Hi all!  After 6 years of marriage (June 16th!) I have to admit this is Andy’s and my first newsletter ever!  So hopefully I am successful- though I do have inspirational help from my Aunt Fonda and Aunt Wini. J 
            As many of you know and in case you don’t know- Andy and I graduated from San Francisco State University in May 2007.  Andy received his Bachelor of Arts in Cinema and I was given mine in English with an emphasis in Literature.  It was truly a fantastic experience for both of us, though a little later than anticipated.  We figure it’s never too late to start! Or finish! We’re just glad to be on the finishing end of school.

Graduates!

            While working on our degrees over the past four years Andy and I have juggled multiple jobs, as you can imagine.  As of now I am substitute teaching until my final summer classes are over. Before I went back to school, and even during it, I taught Preschool at Christian Community Schools which was a phenomenal preschool that taught me so much.  Over all, teaching was a 7 year journey for me where I discovered how much joy teaching my students gave me.  Hopefully my path will lead me in a direction where I can work with children as well as something literary based.  What can be more fun than that? Kids and books!
            Andy is working part time in the technical ministries department of our church, Fremont Community Church, works weekends doing weddings with the award winning “Morning Star Videography” and is interning and occasionally works for the Oakland Athletics Baseball Team.

Andy putting my friends and I on the jumbotron.

I am very proud of his perseverance and accomplishments! These were all things he mixed into his schedule while taking classes full time as well! Please keep us in your prayers for our future endeavors.  I wish we knew the future!  But don’t we all? J
            After all of our hard work this year Andy and I were rewarded with a trip to Boston to visit Karen, my closest friend since Junior High.  We absolutely adored the East Coast with the highlight of our trip being our visit to New York and catching a show on Broadway.  We had always dreamed of doing it and now we can say we did.  Then, two weeks later we flew out again- this time to Saint Louis, where Andy grew up, for him to help his Dad film the wedding of a family friend. We are all traveled out now!

                    
       Us at Fenway Park.                              Us at RENT on Broadway

            Speaking of families- both of our families are doing very well right now.  Two of my younger brothers were both at SFSU this last year and lived with us too.  I really miss having them around now that they are gone for the summer, though we didn’t get a chance to hang out much during the year because they were too cool for that.  I guess some things never change!
            As for my parents- my Dad is still on the go, cruising, as always.  Coming up soon he will be gone on another month-long dancing/cruising trip to South America.  It must be rough, eh?  He says “Now that I am retired: Everyday is Saturday.” 

Italian dinner in Warnemunde, Germany
With my Dad and Sister, Debbie

            My mom is teaching English at the High School I attended way back in the day.  The kids really love her to pieces and she just can’t get enough of them either. I guess it’s hereditary.  David, my step-dad, is working hard with his contracting business and working on remodeling their house, so his days are long and full.  They just celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary too!

Easter in Grass Valley

            Also… Andy became an Uncle when his sister Lexi welcomed a new little baby into her family on October 20th!!  His name is Nathan Reed Taylor and he is not wanting for attention.

Uncle Andy raspberries

Andy is a proud Uncle and I have been singing all of my preschool songs to him. J  We have over a thousand pictures already of this little guy, so you can imagine the computer hard-drive damage we could do with one of our own!

The Engle’s and Taylor’s at our house
Christmas ‘06

            Andy’s Dad, Rick, has been keeping busy as the Choir Director at FCC while working to build his Videography business, “David’s Heart Productions.” Judy, Andy’s mom, sings for Rick in the Choir as well as on vocal teams and of course special solo’s.  Judy recently started a new job at Equinix and is enjoying her new job a lot.
            Well, that is all the news we have for now but we would love to get an update from anyone who has a little extra time this summer.  Thank you to all of our family and friends who have supported us over these past few turbulent and exciting years!  You all are truly and certainly a blessing to us and please know that we think of you often.
           
God Bless you and your families-