Kaileigh at the Volleyball tournament last Saturday!!